Interest sold in Chocolatier

Southwind Farms has purchased a 25 percent interest in World Champion Chocolatier and will stand the horse at the conclusion of his racing career, it was announced today.



"We're excited to stand a horse of this caliber," said Southwind owners Connie and Allen Skolnick, "and we're also delighted to be involved with the Ackermans, one of the classiest families in the sport."



Chocolatier is trained by Hall of Famer Doug Ackerman and owned during his freshman campaign by he and his wife, Ada Jean. Their son D.R. is the horse's regular driver.



"Chocolatier is certainly a worthy successor to our stallions Valley Victory and Artsplace," the Skolnicks added.



Chocolatier, now three, was overwhelmingly voted the Dan Patch Award as 2-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year in 2005 after a freshman campaign that saw him win eight times in 10 starts. He is currently the number one ranked trotter in this year's Experimental Ratings.



The son of Credit Winner-Maple Frosting was last year's richest 2-year-old trotting colt with $508,250, and the fastest as well, establishing a mile-track world record of 1:54.4 in the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile. His other victories came in the $507,600 Breeders Crown, Bluegrass Stakes, American-National, Hayes Memorial, Review Stakes and Hanover Stakes.



"We've been thrilled at the interest in Chocolatier's stud potential, and we couldn't be more pleased than to be partnering with Southwind Farms," said Doug Ackerman. "This is by far the best horse I've ever had. He's in great shape and we're really looking forward to getting ready for this year's Hambletonian and the other big stakes."



Preferred Equine Marketing will manage the syndication of Chocolatier at the completion of his racing career. Preferred Equine also handled the sale and syndication of his sire, Credit Winner, North America's number one trotting sire in 2-year-old earnings in 2005, with over $2.6-million.

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