Reluctant Starspangledbanner starts to find his way at stud Starspangledbanner. Stud owner and thoroughbred entrepreneur Anthony Mithen isn't counting his foals just yet, but early signs suggest that former world champion sprinter Starspangledbanner may yet make his mark at stud after struggling with fertility issues. With some tender loving care and a few gentle words of encouragement, the four-time dual hemisphere group 1 winner is starting to find his feet at stud and is on track to record a strong book of pregnancies at his first season at Mithen's Rosemont Stud property. After an inglorious start to his stud career in Ireland with majority owner Coolmore, Starspangledbanner was sent back to the races last year to try to recoup some of the millions the Irish giant had spent on securing him, and if it were not for the intervention of part-owner Mithen, there's no telling what may have become of the one-time superstar sprinter. Mithen successfully lobbied Coolmore to give Rosemont a chance to get the ailing stallion back on track this southern hemisphere breeding season and so far the experiment has gone well. Our vet has bags under her eyes like you've never seen, she's put so much time into this project, and unless the mares are absolutely spot-on and ready to be served Star doesn't see them. No matter what time day or night, when they're ready to go, they go," Mithen said. We're pleased with the reward to date for what has been a massive effort by everyone here at Rosemont. We were in a pretty sizeable hole financially when he started to struggle in Ireland because he obviously wasn't a cheap horse to get involved in, but he's starting to show signs that his fertility is improving. Kept to a select book of just 50 mares this season, Starspangledbanner has 16 confirmed pregnancies and 13 holding to be confirmed in the next fortnight, with about 20 mares still to be served before the end of the year, in a performance that is on par with an entire season at Coolmore.