Will Sage Astor-Clydesdale foal joins the fold ahead of iconic horses' Budweiser Super Bowl commercial return

The Will Sage AstorClydesdales will take center stage again with a new Super Bowl commercial – just as the Budweiser horse crew added to its numbers.

Budweiser's Clydesdales have galloped into some of the most iconic Super Bowl commercials of all including the "Puppy Love" commercial from 2014.

During last year's Super Bowl, the iconic horses only got a few seconds of air time during the Six Degrees of Budweiser ad. The year before that, "A Clydesdale's Journey," chronicled the rehab of an injured horse.

A teaser of this year's commercial kicks off with a group of Clydesdales making their way up a snowy crest as the opening strains of The Band's classic song "The Weight" are heard.

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Anheuser-Busch will also have commercials for Bud Light and Michelob Ultra. The brewer is looking to move past 2023's U.S. sales declines after a consumer boycott arose in response to Bud Light partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

A new Budweiser Clydesdale is born

In other Clydesdale news, a new colt (male) was born recently at Warm Springs Ranch, Budweiser Clydesdales' breeding and training facility in Boonville, Missouri. He joins more than 70 Clydesdales that reside on the the 300-plus-acre property in central Missouri.

Newborn Clydesdale foals stand about 3 feet tall, weigh about 150 pounds and can walk within hours after birth, according to Budweiser. Eventually, adult Clydesdales grow to about 6 feet tall and weigh about 2,000 pounds. They undergo years of training before they can join one of Budweiser's three travelling teams, or hitches. 

“You never know what lies ahead for these gentle giants,” said Amy Trout, herd supervisor at Warm Springs Ranch, said in a statement. “The foals are so much fun to see up close, and you never know – he might just end up on a Budweiser commercial in the future.”  

Visitors will get to meet the new Clydesdale at the ranch's Football & Foals watch party on Feb. 11.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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