Worked two-thirds of the yearlings today and, in a pleasant surprise, most were none too shabby. It's a bit early to say for sure, but this may very well be the most talented crop I have ever bred.
Highlighters include:
Be Okay (Perfect Night x Trusty Southpaw) smokes 3 furlongs on turf in 0:36.52.
Chiaki (Aesthetic x Viva La Estrella) works 5 furlongs on turf in 0:59.52.
Farfelkugel (Vonnegut x Pharfignewton) blitzes 3 furlongs on turf in 0:36.54.
Favor the Brave (Phoenix Rise x Fortesfortunajuvat) works 4 furlongs in 0:46.64.
Meteora (Warlike x How Ya Doin) breezes 5 furlongs on turf in 0:59.64.
Rainbow Chaser (Boise x Grey Eminence) impresses going 5 furlongs in 0:58.13.
Most of my best horses tend to be turfers, but I'm not complaining.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
New Japan-bred program in the works
Five years ago Sun Tzu was born in California to fledgling owner Paul Heinrich. Sun Tzu was a homebred for Heinrich and bred to be an absolute star: Out of his unraced late A.P. Indy mare, Strategy, the horse is a half-brother to grade I winner Guile and Desert World Cup (UAE-I) hero Gun Hill. He was sired by Notorious, a venerable campaigner who excelled as an older horse when taking his own edition of the Desert World Cup in addition to the Baltimore Special (gr. I), Woodward Stakes (gr. I) and Oaklawn Park Handicap (gr. I). And in his first yearling work Sun Tzu sizzled five furlongs in :58.30.
As a racehorse Sun Tzu was precocious enough to sweep all three starts at two, including a determined win in the Louisiana Jackpot (gr. II) over the highly-touted Heed the Warning, earning a remarkable 88 speed figure. The following season the colt prepped for Triple Crown with a neck victory in the Kentucky Blue Stakes (gr. I), but finished third in the Louisville Derby (gr. I). He avenged that loss with a game head victory in the Long Island Classic (gr. I) going 1-1/2 miles before finishing the year with a fourth in the Midsummer Derby (gr. I) and a third behind Heed the Warning in the Steward's Cup Classic (gr. I).
Sun Tzu opened his four-year-old season with a pair of dull efforts in Dubai before rebounding with a ten-length romp over grade I winner My Boy Blue in the Seven Pillars of Wisdom Cup (SAU-II). He then shipped to Japan to close out his career with a win in the Sirius Stakes (JPN-III) and a hard-fought victory in the Japan Trophy Dirt (JPN-I) over multiple grade I winners Wow and Father's Day.
Last week Paul Heinrich expressed interest in getting a Japan-bred program started in that country for the young stallion, who currently commands a fee of $45,000. Heinrich, noting that while "...right now there are a lot of dirt races in Japan for two-year-olds, [there is] not a lot for them to do after that."
Thinking of my own dirt stallion Phoenix Rise, my interest was piqued. A move to Japan, where purses are lucrative, would add some extra incentive to breed to who the Steward said "would have been a world-class miler." Phoenix Rise, admittedly, is suffering a lull in his stud career; his oldest foals are just three and he is yet to get that big horse having largely been forgotten about.
But I digress. I contacted Paul, who was very receptive to the idea of Phoenix Rise in Japan to bolster the breeding and racing program. Though nothing is set in stone, we have discussed sponsoring a few listed and graded stakes for three-year-olds and up towards the end of the year; some routes for the Sun Tzu progeny and mile races for Phoenix Rise's. Stay tuned for further updates.
As a racehorse Sun Tzu was precocious enough to sweep all three starts at two, including a determined win in the Louisiana Jackpot (gr. II) over the highly-touted Heed the Warning, earning a remarkable 88 speed figure. The following season the colt prepped for Triple Crown with a neck victory in the Kentucky Blue Stakes (gr. I), but finished third in the Louisville Derby (gr. I). He avenged that loss with a game head victory in the Long Island Classic (gr. I) going 1-1/2 miles before finishing the year with a fourth in the Midsummer Derby (gr. I) and a third behind Heed the Warning in the Steward's Cup Classic (gr. I).
Sun Tzu opened his four-year-old season with a pair of dull efforts in Dubai before rebounding with a ten-length romp over grade I winner My Boy Blue in the Seven Pillars of Wisdom Cup (SAU-II). He then shipped to Japan to close out his career with a win in the Sirius Stakes (JPN-III) and a hard-fought victory in the Japan Trophy Dirt (JPN-I) over multiple grade I winners Wow and Father's Day.
Last week Paul Heinrich expressed interest in getting a Japan-bred program started in that country for the young stallion, who currently commands a fee of $45,000. Heinrich, noting that while "...right now there are a lot of dirt races in Japan for two-year-olds, [there is] not a lot for them to do after that."
Thinking of my own dirt stallion Phoenix Rise, my interest was piqued. A move to Japan, where purses are lucrative, would add some extra incentive to breed to who the Steward said "would have been a world-class miler." Phoenix Rise, admittedly, is suffering a lull in his stud career; his oldest foals are just three and he is yet to get that big horse having largely been forgotten about.
But I digress. I contacted Paul, who was very receptive to the idea of Phoenix Rise in Japan to bolster the breeding and racing program. Though nothing is set in stone, we have discussed sponsoring a few listed and graded stakes for three-year-olds and up towards the end of the year; some routes for the Sun Tzu progeny and mile races for Phoenix Rise's. Stay tuned for further updates.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Stallion Promotions
No, I'm not writing to harp about my own two stallions, Berlioz and Phoenix Rise.
With all the creative stallion advertising going around, I thought it would be keen to examine some of the stallions who are being promoted in a unique way.
First we will take a look at Nitroglycerin, a horse whose race record and pedigree on its own should garner a fair number of mares -- and indeed, at the time of this writing he already has 66 foals and yearlings on the ground. Nitroglycerin is owned by Skippy Bowen, and is a product of Eric Nalbone's storied Dare to Dream Stud. The racy-looking black horse is a son of eight-for-thirteen Nitro, who himself captured the Malibu Stakes (gr. I), Esteemed Stakes (gr. I) and Two Year Old Sprint Championship (gr. I). Nitroglycerin flashed tremendous ability from the start, winning his first three outings as a juvenile before closing out the year with promising placings in the Excited Stakes (gr. I) and Steward's Cup Juvenile Sprint (gr. I). He would not lose in six starts at three, taking two stakes in the States before shipping to South America where he took three consecutive grade III's before capping the year with a strong victory over older horses in the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint (ARG-I). Nitroglycerin was nearly as untouchable at four, winning five of six starts in between Puerto Rico and Argentina including scores in the Bolt (PR-I), Kinghaven Glory Years (PR-I) and a repeat victory in the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint over Terrorist, the only horse to beat him since his juvenile season. For his consistency Nitroglycerin retired with an obscene seven --yes, seven-- Simmy Awards including Islands and South American Horse of the Year. If that isn't enough incentive to breed to him at $45,000, owner Bowen is offering to pay for a headshot (a 30,000 game point value) for any offspring that wins a Steward's Cup race, a SIMperior subscription (15,000 game point value) for the owners of the first grade I winners of the horse's first two crops, and a one-week issue of SIMperior for the owner of his first juvenile winner.
Offshore Excursion is still in training and in fact is scheduled to start in the upcoming Grand Tower Stakes (ENG-I) for owner-breeder Ashley Gibson. The solidly-built son of champion Fleet Afoot and grade II winner Mexican Wedding currently owns a very respectable record of eight wins in twelve starts. Offshore Excursion swept all four of his starts as a juvenile while racing throughout North America, including the Steward's Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) over South Pacific champion James Madison and eventual grade I winner Fleetest of Foot. Last season at three the colt won two of five starts while running in the world's most competitive turf mile contests; capturing the Palace of Saints Stakes (ENG-I) and placing in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (IRE-I), English 2,000 Guineas (ENG-I), Prix Benjamin Franklin (FR-I) and Steward's Cup Turf Mile (gr. IT) to seven-time group I winner Menacing, four-time group I winners Trick of the Eye, Star Signs, Won't Back Down, etc. Offshore Season is two-for-two this year, with victories in the Dubliner Mile (IRE-II) and Prix Fleet Admiral (FR-III). Additionally, his half-sister by Test Your Strength is already a group I winner at three. With the strong race record and pedigree, there should be a fairly decent number of mares lined up for Offshore Excursion upon retirement later this season. Breeding to him also makes you eligible for the $50,000 bonus Gibson is offering for the breeder of the colt's first graded stakes winner.
I promised I wouldn't toot my own horn (i.e. promote my own stallions), but I do get profile my Berlioz's own son Kind Poet, who will be retiring to stud at the end of the year. A member of his sire's first crop, Kind Poet was bred by the Steward and is out of her Giant's Causeway mare Humane. Humane's three-year-old daughter is already a graded stakes winner and the two-year-old is a stakes-placed winner at press time. Kind Poet, a small bay colt not much bigger than his sire, flashed talent from the beginning when drawing away by 4-1/2 lengths in a maiden special in Canada in his debut. He finished the year with a good second in a stakes and a fourth behind future four-time Simmy Award winner Silent Partner and eventual grade II winner Pursuit in the Stratocaster Stakes (gr. IIIT). Kind Poet then shipped to Europe for his sophomore season where he triumphed in three of four starts --including the Stonehenge Stakes (ENG-III) and the Scandinavian Dash (SWE-III); the latter over older horses-- before tailing off in his final two outings of the year. Shipped to Hong Kong for a respite, the time off seemed to do the colt good and he opened this year with facile victory in the Hong Kong Premier Sprint before landing the major Tulip Sprint (HK-I) three weeks later. In the latter Kind Poet ran the six furlongs in 1:10 flat for an 82 speed figure, and in the process defeated old rival Silent Partner and group I winner Saint Nicholas. In his lone subsequent start Kind Poet was second by 1-1/2 lengths to 15-for-19 group I winner Creative License in the Shissou Cup (JPN-IIIT). Owner Melissa Mae, who snagged the colt for $100,000 at auction when he was a yearling, is offering a $10,000 bonus to the breeder of the colt's first grade I winner. The bonus itself is dwarfed next to the promotions mentioned above, but there still are plenty of reasons to breed to Kind Poet: He will be cheaper than his sire, is out of a young but very productive Steward-owned mare, and is proven at the highest level of racing.
With all the creative stallion advertising going around, I thought it would be keen to examine some of the stallions who are being promoted in a unique way.
First we will take a look at Nitroglycerin, a horse whose race record and pedigree on its own should garner a fair number of mares -- and indeed, at the time of this writing he already has 66 foals and yearlings on the ground. Nitroglycerin is owned by Skippy Bowen, and is a product of Eric Nalbone's storied Dare to Dream Stud. The racy-looking black horse is a son of eight-for-thirteen Nitro, who himself captured the Malibu Stakes (gr. I), Esteemed Stakes (gr. I) and Two Year Old Sprint Championship (gr. I). Nitroglycerin flashed tremendous ability from the start, winning his first three outings as a juvenile before closing out the year with promising placings in the Excited Stakes (gr. I) and Steward's Cup Juvenile Sprint (gr. I). He would not lose in six starts at three, taking two stakes in the States before shipping to South America where he took three consecutive grade III's before capping the year with a strong victory over older horses in the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint (ARG-I). Nitroglycerin was nearly as untouchable at four, winning five of six starts in between Puerto Rico and Argentina including scores in the Bolt (PR-I), Kinghaven Glory Years (PR-I) and a repeat victory in the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint over Terrorist, the only horse to beat him since his juvenile season. For his consistency Nitroglycerin retired with an obscene seven --yes, seven-- Simmy Awards including Islands and South American Horse of the Year. If that isn't enough incentive to breed to him at $45,000, owner Bowen is offering to pay for a headshot (a 30,000 game point value) for any offspring that wins a Steward's Cup race, a SIMperior subscription (15,000 game point value) for the owners of the first grade I winners of the horse's first two crops, and a one-week issue of SIMperior for the owner of his first juvenile winner.
Offshore Excursion is still in training and in fact is scheduled to start in the upcoming Grand Tower Stakes (ENG-I) for owner-breeder Ashley Gibson. The solidly-built son of champion Fleet Afoot and grade II winner Mexican Wedding currently owns a very respectable record of eight wins in twelve starts. Offshore Excursion swept all four of his starts as a juvenile while racing throughout North America, including the Steward's Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) over South Pacific champion James Madison and eventual grade I winner Fleetest of Foot. Last season at three the colt won two of five starts while running in the world's most competitive turf mile contests; capturing the Palace of Saints Stakes (ENG-I) and placing in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (IRE-I), English 2,000 Guineas (ENG-I), Prix Benjamin Franklin (FR-I) and Steward's Cup Turf Mile (gr. IT) to seven-time group I winner Menacing, four-time group I winners Trick of the Eye, Star Signs, Won't Back Down, etc. Offshore Season is two-for-two this year, with victories in the Dubliner Mile (IRE-II) and Prix Fleet Admiral (FR-III). Additionally, his half-sister by Test Your Strength is already a group I winner at three. With the strong race record and pedigree, there should be a fairly decent number of mares lined up for Offshore Excursion upon retirement later this season. Breeding to him also makes you eligible for the $50,000 bonus Gibson is offering for the breeder of the colt's first graded stakes winner.
I promised I wouldn't toot my own horn (i.e. promote my own stallions), but I do get profile my Berlioz's own son Kind Poet, who will be retiring to stud at the end of the year. A member of his sire's first crop, Kind Poet was bred by the Steward and is out of her Giant's Causeway mare Humane. Humane's three-year-old daughter is already a graded stakes winner and the two-year-old is a stakes-placed winner at press time. Kind Poet, a small bay colt not much bigger than his sire, flashed talent from the beginning when drawing away by 4-1/2 lengths in a maiden special in Canada in his debut. He finished the year with a good second in a stakes and a fourth behind future four-time Simmy Award winner Silent Partner and eventual grade II winner Pursuit in the Stratocaster Stakes (gr. IIIT). Kind Poet then shipped to Europe for his sophomore season where he triumphed in three of four starts --including the Stonehenge Stakes (ENG-III) and the Scandinavian Dash (SWE-III); the latter over older horses-- before tailing off in his final two outings of the year. Shipped to Hong Kong for a respite, the time off seemed to do the colt good and he opened this year with facile victory in the Hong Kong Premier Sprint before landing the major Tulip Sprint (HK-I) three weeks later. In the latter Kind Poet ran the six furlongs in 1:10 flat for an 82 speed figure, and in the process defeated old rival Silent Partner and group I winner Saint Nicholas. In his lone subsequent start Kind Poet was second by 1-1/2 lengths to 15-for-19 group I winner Creative License in the Shissou Cup (JPN-IIIT). Owner Melissa Mae, who snagged the colt for $100,000 at auction when he was a yearling, is offering a $10,000 bonus to the breeder of the colt's first grade I winner. The bonus itself is dwarfed next to the promotions mentioned above, but there still are plenty of reasons to breed to Kind Poet: He will be cheaper than his sire, is out of a young but very productive Steward-owned mare, and is proven at the highest level of racing.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Spotlight: Love As I Am
As we close out Week 4 the Steward has tentatively selected Bob Oliva's homebred Love As I Am. Here we will profile his breeding and accomplishments and examine why the Steward believes he is a star in the making.
A tall and stately dark bay colt, Love As I Am is quite an eyeful and turns heads on the racetrack, even when merely jogging in the mornings. He is a son of undefeated Triple Crown hero Awake As I Am, who won from distances ranging from seven furlongs to a mile and a half while running coast to coast. Already at six with his oldest progeny only three, he carries the robust statistic of over 10% stakes winners from runners. Somewhat surprisingly, Love As I Am isn't even in his sire's top six earnings-wise -- that list is headed by Talented As I Am, who himself will head to Louisville will plenty of supporters having annexed the Fountain of Gold (gr. II) and New York, New York Stakes (gr. I) in his last two outings.
Love As I Am is the fifth foal out of the Giacomo mare Ifyoulovesomeone, herself a mediocre racemare at best with just two wins out of twelve starts. She certainly seemed best going a route of ground, with those wins coming at 1-1/4 and 1-1/2 miles for her breeder Laura Ferguson. Aside from Love As I Am her record as a broodmare has been solid but certainly not extraordinary: From five foals to race she has produced four winners; two of those being stakes winners (Love As I Am and the retired mare Doyoubelieveingod). Love As I Am has an unraced full brother in training for Oliva, but his workouts have been significantly slower than his older sibling's.
Love As I Am flashed talent from the beginning, producing sizzling workouts of :58.21 before his debut at two. Going a flat mile over a muddy Futurity Park strip, Love As I Am broke sharply and never looked back when drawing away to win by 4-1/2 lengths. He earned a 78, a remarkable speed figure for a first-time starter. Love As I Am was wheeled back a fortnight later for the Graduation Year Stakes (gr. III) over the same track (again muddy) and came home victorious by 2-1/4 lengths, while showing a new dimension by rallying off the pace. Finishing second that day was the highly regarded Singed, a royally-bred Sun Raider from the formidable Eric Nalbone barn. Out of the late champion Spark, Singed is a half-brother to multiple grade I winner Anvil, grade II winner Stands With A Fist and leading sire and millionaire Boise. He too will start in the Louisville Derby off a fierce 4-1/2-length triumph in the Hot Springs Derby (gr. I).
Love As I Am would close out his juvenile season in the 1-1/16-mile Buckingham Stakes (gr. III), again over an off track at Futurity Park. In a gritty effort, the colt dueled all the way on the rail before settling for third, two lengths behind winner Thriller, a fellow Awake As I Am colt --also Louisville-bound-- who earned a monstrous 94 speed figure, and a head behind Cause to Burn (most recently second in the Sunshine Park Derby (gr. I)). Love As I Am was back in action early this year in the aforementioned Fountain of Gold in Week 2, in which Talented As I Am beat him by 1-3/4 lengths into third after a slow start by the former.
Love As I Am does head to Louisville off a win, accomplished in the 1-1/8-mile Albuquerque Derby (gr. III) in New Mexico. This time breaking quickly from the gate, he settled mid-pack before rallying to a facile 1-3/4-length triumph over the swiftly-working Noble Venture. Love As I Am earned a 76 speed figure in running the distance in 1:49.83.
Love As I Am is an intriguing selection by the Steward. While by a dynamic sire he comes from a relatively ordinary female family whose top offspring have done their best running at 1-1/8 miles. What he does have going for him is a crafty trainer who has chosen the past of least resistance to Louisville. Love As I Am enters the Triple Crown series extremely fresh and his speed figures are on the rise, signaling a big effort. Additionally, the versatile colt can settle off the pace and rally but has won wire-to-wire as well. Love As I Am is flying under the radar heading into Louisville --this may well change now with the Steward's endorsement-- but he is quite live and could very well be the best of his sire's freshman crop. Only time will tell.
A tall and stately dark bay colt, Love As I Am is quite an eyeful and turns heads on the racetrack, even when merely jogging in the mornings. He is a son of undefeated Triple Crown hero Awake As I Am, who won from distances ranging from seven furlongs to a mile and a half while running coast to coast. Already at six with his oldest progeny only three, he carries the robust statistic of over 10% stakes winners from runners. Somewhat surprisingly, Love As I Am isn't even in his sire's top six earnings-wise -- that list is headed by Talented As I Am, who himself will head to Louisville will plenty of supporters having annexed the Fountain of Gold (gr. II) and New York, New York Stakes (gr. I) in his last two outings.
Love As I Am is the fifth foal out of the Giacomo mare Ifyoulovesomeone, herself a mediocre racemare at best with just two wins out of twelve starts. She certainly seemed best going a route of ground, with those wins coming at 1-1/4 and 1-1/2 miles for her breeder Laura Ferguson. Aside from Love As I Am her record as a broodmare has been solid but certainly not extraordinary: From five foals to race she has produced four winners; two of those being stakes winners (Love As I Am and the retired mare Doyoubelieveingod). Love As I Am has an unraced full brother in training for Oliva, but his workouts have been significantly slower than his older sibling's.
Love As I Am flashed talent from the beginning, producing sizzling workouts of :58.21 before his debut at two. Going a flat mile over a muddy Futurity Park strip, Love As I Am broke sharply and never looked back when drawing away to win by 4-1/2 lengths. He earned a 78, a remarkable speed figure for a first-time starter. Love As I Am was wheeled back a fortnight later for the Graduation Year Stakes (gr. III) over the same track (again muddy) and came home victorious by 2-1/4 lengths, while showing a new dimension by rallying off the pace. Finishing second that day was the highly regarded Singed, a royally-bred Sun Raider from the formidable Eric Nalbone barn. Out of the late champion Spark, Singed is a half-brother to multiple grade I winner Anvil, grade II winner Stands With A Fist and leading sire and millionaire Boise. He too will start in the Louisville Derby off a fierce 4-1/2-length triumph in the Hot Springs Derby (gr. I).
Love As I Am would close out his juvenile season in the 1-1/16-mile Buckingham Stakes (gr. III), again over an off track at Futurity Park. In a gritty effort, the colt dueled all the way on the rail before settling for third, two lengths behind winner Thriller, a fellow Awake As I Am colt --also Louisville-bound-- who earned a monstrous 94 speed figure, and a head behind Cause to Burn (most recently second in the Sunshine Park Derby (gr. I)). Love As I Am was back in action early this year in the aforementioned Fountain of Gold in Week 2, in which Talented As I Am beat him by 1-3/4 lengths into third after a slow start by the former.
Love As I Am does head to Louisville off a win, accomplished in the 1-1/8-mile Albuquerque Derby (gr. III) in New Mexico. This time breaking quickly from the gate, he settled mid-pack before rallying to a facile 1-3/4-length triumph over the swiftly-working Noble Venture. Love As I Am earned a 76 speed figure in running the distance in 1:49.83.
Love As I Am is an intriguing selection by the Steward. While by a dynamic sire he comes from a relatively ordinary female family whose top offspring have done their best running at 1-1/8 miles. What he does have going for him is a crafty trainer who has chosen the past of least resistance to Louisville. Love As I Am enters the Triple Crown series extremely fresh and his speed figures are on the rise, signaling a big effort. Additionally, the versatile colt can settle off the pace and rally but has won wire-to-wire as well. Love As I Am is flying under the radar heading into Louisville --this may well change now with the Steward's endorsement-- but he is quite live and could very well be the best of his sire's freshman crop. Only time will tell.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Bargain Sires Part III
Thirteen-year-old Kentucky Trophy may be one of the best stallions on owner Jon Xett’s reputable stallion roster but he certainly isn’t priced like one. The son of Trophy out of a Priceless Forever mare never made it to the track but has made huge strides as a stallion, with over 18% stakes winners from starters. $66,333 in average progeny earnings is more than three times his paltry fee of $20,000, yet he has been bred to just 79 mares – a small amount considering the many years he has been standing. Kentucky Trophy gets good colts and fillies, including grade II winners Livelifewithasmile (an earner of over $700,000), Baby (dam of aforementioned hot stallion prospect East), and Kentucky Destiny (dam of grade II winner Kentucky Liberty). He has meshed well with a number of lines including mares by Blades Hill, Symbol, Conduit, Sea Hero, Playful Mood, Battle Cry and Fighting With Wit.
Standing in Canada for owner Laura Ferguson is twelve-year-old End Result. The son of Unheard Of, despite statistics of 70% winners from starters and nearly 13% stakes winners from starters, stands for just $35,000. End Result raced exclusively at two and won all five lifetime starts in a season that culminated with a victory in the Steward’s Cup Juvenile (gr. I) over a number of classy horses such as Tot Ziens, Edict, Righteous and Pillar of Strength. His juvenile campaign earned him Champion Two-Year-Old honors. Though End Result never ran again he went into the shed with high expectations; being undefeated and out of the champion race mare Fallen Goddess. Despite never having tried route distances End Result’s offspring have flourished at classic distances. He sired the world-class Horse of the Year End of the Line, who while racing captured an astounding ten grade I’s on both dirt and turf and has gone on to his own storied career at stud. Recently retired Then won five grade I’s himself including the Steward’s Cup Classic, a race also captured a few years earlier by End of the Line. There also four-time grade I-winning mare Trap, herself the dam of Louisville Oaks (gr. I) victress Brat. Puzzlingly often a forgotten stallion despite such results (no pun intended), End Result boasts a gaudy $157,337 in average progeny earnings. He enjoys the company of The Scarlet Nite and Symbol mares but is versatile enough to work with mares by Playful Mood, Blades Hill, Sunday Silence, Walkover and Loki Brilliance.
Eleven-year-old Gun Hill stands in Ohio for the relatively paltry fee of $25,000. A Steward-bred son of Battle Cry, the solidly built bay was graded stakes-placed at two but hinted he was something special early on when running off with the Arizona Derby by eleven lengths in his sophomore debut. A late developer, he would lose his next three starts before coming into his own with victories in the Canadian Derby (CAN-II) and rich Japan Cup Dirt (JPN-I). Gun Hill started his four-year-old season with three wins including a dramatic nose victory in the lucrative Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) over household names Pillar of Strength, Majesty and Coup d’Etat, before ending his career with a disappointing seventh behind Pillar of Strength in the Steward’s Cup Classic (gr. I). As a stallion, Gun Hill has been undervalued with just 155 foals on the ground but has made the most of his breeding opportunities. He has gotten 58% winners from starters and nearly 12% stakes winners from starters. Gun Hill’s average progeny earnings are a notable $65,178, well over two times his stud fee. His biggest runner to date is the venerable 14-for-28 gelding Artillery, an earner of nearly $3 million. Artillery was a grade II-winning juvenile before annexing the Sunshine Park Derby (gr. I), Midsummer Classic (gr. I) and Steward’s Cup Marathon (gr. I). Grade II winners Never Quit and Partnership are also among Gun Hill’s leading earners. Crossing to Giacomo and Conduit mares has resulted in large successes but like the other stallions profiled here a slew of bloodlines have also been productive and include Symbol, End Result and real-life stallions Easy Goer, Stop the Music and Unbridled.
At $20,000, Inspired Strike just might be the biggest steal of them all. The eleven-year-old son of Compelling has been just as consistent in the shed as he was on the racetrack. A stakes-winning juvenile in the States, he shipped to Puerto Rico as a sophomore and won three graded stakes over older horses. Inspired Strike traveled throughout his four-year-old season, which resulted in a grade I placing in Argentina and graded stakes wins in Texas, Puerto Rico, California and New York, while competing against divisional heavyweights Echo Iced, Southern Cross and Yamikishi. He retired after finishing a lackluster seventh in the Steward’s Cup Sprint (gr. I) but has since made amends as a stallion. Inspired Strike boasts over 75% winners from runners and a healthy 17% stakes winners from runners. He has sired graded stakes winners Flares and Spare and a plethora of ungraded stakes winners; with average progeny earnings sitting at about twice his stud fee. Inspired Strike clearly enjoys the company of mares by Lost Soldier and his son Lost in the Fog, but has also gotten stakes winners from mares by Satelite and more obscure stallions like Oasis Bilksem and Tarnished Gold.
Ten-year-old Esteemed is another diamond in the rough at $25,000 and like Inspired Strike is owned by Brianna McKenzie, a force as an owner and breeder in the sprint division. Esteemed won two of three starts at two but just one of four starts at three; something that can be excused considering he was butting heads with older horses like Lost, Southern Cross and Echo Iced. Unlike your typical sprinter, Esteemed hit his best stride at four and five. He won graded stakes in New York, California, Puerto Rico and Kentucky and ended his career with two six-length romps in Puerto Rico. As a stallion Esteemed has been very sharp with average progeny earnings of over $46,000, 71% winners from runners and nearly 15% stakes winners from runners. His best runners to date are Driving Rain, a millionaire whose biggest triumph came in the form of a four-length win in the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint (ARG-I) and the mare Look Elegant, winner of Era Stakes (gr. I) and Dancer Stakes (gr. I) in back-to-back starts. Another son, Reputable, was named Islands Champion 2-Year-Old Colt for his victory in the Puerto Rico Juvenile Championship (PR-I). As expected, Esteemed has begotten numerous stakes winners from mares by Satelite and his sons Comet, Pincay, Saturn and Villain. Em’s Always Busy –and his son Inspired Dream—have meshed well; and there have even been added money winners from the Inspired Fate and Anxious Gold lines as well.
Despite being a champion and classic winner, Empire is a stallion who is often passed over. This is a terrific shame since the eleven-year-old quietly goes about getting results like a whopping 77.5% winners from runners, average progeny earnings of more than double his $25,000 fee and 11.2% stakes winners from runners. Empire was always expected to be a good one, being by 11-for-13 multi-millionaire Chesapeake Bay and out of Hall of Famer and Broodmare of the Year Royalty. And he did not disappoint, winning his first five starts including the Wood Memorial (gr. I) to go off as the Louisville Derby (gr. I) favorite, though he would finish second by a length to Coup D’etat, a horse he edged in the Wood. Empire did take the Baltimore Crown (gr. I) next out over a star-studded field including the filly Wonder, Coup D’etat and California. He was even better at four and five when annexing the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) by six lengths over old rival Coup D’etat, the Whitney Handicap (gr. I) by 4-1/2 lengths and finishing second by a half-length in the Steward’s Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I). He also captured the Clasico Verset’s Jet (PR-I) in his final start, which earned him the title of Islands Champion Older Horse. As a stallion he has produced grade I-winning sons Be My Neighbor and Misfit and grade II victors Flawed Legacy and Laytheblameonlove. Empire makes a favorable impression as he is not picky with his mares, getting stakes winners from mares by everything from Wheelaway, Fightingwithfaith, Heir to the Throne, Fighting With Wit, Battle Cry and Saint Ballado.
Standing in Canada for owner Laura Ferguson is twelve-year-old End Result. The son of Unheard Of, despite statistics of 70% winners from starters and nearly 13% stakes winners from starters, stands for just $35,000. End Result raced exclusively at two and won all five lifetime starts in a season that culminated with a victory in the Steward’s Cup Juvenile (gr. I) over a number of classy horses such as Tot Ziens, Edict, Righteous and Pillar of Strength. His juvenile campaign earned him Champion Two-Year-Old honors. Though End Result never ran again he went into the shed with high expectations; being undefeated and out of the champion race mare Fallen Goddess. Despite never having tried route distances End Result’s offspring have flourished at classic distances. He sired the world-class Horse of the Year End of the Line, who while racing captured an astounding ten grade I’s on both dirt and turf and has gone on to his own storied career at stud. Recently retired Then won five grade I’s himself including the Steward’s Cup Classic, a race also captured a few years earlier by End of the Line. There also four-time grade I-winning mare Trap, herself the dam of Louisville Oaks (gr. I) victress Brat. Puzzlingly often a forgotten stallion despite such results (no pun intended), End Result boasts a gaudy $157,337 in average progeny earnings. He enjoys the company of The Scarlet Nite and Symbol mares but is versatile enough to work with mares by Playful Mood, Blades Hill, Sunday Silence, Walkover and Loki Brilliance.
Eleven-year-old Gun Hill stands in Ohio for the relatively paltry fee of $25,000. A Steward-bred son of Battle Cry, the solidly built bay was graded stakes-placed at two but hinted he was something special early on when running off with the Arizona Derby by eleven lengths in his sophomore debut. A late developer, he would lose his next three starts before coming into his own with victories in the Canadian Derby (CAN-II) and rich Japan Cup Dirt (JPN-I). Gun Hill started his four-year-old season with three wins including a dramatic nose victory in the lucrative Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) over household names Pillar of Strength, Majesty and Coup d’Etat, before ending his career with a disappointing seventh behind Pillar of Strength in the Steward’s Cup Classic (gr. I). As a stallion, Gun Hill has been undervalued with just 155 foals on the ground but has made the most of his breeding opportunities. He has gotten 58% winners from starters and nearly 12% stakes winners from starters. Gun Hill’s average progeny earnings are a notable $65,178, well over two times his stud fee. His biggest runner to date is the venerable 14-for-28 gelding Artillery, an earner of nearly $3 million. Artillery was a grade II-winning juvenile before annexing the Sunshine Park Derby (gr. I), Midsummer Classic (gr. I) and Steward’s Cup Marathon (gr. I). Grade II winners Never Quit and Partnership are also among Gun Hill’s leading earners. Crossing to Giacomo and Conduit mares has resulted in large successes but like the other stallions profiled here a slew of bloodlines have also been productive and include Symbol, End Result and real-life stallions Easy Goer, Stop the Music and Unbridled.
At $20,000, Inspired Strike just might be the biggest steal of them all. The eleven-year-old son of Compelling has been just as consistent in the shed as he was on the racetrack. A stakes-winning juvenile in the States, he shipped to Puerto Rico as a sophomore and won three graded stakes over older horses. Inspired Strike traveled throughout his four-year-old season, which resulted in a grade I placing in Argentina and graded stakes wins in Texas, Puerto Rico, California and New York, while competing against divisional heavyweights Echo Iced, Southern Cross and Yamikishi. He retired after finishing a lackluster seventh in the Steward’s Cup Sprint (gr. I) but has since made amends as a stallion. Inspired Strike boasts over 75% winners from runners and a healthy 17% stakes winners from runners. He has sired graded stakes winners Flares and Spare and a plethora of ungraded stakes winners; with average progeny earnings sitting at about twice his stud fee. Inspired Strike clearly enjoys the company of mares by Lost Soldier and his son Lost in the Fog, but has also gotten stakes winners from mares by Satelite and more obscure stallions like Oasis Bilksem and Tarnished Gold.
Ten-year-old Esteemed is another diamond in the rough at $25,000 and like Inspired Strike is owned by Brianna McKenzie, a force as an owner and breeder in the sprint division. Esteemed won two of three starts at two but just one of four starts at three; something that can be excused considering he was butting heads with older horses like Lost, Southern Cross and Echo Iced. Unlike your typical sprinter, Esteemed hit his best stride at four and five. He won graded stakes in New York, California, Puerto Rico and Kentucky and ended his career with two six-length romps in Puerto Rico. As a stallion Esteemed has been very sharp with average progeny earnings of over $46,000, 71% winners from runners and nearly 15% stakes winners from runners. His best runners to date are Driving Rain, a millionaire whose biggest triumph came in the form of a four-length win in the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint (ARG-I) and the mare Look Elegant, winner of Era Stakes (gr. I) and Dancer Stakes (gr. I) in back-to-back starts. Another son, Reputable, was named Islands Champion 2-Year-Old Colt for his victory in the Puerto Rico Juvenile Championship (PR-I). As expected, Esteemed has begotten numerous stakes winners from mares by Satelite and his sons Comet, Pincay, Saturn and Villain. Em’s Always Busy –and his son Inspired Dream—have meshed well; and there have even been added money winners from the Inspired Fate and Anxious Gold lines as well.
Despite being a champion and classic winner, Empire is a stallion who is often passed over. This is a terrific shame since the eleven-year-old quietly goes about getting results like a whopping 77.5% winners from runners, average progeny earnings of more than double his $25,000 fee and 11.2% stakes winners from runners. Empire was always expected to be a good one, being by 11-for-13 multi-millionaire Chesapeake Bay and out of Hall of Famer and Broodmare of the Year Royalty. And he did not disappoint, winning his first five starts including the Wood Memorial (gr. I) to go off as the Louisville Derby (gr. I) favorite, though he would finish second by a length to Coup D’etat, a horse he edged in the Wood. Empire did take the Baltimore Crown (gr. I) next out over a star-studded field including the filly Wonder, Coup D’etat and California. He was even better at four and five when annexing the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) by six lengths over old rival Coup D’etat, the Whitney Handicap (gr. I) by 4-1/2 lengths and finishing second by a half-length in the Steward’s Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I). He also captured the Clasico Verset’s Jet (PR-I) in his final start, which earned him the title of Islands Champion Older Horse. As a stallion he has produced grade I-winning sons Be My Neighbor and Misfit and grade II victors Flawed Legacy and Laytheblameonlove. Empire makes a favorable impression as he is not picky with his mares, getting stakes winners from mares by everything from Wheelaway, Fightingwithfaith, Heir to the Throne, Fighting With Wit, Battle Cry and Saint Ballado.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Bargain Sires Part II
Standing in California for $45,000 is eleven-year-old Tycoon. The bay son of Ready for Apremont won ten of seventeen starts while racing everywhere from the States to South America to Dubai while butting heads with other talented members of his crop like Sic Transit Gloria and Lost (also premier sires). Though he didn’t capture a grade I until his final start, the Los Campeones Dirt Sprint, he placed in several other top stakes including the Desert Golden Sprint (UAE-I) and Phoenix Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I). But at stud Tycoon really hit his stride, and boasts 17.4% stakes winners from foals and 74.2% winners from runners. His best is the popular young stallion Look Marvel, who on the racecourse won the Two-Year-Old Sprint Championship (gr. I) and in his finale took Desert Golden Sprint by over seven lengths with a monstrous 97 speed figure. Other grade I-winning sons include three-year-olds Planet and Ad Infinitum. Tycoon has shown a strong affinity for Satelite-lined mares but has also begotten classy stakes winners from mares by Lost Soldier and his son Lost, Sic Transit Gloria and Ghostzapper.
Another sprint sire who has quietly held his own in the shed is the Mallory Claire homebred Villain. The twelve-year-old grey butted heads with some of the most famous names in sprinting including Saturn, Runtoapremont and Adjust the Lens in a career that saw him win seven of ten starts. A stakes winner at two, Villain blossomed during his sophomore year when he won four of five starts including the Steward’s Cup Sprint (gr. I) and Bing Crosby Handicap (gr. I) en route to Champion Sprinter honors. He retired to his owner’s stud in Texas and immediately got results with horses like Desert Golden Sprint victor and champion Snake –who not long ago had a remarkable number of winners in his own first crop— and grade II winners Steal It and Look Suspicious. Villain’s statistics (nearly 80% winners from starters; over 15% stakes winners from starters) speak for themselves, but despite these solid numbers his fee has dwindled to a tempting $35,000. Perhaps the sole knock against him is that he has a very common pedigree (by Satelite out of an Em’s Always Busy mare) that excludes much of the sprint population. However, Villain has done well with other sprinting lines such as Black Ice, Mr. Prospector, Lost in the Fog, Super Speed and others. He also has a distinct fondness for Symbol mares.
If you haven’t bred to Herkemayah yet I don’t know what you’re waiting for. At thirteen years of age he isn’t likely to be at stud much longer but is still priced moderately at $40,000. With an enviable record of 8-2-0 in ten starts, the dark bay son of Trophy won several of the nation’s biggest races including the Baltimore Crown (gr. I), Long Island Classic (gr. I) and Woodward Stakes (gr. I) –the latter a 14-3/4-length romp over older horses— on his way to Champion Three-Year-Old honors. In the shed Herkemayah may not have been a leading sire but his numbers remain respectable: Nearly 70% winners from starters, 12.4% stakes winners from starters and average earnings per runner of more than twice his stud fee. He can get you a big horse as evidenced by his young sire son Kamikaze, who on the track was named North American Champion Older Male and Three-Year-Old in back-to-back years after capturing such gems as the Steward’s Cup Classic (gr. I) and Long Island Gold Cup (gr. I). Herkemayah also sired a classy trio of fillies in Steward’s Cup Distaff (gr. I) heroine Premier, champion Moed and grade I winner Tendency, among others. He has struck gold with a bevy of sirelines including Walkover, Symbol, Mr. Prospector, Sunday Silence, Fighting With Wit, General Meeting, Event of the Year and Chesapeake Bay.
Right Hand Man, now eleven, stands at stud in New York for $50,000 a pop. Not just any horse can make a price tag like that seem like a bargain, but Laura Pony’s Australian-bred has far outdone himself. A globe-trotting son of prominent turf sprinting influence King’s Best, Right Hand Man earned nearly $3 million on the track the hard way with victories in some of the world’s biggest sprint races like the Steward’s Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT), Centenary Turf Sprint (HK-I) and Cape Flying Championship (SAF-I); as well as capturing graded stakes in Japan and Brazil. Named both Asian and South African Champion Sprinter, Right Hand Man came out of the gate running at stud too: He has sired a remarkable 86% winners from starters and a rarely rivaled 27.8% stakes winners from starters. His best son is Just, an overwhelming four-time Simmy award winner who is proving to be very popular in the shed. Right Hand Man has also begotten group I winners Hold My Hand and The White Album and a copious number of other graded stakes winners. He has demonstrated a strong affinity for Storm Cat mares and particularly mares by his son A Bus and grandson Guitar. Symboli Kris S mares also seem to be matching up well and Right Hand Man has graded stakes winners out of entirely different lines like Grey Swallow, Yakima, Special Week and Tulloch.
Another sprint sire who has quietly held his own in the shed is the Mallory Claire homebred Villain. The twelve-year-old grey butted heads with some of the most famous names in sprinting including Saturn, Runtoapremont and Adjust the Lens in a career that saw him win seven of ten starts. A stakes winner at two, Villain blossomed during his sophomore year when he won four of five starts including the Steward’s Cup Sprint (gr. I) and Bing Crosby Handicap (gr. I) en route to Champion Sprinter honors. He retired to his owner’s stud in Texas and immediately got results with horses like Desert Golden Sprint victor and champion Snake –who not long ago had a remarkable number of winners in his own first crop— and grade II winners Steal It and Look Suspicious. Villain’s statistics (nearly 80% winners from starters; over 15% stakes winners from starters) speak for themselves, but despite these solid numbers his fee has dwindled to a tempting $35,000. Perhaps the sole knock against him is that he has a very common pedigree (by Satelite out of an Em’s Always Busy mare) that excludes much of the sprint population. However, Villain has done well with other sprinting lines such as Black Ice, Mr. Prospector, Lost in the Fog, Super Speed and others. He also has a distinct fondness for Symbol mares.
If you haven’t bred to Herkemayah yet I don’t know what you’re waiting for. At thirteen years of age he isn’t likely to be at stud much longer but is still priced moderately at $40,000. With an enviable record of 8-2-0 in ten starts, the dark bay son of Trophy won several of the nation’s biggest races including the Baltimore Crown (gr. I), Long Island Classic (gr. I) and Woodward Stakes (gr. I) –the latter a 14-3/4-length romp over older horses— on his way to Champion Three-Year-Old honors. In the shed Herkemayah may not have been a leading sire but his numbers remain respectable: Nearly 70% winners from starters, 12.4% stakes winners from starters and average earnings per runner of more than twice his stud fee. He can get you a big horse as evidenced by his young sire son Kamikaze, who on the track was named North American Champion Older Male and Three-Year-Old in back-to-back years after capturing such gems as the Steward’s Cup Classic (gr. I) and Long Island Gold Cup (gr. I). Herkemayah also sired a classy trio of fillies in Steward’s Cup Distaff (gr. I) heroine Premier, champion Moed and grade I winner Tendency, among others. He has struck gold with a bevy of sirelines including Walkover, Symbol, Mr. Prospector, Sunday Silence, Fighting With Wit, General Meeting, Event of the Year and Chesapeake Bay.
Right Hand Man, now eleven, stands at stud in New York for $50,000 a pop. Not just any horse can make a price tag like that seem like a bargain, but Laura Pony’s Australian-bred has far outdone himself. A globe-trotting son of prominent turf sprinting influence King’s Best, Right Hand Man earned nearly $3 million on the track the hard way with victories in some of the world’s biggest sprint races like the Steward’s Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT), Centenary Turf Sprint (HK-I) and Cape Flying Championship (SAF-I); as well as capturing graded stakes in Japan and Brazil. Named both Asian and South African Champion Sprinter, Right Hand Man came out of the gate running at stud too: He has sired a remarkable 86% winners from starters and a rarely rivaled 27.8% stakes winners from starters. His best son is Just, an overwhelming four-time Simmy award winner who is proving to be very popular in the shed. Right Hand Man has also begotten group I winners Hold My Hand and The White Album and a copious number of other graded stakes winners. He has demonstrated a strong affinity for Storm Cat mares and particularly mares by his son A Bus and grandson Guitar. Symboli Kris S mares also seem to be matching up well and Right Hand Man has graded stakes winners out of entirely different lines like Grey Swallow, Yakima, Special Week and Tulloch.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
More than meets the eye
Enough with negativity on stallions, you must be thinking, after my post chronicling some of the biggest disappointments in the history of SIM breeding.
Well, you’re in luck. I’m in a particularly good mood today so I have decided, by comparison, to take a look at stallions who I think are the biggest bargains in the SIM. There are a lot of ways to measure success: Total progeny earnings, percentage of stakes winners from foals, average earnings per runner. Those are all pertinent bits of information but what figures prominently in the designation ‘bargain’ is price. Bang for your buck, so to speak. Certain dollar increments may sound steep for a stallion but if he is siring an unreal percentage of stakes winners from foals that is the kind of statistic that makes him a worthy investment.
We’ll start with my favorite sire of the moment, Fighter Jet. A twelve-year-old son of Triple Crown hero Jet Ski, Fighter Jet did not make it to the races until age 3 but by season’s end he had managed to land the Pacific Classic (gr. I) over Chinese Bandit and Enforcer (both of whom would also go on to successful stallion careers). He was even better at four when he annexed the Strub Stakes, Arcadia Handicap and Iselin Handicap (all gr. I). Fighter Jet, now twelve (Hint: Breed to him before he is pensioned!), has also been productive in the shed with a very respectable percentage of 17.5% of stakes winners from runners. His progeny are led by hot young stallion prospects East and Desert Nomad, as well as numerous other grade I winners including Crime Fighter, More and Squadron Leader. Fighter Jet also boasts average progeny earnings of $131,134 – more than triple his fee of $40,000. I also fancy Fighter Jet because he has worked with a variety of bloodlines including Mr. Prospector, Sports Jersey, Sunday Silence, A.P. Indy, Loki Flame, Kentucky Trophy and others.
Super Light, standing at stud in England for $45,000, is one worth a second look. A son of Sadler’s Wells, he is often overlooked –particularly since the retirement of Arc de Triomphe (FR-I) hero Stealth Ninja— even though he sports solid numbers. Now eleven, Super Light began his career in the States before shipping to South Africa where he would plunder nearly every event on the calendar; from the one-mile Bloodstock South African Guineas (SAF-I) to the 1-1/2-mile South African Derby (SAF-I). In all he would claim four grade I’s in South Africa that year which earned him Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old honors. In the shed Super Light has continued his honest ways with 16.8% stakes winners from runners and a remarkable 72.9% winners from runners. His leading runners have been South African Champion Older Male Light Of The World, a four-time group I winner, and South African Stayer Stakes (SAF-I) victor Creator. Super Light is not picky with his mares; having begotten major stakes winners from lines ranging from Barbaro, Dance In the Dark and Astarabad to A Crown Awaits, Crystal Night and Action This Day.
Out of Kindness is a horse I had been wanting to breed for quite some time but with him standing at $100,000 (although not an outlandish fee for a horse of his quality) and so many other good sons of Ghostzapper at stud I kind of pushed him to the back of my mind. I won’t be doing that any longer. Yes, there are many respectable sons of Ghostzapper out there but, as the venerable and sagely Eric Nalbone once noted, Out of Kindness is exquisite: He is the one son of that stallion to carry that wicked speed a classic distance, demonstrated when he landed 1-1/4-mile Midsummer Classic (gr. I) over such foes as Notorious, Del Mar and Torero. Out of Kindness has been even better as a stallion getting an incredible 21.3% stakes winners from runners; 76.6% winners from runners. His best runner thus far is multiple grade I winner Gift Of The Moon, who defeated colts handily in the Inglewood Futurity (gr. I), though he has sired graded stakes winners in Fives and Tens, Pantala Naga Pampa, Kindly, etc. Out of Kindness has dropped all the way to a tempting $50,000, and like the other stallions mentioned has meshed well with a number of bloodlines including Mighty Big, Battle Cry, Loki Dynasty, Symbol, Saga and Mr. Prospector.
I may be jumping the gun a bit, but on the other end of the spectrum are horses like Patience. The handsome dark bay Steward-bred horse sold for $800,000 at auction, sporting a blue-blooded pedigree as a son of three-time champion and recently pensioned Fleet Afoot out of the mare Soothe – herself the dam of grade I winners Ease, Snuggle, Submissive and Reassure (the former two already off to productive stallion careers). Patience only found the winner’s circle five times in thirteen starts but was able to bag the South African Sprint Championship (SAF-I) and Hitch a Ride Sprint (SAF-I), enough to garner the title of South African Champion Sprinter. Currently standing for $5,000 in France, Patience has sired just over 3% stakes winners from runners with his second crop just hitting the track this season, but I am a big believer in him. He has been fecund –44% winners from runners—thus far despite being bred to very mediocre mares. Throw him a decent stakes-winning mare and he will get you a good horse, as evidenced by the yearling Wait for the Bus who has smoked three furlongs on the turf in an unheard of 0:36.29! Patience is an attractive outcross to most of the sprint population; he has done well with Storm Cat-lined mares (think A Bus, Boot Legger, etc.) but has also gotten winners from King’s Best, Gone West, and Petionville mares as well as the more obscure (try Include and Choisir).
Well, you’re in luck. I’m in a particularly good mood today so I have decided, by comparison, to take a look at stallions who I think are the biggest bargains in the SIM. There are a lot of ways to measure success: Total progeny earnings, percentage of stakes winners from foals, average earnings per runner. Those are all pertinent bits of information but what figures prominently in the designation ‘bargain’ is price. Bang for your buck, so to speak. Certain dollar increments may sound steep for a stallion but if he is siring an unreal percentage of stakes winners from foals that is the kind of statistic that makes him a worthy investment.
We’ll start with my favorite sire of the moment, Fighter Jet. A twelve-year-old son of Triple Crown hero Jet Ski, Fighter Jet did not make it to the races until age 3 but by season’s end he had managed to land the Pacific Classic (gr. I) over Chinese Bandit and Enforcer (both of whom would also go on to successful stallion careers). He was even better at four when he annexed the Strub Stakes, Arcadia Handicap and Iselin Handicap (all gr. I). Fighter Jet, now twelve (Hint: Breed to him before he is pensioned!), has also been productive in the shed with a very respectable percentage of 17.5% of stakes winners from runners. His progeny are led by hot young stallion prospects East and Desert Nomad, as well as numerous other grade I winners including Crime Fighter, More and Squadron Leader. Fighter Jet also boasts average progeny earnings of $131,134 – more than triple his fee of $40,000. I also fancy Fighter Jet because he has worked with a variety of bloodlines including Mr. Prospector, Sports Jersey, Sunday Silence, A.P. Indy, Loki Flame, Kentucky Trophy and others.
Super Light, standing at stud in England for $45,000, is one worth a second look. A son of Sadler’s Wells, he is often overlooked –particularly since the retirement of Arc de Triomphe (FR-I) hero Stealth Ninja— even though he sports solid numbers. Now eleven, Super Light began his career in the States before shipping to South Africa where he would plunder nearly every event on the calendar; from the one-mile Bloodstock South African Guineas (SAF-I) to the 1-1/2-mile South African Derby (SAF-I). In all he would claim four grade I’s in South Africa that year which earned him Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old honors. In the shed Super Light has continued his honest ways with 16.8% stakes winners from runners and a remarkable 72.9% winners from runners. His leading runners have been South African Champion Older Male Light Of The World, a four-time group I winner, and South African Stayer Stakes (SAF-I) victor Creator. Super Light is not picky with his mares; having begotten major stakes winners from lines ranging from Barbaro, Dance In the Dark and Astarabad to A Crown Awaits, Crystal Night and Action This Day.
Out of Kindness is a horse I had been wanting to breed for quite some time but with him standing at $100,000 (although not an outlandish fee for a horse of his quality) and so many other good sons of Ghostzapper at stud I kind of pushed him to the back of my mind. I won’t be doing that any longer. Yes, there are many respectable sons of Ghostzapper out there but, as the venerable and sagely Eric Nalbone once noted, Out of Kindness is exquisite: He is the one son of that stallion to carry that wicked speed a classic distance, demonstrated when he landed 1-1/4-mile Midsummer Classic (gr. I) over such foes as Notorious, Del Mar and Torero. Out of Kindness has been even better as a stallion getting an incredible 21.3% stakes winners from runners; 76.6% winners from runners. His best runner thus far is multiple grade I winner Gift Of The Moon, who defeated colts handily in the Inglewood Futurity (gr. I), though he has sired graded stakes winners in Fives and Tens, Pantala Naga Pampa, Kindly, etc. Out of Kindness has dropped all the way to a tempting $50,000, and like the other stallions mentioned has meshed well with a number of bloodlines including Mighty Big, Battle Cry, Loki Dynasty, Symbol, Saga and Mr. Prospector.
I may be jumping the gun a bit, but on the other end of the spectrum are horses like Patience. The handsome dark bay Steward-bred horse sold for $800,000 at auction, sporting a blue-blooded pedigree as a son of three-time champion and recently pensioned Fleet Afoot out of the mare Soothe – herself the dam of grade I winners Ease, Snuggle, Submissive and Reassure (the former two already off to productive stallion careers). Patience only found the winner’s circle five times in thirteen starts but was able to bag the South African Sprint Championship (SAF-I) and Hitch a Ride Sprint (SAF-I), enough to garner the title of South African Champion Sprinter. Currently standing for $5,000 in France, Patience has sired just over 3% stakes winners from runners with his second crop just hitting the track this season, but I am a big believer in him. He has been fecund –44% winners from runners—thus far despite being bred to very mediocre mares. Throw him a decent stakes-winning mare and he will get you a good horse, as evidenced by the yearling Wait for the Bus who has smoked three furlongs on the turf in an unheard of 0:36.29! Patience is an attractive outcross to most of the sprint population; he has done well with Storm Cat-lined mares (think A Bus, Boot Legger, etc.) but has also gotten winners from King’s Best, Gone West, and Petionville mares as well as the more obscure (try Include and Choisir).
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