Anne
Peters P.O. Box 3926 Midway, KY 40347 (859) 846 - 9794 pedgoddess
@yahoo.com | | |
Welcome
The Thoroughbred business
is tough but the rewards can be heady. It's important to surround yourself with
experts that will give honest advice to keep you from making stupid mistakes.
Don't
confuse pedigree expertise with nick ratings. A good advisor knows that pedigree
and conformation are inextricably linked. A good advisor considers your goals,
your budget, and your preferences, and will work within your parameters or recommend
when they need to be realistically revised. A good advisor of any kind is honest
and objective. It's
important to realize that breeding Thoroughbreds is an exercise in genetics -
knowledge of the gene pool and how the traits are passed on. We are breeding racehorses,
which means we are breeding for performance. Inspecting the best runners and sires
will quickly show you that perfect conformation is not a requirement for excellence.
With all the factors that need to be weighed and balanced, Thoroughbred breeding
is as much an art as a science; an intellectual exercise at its best and a crap
shoot at its worst. |
RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES: June 14, 2024: Do
Milers Make the Best Sires? March 15, 2024: Freshman
Sires of 2024 Tiz the Law, McKinzie, Improbable, Complexity, and Instagrand. January
24, 2024 Honest Pleasure is Everywhere March
30, 2023 Who Became the Best Broodmare
Sires? February 14, 2023 Freshman
Sires of 2023 December 23, 2022: Karakontie
(JPN) May 22,2022: Gun
Runner Sire Phenom February 1, 2022: The
Freshman Sires of 2022 February 12, 2021: The
Freshman Sires of 2021 March 28, 2020 : The
Freshman Sires of 2020 April 2019: Kentucky
Derby pedigrees/stamina figures March 2019: 2019
Freshman Sires June 2018: Justify's
pedigree May 2018: Sagamore
Farm cemetery March 2018: Kentucky
Derby stamina January 2018: Freshman
Sire Picks for 2018 March 11, 2017: Freshman
Sire Picks for 2017 Sep 19, 2016: X
Factor Pedigree Goddess.com: Feb 25, 2016: Joe
Estes Blood-Horse Jan 16, 2016: Colonel
John Blood-Horse Dec 12, 2015: Inbreeding
to Deputy Minister Click here for more | Freshman
Sire Predictions for 2024 (March 15, 2024) My picks for this year
are: Tiz the Law, McKinzie, Improbable, Complexity and Instgrand. Read
the article here. | MY
PREDICTIONS FOR FRESHMAN SIRES OF 2023 So, on to 2023! I've finished
my selections for Leading Freshman Sire for this year. I'm going with..... (click
here to read my article) | Freshman
Sires of 2022
(February 14, 2023) I didn't do too badly with my predictions for the
leading freshman sires of 2022. Although my #1 pick, Mendelssohn didn't come out
as #1, he was #4 by number of winners (25), #7 by earnings and got two stakes
winners. He looks to be more of a turf sire at this point. That said, my next
two choices, Bolt d'Oro and Good Magic were right there at the top. Bolt d'Oro
was #1 by earnings, tied for #1 by number of stakes winners (6) and tied for second
by # of winners (29). Good Magic was #2 by earnings, tied for #1 by number of
stakes winners (6) and sixth by # of winners (21). I also picked the crowd favorite
Justify, to cover myself in case he did well, which he did, being #3 by earnings,
tied for #1 by number of stakes winners (6) and tied for second with Bolt d'Oro
by number of winners (29). | RARE
VIDEO OF NASRULLAH ARRIVING AT CLAIBORNE FARM JULY 1950 (added 4/4/19) This
wonderful video has resurfaced on YouTube.com and I recommend everyone watch it
before it disappears again. I read so much about the feisty, temperamental Nasrullah,
and to see him captured rearing and tearing across his new paddock in a short
color home movie really colors in the legend he became. WATCH IT!! |
HERE'S
ANOTHER GLIMPSE OF GREAT STALLIONS FROM THE PAST (added 4/4/19) This
one is a link to the 1938 movie "Kentucky" also on YouTube.com. It's
retelling the great racing story "The Look of Eagles". If you plow past
the unpleasant first several minutes of the movie about the Civil War, you are
in for a treat. Or just jump ahead to 13:26 and you will see a color sequence
featuring living and breathing Gallant Fox, Omaha, Hard Tack, Chance Play and
of course, Man o'War. | KENTUCKY
PRIDE. Something interesting popped up on my Facebook page yesterday.
It was a link to an
old silent movie called Kentucky Pride. I'm not a fan of the silent movie genre
but this one caught my eye because it featured cameos of the stallions Negofol,
Morvich, Fair Play, Man o'War and The Finn. The story is pretty lame, but Negofol
was particularly magnificent. Enjoy. (August 12, 2022) | Useful
or interesting links | American
Classic Pedigrees (Avalyn Hunter) | The
Blood-Horse | The
Blood-Horse Stallion Register | Thoroughbred
Daily News | Racing
Post/Bloodstock News | Tony
Morris's 100 Shapers of the Breed (@ Thoroughbred
Racing Commentary) | Brisnet.com
5x pedigrees and race records | Pedigree
Query.com | Sport
Horse Data (great photo resource) | Prominent
Sirelines Circular Chart | Bloodlines
of Thoroughbred Champions - sire line chart by Rodney
P Jones | The
Tony Leonard Collection (iconic photos) (I highly recommend the Stallions
poster) | Rommy
Faversham's website with articles | The
Vault - Blog about Horse Racing past and present | |
| 2024
Freshman leaders by earnings (top 5) thru 12/7/2024 | earnings
$ | McKinzie (KY) | $2,675,899 | Vekoma
(KY) | $2,616,484 | Tiz the Law
(KY) | $2,568,607 | Complexity (KY)
| $1,953,611 | Thousand Words (KY)
| $1,754,353 | 2024 Freshman
Leaders by stakes winners
| #stakes winners | Tiz
the Law (KY) | 5 - Scythian- G2T Non
Compliant-G2 Out On Bail Silent
Law Tiztastic | Complexity
(KY) | 4 - Black Forza - G2 ENG Kale's
Angel Mensa, Mo
Plex | Vekoma (KY) | 4 - Jonathan's
Way-G3 It's Hammertime Louisiana
Jess Mi Bago | Thousand
Words (KY) | 3 - Caribbean Gal The
Queens M G Vodka With a Twist | Echo
Town (KY) | 2 - Echo Sound Elegant
Echo | Global Campaign (KY) | 2 -
Mrs Worldwide Special Aviator | Honest
Mischief (NY) | 2 - Sacrosanct Stone
Smuggler | McKinzie (KY) | 2 -
Chancer McPatrick-G1 Scottish Lassie-G1 | Win
Win Win (FL) | 2 - Nooni-G2 Win
N Your In | Aurelius Maximus (LA) | 2
- Hay Jude Secret Faith | Authentic
(KY) | 1 - Power Connection | Caracaro
(KY) | 1 - West Memorial | Bodexpress
(FL) | 1 - Hot Girl Walk | Curlin's
Honor (FL) | 1 - R Morning Brew | Game
Winner (KY) | 1 - Gaming-G1 | Gift
Box (KY) | 1 - Huracan Boricua | Honor
A. P. (KY) | 1 - Glee | Imperial
Hint (LA) | 1 - TDZ Hint of Power | Improbable
(KY/died) | 1 - Governor Sam | Instagrand
(KY) | 1 - Superwolf | Instilled
Regard (KY) | 1 - Minaret Station - G2T | Prime
Attraction (ON) | 1 - Unbridled Weather | Promises
Fulfilled (KY) | 1 - Runnin on Promises | Volatile
(KY) | 1 - Reliable Source | War
of Will (KY) | 1 - Will Then-G3T | 2024
Freshman Leaders by individual winners | # wnrs / # sws | Vekoma
(KY) | 35 / 4 | Volatile (KY) | 23
/ 1 | Complexity (KY) | 21 / 4 | Authentic
(KY) | 19 / 1 | Instagrand (KY) | 19
/ 1 | McKinzie (KY) | 19 / 2 | Tiz
the Law (KY) | 19 / 5 | Thousand
Words (KY) | 18 / 3 | Improbable
(KY/died) | 16 / 1 | War of Will
(KY) | 15 / 1 | Global Campaign (KY) | 14
/ 2 | Maximum Security (KY) | 14 | Tom's
d'Etat (KY) | 14 | Echo Town (KY) | 13
/ 2 | Gift Box (KY) | 13 / 1 | Honor
A. P. (KY) | 11 / 1 | Spun to Run
(KY) | 11 | Game Winner (KY) | 10
/ 1 | Honest Mischief (NY) | 9 /
2 | Bodexpress (FL) | 8 / 1 | Instilled
Regard (KY) | 8 / 1 | Win Win Win
(FL) | 8 / 2 | Aurelius Maximus (LA)
| 6 / 2 | Caracaro (KY) | 6
/ 1 | Country House (KY) | 6 | Mr.
Money (LA) | 6 | Promises Fulfilled
(KY) | 6 / 1 | Shancelot (KY) | 6 | Isotherm
(IN) | 5 | Curlin's Honor (FL) | 4
/ 1 | Gunnevera (FL) | 4 | Higher
Power (KY) | 4 | Phantom Boss (CA) | 4 | Yorkton
(KY) | 4 | Fog of War (NY) | 3 | Imperial
Hint (LA) | 3 / 1 | King For a Day
(NY) | 3 | Rowayton (KY) | 3 | American
Anthem (NM) | 2 | Barkley (WA) | 2 | Blueblood
(IA) | 2 | Lone Sailor (LA) | 2 | Lookin
At Lee (NY) | 2 | Name Changer (NY) | 2 | Revved
Up (OK) | 2 | Runaway Ghost (NM) | 2 | Speightsong
(IN) | 2 | Starship (OK) | 2 | Timeline
(IA) | 2 | Air Strike (OH) | 1 | Blended
Citizen (OK) | 1 | Bobby's Wicked
One (LA) | 1 | Bravazo (KY) | 1 | Calculator
(IN) | 1 | Cambre (OH) | 1 | Heartwood
(died 2021) | 1 | Pat On the Back
(PA) | 1 | Petrov (AR) | 1 | Prime
Attraction (ON) | 1 / 1 | Qafeef
(IN) | 1 | Sweetontheladies (FL)
| 1 | Tour de Force (AB) | 1 |
| Stallion
Farms are starting to announce 2025 stud fees . So far the following
Kentucky farms have announced their stud fees for next year: War Horse Place Walmac
Farm Crestwood Farm Calumet Farm Coolmore/Ashford (11/4/24) Gainesway
Farm (10/31/24) Darby Dan Farm (10/31/24) Lane's End Farm (10/28/24) Three
Chimneys Farm (10/25/24) Juddmonte Farm KY (10/23/24) Airdrie Stud (10/18/24) Claiborne
Farm (10/17/24) Taylor Made Stallions (10/17/24) Mill Ridge Farm (10/17/24)
Darley at Jonabell (10/16/24) Spendthrift Farm (10/15/24) Hill 'n'
Dale at Xalapa Farm (10/14/24) WinStar Farm (10/14/24) | Broodmare
Sires for the 2024 November Sales I've updated my "Rising Broodmare
Sires" list (see right column), which is a custom list that I maintain. It's
not intended to be a list of all leading broodmare sires, which is why older stallions
like Distorted Humor and Unbridled's Song are not included, but of ones that are
moving up through the ranks as their daughters are producing stakes winners. If
you see a nice young mare by one of these sires, you might think about her as
a valuable broodmare prospect. I've updated it for the 2024 November Sales. | Do
Milers Make the Best Sires? Is this a fact or just good copy for a stallion
advertisement? Read the article here.
(June 14, 2024) | The Freshman Sire race for 2024
has begun! You've got to love the juvenile races at Spring Meet at Keeneland.
The first winner for a freshman sire in Noth America was The Queens M G (by Thousand
Words), at Keeneland on April 7. The second was Perfect Shances (by Shancelot)
at Keeneland on April 11. The third was Mensa (by Complexity) at Keeneland on
April 12. (April 19, 2024) | Freshman Sire Predictions
for 2024 (March 15, 2024) I'm a little late with my analysis and predictions
this year but at long last, here they are. It was hard to pick just a few for
my choices because there were a lot of good prospects in this year's Freshman
Sire crop, a lot of good 2-year-olds and speed horses, but I've made my choices
and will keep my fingers crossed. Read
the article here. | Honest Pleasure is Everywhere!
(January 24, 2024) How did this not-so-great sire become such an important
player in Thoroughbred pedigrees today? Without him there would be no Equinox
(JPN), no Flightline, no Justify, no Tapit, no Into Mischief. Read
the story here. | Leading Freshman Sires of
2023 versus my predictions (Jan 13, 2024) It's
official. Spendthrift Farm's Mitole was the 2023 Champion Freshman Sire
based on earnings (see below). He was among the predictions I made in this class
last February so hooray for me. I had also picked Maximus Mischief (2nd) and Omaha
Beach (4th) but let's face it, the juggernaut group of stallions that Spendthrift
presented in 2020 was hard to top quality-wise. Another choice of mine was Audible,
who did OK but not among the top 5. Another choice, Catholic Boy, got 13 winners
but no stakes winners. The one stallion choice
I'm particularly proud of, however, was Flameaway, who was 5th by earnings
but #1 by # of stakes winners with 4. He's already got a fifth stakes winner early
in 2024 in Ma Yetal, in the UAE and hopefully there will be more for this nice
young stallion who has graduated from an initial stud fee of $7,500 to a 2024
fee of $25,000. | 2023
Freshman leaders by earnings (top 5) thru 12/31/23 | earnings
$ | Mitole (KY) | $2,624,858 | Maximus
Mischief (KY) | $2,266,229 | Vino
Rosso (KY) | $2,193,544 | Omaha Beach
(KY) | $2,129,783 | Flameaway (KY) | $1,782,411 | 2023
Freshman Leaders by stakes winners
| #stakes wnrs | Flameaway
(KY) | 4 - Dreamfyre-G3 Freedom
Principle Juliias Dream She's
Fire | Maximus Mischief (KY) | 3
- Carmelina Glengarry Let
Them Watch | Omaha Beach (KY) | 3
- Hot Beach Omaha Girl Sandy
Bottom | Solomini (NY) | 3 - My Shea
D Lady Soloshot Wynstock-G2 | Audible
(KY) | 2 - Chi Chi My
Mane Squeeze | Coal Front (KY) | 2
- Good and Stout Xtreme Diva | Mitole
(KY) | 2 - Ice Cold V V's Dream-G3 | Vino
Rosso (KY) | 2 - Cap Classique The
Wine Steward | Believe In Royalty (PR) | 2
- Belleza Celestial Tremezzo | Copper
Bullet (KY) | 1 - Copper Tax | Divisidero
(KY) | 1 - Vote No | Enticed (KY) | 1
- Shimmering Allure | Leofric (KY) | 1
- Canigetaloan | Pavel (CA) | 1
- Madison Rae | Qurbaan (KY to IN) | 1
- Charlene's Dream | Redirect (WV) | 1
- Direct the Cat | St Patrick's Day (FL) | 1
- Miss Miezie | World of Trouble (KY) | 1
- Touch of Trouble | 2023 Freshman Leaders by individual
winners | # wnrs / # sws | Mitole
(KY) | 35 / 2 | Maximus Mischief
(KY) | 30 / 3 | Omaha Beach (KY) | 24
/ 3 | Vino Rosso (KY) | 24 / 2 | Enticed
(KY) | 23 / 1 | Flameaway (KY) | 21
/ 4 | Audible (KY) | 21 / 2 | World
of Trouble (KY) | 16 / 1 | Solomini
(NY) | 14 / 3 | Catholic Boy (KY) | 13 | Preservationist
(KY) | 13 | Catalina Cruiser (KY) | 12 | Demarchelier
(GB) (KY) | 11 | Coal Front (KY) | 10
/ 2 | Yoshida (KY) | 10 | Believe
in Royalty (PR) | 8 / 2 | St. Patrick's
Day (FL) | 8 / 1 | Copper Bullet
(KY) | 7 / 1 | Leofric (KY) | 5
/ 1 | Pavel (CA) | 5 / 1 | Divisidero
(KY) | 4 / 1 | Heart to Heart (KY) | 4 | Sporting
Chance (NM) | 3 | Force The Pass
(MD) | 2 | One Sided (OH) | 2 | Rise
Up (OR) | 2 | Shagaf (IN) | 2 | Tough
It Up (OH) | 2 | Charming Kitten
(IN) | 1 | Dynamic Racer (OH) | 1 | Greyvitos
(CA) | 1 | Lost Treasure (IRE) (KY) | 1 | Om
(CA) | 1 | Pass the Buck (OK) | 1 | Princeps
Senatus (ONT) | 1 | Qurbaan (IN) | 1
/ 1 | Redirect (WV) | 1 / 1 | Rogueish
(FL) | 1 | Rumpus Cat (CA) | 1 | Snag
(OH) | 1 |
| Vino
Rosso is the first freshman sire with a stakes winner in 2023. (July 3, 2023)
The Bashford Manor Stakes, usually run at Churchill Downs but this year run at
Ellis Park, is one of the earliest stakes run for two-year-olds. This year it
was won by The Wine Steward, the first stakes winner for sire Vino Rosso and the
first stakes winner for any North American freshman sire in 2023. The Wine Steward's
pedigree is pretty complex. Sire Vino Rosso is inbred 3x4 to both Mr. Prospector
and Deputy Minister. Both patterns are common in the best runners by his sire
Curlin, but usually one or the other duplication, rarely together. The Wine Steward's
dam, Call to Service, by To Honor and Serve (by Bernardini, by A.P. Indy), and
so representes an extended version of Curlin's top nick with A.P. Indy mares.
Call to Service also adds a third cross of Deputy Minister (who is 4x5x4 in The
Wine Steward) and she also has 4 more crosses of Mr. Prospector (6 strains total
in The Wine Steward 4x5x7x6x6x6). This wouldn't have been a mating that I would
have recommeded due to all the inbreeding but hey, it worked well, so kudos to
the breeders Sequel Thorougbhreds, Lakland Farm and Mark Toothaker. | Omaha
Beach is the first leader in freshman sire race for 2023 (May 11, 2023) When
Vin Laur Racing's first-time two-year-old starter Cynane came home in front in
Race 1 at Belmont Park on May 11, she became the first winner for her sire Omaha
Beach. She's also the first winner for any of this year's North American freshman
sires. The race was over five furlongs on the turf course, which is surprising
since Omaha Beach himself much preferred dirt on grass. His first four starts
were on turf but he didn't break his maiden until his fifth start, when switched
to the main track in his second start as a three-year-old. Cynane's dam, Burning
Arch, by Arch, was herself a two-time winner on grass at three. | Who
Became the Best Broodmare Sires? (March 31, 2023) I thought
I'd look at stallions by comparing the top sires of stakes winners from each sire
crop compared to those that became the best broodmare sires, starting from the
same point in time. You'd be surprised how they compare. I started with those
stallions who went to stud in 2013 because they're the first with any sort of
numbers as broodmare sires. It's still early days for these young broodmare sires
but watching their records develop is part of the education. Read more here. | Freshman
Sires of 2022 and 2023. (February
14, 2023) I didn't do too badly with my predictions for the leading
freshman sires of 2022. Although my #1 pick, Mendelssohn didn't come out as #1,
he was #4 by number of winners (25), #7 by earnings and got two stakes winners.
He looks to be more of a turf sire at this point. That said, my next two choices,
Bolt d'Oro and Good Magic were right there at the top. Bolt d'Oro was #1 by earnings,
tied for #1 by number of stakes winners (6) and tied for second by # of winners
(29). Good Magic was #2 by earnings, tied for #1 by number of stakes winners (6)
and sixth by # of winners (21). I also picked the crowd favorite Justify, to cover
myself in case he did well, which he did, being #3 by earnings, tied for #1 by
number of stakes winners (6) and tied for second with Bolt d'Oro by number of
winners (29). So, on to 2023! I've finished my selections
for Leading Freshman Sire for this year. I'm going with.....(click
here to read my article) | Karakontie
(JPN): looking for a good turf sire? I've had my eye on Karakontie
(JPN) ever since he went to stud at Gainesway Farm in 2016, so to see him rising
in reputation as a good American-based turf sire makes me happy. With the recent
losses of Kitten's Joy and English Channel, we certainly need one. A proven sire
standing for just $10,000 looks like a bargain if you want to breed a good grass
runner. Read the rest of this article by clicking
here. | 2022
Freshman leaders by earnings (top 5) thru 12/31/22 | earnings
$ | Bolt d'Oro (KY) | $2,748,980 | Good
Magic (KY) | $2,533,214 | Justify
(KY) | $2,349,984 | Army Mule (KY) | $2,049,560 | Girvin
(KY) | $1,910,156 | 2022 Freshman
Leaders by stakes winners (black type) | #black type
wnrs | Bolt d'Oro (KY) | 6 - Boppy
O-G3T Corona Bolt Instant
Coffee -G2 It's Bobs Business Major
Dude-G2T Monsieur Coco | Good
Magic (KY) | 6 - Bat Flip Blazing
Sevens-G1 Curly Jack-G3 Dubyuhnell-G2 How
Did He Do That Vegas Magic -G2 | Justify
(KY) | 6 - Aspen Grove-G3 Champions
Dream-G3 Statuette - G2 Just
Cindy-G3 Justa Warrior
Justique | Army Mule (KY) | 5 - Broadway
Girls Danse Macabre Hot
Little Thing Navy Goat Recruiter | Girvin
(FL) | 5 - Atomically Damon's
Mound-G2 Devious Dame Dorth
Vader Faiza-G1 | City
of Light (KY) | 3 - Chop Chop
Lights of Broadway Sendero | Sharp
Azteca (KY) | 3 - Alma Rosa Sharp
Aza Tack Tyler's Tribe | Mendelssohn
(KY) | 2 - Delight-G1 Classical
Cat | Counterforce (BC) | 2 - Airforce Loveaboveandbeyond | Mo
Town (KY) | 2 - Key of Life Mazing
Mark | Oscar Performance (KY) | 2
- Andthewinneris Red Carpet Ready | West
Coast (KY) | 2 - Sally's Sassy Marz
Express | Accelerate (KY) | 1 -
Hal | Always Dreaming (KY) | 1 -
Grand Isle | Awesome Slew (FL) | 1
- Awesome Strong | Batallion Runner (FL) | 1
- Lightnin Runner | Bee Jersey (KY) | 1
- My Happiness | Collected (KY) | 1
- Freedom Trail | Forever d'Oro (IN) | 1
- Good Forever | Free Drop Billy (KY) | 1
- Free Drop Maddy | Gold Rush Dancer (WA) | 1
- Annette Marie | Good Samaritan (KY) | 1
- Good Sam | Hoppertunity (PA) | 1
- Midnight Parade | Mor Spirit (KY) | 1
- Velocitor | Prospect Park (CA) | 1
- Quickly Park It | The Lieutenant (NY; died) | 1
- Vacation Dance | 2022 Freshman Leaders by individual
winners | # wnrs / # black type sws | Sharp
Azteca (KY) | 34 / 3 | Bolt d'Oro
(KY) | 29 / 6 | Justify (KY) | 29
/ 6 | Mendelssohn (KY) | 25 / 2 | Army
Mule (KY) | 24 / 5 | Good Magic (KY) | 21
/ 6 | Girvin (FL) | 20 / 5 | Mo
Town (KY) | 19 / 2 | Mor Spirit (KY) | 17
/ 1 | Oscar Performance (KY) | 17
/ 2 | Cloud Computing (KY) | 16 | Good
Samaritan (KY) | 16 / 1 | Accelerate
(KY) | 14 / 1 | Awesome Slew (FL)
| 14 / 1 | Bucchero (FL) | 14 | Collected
(KY) | 14 / 1 | Always Dreaming (KY) | 12
/ 1 | Tapwrit (KY) | 12 | West
Coast (KY) | 12 / 2 | City of Light
(KY) | 11 / 3 | Free Drop Billy (KY) | 8
/ 1 | Hoppertunity (MD) | 8 / 1 | Ransom
The Moon (KY) | 8 | McCraken (KY) | 7 | Redesdale
(NY) | 7 | Smokem (CA) | 6 | Bee
Jersey (KY) | 6 / 1 | National Flag
(OH) | 5 | Conquest Farenheit (CA) | 4 | Counterforce
(BC) | 4 / 2 | Funtastic (KY) | 4 | Gold
Rush Dancer (WA) | 4 / 1 | Irish
War Cry (MD) | 4 | Prospect Park
(CA?) | 4 / 1 | Ralis (BC) | 4 | Battalion
Runner (FL) | 3 / 1 | Eastwood (PA) | 3 | Far
From Over (died) | 3 | Seattle Serenade
(ONT) | 3 | The Lieutenant (NY; died
2019) | 3 / 1 | Tunwoo (FL) | 3 | Aldrin
(WV) | 2 | Mrazek (CA; died 2021) | 2 | Sea
Wizard (NJ) | 2 | Amis Gizmo (ONT) | 1 | Coastline
(CA) | 1 | Danish Dynaformer (ONT) | 1 | Forever
d'Oro (IN) | 1/ 1 | Long On Value
(FL) | 1 | Long River (MD) | 1 | Neck
'n Neck (died 2019, IN) | 1 | No
Never No More (FL) | 1 | Point Piper
(CA) | 1 | Rivers Run Deep (OH) | 1 |
| |
| The Stud
Fees are Coming! The Stud Fees are Coming! (Oct 20, 2022) This is one of my
favorite times of the year, when Kentucky farms start announcing the 2023 stud
fees. I try to keep my pages (see right) Kentucky Stud Fees and New Stallions
and Roster Changes updated daily as the press releases come out because watching
the stallions' fees go up or down is a serious education. As of right now (October
20), Into Mischief remains on top at $250,000 with Curlin moving up to be not
far behind at $225,000. Not This Time is to stand for $130,000. Last year he was
first announced at $40,000 but quickly jumped to $100,00 for 2022 and his popularity
hasn't dimmed. Constitution is now $110,000 from $85,000. Violence has jumped
back up to $40,000 (from $25,000 in 2022). Bolt d'Oro was $20,000; now he's $35,000
with a strong showing from his first juvenile runners.. Good old reliable Midshipman
doubles from $10,000 in 2022 to $20,000. They
haven't announced a fee for Gun Runner ($125,000 in 2022) or Sharp Azteca ($5,000
in 2022) yet but both will undoubtedly increase dramatically. Some
interesting new top-of-the-line stallions include Flightline (probably in the
$100,000 and up range), Life Is Good ($100,000 for now, pre-Breeder's Cup) and
Jackie's Warrior ($50,000). The first sons of Gun Runner will enter stud in 2023
and include Cyberknife (Spendthrift) and Early Voting (Ashford), possibly also
Gunite and Taiba although there have been no announcements about the last two
noted. There will be at least three new sons of Into Mischief available, led by
Life Is Good and including Mandaloun and Mutsabeeq. As
the foal crop continues to decline, the Kentucky stallion population doesn't appear
to be following suit. I'm not sure that's a good thing, but as long as breeders
clamor over first year sires, there will be no stopping it. | 2022
Kentucky Broodmare Sales/Broodmare Sires (October 7, 2022) I've completed
updating my broodmare sires list (farther down the page in the right column) for
the 2022 Kentucky broodmare sales this November. I've arbitrarily cut off stallions
foaled before 1995 because I like to keep the stallions listed pertinent to the
modern population. You can still find mares by very successful broodmare sires
like Danzig and Storm Cat, but they're older mares. I think it's important to
point out younger stallions whose daughters are doing well and will continue to
do well into the future. I've included the stallion's
year of birth and added the year they went to stud so you can compare how stallions
from the same sire crops are doing. I made another arbitrary decision to highlight
stallions who entered stud in 2005 or later as the young "up-and-comers".
This highlights the 2005 sire class, led by top broodmare sires Tapit, Medaglia
d'Oro, Speightstown and Candy Ride. Bernardini (class of 2007) is right up there
with the best, as are Ghostzapper (2006), Hard Spun (2008) and Kitten's Joy (2006).
Farther down the list Scat Daddy (2008), Lion Heart (2005), Street Sense (2008)
and Henny Hughes (2007) are also doing well. Who would have thought Lion Heart
and Henny Hughes would becoming such good broodmare sires? It makes one think
that their exportations were perhaps a little premature. Among
the youngest - by age of their first crop daughters - that are working their way
onto this list, are Blame (10 stakes winners), Colonel John (7), Lookin At Lucky
(7) and Uncle Mo (7). | An Unsoundness
Gene (June 30, 2022) A recent article on The Blood-Horse.com from June
30, 2022 is headlined "Study
Links Gene to Soundness in Racehorses" when it might more significantly
read "Study Links Gene to Unsoundness in Racehorses." The study
in question is published as a paper released in the Proceedings of the Royal Society
B and is officially titled "Inbreeding Depression and the probability of
racing in the Thorougbhred Horse," authored by Emmeline W. Hill, Martin A.
Stoffel, Beatrice A. McGivney, David E. MacHugh and Josephine M. Pemberton. In
this study, the DNA of unraced Thoroughbreds is compared with those that raced
and the data indicated that horses who were unraced were more likely to carry
homozygous alleles of a certain gene, THR14, which appears to be related to musculoskeletal
development and repair. [You can read the research paper here.]
The paper also studied the inbreeding in these homozygous individuals and found
that the unraced horses had more inbreeding than the raced horses. The obvious
conclusion is that inbreeding increases the chances of inheritence of this "unsoundness
gene," so all of you who are slap happy about inbreeding and like having
a lot of those ancestor names lit up as duplicated, be a little careful about
what you are doing. We've all been told that inbreeding is risky and can be dangerous,
and here's one proven reason why. Use some common sense and try to avoid a lot
of inbreeding in your matings, and especially try to avoid inbreeding to unsound
individuals. You could use a rule of thumb I like to follow by outcrossing inbred
individuals. The purpose of that is to increase heterozygosity or "hybrid
vigor" which is so important in creating a superior athlete. | Gun
Runner, Sire Phenom (May 22, 2022) If it seems like I'm biased toward all
things Gun Runner, it's partially true. I loved him when he was racing, fell in
deeper love when I first laid eyes on him after he retired to Three Chimneys Farm,
and my love was vindicated when he became the Leading Freshman Sire at the end
of 2021. Now he's sired a first-crop classic winner in Early Voting, who ran off
with the Preakness Stakes-G1 yesterday at Pimlico. Does it get better? Probably,
but let's look at what he's done so far. (Read
the rest of the article here.) | Giant's Causeway
appears in the pedigrees of 9 potential contenders on the 2022 Kentucky Derby
points list. (May 1, 2022) Epicenter (by Not This Time by Giant's
Causeway) Zandon (out of a mare by Creative Cause, by Giant's Causeway) Cyberknife
(by Gun Runner who is out of a mare by Giant's Causeway) Taiba (by Gun
Runner who is out of a mare by Giant's Causeway) Simplification (by
Not This Time by Giant's Causeway) Classic Causeway (by Giant's Causeway) Early
Voting (by Gun Runner who is out of a mare by Giant's Causeway) Pioneer
of Medina (out of a mare by Eskendereya by Giant's Causeway) In Due
Time (by Not This Time by Giant's Causeway) | THE
FRESHMAN SIRE RACE BEGINS! April 13 introduced us to the first winners
by this year's North American freshman sires. At Keeneland, Mo Town was represented
by the maiden special winner Mr. Gordy. At Turf Paradise, Bolt d'Oro's Pop d'Oro
won a trial for the Open Spring Futurty at that track. Let's see who's next. (4/15/22) | MY
PREDICTIONS FOR THE FRESHMAN
SIRES OF 2022 I've finished my evaluation of the freshman sire class
of 2022, those with their first two-year-olds racing this year. You can read it
here. (January 29, 2022) *** Oops! I forgot West Coast on my first posting
so I've updated to include him (February 1, 2022) | 2021
NORTH AMERICAN FRESHMAN SIRES: FINAL NUMBERS The Freshman Sires of 2021
were led in dramatic fashion by Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year, who can
now add to his titles that of Leading Freshman Sire of 2021 and Leading Juvenile
Sire of 2021, a remarkable feat for a first-year stallion who came out in front
of stallions like Into Mischief and Quality Road. It's notable that three other
freshman sires finished in the top 10 Juvenile List by earnings: Practical
Joke (4th), Connect (fifth) and Classic Empire (10th). I
did pretty well in my predictions last February. My picks were: Gun Runner
(#1 by earnings - Freshman and Juvenile lists, #1 by winners with 30 and tied
#1 by stakes winners with 6) Practical Joke (#2 by earnings, co-4th
by # winners with 24, and tied #1 by stakes winners with 6) Classic Empire
(#4 by earnings, co-8th by winners with 20, and 2 stakes winners) Klimt
(#6 by earnings, co-4th by # winners with 24 winners) Mohaymen (#9
by earnings, co-8th by winners with 20) Mastery (#20 by earnings, 10
winners)
Among the pleasant surprises: Mohaymen, my wild card
pick who stood for only $7,500 his first season and continues to stand at that
bargain price in 2022. Connect a later-maturing type who ended the
year #3 by earnings, #2 by winners with 27 and 2 stakes winners. Cupid,
another later-maturing horse with a late season rush to #5 by earnings and 2 stakes
winners from a starting fee of $12,500, making his 2022 fee of $5,000 look pretty
inviting. (January 13, 2022) | 2021
Freshman leaders by earnings (top 5) thru 12/31/21 | earnings
$ | Gun Runner (KY) | $4,278,641 | Practical
Joke (KY) | $2,184,295 | Connect
(KY) | $2,055,414 | Classic Empire
(KY) | $1,644,535 | Cupid (KY) | $1,303,358 | 2021
Freshman Leaders by stakes winners (black type) | #black
type wnrs | Gun Runner (KY) | 6 -
Gunite (G1) Echo Zulu (G1) Pappacap
(G2) Wicked Halo (G2) Concept Optionality | Practical
Joke (KY) | 6 - Wit (G3) Girl
With a Dream Joker Boy Shesawildjoker
Stand Up Comic Tejano Twist | Caravaggio
(KY) | 4 - Agartha (G3) Dizzy
Bizu Her World Tenebrism
(G1) | Unified (KY) | 3 - Behave
Virginia Roger McQueen Unified
Report | Classic Empire (KY) | 2
- Classy Edition First Empire | Connect
(KY) | 2 - Hidden Connection-G3 Rattle
N Roll-G1 | Cupid (KY) | 2 - God
of Love (G3) The Sky is Falling | El
Deal (LA) | 2 - Free Like a Girl True
Deal | Gormley (KY) | 2 - Bron and
Brow High Oak | Iron
Fist (LA) | 2 - Buckley Bunny Fiesty
Fist | Mohaymen (KY) | 2 - Elm Drive
(G2) Mowins | Neolithic
(FL) | 2 - Cattin Make
It Big | Astern (AUS) | 1 - Sail
By | Bal A Bali (KY) | 1 - Corner
Office | Bird Song (KSA) | 1 - Pretty
Birdie | Divining Rod (M)D | 1 -
Local Motive | Eagle (TX) | 1 - Eagle
Express | Hootenanny (KY) | 1 -
Hicksy | Lord Nelson (KY) | 1 - Navit | Madefromlucky
(MD) | 1 - Epic Luck | Midnight Storm
(KY) | 1 - Senor Testaferro | Mo
Tom (LA) | 1 - Wholelottamo | Noble
Bird (FL) | 1 - Strategic Board | Shaman
Ghost (ONT) | 1 - Slack Tide | Straight
Fire (CA) | 1 - Straight Up G | Valiant
Minister (FL) | 1 - Outfoxed | 2021
Freshman Leaders by individual winners | # wnrs / # black
type sws | Gun Runner (KY) | 31
/ 6 | Connect (KY) | 27 / 2 | Caravaggio
(KY) | 26 / 4 | Klimt (KY) | 24 | Practical
Joke (KY) | 24 / 6 | Cupid (KY) | 23
/ 2 | Gormley (KY) | 23 / 2 | American
Freedom (KY) | 20 | Classic Empire
(KY) | 20 / 2 | Mohaymen (KY) | 20
/ 2 | Divining Rod (MD) | 17 / 1 | Keen
Ice (KY) | 17 | Shaman Ghost (ONT) | 17
/ 1 | Unified (KY) | 16 / 3 | Bal
A Bali (BRZ) (KY) | 15 / 1 | Arrogate
(died, KY) | 13 | Astern (AUS) (KY) | 12
/ 1 | Stanford (CA) | 12 | Mastery
(KY) | 11 | Midnight Storm (KY) | 11
/ 1 | Noble Bird (FL) | 11 / 1 | Danzing
Candy (CA) | 10 | Straight Fire (CA) | 10
/ 1 | Iron Fist (LA) | 8 / 2 | El
Deal (LA) | 6 / 2 | Holy Boss (MD) | 6 | Lord
Nelson (died, KY) | 6 / 1 | Mr.
Z (KY) | 6 | Neolithic (FL) |
6 / 2 | Greenpointcrusader (FL) | 5 | Mo
Tom (LA) | 5 / 1 | Union Jackson
(NY) | 5 | Madefromlucky (MD) | 4
/ 1 | Ocean Knight (LA) | 4 | Rainbow
Heir (MD) | 4 | Blofeld (MD) | 3 | Comfort
(NM) | 2 | Dortmund (KOR) | 2 | Editorial
(MD) | 2 | Hootenanny (KY) | 2
/ 1 | Iliad (AB, CAN) | 2 | Kiss
The Ghost (OH) | 2 | Long Island
Sound (ARG) | 2 | Takeover Target
(LA) | 2 | Texas Ryano (CA) | 2 | Valiant
Minister (FL) | 2 / 1 | Wildcat
Red (KY) | 2 | Bethel (NY) | 1 | Biogenic
(pensioned, KY) | 1 | Bird Song (KSA) | 1
/ 1 | Black Bear (OK) | 1 | Black
Stash (FL) | 1 | Catalina Red (LA) | 1 | Cat
Burglar (CA) | 1 | Conspiracy (PR)
| 1 | Dynamic Impact (OR) | 1 | Eagle
(TX) | 1 / 1 | Kobe's Back (MD) | 1 | Passion
for Action (ONT) | 1 | Perfect Timber
(ONT) | 1 | Pontiff (WA) | 1 | Prince
of Love (CA) | 1 | Proceed (NM) | 1 | Saburo
(PA?) | 1 | Toews On Ice (NM) | 1 | Tom's
Ready (pensioned; LA) | 1 | War Correspondent
(KY; sent to Turkey) | 1 |
| STALLION
EBB AND FLOW FOR 2022 Let's look back one
more time at the 2021 Report of Mares Bred. In Kentucky, there were a total of
205 stallions who bred 16,727 mares. Of that group, there were 111 stallions which
are considered "proven," that is, whose first foals were at least three
years old in 2021, those who went to stud no later than 2017. These 111 horses
(54.14% of the total) covered 7,686 mares, which is 45.94% of the mares. Oddly,
they only averaged 62.24 mares each. This means that there were 94 unproven stallions,
45.85% of the stallion population, who covered 9,041 of the mares, a majority
of 54.05%, and averaged 96.18 mares bred. In 2021, 26 new stallions entered stud
in Kentucky, and they covered 3,430 mares between them, for an average of 131.92
mares each, making them the most in-demand category. So
there's irrefutable evidence that mare owners prefer to use unproven stallions,
despite the inherent risk of wasting one's mare on a stallion who turns out to
be a genetic dud. One reason is that the best stallions, Into Mischief and Tapit
for example, are too expensive and exclusive for many breeders, so they look to
unproven sons of those sires hoping to strike gold. Another reason is because
the buyers on the other end, those bidding on in-foal mares, weanlings and yearlings,
seem to prefer young, unproven sires. There's no logic to it, since the vast majority
of hopeful first-year stallions every year in Kentucky fail. Many are shipped
out before they even have foals of racing age. Kentucky
lost about 24 stallions for the upcoming 2022 breeding season, led by the retirements
of Distorted Humor, Stormy Atlantic, Congrats and Broken Vow; and the deaths of
Bernardini and Lord Nelson. The rest account for the usual re-shuffling of stallions
to other states and countries for any number of reasons, mostly because they didn't
live up to the level of production in the sales ring or on the track in the world's
most demanding Thoroughbred market. Compare this
to the intake of 21 new/first-year stallions led by Essential Quality, the Champion
Two-Year-Old Male of 2020 and likely Champion Three-Year-Old Male of 2021, who
leads this group with a well-earned fee of $75,000. He's one of 14 Grade 1 winners
in this class (including Knicks Go, Maxfield, Charlatan, Code of Honor and Raging
Bull (FR)); 5 Grade 2 winners, 1 Grade 3 winner and 1 Graded-placed. (Copyright
Anne Peters Dec 31, 2021)
| REMARKABLE TURNAROUNDS With
the Jockey Club releasing the Report of Mares Bred for 2021, we can make some
interesting observations. The leader in Kentucky by number of mares bred was Goldencents
with 230. His sire, Into Mischief, bred a measly 214 mares. Is Spendthrift
narrowing the champion sire's book a little, or is the market leveling out at
the $225,000 fee he commanded in 2021? By comparison, Into Mischief bred 248 mares
in 2020. On the other hand, there are a few cases of remarkable rebounds in book
size really worth consideration. The star in this group has to be the success
story known as Maclean's Music, who went from 57 mares in 2020 to 221 mares
in 2021. It's no wonder they pushed his fee from $20,000 to $50,000. Brody's
Cause got only 49 mares in 2020, but 147 in 2021, after his first-crop G2
winner Kalypso attracted attention. Unified went from 68 mares in 2020
to 144 in 2021. Now he's got three stakes winners in his first crop of 2-year-olds,
so the breeders' instincts were right. Gormley, also a leading freshman
sire this year, bred 72 mares in 2020 and 158 in 2021. Consistent and proven
Violence went from 86 mares to 159 mares in 2021. Unproven Mo Town
bred 108 mares in his second season then nearly doubled that number with 204 in
his third. His first foals must have impressed. (October 27, 2021) | RISING
BROODMARE SIRES UPDATED: In the right hand column below the pretty pictures,
I keep a list of what I refer to as "rising broodmare sires" of stakes
winners. I've gone through the upcoming 2021 Keeneland November Sale and updated
the broodmare sire statistics here accordingly. There are a few sires working
their way up this list in a remarkable way. Bernardini daughters are proving to
be real gems, as are daughters of Empire Maker. It's no surprise that Tapit and
Speightstown are moving up rapidly as broodmare sires of stakes winners. Hard
Spun and Street Sense are also upwardly mobile as broodmare sires. Scat Daddy
(not surprising) and Henny Hughes (kind of surprising) are also moving up. (October
7, 2021) | GUN RUNNER'S SPECTACULAR FIRST CROP.
On September 6, Gun Runner's 2-year-old colt Gunite won the Hopeful Stakes-G1
at Saratoga becoming his sire's fourth stakes winner. That was just one day after
his filly Echo Zulu won the Spinaway Stakes-G1. Another daughter, Wicked Halo
won the Adirondack Stakes-G2 earlier in the meeting on August 8. The day prior
to her win, Gun Runner's son Pappacap became his first stakes winner with victory
in the Best Pal Stakes-G2 at Del Mar. This blast of Graded stakes winners has
made first crop sire Gun Runner the hottest young stallion in the country. It's
still early days as far as determining his best bloodline crosses, but worth noting
that Gunite, Echo Zulu and Pappacap are all out of Storm Cat-line mares. Wicked
Halo's second dam is by Storm Cat-line sire Harlan's Holiday. Since Gun Runner
is out of a mare by Storm Cat's son Giant's Causeway, these all have duplications
to Storm Cat at some level. Gunite is actually 3x3 to Giant's Causeway and so
4x4 Storm Cat. Echo Zulu is 4x4 Storm Cat. Wicked Halo and Pappacap are both 4x5
to Storm Cat. It's nice to see a horse who was so brilliant, brave and generous
with his speed, turn this into a potentially great stallion career. I have a funny
feeling that his stud fee is going to jump a little from his 2021 fee of $50,000.
Who wants to guess how high? 9/11/21 | THE FRESHMAN
SIRES OF 2021 I've finished my evaluation of the first crop sires represented
by their first two-year-olds of 2021. This is a group that includes stars like
Arrogate, Gun Runner and Classic Empire. You
can read it here. (February 12, 2021) | EARLY
KENTUCKY DERBY CONTENDERS Here's a question. Essential Quality was just
named Champion 2-Year-Old Male of 2020, being undefeated in 3 starts including
the Breeders Futurity-G1 and Breeders' Cup Juvenile-G1, both at a mile and a sixteenth
in his last two starts. So how come the current Kentucky Derby favorite is Life
Is Good, whose only stakes qualification is a win in the Sham Stakes-G3 at a mile?
I don't get it. | 2020 LEADING FRESHMAN SIRES Nyquist
ended the year as Leading Freshman Sire, taking command after his daughter Vequist
won that big purse in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies-G1. He had 17 winners
(tied for third behind Not This Time and Outwork; and even with Air Force Blue).
Laoban ended the season as #2, with the help of 3 stakes winners including G1
winner Simply Ravishing and G2 winner Keepmeinmind out of his 13 winners. This
makes his move to WinStar in Kentucky for 2021 look like a profitable move. Both
Nyquist and Laoban are from the first crop by Uncle Mo, whose son Outwork came
in #4 by earnings and #2 by winners (with 19), behind Not This Time in both categories.
Not This Time led this sire list off and on throughout the racing season. He ended
it #3 by earnings, but #1 by winners by a large margin with 28 individual winners,
9 more than Outwork. Not This Time also had 3 stakes winners led by G1 winner
Princess Noor. A couple of popular stallions whose progeny did not come
out as quickly included Runhappy with 9 winners and zero stakes winners and California
Chrome 8 winners, zero stakes winners. Both of these might have a better record
next year when their first crop gets another year of maturity as three-year-olds.
My
early picks and end of year results: Nyquist - #1 by earnings; 17
winners, 2 stakes winners Runhappy - #15 by earnings, 9 winners Upstart
- #3 by winners (18) Brody's Cause - #10 by earnings; 6 winners,
2 stakes winners Outwork - #4 by earnings, #2 by winners (19) Upstart
- #6 by earnings, #3 by winners (18)
| 2020
Freshman leaders by earnings (top 5) thru 12/31/20 | earnings
$ | Nyquist (KY) | $2,424,083 | Laoban
(KY) | $1,559,748 | Not This Time
(KY) | $1,537,138 | Outwork (KY) | $1,260,790 | Frosted
(KY) | $ 949,396 | 2020
Freshman Leaders by stakes winners (black type) | #black
type wnrs | Laoban (NY) | 3
Simply Ravishing-G1 Keepmeinmind-G2 Laobanonaprayer | Not
This Time (KY) | 3 Princess Noor-G1 Dirty
Dangle Vacay | Brody's
Cause (KY) | 2 Sittin On Go-G3 Kalypso | Nyquist
(KY) | 2 Vequist-G1, Gretsky
the Great | Outwork (KY) | 2
Outadore, Samborella | Speightster
(KY) | 2 That Kenney Kid Dreaming
of Drew | Cinco Charlie (KY) | 1
Huntsinger | Dynamic Sky (ONT) | 1
Jillie Marie | Frosted (KY) | 1
Travel Column | Hit It a Bomb (KY) | 1
Weston-G2 | Ironicus (KY) | 1
Helium | Juba (WV) | 1
Hopping Henry | Marking (NM) | 1
Delbert Too | Mosler (MD) | 1
Miss Nondescript | Noosito | 1
Dutton | Peace and Justice (PA) | 1
Like a Saltshaker | Reload (ONT) | 1
Red River Rebel | Slumber (GB) (KY) | 1
Fluffy Socks | Tamarkuz (KY) | 1
Red Flag | Texas Red (KY) | 1
My Girl Red-G2 | War Dancer (NY) | 1
Step Dancer | Vancouver (AUS) | 1
Madone | 2020 Freshman Leaders by individual winners | #
wnrs / # black type sws | Not This Time (KY) | 28
/ 3 | Outwork (KY) | 19 / 2 | Upstart
(KY) | 18 | Air Force Blue (KY) |
17 | Nyquist (KY) | 17 / 2 | Frosted
(KY) | 16 / 1 | Speightster (KY)
| 15 / 2 | Cinco Charlie (KY) | 14
/ 1 | Exaggerator (KY) | 13 | Laoban
(NY) | 13 / 3 | Mshawish (KY) | 13 | Tourist
(KY) | 13 | Mosler (MD) | 10
/ 1 | Runhappy (KY) | 9 | Vancouver
(AUS) | 9 / 1 | Anchor
Down (KY) | 8 | California
Chrome (JPN) | 8 | Reload
(ONT) | 8 / 1 | Texas
Red (KY) | 8 / 1 | Jess's
Dream (FL) | 7 | Uncle
Lino (PA) | 7 | Brody's
Cause (KY) | 6 / 2 | Flintshire
(GB) (KY) | 6 | War Dancer
(NY) | 6 / 1 | Effinex
(dead) | 5 | Hit It
a Bomb (KY) | 5 / 1 | Juba
(WV) | 5 / 1 | Tamarkuz
(KY) | 5 / 1 | Firing
Line (KY) | 4 | Harry's
Holiday (IN) | 4 | Majestic
Harbor (CA) | 4 | Marking
(NM) | 4 / 1 | Social Inclusion
(PA) | 4 | Ami's Holiday
(ONT) | 3 | Den's Legacy
(OK) | 3 | Peace and
Justice (MD) | 3 / 1 | Protonico
(KY) | 3 | Ride On Curlin
(FL) | 3 | Animal Style
(IN) | 2 | Awesome Indian
(NM) | 2 | Golden Years
(WV) | 2 | Ironicus
(KY) | 2 / 1 | Noosito
(died) | 2 / 1 | Prayer
For Relief (IN) | 2 | Producer
(GB) (KY) | 2 | Punctuate
(NM) | 2 | Alsono | 1 | Barbados
(MD) | 1 | Bernster
(NM) | 1 | Big Blue
Kitten (KY) | 1 | Bradester
(TX) | 1 | Decisive
Moment | 1 | Dynamic
Sky (CAN) | 1 / 1 | Itsthesameoldsong
(OH) | 1 | Metaboss
| 1 | Slumber (GB) (KY)
| 1 / 1 | Street Strategy
(AR) | 1 | Uptown Rythem
| 1 |
| It's
worth noting that three of the top four fresman sires are sons of Uncle Mo: Nyquist,
Laoban and Outwork. All three are from Uncle Mo's remarkable first crop, born
in 2013. Uncle Mo isn't a well-kept secret in the stallion ranks - his stud fee
for the 2021 season is $175,000 - but it's surprising he doesn't get as much hooplah
in the industry as other stallions like Into Mischief and Tapit. (posted November
22, 2020)
| THE
2020 KENTUCKY DERBY FIELD - do they have the stamina to win? A discussion
on the current top 20 Kentucky Derby points qualfiers with statistics on their
race records and pedigrees regarding proven or potential distance ability. (posted
August 28, 2020) | THE FIRST WINNERS BY FRESHMAN
SIRES. (June 14, 2020) Because the 2020 racing season has been seriously curtailed
so far, there have been few 2-year-old races so far this season, so fewer juvenile
winners and even fewer winners by first-crop sires. The leader so far is Taylor
Made Farm's young stallion Not This Time (by Giant's Causeway) who has 2 winners
already, a good early start, for a stallion who was a good 2-year-old himself.
The only other freshman sire with a winner right now is WinStar Farm's Speightster.
| REPORT FROM TURKEY (May
14, 2020) Thanks to my friend Günhan Demiralp, who lives in Turkey, we're given
a little insight into the status of several former American stallions sent to
continue their careers in his home country. He sent me the numbers below. Please
note, this is by no means a complete listing of stallions/leading sires standing
in Turkey.
2019 Stallion Ranking / Turkey 1. Victory Gallop 2.
Unaccounted For (died 2013) 4. Mountain Cat (inactive) 7. Strike the Gold
(died 2011) 9. Lion Heart
2020 Covers Turkish Jockey Club stallions
Bodemeister 100 full Daredevil 120 full Lion Heart 100 full Super
Saver 120 full Victory Gallop 70 full (limited to 70 from 377 applications
due to age) 2020 Covers / Private General Quarters 50 Papa Clem
45 Tizway 95
| THE
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING AND HALL OF FAME HAS ANNOUNCED TWO WORTHY HORSES AMONG
THE INDUCTEES FOR 2020. The one most people will know is two-time Horse of
the Year Wise Dan,
a great fan favorite of recent years who I wrote about for The Blood-Horse
in 2013. The other inductee is the less well-known Nineteenth Century hero Tom
Bowling, an awe-inspiring horse who I wrote about in 2015. Click on their
names to read more about each of these great runners. (May 6, 2020) | THE
FRESHMAN SIRES OF 2020 (March 28, 2020) In a time of uncertainty in
racing, when the Kentucky Derby has been delayed, and racing shut down across
the country due to the coronavirus, who knows where we'll be at the end of the
year, but presuming racing gets back on it's feet, here are some observations
on the Freshman Sires of 2020 and my guesses at the year-end leaders. | 2020
KY STALLION INTAKE AND LOSS (updated Jan 25, 2020) As the 2020 breeding
season approaches, it's worth noting that while Kentucky is getting 19 new stallions,
it's losing 37, which is ALOT. Most are moving to other states, although 12 are
going out of the country, with at least 4 (and possibly 6) pensions, and 1 death.
Usually there's almost a balance between the gains and losses, but not since 2015
have we seen such a disparity between new horses and those dropping off the Kentucky
roster. Compare this year's numbers to the last few years in the table below (numbers
might not be exact). It's likely due to the increasingly large stallion books
for popular stallions and the irrational demand for first-year stallions, combined
with a dramatic drop-off in demand for stallions whose progeny are showing weakness
in the commercial market. I have 3 words of caution for stallion farms
and breeders who give up too early on young, relatively unproven sires: "Take
Charge Indy." After 3 seasons at WinStar Farm and discouraging first-crop
yearling sales (a 2016 average of $38,833 and median of $22,000), Take Charge
Indy was sold to South Korea. Now the sire of 20 black-type stakes winners from
those first 3 crops, he has returned to WinStar for the 2020 season at a fee of
$17,500, the same as his last Kentucky season in 2016. Let's hope buyers can ignore
the fact that his yearlings might not be perfect, but they sure can run.
Year | KY
Incoming: | KY Losing: | includes: | 2020 | 19 | 39 | 4
(or 6) pensioned, 2 died | 2019 | 24 | 22 | 2
pensioned, 2 died | 2018 | 26 | 30 | 2
pensioned, 2 died | 2017 | 32 | 29 | 2
pensioned, 4 died | 2016 | 30 | 23 | 3
pensioned, 5 died | 2015 | 17 | 33 | 3
pensioned, 3 died | 2014 | 31 | 33 | 4
pensioned, 2 died | 2013 | 32 | 25 | 3
pensioned, 4 died | | | | |
| CONGRATULATIONS
TO GREG NEWELL! His 2-year-old homebred filly Precious (by Fed
Biz - Brilliant Sunshine by Smarty Jones) won the Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies
Stakes on November 27, 2019. Fed Biz was one of my top mating suggestions for
Brilliant Sunshine that season. (posted November 28, 2019) | 2019
Freshman Sires I picked the year-end title holder, American
Pharoah, but it seemed like a no-brainer at the time. I didn't do so well with
the rest, except Liam's Map, who was #4 by earnings. Daredevil has been sent to
Turkey. Palace had a lot of winners, but only 1 stakes winner. Bayern had a lot
of winners, but no stakes winners. Hmmm. My picks and end of year results: American
Pharoah - #1 by earnings, co-#2 by stakes winners (4), co-#1 by winners (27) Daredevil
- 12 winners, 1 stakes winner Palace - 17 winners, 1 stakes winner Liam's
Map - #4 by earnings, 16 winners, 2 stakes winners Bayern - 22 winners | 2019
Freshman leaders by earnings (top 5) thru 12/31/19 | earnings
$ | American Pharoah (KY) | $2,703,916 | Constitution
(KY) | $2,168,422 | Palace Malice
(KY) | $1,761,057 | Liam's Map (KY) | $1,466,934 | Tapiture
(KY) | $1,461,988 | Leaders by
stakes winners (black type) | | Constitution
(KY) | 5 - Amalfi Sunrise-G2, By
Your Side-G3 Independence Hall-G3 Laura's
Light Tiz The Law-G1 | American
Pharoah (KY) | 4 - Four Wheel Drive-G2T Sweet
Melania-G2 Maven-G3 FR Another
Miracle | Competitive Edge (KY) | 4
- Majestic Gold My Italian Rabbi Fierce
Lady Sassy Seneca | Race
Day (KY) | 4 - Consultora Gee
She Sparkles Mom's Red Lipstick Race
Home | Fast Anna (KY) | 3 - Been
Studying Her Fast Scene, Scotty
Boy | Karakontie (JPN) (KY) | 3 -
Kenzai Warrior-G3 ENG Karak Sole
Volante | Carpe Diem (KY) | 2 -
Bella Aurora Van Daelen | Commissioner
(KY) | 2 - Soros Two
Last Words | Golden Lad (MD) | 2
- Hello Beautiful Laddie Liam | Khozan
(FL) | 2 - Airbus (PER) Liam's
Lucky Charm | Lea (KY) | 2 - Muskoka
Gold Vast | Liam's
Map (KY) | 2 - Wicked Whisper-G1 Basin | Palace
Malice (KY) | 2 - Structor-G1T Crystalle | Summer
Front (KY) | 2 - Fighting Seabee-G3T Speaktomeofsummer | Tapiture
(KY) | 2 - Sky of Hook Vacherie
Girl | Bakken (ALB) | 1 - Bare Back
Jack | Boat Trip (CA) | 1 - Bettor
Trip Nick | Bourbon Courage (MD | 1
- Raging Whiskey | Daredevil (KY) | 1
- Deviant | Dramedy (OK) | 1 - Southgate | Frac
Daddy (ONT) | 1 - Owlette | Fury
Kapcori (FL) | 1 - High On Gin | Hangover
Kid (MD) | 1 - Miss J McKay | Imagining
(MD) | 1 - Monday Morning Qb | Palace
(KY) | 1 - Chacha Real Smooth | Tonalist
(KY) | 1 - Tonalist's Shape | Wicked
Strong (KY) | 1 - Wicked Runner | Leaders
by individual winners | # wnrs / # black type sws | American
Pharoah (KY) | 27 / 4 | Constitution
(KY) | 27 / 5 | Tapiture (KY) | 27
/ 2 | Wicked Strong (KY) | 26 /
1 | Competitive Edge (KY) | 24 /
4 | Bayern (KY) | 22 | Palace
Malice (KY) | 20 / 2 | Khozan (FL) | 18
/ 2 | Carpe Diem (KY) | 17 / 2 | Palace
(KY) | 17 / 1 | Liam's Map (KY) | 16
/ 2 | Summer Front (KY) | 16 / 2 | The
Big Beast (FL) | 16 | Commissioner
(KY) | 15 / 2 | Honor Code (KY) | 14 | Race
Day (KY) | 14 / 4 | Tonalist (KY) | 14
/ 1 | Daredevil (KY) | 12 / 1 | Danza
(KY) | 11 | Fast Anna (KY) | 11
/ 3 | Karakontie (KY) | 11 / 3 | Mr
Speaker (KY) | 11 | Golden Lad (MD) | 10
/ 2 | Hampton Court (AUS) | 10 | Secret
Circle (KY) | 10 | Bourbon Courage
(MD) | 8 / 1 | Console (PR) | 8 | Frac
Daddy (ONT) | 8 / 1 | Lea (KY) | 8
/ 2 | Bahamian Squall (FL) | 7 | Fury
Kapcori (FL) | 7 / 1 | Jack Milton
(KY) | 7 | Bakken (ALB) | 6
/ 1 | Chitu (FL) | 5 | Conveyance
(KY) | 5 | Govenor Charlie (CA) | 5 | Imagining
(MD) | 5 / 1 | Lent (BC) | 5 | Lotsa
Mischief | 5 | Curlin to Mischief
(CA) | 4 | Dramedy (OK) | 4
/ 1 | Majestic City (NY) | 4 | Medal
Count (OH) | 4 | Micromanage (NY) | 4 | Silver
Max (ONT) | 4 | Sky Kingdom (KY) | 4 | Normandy
Invasion (KY) | 3 | Seek Again (ARG) | 3 | We
Miss Artie (KY) | 3 | Admiral Kitten
(SAF) | 2 | Alpha Bettor (died) | 2 | Blueskiesnrainbows
(OK) | 2 | Boat Trip (CA) | 2
/ 1 | Call Me George (LA) | 2 | Conquest
Curlinate (CAN) | 2 | Global Power
(OH) | 2 | Golden Ticket (NY) | 2 | I
Spent It (OK) | 2 | Japan (NY) | 2 | Rousing
Sermon (CA) | 2 | Young Brian (FL) | 2 | Amira's
Prince (IRE) (FL) | 1 | Animal Style
(IN) | 1 | Chart Topper (ONT) | 1 | Cryptolight
(OH) | 1 | Declassify (ALB) | 1 | Gold
For Cash | 1 | Hangover Kid (MD) | 1
/ 1 | Katz My Song (FL) | 1 | Last
Draw | 1 | Last Gunfighter (Died) | 1 | Midnight
Crooner (OK) | 1 | Mr. Prankster | 1 | Mr.
Rancho Vista (WA) | 1 | Pataky Kid
(IN) | 1 | Tiz a Minister (CA) | 1 | Vaporetto
(PR) | 1 | Xixixi (PA) | 1 |
| War
of Will wins the Preakness Stakes. In the absence of Kentucky Derby first-place
finisher Maximum Security and the official Kentucky Derby winner Country House
(via DQ of Maximum Security), War of Will got the opportunity he needed to prove
himself. On a fast track, with no traffic jam, he stayed on the rail, took advantage
of the hole when it opened and posted an unquestioned victory in the Preakness
Stakes. Even though his pedigree screams turf, this War Front colt out of a Sadler's
Wells mare loves the dirt. He's inbred 3x3 to Northern Dancer, and his dam is
4x4 to the great broodmare Lalun via the proven nick of Sadler's Wells (dam by
Bold Reason) out of a mare by Riverman (by Never Bend). | Country
House wins the Kentucky Derby! When I posted my article on Kentucky Derby
stamina figures (below), Country House was not among the top 20 contenders, but
with the defection of Signalman, he made the list of starters. At the time I didn't
have his pedigree data included but I have updated the article and accompanying
chart to include Country House's stamina figures as a matter of reference. Being
by Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky, he has a reasonable stamina background, better,
in fact, than I had calculated for the first place finisher Maximum Security,
who was ultimately disqualified and placed 18th. | Kentucky
Derby pedigrees in 2019. Do they have the stamina to win it? (Posted April
24, 2019 and updated May 5, 2019) | 2019
FRESHMAN SIRES (uploaded March 7, 2019) Click here
to read my evaluation of the freshman sires whose first 2-year-olds will be debuting
this year. It's a large and interesting group. The accompanying table gives an
overview that shows how many mares each one has been bred to for the last 3 years,
as well as their first crop yearling average from last year. Those numbers will
given you an indication of how popular they are commercially, and which ones might
be siring the better-looking offspring.
Spoiler Alert! My predictions on
who will end the year at the top of the Freshman Sire List are:
American
Pharoah Daredevil Palace Liam's Map Bayern | CONGRATULATIONS
TO OWNER/BREEDER DICK OTTO whose homebred SIR ANTHONY (2015 r. by Mineshaft
- Mourette by Smart Strike) won the Harlan's Holiday Stakes-G3 on December 15,
2018 defeating favorite Audible. Dick has been a long-time client and Mineshaft
was among my top recommendations for stakes-placed Mourette when she retired from
the track in 2014. Sir Anthony is her first foal. | 2018
FRESHMAN SIRES (1st 2yos in 2018) (thru Dec 31, 2018) My discussion on Freshman
Sires can
be read here. | 2018
Freshman leaders by earnings (top 5) | $ | Cross
Traffic (KY) | $2,115,603 | Goldencents
(KY) | $1,396,758 | Cairo Prince
(KY) | $1,254,485 | Central Banker
(NY) | $1,029,580 | Will Take Charge
(KY) | $ 972,222 | Leaders
by individual winners | # wnrs / # black type sws | Goldencents
(KY) | 29 / 2 | Cairo Prince (KY) | 19
/ 2 | Cross Traffic (KY) | 18 /
5 | Revolutionary (KY) | 16 / 1 | Noble
Mission (KY) | 14 | Will Take Charge
(KY) | 14 / 1 | He's Had Enough
(FL) | 13 | Itsmyluckyday (KY) |
13 | Verrazano (KY) | 13 / 2 | Can
The Man (KY) | 12 | Fed Biz (KY)
| 12 / 1 | Flashback (KY) | 11 | Mucho
Macho Man (KY) | 11 / 1 | Atreides
(KY) | 10 / 2 | Central Banker (NY) | 10
/ 2 | Drill (FL) | 10 / 1 | Tritap
(Died, MD) | 10 / 1 | Handsome Mike
(FL) | 9 | Mark Valeski (KY) | 9
/ 1 | Strong Mandate (KY) | 9 | Honorable
Dillon (NY) | 8 | Magician (IRE) | 8 | Souper
Speedy (ONT) | 8 / 2 | Uncaptured
(FL) | 8 / 3 | Real Solution (LA) | 7 | Shakin
It Up (KY) | 7 / 1 | Leaders by
stakes winners (black type) | | Cross
Traffic (KY) | 5 (Jaywalk-G1, Capocostello,
Cross Dancer, Dancin
Shoes, Dame Plata) | Uncaptured
(FL) | 3 (Bye Bye J, Catherinethegreat-G3,
Capture Your Dream) | Atreides
(KY) | 2 (Sueno, Amynta) | Cairo
Prince (KY) | 2 (Cairo Cat-G3 Giza
Goddess) | Central Banker (NY) | 2
(Bankit, Sassy Agnes) | Goldencents
(KY) | 2 (Pickett, Silvercents) | Souper
Speedy (ONT) | 2 (Blessed Two, Speedy
Soul) | Verrazano (KY) | 2 (Seek
and Destroy, Stirling Drive) | Abstraction
(NM) | 1 (Hustle Up) | Amanecer
de Oro (LA) | 1 (Cabo's Rumor) | Apriority
(LA) | 1 (Atchata) | Bandbox (MD) | 1
(Follow the Dog) | Boisterous (CA) | 1
(Kookie Gal) | Cajun Breeze (FL) | 1
(Cajun Firecracker) | Central Banker (NY) | 1
(Bankit) | Drill (FL) | 1 (Drillit)
| Fed Biz (KY) | 1 (Zenden) | Guilt
Trip (LA) | 1 (Goodprofit) | Harlan's
Pure (PR) | 1 (Ledoux) | Lakerville
(CA) | 1 (Lakerball) | Mark Valeski
(KY) | 1 (Backtohisroots) | Merit
Man (CA) | 1 (Give Me a Hint) | Mister
Lucky Cat (OK) | 1 (Starling) | Mucho
Macho Man (KY) | 1 (Mucho Gusto-G3) | Revolutionary
(KY) | 1 (Maiden Beauty) | Shakin
It Up (KY) | 1 (B. B. Dude) | Tritap
(died, MD) | 1 (My Star Potential) | Well
Spelled (PA) | 1 (Well Graced) | Will
Take Charge (KY) | 1 (Kim K) |
| RISING
BROODMARE SIRES I update a list of rising young broodmare sires in the
right column to help breeders. Since the mixed sales are just around the corner,
it's worth taking a look. Stallions who are quickly working their way up this
list include Speightstown, Henny Hughes, Van Nistelrooy and Include. | THE
TRAVERS STAKES is a significant sire-predicting race. Read my article
from 2013 here.
It might be time to update that one!
| JUSTIFY
WINS THE 2018 TRIPLE CROWN! We may never know what makes him great
but it's worth taking a tour of his pedigree and try to find out what might be
making him tick. (June 15, 2018)
| IS
IT THAT TIME ALREADY? We're starting to see announcements for stallions
going to stud in 2019 (Mo Town, Mind Your Biscuits) so it's time to change the
"New
Stallions and Roster Changes" to the 2019 edition. There's already have
an extensive list of horses in training and their prospective farms on retirement,
but they may or may not stay in training next year. They're included on this list,
too, so breeders can be aware of who might be available next year and make inquiries
accordingly. I've also put up a new Stud
Fees page, although 2019 fees won't be announced until much later in the year.
Right now, the page just reflects last year's fees and I cobble in my best guess
where the new horses may fall until there's an official announcement to firm up
the list. (May 23, 2018)
| In
celebration of the Preakness, Maryland's great race, let me tell you why I
am fascinated by horse cemeteries and the Sagamore
Farm cemetery especially. (May 17, 2018)
| WHERE
ARE THEY NOW? How are last year's leading freshman sires doing with their first
3-year-olds? (5/8/18) Take Charge Indy has taken over where Overanalyze
and Violence left off at the end of 2017. Last year he was third by earnings and
number of winners and had 2 stakes winners. Through May 7, 2018, he has 4 stakes
winners including Noble Indy-G2 and Take Charge Paula-G3. WinStar has made noises
about negotiating to get him back from South Korea, where he has spent the 2017
and 2018 breeding seasons. Jimmy Creed has moved up quite a bit from
last year and has 3 stakes winners so far this year including Kanthaka-G2 and
new stakes winner Blame the Rider. His good filly Spectator, a G2 winner last
year, is on the comeback trail and was second in the Santa Anita Oaks-G1. Violence
remains hot, with 2 stakes-winning fillies: Cosmic Burst-G3 and Cicatrix. Florida-bases
Prospective has made an appearance with 2 stakes winners in 2018, Prospective
Lady and Piven. Last year's leader Overanalyze has a stakes winner
in Puerto Rico but hasn't maintained his momentum from last year. None of his
4 2018 stakes winners have come back to win a stakes this year yet. Shanghai
Bobby had 3 stakes winners last year, but none have returned to that form
yet in 2018. He does, however, have 3 stakes-placed Northern Hemisphere runners
which is hopeful, and his first Brazilian-bred crop is starting to run well, too,
with 3 more stakes-placed. Both Shanghai Bobby and Overanalyze need to get
some more Northern Hemisphere stakes winners to maintain their strong early reputations. Animal
Kingdom is doing reasonably well with stakes winner Camilla Princess here
(and Peaceful State in Australia) and several stakes-placed performers in both
hemispheres, although his progenty continues to show a turf bias. It's still
too early to give a thumbs up or thumbs down on this crop of sires but we'll have
a better idea of where things stand success or failure-wise by the Saratoga meet. | DO
THEY HAVE THE STAMINA TO WIN THE DERBY? An early look at Kentucky Derby
contenders and who I like. (March 22, 2018) Click
here to go to the article [Spoiler Alert! Justify won the Kentucky Derby,
by Scat Daddy out of a Ghostzapper mare.] | A
LITTLE BIT ON SIRE AVERAGES It's been a while since I've seen statistics
on breed averages. I think they're useful if we keep them in context. Way back
in the 1980s, The Blood-Horse published breed averages that indicated that the
top stallions averaged at least 5% stakes winners to foals. I still use this number
to evaluate proven sires, although now that the TBH has switched to "black
type winners" the numbers have shifted. Out of curiosity, I ran a few statistics
based solely on averages for the Kentucky stallion colony (active sires with
at least 2 crops of racing age in 2018 based on stats in early March):
2018 Fee (KY only) | % BT
wnrs | AEI* | CI** | AWD+ | Max AWD
| All proven sires | 3.24 | 1.32 | 1.53 | 6.99 | 7.26 | $100k
and up | 6.97 | 2.19 | 2.06 | 7.29 | 7.60 | $50k
to $99k | 5.87 | 1.76 | 1.97 | 7.47 | 7.85 | $20
to $49k | 3.43 | 1.37 | 1.65 | 7.06 | 7.32 | $12.5k
to $19k | 3.18 | 1.27 | 1.52 | 6.74 | 7.02 | $
7.5k to $11.9k | 2.59 | 1.48 | 1.39 | 7.01 | 7.31 | $5k
to $7.4k | 1.67 | 0.90 | 1.23 | 6.75 | 6.96 | $2k
to 4.9k | 1.10 | 0.67 | 1.18 | 6.84 | 7.12 | *AEI
= Average Earnings Index of progeny **CI = Comparable Index of mares bred +AWD
= average winning distance (furlongs) Observations: 1. Note that
the average of black type winners to foals for proven sires in Kentucky is 3.24%.
Among the ultra elite sires, with fees of $100,000 and up, that number is 6.97%;
the next tier, elite sires from $50,000, averages 5.87% black type winners. This
number along with AEI are the ones that put the elite and ultra elite sires above
the rest: their ability to produce top runners and earners. 2. Note that for
the average stallions, their AEI is lower than their CI, except for the ultra
elite. So statistically speaking, most stallions don't bring their mares up. This
means that the ones that improve their mares are worth extra attention. 3.
Note that the maximum average winning distance generally increases with the higher
class sires. In other words, you pay for the stamina required to win the bigger
races. 4. Caveats: Statistics at the beginning of the year are severely diluted
by unraced 2-year-olds included as "horses of racing age." The best
time to get stats, especially on young first or second crop sires is in late December.
Stats on those first or second crop sires are usually very low. Right now, even
the hot young sire Violence, currently with 5 black type winners from his first
crop has only 2% stakes winners to foals and a 1.14 AEI. This doesn't mean he's
below average, just that it's too early to get a truer idea of what kind of class
he's throwing (but we already know he's pretty good). While larger book sizes
have diluted sire stats, top sires like Uncle Mo (6.56% BT) and Giant's Causeway
(7.35% BT) are still among the cream that rises to the top. | Congratulations
to the connections of Unique Bella for her Eclipse Award as Champion
Sprint Female of 2017. That includes Elliott Alexander, who bred her second through
fourth dams. It's a true rags to riches story that I wrote about in October 2013
("Wardelle
and Wardoura"). Elliott started in the breeding business in the 1960s
with a cheap "gift mare" named Wardoura, and he bred out of her and
her daughters for many years. The family got better every generation. He sold
a great-granddaughter of Wardoura named Queenie Belle as a 2-year-old in 1999,
and watched her go on to win Grade 2 stakes for someone else. Queenie Belle produced
Unrivaled Belle, who won the 2010 Breeders' Cup Distaff-G1. Does it get any better?
Yes, yes, it does. Imagine how he must feel watching Unrivaled Belle's daughter,
Unique Bella, 5 generations from the gift mare, Wardoura, earn a national championship.
Keep on dreaming. | 2018
Freshman Sires Review I've provided an evaluation of this year's
crop of Freshman Sires, those with their first 2-year-olds racing in 2018. CLICK
HERE for the article and my predictions for the leaders by the end of the
year. | 2017
Freshman Sires - my predictions I did pretty well on my
predictions for the top freshman sires last year. My picks were:
Shanghai
Bobby - #4 by earnings; #3 by # stakes winners Violence - #2 by earnings; #1
by # winners and stakes winners (tie) Overanalyze - #1 by earnings; #1 by
stakes winners (tie); #2 by winners Liaison - #22 by earnings; 2 stakes winners Flat
Out - #8 by earnings; #5 by # winners | FAREWELL
TO BEN'S CAT Laid to rest today November 11, 2017 at Laurel Park where
he ran with so much success and thrilled so many racing fans. Thanks King Leatherbury
for letting me help you breed such a memorable horse. Ben's
Cat article from Blood-Horse.com
| CONGRATULATIONS
to client Rick Waller on the victory of his wonderful homebred 2-year-old
filly Spectator (2015 by Jimmy Creed - Diva's Tribute by Henny Hughes),
who won the Sorrento Stakes-G2 at Del Mar on August 5, 2017. She's the first stakes
winner by Jimmy Creed, who stands at Spendthrift Farm, and was bred on one of
my recommendations. This is what we do it for! Read more in the article "Diva,
Against All Odds" on the Paulick Report. UPDATE: Rick Waller named
TOBA
Breeder of the Month for October 2018 | Looking
ahead to the 2018 season The list of retiring and potential New
Stallions and Roster Changes for 2018 is now up, featuring Arrogate, Classic
Empire, Connect, Gun Runner, Keen Ice, Irish War Cry, Mohaymen, Shaman, Ghost
and others. None of these stars have been officially retired as yet, but the farms
where they'll wind up have been announced. Stay tuned to watch the stallion class
of 2018 firm up to get a jump on your breeding plans. Stud fees will be added
when announced. | Violence gets a stakes winner! Violence
became the first North American freshman sire with a stakes winner in his first
crop when his daughter, Buy Sell Hold won the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes on May
4, 2017 at Churchill Downs. Violence stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farm, KY. | FRESHMAN
SIRE PICKS FOR 2017 (March 11, 2017) I just uploaded my predictions
for the leading freshman sires, those stallions who entered stud in Kentucky 2014
with their first crop racing as 2-year-olds in 2017. The
article goes into extensive detail on each of the stallions from this Kentucky
sire class, with a table of statistics showing number of mares bred and yearling
averages/ medians to help support the analysis. As usual, my freshman sires picks
lean toward stallions who were good 2-year-old runners themselves, and spoiler
alert, for those who don't want to read the entire article, here are my top 5
selections.
Shanghai Bobby Violence Overanalyze Liaison Flat
Out | CONGRATULATIONS to Jon Lee,
on the success of his filly Ellan Vannin (2014 Spring At Last - Vulcan
Rose by Fusaichi Pegasus), a $22,000 purchase among my recommendations out of
the 2015 Woodbine Yearling catalog. She broke her maiden at 36-1 and followed
up with a win in the Ontario Lassie Stakes at Woodbine in her second start in
November, 2016. Best of luck in 2017! | 2016
FRESHMAN SIRE SELECTIONS (March 8, 2016) This year's freshman sires, those
with their first 2-year-olds hitting the track, are headlined by some of the
darlings at last year's yearling sales: Bodemeister, The Factor, Union Rags,
Tapizar, Jersey Town, Creative Cause, Shackleford and To Honor and Serve. They
all have 2015 yearling averages of $75,000 or over. When I make my freshman sire
choices, I like a horse who showed good form at 2, but could run into the middle
distances at 3, and ran for most of the season. A classy pedigree and no major
comformation issues helps, too. Union Rags seems to have the best all-around
resume, being the best East Coast juvenile who grew up to win the Belmont Stakes.
He's also a well-bred horse (by Dixie Union, dam by Gone West) and a striking
individual. Stay Thirsty was G1-placed at 2, won the Gotham and Travers
at 3, and the Cigar Mile at 4. With a top pedigree (Bernardini/Storm Bird) and
all-around good looks, he's got a license to succeed. To Honor and Serve
was a good late season 2-year-old, won the Cigar Mile at 3, and was a top older
male at 4. His pedigree is A+ (Bernardini/ Deputy Minister) and he's a big, handsome
horse. Shackleford is my wild card choice. He was a winner at 2, and was
a brilliantly fast, gutsy horse, winning the Preakness at 3 and the Met Mile at
4. By Forestry, a highly underrated sire, his dam Oatsee is a true blue hen by
Unbridled, and is from the same family as sires Gone West and Tentam. Finally,
it's hard to ignore the hype that followed Bodemeister, and the class of
mares it attracted. An extremely talented, well-bred (Empire Maker/Storm Cat)
horse, he was unraced at 2, but the size and quality of his first book of mares
could carry him to early success. | NEW
ARTICLES (Feb 24, 2016) The life of a freelance pedigree writer is tough
and recently, The Blood-Horse discontinued the weekly Breeding/ Pedigree
column in favor of a new sponsor, which means that I (and my pedigree-writing
colleagues) must find other venues to share ideas. This gives me the opportunity
to concentrate on this web page, so I've celebrated by adding a new article on
Joe Estes, gifted writer and former
editor of The Blood-Horse, to the line up on my Pedigree
page. Let me take this opportunity to encourage you to submit suggestions
for future articles. What are you interested in reading about? Email me
at pedgoddess@yahoo.com with your ideas. |
REAL WORDS OF WISDOM ON BREEDING The Aga Khan has been one of
the leading breeders in Europe for decades, his studs producing runners like Shergar,
Zarkava, Akiyda, Shahrastani, Kahyasi, Darshaan, Sinndar, Blushing Groom, Kalamoun,
Sendawar, Siyouni, Dalakhani, Daylami, and many others. His father and grandfather
bred the likes of Nasrullah, Mahmoud, Bahram, Petite Etoile, Noor and Gallant
Man to name just a few. His daughter, Princess Zahra, has shown a keen interest
in the family's racing and breeding program and recently addressed the Asian Racing
Conference, offering observations on the Aga Khan's thoroughbred program and the
current state of breeding that everyone should read. You
can read Princess Zahra Aga Khan's speech here. This will link you to the
website for the Aga Khan's studs, which is well worth an afternoon or a few days
of browsing and learning. | LEADING FRESHMAN
SIRES IN 2015 I picked Uncle Mo to be the Leading Freshman Sire
of 2015 and he did not disappoint. He was the leader by earnings, by number of
winners and by number of stakes winners (see lists below). His top colt Nyquist,
winner of 3 G1 races including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, will undoubtedly be
named Champion 2-Year-Old Male of 2015. Unfortunately, my other choices (Trappe
Shot, Sidney's Candy, General Quarters) didn't fare as well, but we'll see how
they do with their 3-year-olds in 2016. I was surprised to see Twirling Candy
and Archarcharch right up there among the leading freshman sires, but good for
them. Girolamo might have been the biggest surprise of all, with his first crop
sired when he was standing in New York, but now he's in Kentucky and standing
at $15,000, 3 times what he stood for last year. |
MY PICKS FOR FRESHMAN SIRES IN 2015 Uncle Mo has all the qualifications
to be one of the leading freshman sires this year. He was the Champion 2-year-old
himself, and was just a flat out brilliant race horse. He's by Indian Charlie,
who specialized in precocious/speedy, his yearlings sold well last year, and he's
going to have a lot of juvenile runners out there. Trappe Shot's yearlings
sold remarkably well for his $10,000 stud fee, and he was a very fast horse by
Tapit, both of which suggest early runners. I've always been impressed with Sidney's
Candy, both as a horse with record-setting speed and great conformation. He's
by Candy Ride, who sired Shared Belief, the champion juvenile a couple years back.
I don't know how many 2-year-olds General Quarters will have from his first
Florida-sired crop, but he was a horse with tremendous ability and is bred to
run early, by Sky Mesa out of an Unbridled's Song mare. |
LEADING FRESHMAN SIRES OF 2014 While I didn't expect to see Quality
Road and Super Saver come on so quickly, it doesn't surprise me since both horses
were very good racehorses with great pedigrees. I was pleased to see the good
showing by Munnings, who I fully expected to do well with his first 2-year-olds:
#2 by number of winners, #3 by number of stakes winners, and #4 by earnings. It's
good to see Tale of Ekati rank high by number of winners, with 14. Concord Point
got 2 stakes winners from his first crop and is a horse to pay attention to as
the first good son of Tapit with runners. |
MY FAVORITE FRESHMAN SIRES OF 2014 Among the stallions whose first
crop will be racing in 2014, here are some of my favorites. I think Munnings
has "leading freshman sire" written all over him. Fast and precocious
himself, he's built for the part, and is from a strong sireline, being the first
good son of Speightstown to stud in North America. Blame is a magnificent
individual, and although his runners might not be as precocious as Munnings, he
stands out as an outstanding runner by a very good sire from a great sire-making
family going back to Rough Shod II. I liked Tale of Ekati when he was racing,
and I still like him. He was a G2 winner at 2 and multiple G1 winner at 3, by
Tale of the Cat, out of a Sunday Silence mare, from a great female family. Line
of David impressed me with his good looks and is by Lion Heart, who was exported
too soon. He is also from the immediate family of Mr. Prospector, which says a
lot. Concord Point was one of the first sons of Tapit to stud and is a
big, stout, handsome horse with a remarkably intense pedigree. |
2014 YEARLING SIRE STANDOUTS The top U.S. yearling
sires of 2014 are rather obvious ones following the Keeneland September Sale.
Tapit, War Front, Medaglia d'Oro, Bernardini, Distorted Humor, Malibu Moon
and Smart Strike all had yearling medians over $200,000. Among the most profitable,
Majesticperfection, represented by a lot of 2-year-old winners, had a median
of $100,000, making his 2014 fee of $10,000 look pretty sweet. Blame's
yearlings continued to sell well (median of $112,500). Tale of the Cat, Quality
Road, Scat Daddy and Lemon Drop Kid are all good mid-range stallions with
solid commercial numbers. Super Saver, Uncle Mo and Gio Ponti look very
safe for now, too.. Trappe Shot is the most pleasant surprise, however.
Off a $10,000 stud fee, his first crop yearling median was a whopping $85,000
and Claiborne isn't raising his fee for 2015, although he's probably already over-subscribed.
For more budget-minded breeders, yearlings by freshman sire Midshipman
sold well, as did those by Warrior's Reward and first crop sire Haynesfield.
My oft-recommended Yes It's True is continuing to prove good value. |
SEA THE STARS When a well-bred 2-year-old colt
named Sea the Stars (by Cape Cross - Urban Sea) broke his maiden in Ireland
in 2008, I presented him as a potential stallion prospect, but could not find
enough interest. Every month or so, I would push for him again, as he graduated
up the ranks, until he became the best horse in training and Horse of the Year
in Europe at three. He retired to the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in Ireland. It
is very satisfying to watch him become the hottest young sire in Europe, with
a growing list of top performers including the great filly Taghrooda and the German
Derby winner Sea The Moon. Will he become as great a sire as his half-brother
Galileo? | GO SKY CAPTAIN! Congratulations
to owner Jack Oxley for his win with Sky Captian in the Dominion Day Handicap-G3
at Woodbine. Sky Captain was bred on my recommendation for breeders Three Chimneys
Farm and Serengeti Stable. He's a 4-year-old son of Sky Mesa, who raced
for Mr. Oxley, and who stands at Three Chimneys Farm. Sky Captain is out of the
mare Anchors Away, an unraced mare from the first crop of Smarty Jones
out of Away, by Dixieland Band. Anchors Away is a half-sister to the outstanding
but ill-fated filly Eight Belles. Sky Captain sold for $210,000 at the Keeneland
September yearling sale to Mr. Oxley. He has now earned $206,513. Sky Captain
is one of 6 stakes winners for Sky Mesa so far in 2014, and the 40th for him lifetime.
Sky Captain is also the third stakes winner with Smarty Jones as the broodmare
sire. | TONALIST IN THE BELMONT
This year's Belmont Stakes went to Tonalist (by Tapit - Settling Mist
by Pleasant Colony), who adds to the sensational record of his sire Tapit.
He becomes Tapit's fifth Graded stakes winner at a distance beyond 9 furlongs,
following Careless Jewel, High Tap, Headache, Tapitsfly and Teen Pauline who all
scored at a longer distance. In the case of Tonalist, Tapit may have had a little
help getting that extra stretch to 12 furlongs, since his dam is by the outstanding
staying influence, Pleasant Colony. There are actually a lot of remarkable
things about Tonalist's background that a pedigree geek woud find interesting.
His dam is a half-sister to the dam of 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.
She goes back in female line, through Toll Fee and Toll Booth, to the mare Missy
Baba, who is also the third dam of 2002 Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy,
sire of Pulpit, sire of Tapit. Missy Baba is 7x4 in the pedigree, so while it's
not a significant concentration of blood, it shows the high class that this family
continues to generate over the generations. Close behind Tonalist at the finish
was Commissioner, who is from the last crop by A.P. Indy and is out of a mare
by 1997 Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold. Behind him came Medal Count, by Dynaformer,
another great staying sire. Dynaformer was by Roberto out of Andover Way by His
Majesty, and His Majesty's best son was Pleasant Colony. It's amazing how those
staying genes rise to the surface in a race like this. |
CHROMEO, OH CHROMEO So California Chrome followed up his
impressive Kentucky Derby win with an equally impressive victory in the Preakness
Stakes. This leaves the inevitable question, even as he trotted back to
the Pimlico winner's circle, if he would be the one to win the first Triple Crown
since Affirmed did it in 1978. Can he win the Belmont? I don't know. The
Belmont is a tricky thing and winning or losing nowdays has more to do with circumstances
than talent. If he gets his trip, I don't see a horse in this crop that
can touch him, IF he gets his trip. This is no longer a matter of whether
he's bred to go the distance, because he outran his pedigree when he won the San
Felipe Stakes back in March. He's one of those flukey horses who got the
near perfect shake of the genetic lottery. Yes, he was bred cheaply, but
his pedigree is full of rich names and interesting patterns that you could spend
hours poring over. You can read more about it in the article I wrote about
California Chrome
in the March 29 issue of The Blood-Horse. I'll be rooting for Chromeo
in the Belmont, not because of the Triple Crown, but because he's a really good
horse who wins in dominating style and seems to be head and shoulders above this
crop of 3-year-olds...and he's pretty. My weakness for flashy chestnuts
goes back a long way. | GALA AWARD BECOMES
3RD GRADED STAKES WINNER FOR WILSHEWED Back in February, we lost a friend
in Bill Currin, and my sympathies are with his wife Betty and their family. I
got to know Bill and Betty during the winter and spring of 2007 when Bill was
training his glamorous colt Stormello (by Stormy Atlantic - Wilshewed
by Carson City), owned with partner Al Eisman, for the Florida Derby. An elegant,
fiery chestnut colt, Stormello would go to the front and try to run the field
off their feet, showing brilliance and bravery in those long stretch runs. I loved
Stormello, who sadly died in 2011. Watching racing one day in 2012, I was transfixed
by those familiar Currin colors darting out front on a blazed faced colt who went
wire to wire in that free wheeling style of Stormello. I was laughing when I discovered
it was Stormello's full brother, My Best Brother. My Best Brother won the
Del Mar Derby-G2T that year in brilliant style, and within a month, his half brother
by Bernardini out of Wilshewed brought $1,550,000 at the Keeneland September Sale.
Named Gala Award, he recently won the Palm Beach Stakes-G3T at Gulfstream
Park and there is the possibility that he could go on the Derby trail, like his
older brother Stormello did. So that gives the Currin's lovely mare Wilshewed
her third Graded stakes winner from six foals. Wilshewed is based at Cathy Parke's
Valkyre Stud near Georgetown, Kentucky and she will have my sentimental vote for
2014 Broodmare of the Year. | BEST STALLION
VALUES 2014 One of the stallions I find myself recommending a lot this
winter is Exchange Rate, who is priced very well at Three Chimneys at $20,000
(down from $30,000 last year). This offers commercial value since his 2013 yearlings
averaged $81,259 with a median of $80,000. He's a solid proven sire whose runners
win early for quick return. Mizzen Mast has also worked his way up into
commercial favor, standing for $20,000 now at Juddmonte Farms, with a yearling
average of $77,565 and median of $70,000. Three Chimneys has another nice proven
mid-priced stallion in Sky Mesa, also priced at $20,000, with a yearling
average of $66,283 and a median of $50,000. |
NEW STALLIONS FOR 2014. Don't forget to check my pages regularly
to keep up with stallions as they retire from the track and are headed for stud
duty. This is the most comprehensive list on the web for Northern Hemisphere stallions.
New
Stallions and Roster Changes for 2014 The new Kentucky stallions
by stud fee are: Animal Kingdom (Darley, $35,000) Orb (Claiborne,
$25,000) Paynter (WinStar,
$25,000) Point of Entry (Adena Springs,
$25,000) Fort Larned (Adena
Springs, $20,000) Oxbow (Taylor
Made, $20,000) Shanghai Bobby (Ashford, $20,000) Take
Charge Indy (WinStar, $20,000) Denan (AUS) (Darley,
$15,000) Graydar (Taylor
Made, $15,000) Raison d'Etat (Calumet,
$15,000) Violence (Hill
'n' Dale, $15,000) Jimmy Creed (Spendthrift,
$12,500) Justin Phillip (Castleton
Lyons, $12,500) New Year's Day (Hill 'n' Dale, $12,500)
Flat Out (Spendthrift,
$10,000) I Want Revenge (Pauls Mill, $10,000) Liaison (Spendthrift,
$10,000) Morning Line (Lane's
End, $10,000) Overanalyze (WinStar,
$10,000) Power Broker (Hill 'n' Dale,
$10,000) Alternation (Pin
Oak, $7,500) Data Link (Claiborne,
$7,500) Fast Bullet
(Pauls Mill, $7,500) Snapy Halo (ARG)(Calumet, $7,500) Swagger Jack (Millennium,
$7,500) Keep Up
(Mill Ridge, $5,000) O'Prado Again (Spendthrift,
$5,000) Awesome Patriot (Spendthrift, $3,500) Hero of Order
(Raut, $3,000) | BIG
BROWN'S SUCCESS WITH MR P. Big Brown got his fourth stakes winner and
first Graded stakes winner when Darwin won the The Minstrel Stakes-G3 at The Curragh
in Ireland. Given his pedigree, I predicted that Brown would do well with Mr.
Prospector-line mares, and in fact, all of these stakes winners are out of Mr.
Prospector-line mares, by Silver Ghost, Gone For Real, Rubiano and K. O. Punch.
| 2013
FRESHMAN SIRES No one has asked my opinion yet, but I'll offer
it anyhow. My favorite freshman sires this year are: Kodiak Kowboy
Einstein (BRZ) Pioneerof The Nile Sea The Stars (IRE) |
CENTRALINTELIGENCE
FIRST G1 WINNER FOR SMARTY JONES June 29, 2013, Centralinteligence
ran away with the Triple Bend Handicap [G1] at Hollywood Park. Centralinteligence
is a 5-year-old gelding by Smarty Jones out of Shootforthestars by Seattle Slew.
He was bred by Smarty Jones's owner Pat Chapman, who was looking for mares to
breed to Smarty Jones in the fall of 2006. We looked at Smarty's first yearlings
that year and had been impressed with the colt out of the Seattle Slew mare Shootforthestars.
I loved Smarty with Seattle Slew mares, and this one was offered at the 2006 Keeneland
November Sale in foal to Elusive Quality (Smarty's sire), so this mare was among
my recommendations for Mrs. Chapman to buy, which she did, for $450,000 and the
rest is history. Mrs. Chapman is also the breeder of Smarty Jones's 2012
stakes winner Res Judicata, a nice colt out of the homebred mare Mohonour, by
Honour and Glory, a big, blaze faced mare who looks very much like her dam's sire
Unbridled. I'm so pleased for Pat, who is a genuinely nice person, who
loves her horses, especially her Smarty. While it was disappointing to have him
move out of Kentucky, it was nice that he could go home to Pennsylvania, where
he now lives at Northview Pennsylvania, closer so Pat can visit more often. Smarty
Jones is one of the most undervalued sires in America. Check out his statistics,
and be prepared to be surprised. According to The Blood-Horse Stallion Register,
he has 21 stakes winners, 6% stakes winners to foals, which is excellent, with
an AEI of 1.72. Go Smarty Go! | BELMONT
STAKES RESULTS So Palace Malice surprised most of us (he was nearly
14-1 after all) and won the Belmont over Oxbow and Orb. The top 3 finishers were
visibly leg weary coming down through the final yards, but there was a blue blur
closing fast for fourth, my longshot pick Incognito. So what have we learned from
this Triple Crown season? I think we discovered that this is a very contentious
crop of 3-year-olds that won't sort itself out until later in the summer or fall.
What we often find in years like this, when 3 different horses break up the Triple
Crown between them, is that these are very strong crops, and not "mediocre"
as they're often labeled at this stage by misbegotten racing/handicapping columnists
who spend too much time deriding the sport and whining because horses aren't predictable
enough for them to win a bet. The second half of the season is going to be a lot
of fun, I promise. It's also important to acknowledge Palace Malice's sire,
Curlin, who now has 3 stakes winners from his first crop, including the new classic
winner, as well as Countess Curlin and Stopshoppingdebbie. Their dams are by Royal
Anthem (Palace Malice), Private Account (Countess Curlin) and Wild Again (Stopshoppingdebbie),
so he's crossing with a wide range of bloodlines so far, and they're all outcrosses
at 4 generations. An interesting factor with Palace Malice is that his second
dam is inbred 3x4 to Damascus. There's been a remarkable tendency for horses with
inbred second dams to perform at a high level, results Tom Young and I discovered
when we wrote the article "The
Good, The Bad, and The Inbred" for Pedigree Post back in 2001. |
BELMONT STAKES
PREVIEW The big race is tomorrow so I thought I'd go on record
with my predictions, since nobody took my advice when I got excited about Oxbow
for the Preakness. I'm still backing Orb - he had Belmont written all over him
even before the Derby. And I can't ignore the other Malibu Moon colt, Freedom
Child, either. I still like Revolutionary, but am adding a controversial wild
card, Incognito, who is the only horse in the race who is truly bred to win the
Belmont, by A.P. Indy out of C.C.A. Oaks winner Octave. I know he's inexperienced,
but I think he might hit the board. | OXBOW
SCORES IN THE PREAKNESS While I hoped Orb would win the Preakness,
I made sure to put a place and show bet on Oxbow after hearing Gary Stevens's
comments on the colt after the Derby. Oxbow is interesting because he's by the
grand sire Awesome Again and out of Tizamazing by Cee's Tizzy out of Cee's Song
(so a full sister to Tiznow). This makes him a close relative of last year's good
3-year-old and G1 winner Paynter, also by Awesome Again out of Tizso, another
full sister to Tiznow. And he's bred similarly to Ghostzapper, by Awesome Again
out of Baby Zip, by Relaunch, who also sired Cee's Tizzy. So we know where the
talent comes from. If only we could figure out where that weird roanish coloration
comes from. | CONGRATULATIONS
TO ORB AND HIS CONNECTIONS I picked Orb for the Kentucky Derby
this year as one of the very few horses in the race with the pedigree that I felt
confident could go the mile and a quarter distance. Fortunately, he proved even
better than I could have imagined. I've always been a fan of Malibu Moon and the
female family speaks for itself. Orb has stamped himself as the best stallion
prospect available, by my estimation. What a king of a horse! |
HOORAY FOR PRINCESS
OF SYLMAR AND MAJESTIC WARRIOR I was not only lucky enough to
have a $2 bet on Princess of Sylmar to win the Kentucky Oaks (which she did at
38-1 odds!), but I have always been a big fan of her sire Majestic Warrior. I
tapped Majestic Warrior as a prime stallion prospect for a former employer after
his maiden win at two, and he was one of my choices as Leading Freshman Sire last
year, which he was by number of winners (30) and fourth by earnings. I
am excited to have scouted out the sires of this year's Kentucky Oaks winner (Majestic
Warrior) and last year's Kentucky Derby winner (Flower Alley, sire of I'll Have
Another). | NEW
STALLIONS FOR 2013 I keep a regularly updated list of new
stallions and roster changes that will help breeders for the upcoming season.
One of my favorite racehorses becoming a new stallion is Union Rags, who
I thought was the best 2-year-old of 2011, and was one of two horses I was rooting
for to win the Kentucky Derby (the other was I'll Have Another). In the absence
of I'll Have Another, I transferred loyalties to Union Rags for the Belmont, which
of course, he won. 'Rags has the combination of precociousness and middle distance
ability, as well as Grade A pedigree that I look for in a stallion prospect. New
stallions in Kentucky include: Union Rags
$35,000 Bodemeister $30,000
To Honor and Serve$30,000 Americain $20,000
Shackleford $20,000
Stay Thirsty $20,000
Creative Cause $15,000 Gemologist $15,000
Tapizar $15,000
The Factor $15,000
Hansen $12,500
Brilliant Speed $10,000
Caleb's Posse $10,000
Jersey Town
$10,000 Midas Touch (GB) $10,000 Aikenite
$ 7,500 Algorithms $ 7,500
Astrology $
7,500 Bullet Train (GB) $ 7,500 Dialed In
$ 7,500 Lentenor
$ 7,500 Mythical Power $ 7,500
Santiva
$ 7,500 Maclean's Music $ 6,500
Baryshnikov $ 5,000
Country Day $
5,000 Get Stormy $ 5,000
Stately Victor $
5,000 There are a good number of horses who have retired
since last spring who have not yet found a farm to call home. Regional stallion
managers should review this list to see who might be available. |
I'll Have Another's
stud fee in Japan Big Red Farm's website now shows us a lovely
(but small) conformation photo of Kentucky Derby/ Preakness hero I'll
Have Another, and mention that his stud fee for 2013 will be 3,200,000 yen.
That currently converts to just over US $40,000. That's not such a crazy stud
fee for the kind of runner he was, but it's obvious from the lack of response
he got from Kentucky stallion managers that I'll Have Another could never
have demanded that here next spring. His sire, Flower Alley, will undoubtedly
have a stud fee bump up but how much is the question. He was trading for $15,000
after the Preakness and covered 132 mares by the end of the 2012 season compared
to 79 mares in 2011. He has another talented 3-year-old colt in G2 winner Neck
'n Neck, so he's clearly not a one-horse sire, and at $20,000, he easily
fills his book next spring. | MORE
CONGRATULATIONS TO KENTUCKY DERBY/PPREAKNESS WINNER I'LL HAVE ANOTHER BY
FLOWER ALLEY | I
couldn't be happier or more proud watching Flower Alley's son I'll Have Another
run down the game Bodemeister to win the Preakness just like he won the Kentucky
Derby two weeks before. This is a fantastic, gorgeous colt, and now he's hopefully
headed to Belmont to finish his Triple Crown bid in the Belmont Stakes. Have I
mentioned lately that I'm a sucker for a chestnut horse with a star? At
my "going away party" at Three Chimneys Farm in the fall of 2010, Robert
Clay asked what I was most proud of during my time there as Stallion Seasons and
Matings Advisor. I didn't hesitate to answer "It's important to me that Flower
Alley do well as a stallion," since I was the one pushing for the farm to
get him as a stallion when others gave him the thumbs down. Flower
Alley was generally praised as the best-looking horse entering stud in Kentucky
in 2007, but it took three long years of waiting to see what would come of that
talent and those good looks. His first crop included the Graded stakes-winning
fillies Lilacs And Lace and Bouquet Booth. His second crop includes Kentucky Derby/Preakness
winner I'll Have Another. In retrospect, it seems kind of a no-brainer that one
of the best sons of the classic sire Distorted Humor (sire of Funny Cide and Drosselmeyer)
should follow in his daddy's footsteps as a classic sire. I'm so proud of my boy
Flower Alley! | Top
10 Leading Sires of 2011 | Distorted
Humor, Smart Strike, Tapit, Giant's Causeway, Malibu Moon, More Than Ready, Speightstown,
Empire Maker, Medaglia d'Oro, and Kitten's Joy. Compare their stud fees...More
Than Ready, Speightstown and Kitten's Joy are over-achievers. Empire Maker is
a loss for us, a gain for Japan. | Best
Sire Combacks in 2011 | Forestry,
Include, Mineshaft, Northern Afleet, Roman Ruler | |
| | | | |
Important Press Release:
October 27,
2010: PEDIGREE
CONSULTANT ANNE PETERS GOES OUT ON HER OWN Robert
N. Clay’s Three Chimneys Farm announced today that Stallion Seasons and Matings
Specialist Anne Peters has decided to go out on her own as a pedigree consultant
and writer. Peters,
one of the world’s leading authorities on Thoroughbred breeding and pedigrees,
will return to providing her expertise as a freelance bloodstock advisor after
five years at Three Chimneys. “It’s
time to go back out on my own again, as a consultant and writer. Besides bringing
me back to Kentucky, one of the many things I’m grateful to Robert and Case Clay
for is allowing and encouraging me to remain objective when recommending stallions
to breeders, even if it meant suggesting a stallion at another farm,” said Peters.
“We felt that it was important to give good all-around advice that helped mare
owners make sound breeding decisions, rather than be totally self-serving. It’s
better for the breeders and the horses, and so it’s better for the industry.”
Peters,
known to many as “The Pedigree Goddess,” will provide articles of interest and
a blog on her website www.pedigreegoddess.com and also looks forward to writing
for various Thoroughbred publications. “I
miss writing about the breeding end of things and pedigree matters,” said Peters.
“This will allow me the freedom to do that, without readers feeling that I’m biased
toward any one farm or group of stallions.” "Anne
has been one of this farm's biggest assets over the past five years," said Case
Clay, President of Three Chimneys. "She wasn't just an employee; she was and still
is a trusted friend, and we plan to continue to seek out her opinion on a variety
of matters." | |