Archive for October, 2006
Monday, October 30th, 2006
They are:
- BANDINI — $17,500
- CACTUS RIDGE — $6,500
- EAVESDROPPER — $7,500
- IS IT TRUE — $5,000
- SONGANDAPRAYER — $45,000 (up from $35,000 in 2006)
- SUCCESSFUL APPEAL — $40,000 (up from $25,000 in 2006)
- SUNDAY BREAK — $7,500
- TENPINS — $6,500
- THUNDERELLO — $5,000
- ZAVATA — $7,500
Final score: 2 stud fees UP, 0 stud fees DOWN, and 8 stud fees remain the same.
It looks like Walmac has ‘struck lightning in a bottle’ not once, but twice with Songandaprayer and Successful Appeal. Interestingly, both stallions began their stud careers in Florida at what has turned out to be bargain stud fees. Successful Appeal first stood at Walmac South in 2001 for $5,000, and Songandaprayer at Marablue Farm in 2002 for $10,000.
With just 41 foals from his first crop, Successful Appeal became 2004′s Leading First-Crop Sire with 15 winners, 6 SWs, and over $1.7 million in earnings. Incredibly, he’s had 8 SWs (19.5%) from his first crop. One of those, Closing Argument, finished 2nd in the 2005 Kentucky Derby. All of this on a $5,000 stud fee! From his third crop (traditionally a weaker book of mares) of 43 foals, 2yo’s of 2006, he’s sired 10 winners and 3 SWs, including the G1 Spinaway Stakes winner Appealing Zophie. Considering what he’s done so far, his $40,000 still looks like a bargain.
Songandaprayer’s first crop ran in 2005. From 53 foals, he sired 18 2yo winners (34%), 3 SWs, and $1.06 million in progeny earnings, ranking him 4th among 2005′s Leading First-Crop Sires. He has 4 unrestricted SWs in 2006, including two graded winners from his first crop. With their improved books of mares since moving to Kentucky, Songandaprayer and Successful Appeal appear to be headed for stardom.
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Friday, October 27th, 2006
They are:
- ALPHABET SOUP — $10,000 (down from $25,000 in 2006)
- AWESOME AGAIN — $125,000
- CONGAREE — $15,000
- EL PRADO — $125,000
- GHOSTZAPPER — $150,000 (down from $200,000 in 2006)
- GIACOMO — $12,500
- GOLDEN MISSILE — $10,000 (down from $25,000 in 2006)
- NORTH LIGHT — $30,000 (down from $50,000 in 2006)
- OLMODAVOR — $7,500 (down from $10,000 in 2006)
- TOUCH GOLD — $30,000 (down from $50,000 in 2006)
Final score: 0 stud fees UP, 6 stud fees DOWN, and 3 stud fees remain the same.
Adena Springs has an amazing track record for making stallions. El Prado started out at $7,500 (while standing at Airdrie Stud his first 4 years before moving to Adena Springs for the 1998 breeding season at $10,000). Airdrie certainly deserves much of the credit, but also Frank Stronach strongly supported El Prado with his own mares during that period. Today, El Prado commands $125,000. Why? From his first 10 crops to race, he’s sired a phenomenal 60 SWs (22 of them graded and 6 G1) including Champion Kitten’s Joy. And, he was North America’s leading sire by progeny earnings in 2001, and ranked 2nd in 2003 and 2004.
Awesome Again retired to stud with a $50,000 stud fee. Today he also commands $125,000. From his first 4 crops to race, he’s sired an amazing 6 G1 winners including Horse of the Year Ghostzapper. He has 5 graded SWs so far in 2006.
If you are breeding to race without a large bankroll, Alphabet Soup is a great value at $10,000. Here is a stallion who sired an astronomical 13 SWs from his first crop of 81 foals and came back with 9 SWs from his second crop of 93 foals. From his first 5 crops, he’s siring 79% starters, 55% winners to foals, and 8% SWs.
You gotta give Adenda Springs credit for “thinking outside the box.” They stood a son of Sadler’s Wells in Kentucky and came up with El Prado. Now they’ve brought over millionnaire North Light, England’s 2004 Champion 3-year-old colt and Derby winner. He is by Danehill, who is rapidly becoming a major sire of sires, and they are standing him for $30,000 in 2007. I like this stallion at this price. You know he’s going to throw turf horses, but with all of the North American purse money available for turf races, what’s wrong with that? And, with the new artificial track surfaces (Polytrack and its competitors) being installed around the country, the timing might be just right for North Light. Plus, he’s got the Adena Springs factor going for him!
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Thursday, October 26th, 2006
They are:
- CAPE CANAVERAL — $7,500 (down from $10,000 in 2006)
- CAPE TOWN — $10,000 (down from $15,000 in 2006)
- CAT THIEF — $7,500 (down from $10,000 in 2006)
- GRINDSTONE — $3,500 (down from $5,000 in 2006)
- JUMP START — $10,000
- PIONEERING — $5,000 (up from $3,500 in 2006)
- STORM CAT — $500,000
- TACTICAL CAT — $,5000
Final score: 1 stud fee UP, 4 stud fees DOWN, and 3 remain the same.
Who is the best stud fee value in Kentucky? Pioneering would certainly be in the running, especially for those breeders who are breeding to race and on a budget. He’s a whole lot more than just a winning half-brother to Storm Cat and by Mr. Prospector. He’s sired 12 SWs in 2006, including G1 winner Behaving Badly. With 25 SWs from 7 crops to race, Pioneerings lifetime stats amazing when you consider his stud fee: 75% starters, 55% winners to foals, 17% 2yo winners, and 7% SWs. Where else are you going to find a stallion with these kind of stats for $5,000 … or even $10,000?
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Thursday, October 19th, 2006
They are:
- CANADIAN FRONTIER — $7,500
- FOREST CAMP — $25,000
- FOREST GROVE — $7,500
- FRIENDS LAKE — $15,000
- HARLAN’S HOLIDAY — $17,500
- INCLUDE — $25,000 (up from $12,500 in 2006)
- INDIAN CHARLIE — $40,000 (up from $25,000 in 2006)
- PROUD CITIZEN — $12,500 (down from $17,500 in 2006)
- SLEW CITY SLEW — $6,000
- STORMIN FEVER — $15,000
- YANKEE GENTLEMAN — $10,000
Final score: 2 stud fee UP, 1 stud fee DOWN, and 7 stud fees remain the same.
Include’s 2007 is $25,000 at the moment, but this might go up some if his outstanding juvenile G1 filly Cash Included wins the Breeders’ Cup. With 12 winners (including 2 SWs and 3 others SP) and ranked No. 5 on the 2006 Leading First-Crop Sires list, Include is one suprise success stories this year.
Indian Charlie has gone from $25,000 to $40,000 for 2007, and rightfully so. With 5 crops to race, he’s got 27 SWs, including G1 winners Pampered Princess and Cash Included.
I’m am pleasantly surprised they’ve dropped the stud fee for Proud Citizen to $12,500. I’ve been high on him since he retired to stud. Gone West has proven to be a sire of sires and Proud Citizen’s dam Drums Of Freedom’s descends from one of the breed’s most influental matriarchs — Natalma, dam of Northern Dancer. He won the G2 Lexington Stakes, was 2nd in the Kentucky Derby, and 3rd in the Preakness. This stallion offers a lotta bang for the buck!
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Wednesday, October 18th, 2006
For Vinery Kentucky, they are:
- BRAHMS — $8,500 (down from $10,000 in 2006)
- GILDED TIME — $10,000 (down from $12,500 in 2006)
- LIMEHOUSE — $17,500
- MORE THAN READY — $40,000 (up from $30,000 in 2006)
- POSSE — $12,500 (up from $10,000 in 2006)
- PURE PRIZE — $8,500 (up from $7,500 in 2006)
- PURGE — $20,000
- RUNAWAY GROOM — $12,500
- SILVER TRAIN — $25,000
- THE CLIFF’S EDGE — $15,000 (down from $20,000 in 2006)
- YONAGUSKA — $10,000
Final score: 3 stud fees UP, 3 stud fees DOWN, and 2 stud fees remain the same.
Considering that More Than Ready is the currently America’s second-leading sire of unrestricted SWs with 12, only one behind Distorted Humor and Giant’s Causeway, Vinery’s modest raise in his stud fee to $40,000 is good news for breeders.
If you’re breeding to race, Gilded Time at $10,000 is hard to beat. His lifetime progeny stats include 75% starters, 57% winners to foals, 20% 2yo winners, and a very credible 6% SWs, including 3 G1 winners. You won’t find many stallions with these kinds of numbers standing for $10,000.
Freshman sire Pure Prize is off to a very good start with 8 juvenile winners from 77 foals. Even more impressive is his 3 SWs and 5 stakes-placed runners, making his negligible $1,000 rise in his stud fee more good news for breeders.
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Tuesday, October 17th, 2006
They are:
- AFLEET ALEX — $40,000
- BIRDSTONE — $10,000
- COZZENE — $35,000 (down from $40,000 in 2006)
- CUVEE — $10,000
- MR. GREELEY — $60,000 (up from $30,000 in 2006)
- ORIENTATE — $20,000
- SMOKE GLACKEN — $25,000 (down from $30,000 in 2006)
- STRATEGIC MISSION — $10,000 (up from $3,500 in 2006)
- TAPIT — $12,500 (down from $15,000 in 2006)
- WHYWHYWHY — $7,500
Final score: 2 stud fee UP, 3 stud fees down, and 5 stud fees remain the same.
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Sunday, October 15th, 2006
It seems that each time a stallion dies or moves, his progeny come on like gangbusters. The latest example is Meadowlake. Meadowlake died last year at age 22, after enjoying a fairly successful career at stud with 16 crops yielding 54 SWs, albiet only two G1 winners — Meadow Star and Greenwood Lake. Well, 2006 has turned out to be Meadowlake’s best year ever. Yesterday, his 2yo daughter Sutra won the G1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont, making her the THIRD G1 winner for Meadowlake this year:
- 3f WILDCAT BETTIE B. — G1 PRIORESS STAKES
- 2f MEADOW BREEZE — G1 MATRON STAKES
- 2f SUTRA — G1 FRIZETTE STAKES
Meadowlake’s final crop are foals of 2006. It might be worth taking a second look at his November weanlings and 2007 yearlings. By the way, he’s not having a bad year as a broodmare sire either with his daughters producing 5 2006 SWs, including G1 winner Henny Hughes!
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Sunday, October 15th, 2006
In a relatively short period of time, John Sakura’s Hill ‘N’ Dale Farm is becoming a major player in the stallion business. They stand 12 stallions, lead by Vindication, the undefeated son of Seattle Slew, whose weanlings, yearlings, and in-foal mares have sold for phenomenal prices considering his $60,000 stud fee. To Sakura’s and co-owner Satish Sanan’s credit, they have not bumped his 2007 stud fee. Meanwhile, Stormy Atlantic is quickly establishing himself as one of the better sons of Storm Cat at stud.
- BUDDHA — $15,000 (down from $17,500 in 2006)
- CANDY RIDE — $12,500
- EL CORREDOR — $30,000
- GRAND REWARD — $12,500
- JADE HUNTER — $5,000 (down from $7,500 in 2006)
- MUTAKDDIM — $$12,500
- ROMAN RULER — $30,000
- STORMY ATLANTIC — $30,000 (up from $20,000 in 2006)
- THEATRICAL — $40,000
- VINDICATION — $60,000
- VISION AND VERSE — $5,000 (down from $7,500 in 2006)
Final score: 1 stud fee UP, 3 stud fees DOWN, and 8 remain the same.
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Jack Werk (1944-2010)
