Alabar News 2010 - Spring Edition

Santanna Blue Chip

Alabar News Spring Edition

Jeremes Jet

Western Hanover - Ohyouprettything - Sportsmaster

TT 1:47 - $1,659,413

“They are the smartest, best colts I’ve ever broke.”

“They tower over anything else I’ve ever had. They are all the same - built great with great attitudes. I can’t fault them.”

Veteran North American trainer, Tom Harmer on the four Jereme’s Jet yearlings he has in his stable.

Service Fee: $6,000 (incl GST) Eligible for Alabar Discount Scheme

Jereme’s Jet Yearlings Selling Huge The debut crop of Jereme’s Jet have been a big hit at the major sales in Canada and Kentucky.

At the recently completed Canadian Sales the 40 Jereme’s Jet yearlings averaged in excess of $21,400, including a sale topping colt at the Canadian Yearling Sale for $140,000 (pictured above).

A further 3 Jereme’s Jet yearlings sold in Lexington at an average of $36,000, with leading trainer Casie Coleman outlaying $92,000 for one of his fillies.

3

Elect To Live... and Win In the past 15 years of Harness Racing we have seen and admired many wonderful Harness Racing heros.

Amongst the male brigade probably the horse with the most charisma and sheer high speed has been Christian Cullen.

The female ranks have been dominated by Tailamade Lombo, Make Mine Cullen, Fleur De Lil, Pelicanrama and others, but perhaps the smallest, toughest, bravest of them all has been the Live Or Die filly Elect To Live.

The combination of these two champions has produced the exciting young sire Gotta Go Cullect.

After breeding some 225 mares in Australia and New Zealand in 2009/10, broodmare owners are now starting to see some good looking, leggy foals hit the ground in the Spring of 2010.

They appear to have the aristocratic good looks of their sire and if they inherit the will to win, the tenacity and speed of their paternal grand dam, then a new siring star could be born.

“He just loved to race and tried so hard - which was probably the undoing of him.

It was almost like he didn’t want to let on something was hurting him. His potential was unbelievable.

He was something special.

I’m going to miss having him around. He was my favourite.”

-Trainer Sue Martin on her stable star Gotta Go Cullect.

Gotta Go Cullect - Living On Love Filly One of the first foals from the debut crop of Gotta Go Cullect.

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Armbro Deuce

It’s About Changing The Breed The Western Ideal Factor Just Keeps on Getting Better We all remember Western Ideal as an outstanding race track performer - World Record holder in fact.

Despite being a son of Western Hanover, most of which are known for their brilliant early speed, Western Ideal earned all but $57,000 of his lifetime earnings of $1.455 million as a four and five year old.

However his legacy as a stallion is to sire fast, strong and brilliant 2 and 3 year olds of both sexes.

Amercian Ideal is the leading first season sire in USA in 2010 - his 41 winners have earned in excess of $1.46 million to date (15th October 2010). His exciting daughter Idyllic was recently beaten for the first time in the $600,000 Breeders Crown Final but has still amassed $536,249 in her 8 starts.

Between the Meadowlands Pace and Little Brown Jug, Armbro Deuce won the $135,000 Simcoe Stakes, giving his Canadian rivals Doonbeg and Mr Feelgood some sort of pacing lesson.

So what does this all mean for the flashy bay Armbro Deuce?

So the race record has a tick, his sire gets a tick and when you look at his race record and breeding of his dam, I’m sure you will agree Michelles Fantasy also gets the tick of approval.

For starters he is by the sire of sires Western Ideal and by the way he is the fastest ever son of Western Ideal over a half mile track.

That record 1:50.4 came in the $608,000 Confederation Cup when Armbro Deuce blazed his way to the front from barrier 5 and set blistering fractions of 26.8, 55.2, 1: 22.6 and 1:50.4 to break the track and Canadian record and tie the World Record.

Now the sons of Western Ideal are becoming very dominant on the juvenile sires lists in North America - notably Rocknroll Hanover and American Ideal.

A month earlier Armbro Deuce had finished third in the $1 million Meadowlands Pace Final - creditable by itself, but more like stunning when you watch a replay on DVD.

Rocknroll Hanover was the leading sire of two year olds in 2009 with his first crop and that same crop is now a lap ahead of it’s opposition on the 3 year old list in 2010.

He was sitting in eighth position as the field turned for home, but flew up the straight, failing to catch the winner Artistic Fella by just over a length.

Both the colt and filly Rocknroll Heaven and Put On A Show are closing in or have passed $2 million in earnings each.

Armbro Deuce also finished third in the Little Brown Jug final, after an opening quarter in 25.4 in his heat took the edge off him for the final.

“Armbro Deuce

possessed unbelievable gate speed that always had him in the position the driver wanted.

”

Blair Burgess.

Flex Your Muscles

5

If any breeder of trotters in Australia was asked “Which two North American frozen semen stallions have had the biggest influence in our country?” Most certainly would answer Muscles Yankee and SJ’s Photo.

Any wonder why when these two outstanding trotters have sired horses of the calibre of Skyvalley, Lord Of The Gym, A Touch Of Flair, Zesta, Let me Thru, Calder Sensation, etc.

So Alabar is delighted to announce that frozen semen from the exciting, young trotter Federal Flex is now available in Australia.

Federal Flex, a foal of 2006, is a product of the champion sire Muscles Yankee and the SJ’s Photo mare Scully FBI 1:54 - $522,369.

Federal Flex, trained and driven by young Canadian mates Jeff Gillis and Jody Jamieson (hit the jackpot also with Santanna Blue Chip) was the 2008 Canadian 2yo Trotter of the Year.

His 9 starts in his debut season resulted in 5 wins and 3 placings including wins in the Valley Victory Final and the Champlain Stakes and a third place finish to muscle Hill in the Breeders Crown Final.

His race record during the two seasons of 2008 and 2009 was 15 starts, 8 wins, 3 placings and prizemoney of $840,643.

He took a 2yo record of 1:56.2 and reduced that to 1:53.6 as a 3yo.

Muscles Yankee, a son of Valley Victory, has dominated the trotting ranks in North America over recent years and earlier this year sired his third successive Hambeltonian winner in Muscle Massive. He follows in the footsteps of two absolute champions in Muscle Hill and Deweycheatumnhowe.

Valley Victory, born in 1986, is one of those rare horses who has changed the breed. Volomite, Speedy Crown and Super Bowl all succeeded at that before him. Many of Valley Victory’s sons have been highly influential at stud including Donerail, Victory Dream and Lindy Lane, but it has been Muscles Yankee who has taken this line to a new level.

So now one of his smartest sons in Federal Flex is available to Australian breeders. Lets not overlook the fact that this young bay also had a prolific dam - Scully FBI 1:54 - winner of 16 races and $522,369.

Federal Flex frozen semen is available from Alabar at a fee of $4,400 (incl GST), payable on a 42 day positive test.

6

Something to Ponder about Santanna Blue Chip Just take a look at the photo of Santanna Blue Chip on this page and you will see what the Jamiesons (Carl and Jody) and Jeff Gillis saw at the 2006 Harrisburg Yearling Sale... a wow horse.

Those three mentioned Canadians are the principal owner of Santanna, along now with Alabar NZ. So to explain why Alabar has bought into Santanna let us tell you about our three partners and the confidence we have in them.

Like so many of North America’s leading horseman they had their origins in the Maritimes, on the far East coast of Canada.

Today Carl Jamieson is considered to be in the top echelon of trainers in Ontario and his ability to turn yearlings into outstanding 2 year olds is uncanny and without parallel.

As a classic example he trained Santanna from a November 2006 yearling purchase into a first up 2 year old winner on the 29th of June 2007 and then a genuine stakes colt by August and September of 2007.

His son Jody, now in his early 30’s, has risen to the top of the drivers ranks in Canada, winning the O’Brien Award in both 2007 and 2009. Last year he set new standards for a Canadian driver winning 787 races and over $11 million in prizemoney. Since driving his first winner at the age of 18 in 1995, he has now piloted the winners of over $70 million.

One of Jody’s crowning achievements came in 2001 when he was selected to represent Canada in the World Driving Championship. Not only was he selected but he displayed his sheer talent by winning the championship.

Now turning the attention to the third member of the gang - Jeff Gillis. Of similar age to Jody Jamieson (and a good friend), Jeff has established himself in the past two years as an outstanding trainer of young horses.

In 2008 he developed Federal Flex, a $100,000 yearling by Muscles Yankee, in to the Canadian 2 year old Trotter of the Year. Federal Flex rounded out his career last year with earnings of $840,163 and now stands at Seelster Farms for a $5,000 stud fee.

Jeff and Jody celebrated their biggest win together as trainer and driver in August this year when Mystician took home the first prize in the $1 million Metro Pace.

So Jeff who started his training career with claimers as well as a stint with Carl Jamieson, is now firmly established as a seriously good trainer in the highly competitive ranks of Ontario.

He and his wife Sara are also in the breeding business on the picturesque property, not far from the Mohawk racetrack, with three attractive Santanna foals in 2010.

Jody Jamieson, Sara and Jeff Gillis after winning the 2010 Metro Pace.

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2010 - A great year to breed to Santanna

The Matts Scooter Influence

Now that you can understand the quality of the horseman behind Santanna and that the first crop of Santanna’s foals will race in the lucrative Ontario Sires Stakes programme in 2012... here is the punch line.

In this part of the world two of the three most influential sires currently are Art Major and Mach Three (by Matts Scooter).

If you breed your mare in Australia to Santanna this year you will have a foal in 2011 and thus a yearling to sell at the yearling sales in February 2013.

So if you are selling a yearling on the back of a first crop of 2 year old racehorses in Canada with the Jamieson’s and Gillis’ having a number of them the windfall could be huge.

Being the richest ever 2yo son of the super sire Art Major should give you bucket loads of confidence in Santanna.

So in Santanna’s pedigree you have these two sirelines at the forefront with his dam Mmissus Hanover 2, 1:53.6 being by Matts Scooter.

Is this an added strength to the pedigree you may ask? Well lets recap on the career of Matts Scooter. Born in 1985, he retired at the end of the 1989 season as the fastest standardbred of all time and with a bankroll of $2.944 million.

His day in the sun came in September 1989 when a time trial at the Red Mile in 1:48.4 smashed the previous world record set 8 years earlier by Niatross.

His regular driver Mike LaChance had this to say about him in an interview in December 1994.

“Matts Scooter is the greatest horse I’ve ever driven. I’ve never driven a pacer with so much high speed. Even back in the late 1980’s before the new bikes, I know he could have paced a quarter in 25 seconds and he was the best gaited pacer I ever drove when in high gear.”

It is surely no surprise that Matts Scooter appears as the broodmare sire of a number of champion pacers and include Shadow Play, American Ideal, Doonbeg, etc.

Yes we do think Matts Scooter with his high speed and remarkable long reaching stride is a big asset to this pedigree.

8

Frozen Semen Boys Safely Kept

Artiscape

Malabar Maple

In The Pocket

Federal Flex

As mentioned elsewhere in this publication, Alabar is delighted to announce the arrival of frozen of the Canadian 2yo Trotter of the Year in 2008 - Federal Flex.

He is a son of the all conquering Muscles Yankee from a $522,00 stakes winning SJ’s Photo mare Scully FBI. His service fee is $4,400 (incl GST) payable on a 42 day test.

The other frozen semen stallions available are: Safely Kept $4,000 (incl GST) Malabar Maple $2,000 (incl GST) Artiscape $3,850 (incl GST) In The Pocket - There is a limited number of straws available - Service Fee POA.

There is Lots of Desire in His Two Year Olds Real Desire was a champion each year he raced - from 2 through 4. His 2yo career sometimes is overlooked amongst the hype that surrounds his victories in the Meadowlands Pace, two Breeders Crowns, Canadian Pacing Derby and US Pacing Championship.

However a 2yo record of 10 starts, 8 wins, prizemoney of $453,988 plus a World Record of 1:50.8 is nothing to be ashamed of.

Since the first crop of this $3.3 million earner raced in 2006, Real Desire has shown he is a serious sire of 2yo speed. In fact 49 2yo’s from those five crops (incl the 2010 2yos) have now taken 1:55 records.

Now that is a remarkable achievement and lets not forget that he is one of only 5 sires to ever produce a sub 1:50 2yo - Sheer Desire 1:49.6 in 2008.

This years crop of two year olds in North America has again produced a topliner in the colt Mystic Desire (pictured here after dead heating in the $129,000 Bluegrass Stakes).

Mystic Desire is from an Artiscape mare and so is bred 3 x 4 to Abercrombie - we are sure to see more of this in years to come.

We now await the first of the Real Desire youngsters to set foot on the racetracks of Australia and New Zealand.

Another Masterpiece

A Broadway Play for Shadow

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Shadow Play, the handsome son of The Panderosa recently lost one of his World Records when Rocknroll Heaven won the Little Brown Jug in two sub 1:50 heats. However that same horse was unable to take away Shadow Play’s World Record on the 1000 metre track of 1:48.4.

Shadow Play in his first season in Australia has now (20th October) 150 mares booked to him in this Country with a further 25 - 30 mares in New Zealand.

One of the key attractions about the purchase of the Olive Wendall Holmes winner Tiz A Masterpiece is his superbly bred dam Trulyawork Of Art. Apart from being sired by the greatest broodmare sire of the modern era Artsplace, she is also a sister to 6 1:53 pacers and a daughter of the 1997 Canadian Broodmare of the Year.

Trulyawork Of Art has now produced four sub 1:54 pacers from her first 5 foals and it is her current 2 year old that is further reinforcing her career as an outstanding mother.

This colt, a full brother to Tiz A Masterpiece, was sold last year at the yearling sales for $130,000 with the name Blank Canvas.

With new owners came a new name, Big Bad John and although the new name doesn’t seem anywhere near appealing as his former moniker, it certainly hasn’t done him any harm on the racetrack.

His form racing mainly in Pennsylvania has been superb and his current record for the year (as at 20th October) stands at 8 starts for 6 wins, 2 placings and stakemoney of $150,250.

On the 16th October he recorded his fastest time for the year of 1:51.8 when winning (dead heat) a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at the Red Mile.

Tiz A Masterpiece has let down into a magnificent 15.3 hand stallion and if his first couple of foals born at Alabar are any indication, then he is going to sire correct, tall and very athletic types.

Tiz A Masterpiece - El Jays Belle Filly

His first two mares in foal in Australia are indeed something special - they being Broadway Gal and Broadway Play. Broadway Gal is the dam of both the champion mare Broadways Best 1: 53.6 $348,229 and also Broadway Play 1:57.3 $173,744.

The McLean family will certainly be looking forward to early September 2011 when they should be the proud owners of the first Shadow Play’s born in the Southern Hemisphere.

The quality of the mares booked to Shadow Play for his debut season is exciting, although not surprising, and includes: • Half sister to Bellas Boy 1:52 and the dam of Bettors Strike 1:55.7 $854,325.

• Oaks winners Lombo Regalia and Pharosan.

• Dam of outstanding USA 3 year old Chasin Racin 1:51 $616,249.

• $100,000 winning racemares Enraptured 1:58.7, Party Date 1:56, Priscilla Rocks 1:58.9, etc.

• Dams of Ball Gown 1:51 $534,000 and No Blue Manna 1:56.6 $628,000.

• Half sister to the millionaire racemares Fleur De Lil 1:51.4 and Miss Galvinator 1:50.6.

As at the date of this news the book of Shadow Play is almost full. It will be filled at 200 between Aust and NZ. Booked in mares will receive preference on breeding days.

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Vertigal Is A Great Story

Both Brett and myself (John Coffey) have been fortunate enough to witness some high and unashamed emotion on two NSW racetracks this year.

The first night was at Bulli on 20th February and the second at Menangle on 27th June and the cause of the commotion was a smallish but incredibly fast filly Vertigal.

For the owners, two Sydney based mates, Adrian Molloy and Ben Astill, this is the first chapter in hopefully an epic style storybook for them.

To win such races as the Linden Huntly Memorial and Alabar NSW Breeders Challenge with the first horse you have bred or raced is just a dream come true, and isn’t this great industry about that? Dreams Turning Into Reality.

That raw emotion that was shared by Adrian and Ben and equally importantly their families, was a joy to behold.

I hope and trust that none of us in this industry become so blase about winning a race that our adrenalin switch fails to operate, even if we don’t sprint the last 100 metres of the race up the grass to urge and cheer on our little champion.

As equally as nice as it is to see the thrill of the victory, it is also rewarding for a farm such as Alabar to receive a warm and sincere email from the victors, so with Adrian and Ben’s permission we have now reprinted it.

To Alabar Bloodstock, From myself and on behalf of my fellow owner Adrian Molloy I wanted to convey our gratitude for sponsoring the 2010 NSW Breeders Challenge which we were fortunate enough to win the two year old fillies division with Vertigal.

This was special for us not only for the race result but multiple other reasons. Vertigal is a great story and she is the first horse we’ve bred out of the first horse we’ve bought. Besides having some novice breeders she was actually conceived as a twin and was the same crop born into EI - a horse stabled next to her at one stage died.

For both of us and our own families who are all new to harness racing it provided an enormous thrill to be trackside and witness her greatest win to date. To win a race of such standing has provided us as owners and breeders a very special memory. It has also provided our trainer/driver David Thorn his biggest race to date.

Special thanks to Paul Robinson, Joanne Anderson, and Brett Coffey who personally extended their congratulations on what was a special day for us, our families and our stable.

Once again our gratitude for Alabar’s involvement in providing our biggest highlight in harness racing to date. We look forward to being part of the Alabar Breeders Challenge next season and into the future.

Yours sincerely Ben Astill & Adrian Molloy

Vertigal - NSW 2 Year Old Filly of the Year With a record of 10 starts, 4 wins, 4 placings, stakes of $148,405 and a best winning mile rate of 1:55.8 why wouldn’t you be voted a trophy winner.

So congratulation Ben, Adrian and to your trainer / driver David Thorn.

Just for the record Vertigal is a product of Western Terror and the non winning Stature mare Height Of Wisdom. There is another highly, perhaps shall we say amusing, yet almost tragic story about this mare so either talk to Adrian or Ben about this or we will tell it all next year after an Oaks victory.

Height Of Wisdom is booked to be bred to Jeremes Jet this season.

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Good Guys Get The Awards Aren’t we all pleased when a really nice guy or woman wins a gold medal or a Brownlow medal a trophy at any level of achievement?

Well the same goes for our equine “Champs” and the two Mr Nice Guys at Alabar, Village Jasper and Art Major have again collected national trophies for the 2009/10 season.

Village Jasper with progeny earnings of $3.759 million completed back to back Australian Siring Premierships, whilst Art Major took home the Australian Juvenile Sire Award with combined 2 and 3 year old earnings of $2.373 million.

Well done and congratulations to the biggest and smallest stallions based at Alabar’s Echuca farm.

Lots of chocolates for the progeny of Sutter Hanover The richest entire son of Dragon Again 1:48.6 - sire of 20 in 1:50.

Dragon Again is currently 4th on the USTA Sires List 2010 with progeny earnings of $9.96 million.

This night in the Burlington Stakes he was very sharp. If David Miller had touched him with the whip he would have gone sub 1:50 for sure.

For breeders who patronise Sutter Hanover this season, there is a wealth of prizemoney and bonuses available to race for in NSW. As Sutter Hanover is based at Yirribee Stud in Wagga, the resultant progeny will be eligible for: • $15,000 Breeders Challenge heats, $25,000 Semi Finals and $150,000 Finals and $20,000 Regional Finals.

• Breeders Bonus of $3,000 for first win in NSW as a 2 & 3yo.

• Owners Bonus of $2,500 certificate for first win in NSW as a 2 & 3yo - certificate to be used as credit at yearling sales (NSW Breeders Challenge Yearling) or Service Fee (NSW Breeders Challenge Eligible Stallion)

Great Success

The Fastest ever trotter to stand at stud in the Southern Hemisphere

Service Fee: $3,000 (incl GST)

Ph: (03) 5859 2201 Fax: (03) 5859 2206

www.alabar.com.au

Ponder Ponder

1:48.2, 1:49h - $1,686,134

Creating quite the Impression Not only is Ponder’s debut US 2yo crop going great guns in North America, but his Australian 2yo’s are creating quite the impression as well.

We continually hear about how well they have broken in and are progressing in their training.

Day To Ponder

From just 61 foals in his debut North American 2yo crop he already has 31 starters, 15 winners in 2:00 incl: IN DEEP THOUGHT (M) 1:53.2 - $164,705 DAY TO PONDER (M) 1:53.2 - $124,894 REAL TRELL 1:56.4 - $40,188 HIGHLY THOUGHT OF (M) 1:55.4 - $28,660 WILLIE BOOTS 1:55.2 - $24,290 LIZAS PRIDE (M) 1:54.6 - $24,642

Service Fee: $4,000 (incl GST) Australian Off Farm Fee

Why wouldn’t Ponder make an impression as a stallion?

He is the richest son of The Panderosa.

Ponder was beautifully gaited as indicated by his world record performance on the famed half mile Delaware circuit.

Then of course Ponder has those movie star looks that he can pass onto his progeny!

Ph: (03) 5859 2201 Fax: (03) 5859 2206 www.alabar.com.au