Issue 15, June 26, 2009
STARCRAFT: Danny Power’s “good gamble” stallion for the 2009 breeding season. His first crop are rising 2YOs.
Looking beyond the spin There is not a more confusing time for a broodmare owner than right now, decision time, as reams of information flood in from the stallion owners. The stallion selection process each season can be both frustrating and rewarding. Wading through the spin of the stallion promoters is a skill in itself. Some of the nomination sellers – especially some of the Irish boys – are geniuses at pushing the positive line; and they can construct a deal as quick as you can say leprechaun. Some of them are so good, they could sell clay pigeons to the Flower Drum. Many broodmare owners do their own thing; others have long associations with farms that work out the matings; while some call on the services of an agent. For the commercial breeders, big and small, picking the market trends –
remembering that the resultant foals from the 2009 matings won’t go through the yearling sale ring until 2012 – is crucial. It’s akin to futures trading on the stock market. Pick right and the results could be a windfall, but get it wrong … soup kitchen. I remember one major Hunter Valley broodmare farm backing Carne g ie in the spring of 2002 with most of their prized mares. The son of Sadler’s Wells had just had a bumper 12 months with stars like Amalfi (2001 G1 Victoria Derby) and Carnegie Express (2002 G1 Canterbury and G1 Rosehill Guneas), Regent Street (2002 G2 Queensland Guineas) and the promising 2YO Rohatyn (G3 The Jansz). Carnegie was moved to stand at Darley in the Hunter Valley and he covered 152 mares at a $66,000 service fee. Just one Stakes winner (Carnegie House, G3 Sir
Frank Packer Plate) came from that 2003 crop. By the 2005 yearling sales, Carnegie was struggling for appeal, and his big crop only averaged $77,000 – just $11,000 more than his service fee. By the same token, there are those who gambled on R e d o u t e’s Choic e, despite the fact his first crop juveniles didn’t make an impact. Redoute’s Choice had only 75 foals from his 2003 matings (the year his first crop turned three) and those who took a shot at the son of Danehill reaped the rewards in a big way. Those foals sold as yearlings at an average of just under $600,000 – off a service fee of $33,000! My “gamble” stallion for 2009 is Starcraft ($22,000, Arrowfield), whose first impressive foals are rising 2YOs – and the safe bet is T e sta R ossa ($38,500, Vinery). BYLINE
WA-based Z e d r ich sired a treble at Northam on Thursday. Zedrich (ch h 1992, Zeditave– Rich Haul, by Haulpak), who retired in 1996, continues to be a consistent sire of winners in the west. All three of his Bunbury winners were new for Zedrich, taking his career record to 107 winners from 190 starters, including seven Stakes winners. Zedrich’s progeny are known for their resilience and speed. He seems to nick particularly well with mares by Is It True (USA), a grandson of the great Bold Ruler (by Nasrullah). Zedrich has stood his career at Evergreen Stud, Myalup, where his 2009 fee is $4400, inc. GST). On Wednesday, another son of Zeditave, Darley’s Strate gic, sired another feature winner when Strat’s Flyer won the Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford. Strat’s Flyer is from a mare by Hennessy (by Storm Cat), and it is interesting that Storm Cat is from a mare by Bold Ruler’s best son, the great Secretariat. Strat’s Flyer, whose granddam Rumour is by Marauding (by Sir Tristram from a Biscay mare), has a triple cross of the great Star Kingdom. Strategic (2009 $16,500) is inbred to SK, through his dam Sudden Impulse (by Luskin Star from the Golden Slipper winner Sweet Embrace, by Todman). Strategic’s best son Meurice (G1 Champagne Stakes) also has a triple cross of Star Kingdom; as have his only two other Group 1 winners, Mistegic and Strategic News.
WORDS BY DANNY POWER
Easy Choic e, a $1.6m yearling, will stand his first season at Noor Laine Stud, Euroa; fee $3300 (inc. GST).
Here come the Savabeels
War Pass finds the right home
Cox Plate winner Savabe el sired his first New Zealand winner when Queen Sabeel won at Te Rapa, over 1200m, on Thursday. The Australian-bred Savabeel (br h 2001, Zabeel (NZ)–Savannah Success , by Success Express (USA)) , who stands at the famed Waikato Stud, Matamata (NZ), has, as expected of a son of Zabeel, hit his straps in the second half of the season with his debut crop. His slow start seemed to worry some buyers as his 2009 Karaka (Premier and Select) yearlings averaged $64,250 compared to $121,000 in 2008 – although many smart judges were keen to step in and buy at that valued price. Savabeel has sired two Australian winners – the recent 1500m Rosehill winner King Sabeel (b g 2006, ex Wailing Countess, by Entrepreneur (GB)), who looks a Derby prospect, and the very promising My Emotion (b f 2006, ex Midnight Rock, by Rory’s Jester), who won the Group 3 Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in March, at her only start. She will be a spring contender for trainer Mick Kent. Queen Sabeel is a daughter of the fast Carnegie mare Vanessatheundressa, who gets her pace from her dam Voguessa, the very slick former Adelaide filly (Listed Queen Adelaide Stakes, 1100m), who is by Almurtajaz from the family of the great Vo Rogue. It’s not surprising Savabeel can leave a juvenile winner, as his dam Savannah Success (by Success Express) was a fast and versatile filly who won a Listed
There is no doubt that one of the most interesting sires to stand in 2009 is the former superstar US juvenile War Pass, who will cover his first mares at the famed Widden Stud, in the Hunter Valley. Widden has always prided itself on standing stallions with a focus on the Golden Slipper – five Golden Slipper winners have stood (or are standing) in the historic stallion boxes at Widden – Todman (1957 Slipper), Vain (1969), Marscay (1982) have come and gone, while Stratum (2005) and last year’s winner Sebring are current residents. War Pass is a similar fit – he is regarded as the North American equivalent of Vain. He won five of his seven starts, including the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (1680m, Monmouth) and Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m, Belmont). He is the highest rated 2YO ever on the muchrespected Beyer Speed Rating Charts (113), and his Breeders’ Cup win, by 4.8 lengths, the most impressive in Breeders’ Cup history. This is a colt built for and bred for speed. His sire Cherokee Run (by Runaway Groom) was a Breeders’ Cup Sprint (1200m) winner who has become one of the most exciting speed sires in North America. He has sired three of the best juveniles of recent times – War Pass, the flying filly Chiluki and colt Yonanguska. War Pass, out of the Mr. Prospector mare Vue, offers a pedigree free of Northern Dancer blood – he is a real prospect for outcross breeders. War Pass stands at a fee of $22,000 (inc. GST)
SAVABEEL: Relaxing at Waikato Stud. His first crop are starting to make their mark.
race over 1200m before training on to win the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m), and Savabeel won over 1000m and was Group 1 placed (3rtd Champagne Sakes) at two before winning the 2004 Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m, Randwick) and 2004 Group 1 Cox Plate (WFA 2040m, Moonee Valley) at three. The Savabeel progeny are very much in the athletic, leggy image of their sire; less coarse than what his sire Zabeel can sometimes produce. Both Queen Sabeel and King Sabeel are part-owned and trained by Graeme Rogerson, who also part-owned and trained Savabeel. Savabeel’s 2009 fee is set at NZ$20,000 (plus GST).
Arrowfield finds another colt The Arrowfield Stud partnership looks to have found another stallion prospect in the royally-bred R o gan o, a brother to their resident sire Not A Single Doubt, who is currently vying for first-season sire honours. Rogano is by Arrowfield’s champion sire Redoute’s Choice (by Danehill) from the
magnificently bred mare Singles Bar, a half-sister, by Rory’s Jester, to Arrowfield’s former star sire Snippets (b h 1984, Lunchtime (GB)–Easy Date, by Grand Chaudiere (CAN)). Easy Date’s influence extends beyond Snippets and Not A Single Doubt. In 2007, her two descendants, Forensics (Easy Date , third dam) and Zizou (Easy Date, third dam), fought out the Golden Slipper. Also that season, Rewaaya (dam a half-sister to Rogano) won the 2006 Group 1 Sir Rupert Clark Stakes (1400m, Caulfield). And last weekend, Easy Date achieved international success when One Way Or Another (g, Carnegie–True Blonde, ex Easy Date) won at Haydock (UK) over 2000m for Australian jockey Clare Lindop and (former Adelaide-based) trainer Jeremy Gask. Trainer Paul Messara believes Rogano, who missed the autumn due to shin soreness, will be a Stakes contender in the spring. Rogano was passed in by Arrowfield at the 2008 Magic Millions Yearling Sale when he failed to reach his $800,000 reserve. Another brother, the unraced
DANNY POWER