Archive for June, 2009
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
I got my TDN Sunday night and started scanning through the stakes results worldwide when it hit me again, just based on one night’s results, how powerful the influence of Coolmore’s Sadler’s Wells is worldwide!
Patriarch Sadler's Wells
Let’s start off in the U.S., so I can kill two birds with one stone. It’s the Grade 3 Cinema Handicap at Hollywood on the turf at 1 1/8 miles Sunday. Arcodoro (Click here to view pedigree) is the lone speed in the race, but he gets nailed by a length by the British import Oil Man. Well, Arcodoro is a son of Medaglia d’Oro, whose 7 unrestricted SWs to date have all been fillies, but he looked like he was going to break the streak for the colts. In fact, it was the second time in the last 10 days that a Medaglia d’Oro colt looked like he was going to break through. On June 13, in the G3 Northern Dancer at Churchill Downs, Warrior’s Reward (Click here to view pedigree), as the 4/5 favorite, just missed by a head! Maybe next time, boys! (I’ll add that on Saturday, in a restricted stakes for PA-breds at Presque Isle downs on the all weather, the Medaglia d’Oro colt Anaan [Click here to view pedigree] also ran second!)
Back to Sadler’s Wells, Medaglia d’Oro is a son of the Sadler’s Wells stallion El Prado, who’s been flying the lone flag for his sire in the U.S. Now, you can add the emerging Medaglia d’Oro, who was purchased by Darley and no doubt will get even better mares in the years to come.
Back to the winner of the Cinema Handicap, Oil Man (Click here to view pedigree). His dam, So Precious, is by Batshoof, a son of Sadler’s Wells!
Next up, the G3 Highlander at Woodbine at 6f on the all weather. The winner is…Smart Enough (Click here to view pedigree), a gelding by South African-bred Horse Chestnut, a son of the Sadler’s Wells stallion Fort Wood, a big shot in South Africa!
Let’s take this show on the road to Chile. On Saturday, the 2-year-old Chilean-bred filly Mensajera de la Luz (Click here to view pedigree) won the G1 Clasico Tanteo de Potrancas at Hipodromo Chile over 1500 meters (7 1/2f) over a muddy track. She’s by the stallion Election Day – a son of Sadler’s Wells!
How about Germany? The German-bred 3-year-old colt Serienhoehe (Click here to view pedigree) won the Listed Race SWB Derby Trial, a prep for the G1 German Derby July 5, at Bremen over 1 5/16 miles on turf. He’s by the up-and-coming Coolmore star High Chaparral – you guessed it, a son of Sadler’s Wells! (High Chaparral is Europe’s 4th leading sire of unrestricted SWs in 2009 with 6) This colt has now won 3 of 4 starts and could be a player in the Derby gainst the undefeated Monsun colt and the German-bred Dynaformer colt.
And finally to Britain. Furmigadelagiusta (Click here to view pedigree) won the Toteswinger Pontefract Castle Stakes, a Listed Race, at 12f and 8 yards on the turf. He’s by Galileo, and you don’t need an introduction to him! Galileo is Coolmore’s heir (along with Montjeu) to Sadler’s Wells, and years from now I’m positive we’ll be waxing poetic about his exploits. (Galileo is currently tied as the leading sire of unrestricted SWs in 2009 with 11. Who is he tied with? None other than Sadler’s Wells!)
What is truly amazing about these results is the diversity of countries, distances, and racing surfaces involved. And let’s not forget that last Thursday at Ascot, the old man himself made history when his 8-year-old son Yeats (Click here to view pedigree) won the G1 Gold Cup at 2 ½ miles for the fourth year in a row! I can guarantee you that we will never see that again!
Footnote: While penning this piece this morning, I received the following TDN Alert: El Prado’s Golden Century takes the G3 Prix Daphnis! (Click here to view Golden Century’s pedigree). A fitting end to this blog!
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Sunday, June 21st, 2009
Saturday was closing day for the 2009 Royal Ascot meet which featured 6 stakes races, including handicaps and allowance races (see pedigrees below). The day was highlighted by a stirring dual to the wire between the winner Art Connoisseur and U.S.-based Cannonball in the G1 Golden Jubilee stakes.
Here are a few pedigree observations about the winners of the 28 stakes, handicaps and allowance races of the 2009 Royal Ascot meet:
Sixteen of the 28 winners were sired by Northern Dancer-line stallions. The two most dominant branches are Danzig with 6 (4 thru Danehill and 2 thru Green Desert) and Storm Cat with 5 (2 of these by Giant’s Causeway). Mr. Prospector ended up the second most dominant with 4 SWs.
With regards to inbreeding, 25% are (7 of 28) are inbred within 4 generations. Not surprisingly, 6 of the 8 are inbred to Northern Dancer and 1 of them to Northern Dancer’s son Danzig. The other is inbred to Mr. Prospector. At the same time, 39% are 5-generation outcrosses (11 of 28).
Of the 6 Group 1 winners, ALL of them are 4-generation outcrosses and 5 of the 6 are 5-generation outcrosses!
Of the 28 winners during the Royal Ascot meet, 23 of them are the result of successful sire line crosses. Of the 6 Group 1 races, ALL of them have a Werk Nick Rating of A or better (3 A+’s and 3 A’s). Here is a breakdown of the Werk Nick Ratings for all 28: 3 A++’s, 9 A+, 9 A’s, 1 B+, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D+, 1 D, and 2 of them are the 1st SW on the cross.
Saturday’s Winners
G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes
ART CONNOISSEUR (Lucky Story-Withorwithoutyou, by Danehill)
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)
G2 Hardwicke Stakes
BRONZE CANNON (Lemon Drop Kid-Victoria Cross, by Mark of Esteem
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
Chesham Stakes
BIG AUDIO (Oratorio-Tarbela, by Grand Lodge)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
Queen Alexandra Stakes
CARACCIOLA (Lando-Capitolina, by Empery)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
DRILL SERGEANT (Rock of Gibraltar-Dolydille, by Dolphin Street)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
Wokingham Stakes
HIGH STANDING (High Yield-Nena Maka, by Selkirk)
Werk Nick Rating – D (View Pedigree)
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Friday, June 19th, 2009
Following 10 stakes, handicaps and allowance races during the first two days at Royal Ascot, racing fans were treated to 12 more son Thursday and Friday. On Monday and Tuesday, only 3 of 10 were sired by stallions currently standing in Europe. European-based stallions roared back during Thursday and Friday with 9 of the 12 sired by stallions currently standing in Europe (one of 10, Sadler’s Wells, has been pensioned). The 3 exceptions – Ghanatti, Giganticus, and Radiohead – were sired by Coolmore stallions standing in the U.S. - Giant’s Causeway (2) and Johannesburg.
Ten of the 12 are 4-generation outcrosses. The 2 exceptions – Father Time and Glass Harmonium – are inbred to Northern 4×3 and 4×4, respectively.
As with the first two days, successful sireline crosses were the norm. The Werk Nick Ratings for the 12 winners breakdown as follows: 1 A++, 4 A+’s, 4 A’s, 1 C, 1 D+, and 1 was the 1st SW from the cross.
G1 Coronation Stakes
GHANAATI (Giant’s Causeway-Sarayir, by Mr. Prospector)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
G1 Gold Cup
YEATS (Sadler’s Wells-Lyndonville, by Top Ville)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
G2 King Edward VII Stakes
FATHER TIME (Dansili-Clepsydra, by Sadler’s Wells
Werk Nick Rating — A (View Pedigree)
G2 Ribblesdale Stakes
FLYING CLOUD (Storming Home-Criquette, by Shirley Heights)
Werk Nick Rating – A++ (View Pedigree)
G2 Albany Stakes
HABAAYIB (Royal Applause-Silver Kestrel, by Silver Hawk)
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)
G2 Norfolk Stakes
RADIOHEAD (Johannesburg-Security Interest, by Belong to Me
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)
King George V Stakes
COSMIC SUN (Hernando-Cosmic Case, by Casteddu)
Werk Nick Rating – D+ (View Pedigree)
G3 Queen’s Vase
HOLBERG (Halling-Sweet Willa, by Assert)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
Britannia Hcp.
FAREER (Bahamian Bounty-Songsheet, by Dominion)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
Buckingham Palace Hcp.
GIGANTICUS (Giant’s Causeway-Shy Princess, by Irish River)
Werk Nick Rating – C (View Pedigree)
Hampton Court Stakes
GLASS HARMONIUM (Verglas-Spring Symphony, by Darshaan)
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)
Wolferton Hcp.
PERFECT STRIDE (Oasis Dream-First, by Highest Honor)
Werk Nick Rating – 1st SW on from this cross (View Pedigree)
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Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
Here are a few pedigree observations about the 10 winners of stakes, handicaps and allowance winners during the first two days at Royal Ascot:
The two U.S.-bred winners, Jealous Again and Strike the Tiger, are both by sired by stallions (Trippi and Tiger Ridge) that have relocated in South Africa!
Only 4 of the winners (Mastercraftsman, Paco Boy, Pivotal and Spacious) are sired by stallions currently standing in Europe.
Three of the 10 winners are inbred within 4 generations. Mastercraftsman is inbred 4×4 Northern Dancer, Moneycantbuymelove is inbred 4×4 Northern Dancer, and Spacious is inbred 3×4 Mr. Prospector.
Five of the 10 winners (Canford Cliffs, Paco Boy, Scenic Blast, Strike the Tiger, and Vision d’Etat) are 5-generation outcrosses.
Nine of the 10 winners are the result of successful crosses. The Werk Nick Ratings for the 10 winners break down as follows: 2 A++’s, 1 A+, 4 A’s, 1 B+, 1 B, and one is the 1st SW on the cross.
G1 St. James’s Palace Stakes
MASTERCRAFTSMAN (Danehill Dancer-Starlight Dreams, by Black Tie Affair)
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)
G1 Queen Anne Stakes
PACO BOY (Desert Style-Tappen Zee, by Sandhurst Prince)
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)
G1 King’s Stand Stakes
SCENIC BLAST (Scenic-Daughter’s Charm, by Delgado)
Werk Nick Rating – A++ (View Pedigree)
G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes
VISION D’ETAT (Chichicastenango-Uberaba, by Garde Royale)
Werk Nick Rating – A++ (View Pedigree)
G2 Coventry Stakes
CANFORD CLIFFS (Tagula-Mrs Marsh, by Marju)
Werk Nick Rating – 1st SW for cross (View Pedigree)
G2 Queen Mary Stakes
JEALOUS AGAIN (Trippi-Chi Sa, by Bold Ruckus)
Werk Nick Rating – B+ (View Pedigree)
G2 Windsor Forest Stakes
SPACIOUS (Nayef-Palatial, by Green Desert)
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)
G3 Jersey Stakes
OUQBA (Red Ransom-Dancing Mirage, Machiavellian)
Werk Nick Rating — B (View Pedigree)
Sandringham Stakes
MONEYCANTBUYMELOVE (Pivotal-Sabreon, by Caerleon)
Werk Nick Rating — A (View Pedigree)
Windsor Castle Stakes
STRIKE THE TIGER (Tiger Ridge-R Lucky Strike, by In Excess
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)
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Monday, June 15th, 2009
As an agent, I’ve sold horses for clients and purchased horses for others (including for a lot of you reading this!). As an old real estate guy, I handle these transactions through my escrow account, which makes both seller and buyer comfortable with the sale. Well, last October I had a young in foal mare (to Repent) sold for a good client of mine when the buyer backed out at the last moment. I decided to make good on this transaction for the seller, and ended up buying the mare myself along with my good friend Tom Gamel. You are, after all, only as good as your word.
I loved the mare anyway – a daughter of Catienus named Steve’s Lil Girl, who was carrying her first foal at the time. Now, Catienus, a son of Storm Cat, is probably one of the best-kept secrets in the business for a $10,000 stallion! (Click here to see his stats). This is a horse I have recommended on numerous occasions to clients breeding to race, so he was a positive as far as I was concerned.
I also liked Steve’s Lil Girl because she had raced in California – where I live – and is a half-sister to SW Silent Emotion, and she was in foal to the promising young sire Repent, whose best son, Crown of Thorns, was once a legitimate Derby colt who won the G2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in 2008. Now, SW Silent Emotion had also produced a nice filly in California named Unspoken Word, a SW who in 2007 had run 2nd in the G1 La Brea! Now, Unspoken Word, like Steve’s Lil Girl, is by Catienus, so that was a big plus, too! And there was more. Steve’s Lil Girl is also a half-sister to the Skywalker mare No Deadline, whose progeny includes SW Cannonball – a son of Catienus! So, Steve’s Lil Girl was a three-quarter sister to two very good SWs. (Click here to view Steve’s Lil Girl’s pedigree)
It just so happens that Cannonball (Click here to view pedigree), an American-raced horse trained by Californian Wesley Ward, is entered in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes tomorrow at Royal Ascot – the first day of that celebrated meet which runs from June 16 to June 20 – and I’ll have a rooting interest in a race that I last saw live in 1994, when I visited Ascot with none other than Tom Gamel!
That’s right, Tom and I were at the Royal Ascot meet 15 years ago in rented top hats and tails, and what an experience that was! The racing and pageantry was unbelievable, but I’ll be frank: the formal garb wasn’t exactly my cup of tea in the middle of summer! But it was an experience that I’ll never forget, and I still remember the Royals entering the course in horse-drawn buggies.
There was one other thing that I’ll never forget about that trip and it was a “where were you when …” moment! In London, Tom and I had decided to stay at the Savoy, and we had taken a two-bedroom suite with the living room in between the bedrooms. Neither of us could sleep, and we had our room doors open. I switched on CNN and there was pandemonium on the news: A white Bronco was being followed by cop cars back home in California! “Turn the TV on, O.J Simpson is being chased by the police,” I remember yelling to Tom in his room. And we were transfixed by the long and slow O.J. chase!
Hopefully tomorrow Cannonball makes quick work of his competition in the 5-furlong grass sprint!
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Sunday, June 14th, 2009
At Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, we compile a list of leading sires and broodmare sires of unrestricted SWs and First-Time SWs (FTSWs) in No. America, Europe, and Japan, as well as the leading sires and broodmare sires of G1 winners. It’s published weekly on www.enicks.com and www.ematings.com.
Through June 14, Giant’s Causeway and Smart Strike lead all North American stallions with 10 SWs. With FTSWs, there are 4 stallions tied for the lead – Distorted Humor, Dynaformer, Giant’s Causeway and Smart Strike. Meanwhile, Darshaan is on track to set a new record for the most unrestricted SWs for a broodmare sire. With just half the year gone, his daughters have already produced 15 SWs, putting 4 ahead of Rahy, who is also having a career year in this category. (Click here to view eNicks latest Weekly Leading Sires Chart)
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Saturday, June 13th, 2009
In previous posts I’ve commented on Medaglia d’Oro’s sensational start at stud with 7 SWs, 4 of them graded, from his first crop. (Click here to view post), and that his 7 SWs have all been fillies (Click here to view post).
Today in the G3 Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs, Medaglia d’Oro’s promising 3yo colt Warrior’s Reward (Click here to view pedigree) went to post as the 4/5 favorite. In a stirring stretch duel with the undefeated Successful Appeal gelding Successful Dan (Click here to view pedigree), he came up short by a head of becoming Medaglia d’Oro’s first stakes-winning colt. (Click here to view chart)
The future looks bright for both these 3yo’s. After winning his first two races at 6.5f and 7f, Successful Dan successfully stretched out to 1 1/16 miles in the Northern Dancer today while showing a lot of courage and no quit!
It sure looks like Warrior’s Reward is sitting on a stakes win when you consider his resume – before losing the G3 today by a head, he ran second to Dunkirk, lost to Musket Man, and beat Munnings, the impressive winner of the G2 Woody Stephens at Belmont last weekend.
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Thursday, June 11th, 2009
Journeyman Farm’s (FL) Wildcat Heir had his 6th 2yo winner today. He not only leads all freshman sires, but all North American stallions as well. Winner No. 6 was Always Wildcatin’ (Click here to view pedigree) who was victorious in a $56,728 MSW race at Woodbine. (Click here to view my previous post on Wildcat Heir)
On Sunday Street Cry had his 5th unrestricted SW this year when Street Magician (Click here to view pedigree) won the Northwestern PA Stakes at Presque Isle Downs. Interestingly, he is the 2nd Street Cry SW this year out of a Meadowlake mare! The other is Seventh Street (Click here to view pedigree), winner of the G1 Apple Blossom Hcp. at Oaklawn Park in April. If you’ve got a good Meadowlake mare, Street Cry should be on your short list for the next breeding season.
On Sunday Midships (Click here to view pedigree) became Mizzen Mast’s 2nd G1 winner when he won the G1 Whittingham Memorial Hcp. at Hollywood Park. His other G1 winner is Mast Track (Click here to view pedigree), who captured the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup last year. Mizzen Mast is having a very big year with 7 unrestricted SWs (4 of them graded) and is off to an impressive start at stud. He now has an eye-catching 14 SWs from his first 3 crops. At $17,500, talk about value! (Click here to view my previous post on Mizzen Mast).
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Jack Werk (1944-2010)
