Mares on Monday - American Classic Pedigrees

Friday Trivia Challenge for 1/30/15

1/30/2015

Racehorses get their names from some odd places. Most people familiar with racing know that European great Frankel was named for American Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel and that the champion American mare Zenyatta got her name from a record album released by The Police. Here's this week's challenge: can you come up with the horses in the Library named for

1) a notorious sea captain,
2) the birth name of a well-known gambler,
3) a character in a novel written by the owner's husband, and
4) a brand of whiskey?

Brilliant to the End

1/28/2015

On January 23, a New York-bred named Final Chapter won the eighth race at Aqueduct. His name is appropriate as he is the last horse bred and owned by the legendary John Nerud.

Now a sprightly 101, Nerud is still enjoying the racing game to which he has contributed so much. As the trainer and general manager for Tartans Farm, Nerud laid the foundations for Tartan's success by planning matings that crossed and recrossed the blood of the Florida-based stallions Rough'n Tumble (who stood at nearby Ocala Stud) and Intentionally with that of Tartan foundation mares Cequillo and Aspidistra. Beginning with the great Dr. Fager and his brilliant sister Ta Wee, both members of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame,Tartan produced a long string of stakes winners culminating in Unbridled, winner of the 1990 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1).

Nerud made good use of Tartan bloodlines when breeding in his own right as well as making judicious use of outside stallions. His homebred Fappiano, for instance, was sired by Mr. Prospector out of Nerud's mare Killaloe, a daughter of Dr. Fager and a granddaughter of Cequillo. A Grade 1 winner on the track, Fappiano made Nerud a wealthy man when he was syndicated for stud duty at a reported $300,000 per share, and the colt went on to become a stallion of national significance. Nerud did not limit himself to Tartan bloodlines, however, and bred another important sire in Cozzene (Caro x Ride the Trails, by Prince John), the American champion turf male of 1985.

Nerud has never been a fan of rushing young horses to make the American Triple Crown series, so don't expect to see Final Chapter in the 2015 Kentucky Derby even though the Thunder Gulch ridgling has a pedigree that suggests plenty of stamina. Nonetheless, it looks as though Nerud may be closing out his long career in the Thoroughbred industry with a horse he can have some fun with, and that seems a just reward for his many years of service in the sport he loves.

Answer to the Friday Trivia Challenge for 1/23/15

1/26/2015

Following the release of the 2003 movie Seabiscuit, the British Horseracing Board honored the legendary American champion by affixing his name to that of the world's oldest Classic race for Thoroughbreds, the St. Leger Stakes (ENG-G1) at Doncaster. The 2003 renewal of the St. Leger, officially titled the Seabiscuit St. Leger Stakes, was won by the filly Sun Princess.

Upstart Isn't One

1/25/2015

Saturday's Holy Bull Stakes (USA-G2) fell to the misnamed Upstart, whose moniker belies both his previous performances and his breeding. He's the sort of colt who was bound to break through somewhere and on pedigree and native ability is a likely prospect to get at least nine furlongs, making him a good bet to pick up a Grade 1 win in a Derby prep.

If he has an Achilles heel that may keep him from reaching that goal, it may be the potential for soundness issues. His sire Flatter had talent but fell prey to injury after just six starts, and his dam Party Silks never raced. In addition, broodmare sire Touch Gold did not have the best of feet. Nonetheless, as a Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner -- and at the expense of horses as good as Silver Charm and Free House, at that -- his stamina is beyond question.

The same cannot yet be said for Upstart, though the potential is certainly there with both grandsires being Belmont Stakes winners. Touch Gold has not transmitted as much stamina as might have been expected, as the average winning distance for his progeny is only 7 furlongs. While that is longer than the AWD for the population at large, it is not so much so that Touch Gold can be considered a reliable source of stamina. As for Flatter, while his son Flat Out certainly handled 10 furlongs well, most of his best progeny preferred shorter trips. The presence of Housebuster as the second damsire also isn't reassuring regarding Upstart's potential to stay 10 furlongs.

Speed is certainly present, as Upstart's dam is a half sister to the good sprint filly Josh's Madelyn (by Quiet American), winner of the 2004 Raven Run Stakes (USA-G2). The next dam, Intend to Win, is a stakes-placed half sister to 1995 Royal Palm Handicap (USA-G3) winner Gone to Win (by Gone West) and juvenile sprint stakes winner Crafty Buzz (by Crafty Prospector). Ultimately, Upstart's ability to get Classic distances may come down to two things: his own innate balance and athleticism, and whether he gets a favorable trip. As with many other Derby prospects, the chances are good that he may find the difference between nine and 10 furlongs daunting.

Friday Trivia Challenge for 1/23/15

1/23/2015

Only one American horse not campaigned in Europe has ever been honored by having his name appended to the name of one of the English Triple Crown races. Who was he?

A Trip to the Far Right

1/20/2015

On the face of things, yesterday's winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes, Far Right, will need to step up his game a fair bit to be up with the best of his division. Aside from the fact that he clearly benefited from Mr. Z's failure to keep a straight course in the stretch, a final furlong run in about :13-3/5 is not very confidence-inspiring for longer trips.

Although Far Right's sire Notional was second in the 9-furlong Florida Derby (USA-G1), a mile was clearly his best trip, meaning that Far Right will have to draw stamina from the dam's side if he is to stay classic distances. The presence of 2002 American champion 2-year-old male Vindication as his broodmare sign certainly doesn't hurt there, as Vindication ran out the 9 furlongs of that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (USA-G1) easily and has the pedigree of a horse bred to go all day. Because of injury, however, his aptitude for classic distances was never proven, and another question is how much of whatever stamina he had was passed to his daughter Zindi, who never raced.

Zindi's dam Inspired Hope scored her sole win at 8.5 furlongs and is a half sister to Westfold Vale, a Flying Paster mare who handled intermediate distances well, and Big Jag (by Kleven), a high-class sprinter. Given that Inspired Hope's sire was the miler Shadeed, her victory may well have reflected her optimum distance, especially given that her dam In Hopes (by Affirmed) scored her sole victory at a mile.

Interestingly, Far Right's family descends from Princess Ribot, also the fifth dam of California Chrome, but in his case the descent comes through 1977 American champion older female Cascapedia (by Chieftain), who stayed well enough to be beaten only a neck by the top male handicapper Crystal Water in the 1977 Hollywood Gold Cup. My guess, though, is that Far Right is not made of such stern stuff and will prefer the mile trip favored by his sire and his immediate female family.

Answer to Friday Trivia Challenge, 1/16/15

1/19/2015

Elaina has it once again -- Cinderella (by Tomahawk or Blue Ruin) is the dam of Hastings (ancestor of the Man o' War/In Reality male line) and Plaudit (ancestor of Dr. Fager and Holy Bull). Her daughter Slippers produced 1913 Preakness Stakes winner Buskin and bred on through her daughter Polly Flinders, granddam of 1927 Kentucky Derby winner Whiskery and 1928 Preakness Stakes winner Victorian and ancestress of 1980 American champion 2-year-old filly Heavenly Cause and other good horses. The famous white Thoroughbred White Beauty (the first of her color to be registered by The Jockey Club) and her family also descend from Polly Flinders.

Extra credit to Carol Clegg for pointing out the parallel accomplishments of the notable English broodmare Scapa Flow. Good show!

Chrome Gets the Gold

1/18/2015

It's now official -- California Chrome owns the golden Eclipse Award as 2014 American Horse of the Year. Whether he truly deserved it or not will probably be a source of debate for years, but there is no question that he was the people's choice. Already the winner of the 2014 Secretariat Vox Populi Award for the horse who made the greatest popular impact in racing excellence and gaining positive attention for the sport, California Chrome was the centerpiece of a compelling story about dreams that came true against all odds.

In a year in which none of the leading contenders had resumes that truly stood head and shoulders above the rest, Chrome's victory at least gives the satisfaction of the proper end to a fairy tale. It is now up to the horse and his team to see if they really do have a "happily ever after" as they race on into 2015.

Friday trivia challenge, 1/16/15

1/16/2015

Very few American-based mares can boast of having produced two stallions whose male lines have persisted over a century. I not only did that but produced a Classic-producing daughter whose family bred on. Who am I?

Horse Country

1/16/2015

I am sure I will not be the only one watching the development of Horse Country, Inc., a non-profit organization set up to promote equine tourism in the Bluegrass. The concept is the development of a central agency to book farm tours, visits to equine clinics and trips to equine attractions. The idea is not just to generate tourist dollars but to support fans' access and emotional attachment to stars that have retired from the track and to educate visitors about Thoroughbreds and their behavior, personalities, care and history.

The interesting thing about Horse Country is that it is centered around the concept of the Thoroughbred as a story that deserves telling, and the organization has gone to the very best for instruction in how to tell it. Horse Country's mentor in this approach is no less than the Walt Disney Institute, which is providing its expertise to both the storytelling aspect and to advising how to set up positive customer experiences.

While Disney's involvement does lead to some concerns that the story to be told may become too oriented to the mass market, leaving out much depth that would appeal to the serious student of Thoroughbred history, it must also be acknowledged that failure to reach out to popular interest is one thing that has led to the decline of Thoroughbred racing from the position it once held as America's most popular spectator sport. And if popular interest is to be engaged, it makes sense to follow the approach of an organization known around the world for its ability to draw people into its stories and make those stories come alive.