Move over, American Pharoah. You aren't the only Triple Crown winner in Kentucky any more.
Granted, if American Pharoah could read the headlines, he probably wouldn't be worrying about it. Millennium Farm's new acquisition Hakassan won his Triple Crown in Chile in 2012, along with a title as the best Chilean 3-year-old colt on dirt.
How far those credentials will get him in Kentucky is anyone's guess, but mine is that a good many horsemen won't give him much respect. Chilean form isn't familiar to most American horsemen, and the list of top South American runners who have failed at stud in North America is a long one. In fact, during the last century, only three horses from South America have been unequivocal successes at stud in Kentucky, all of them Argentine-bred: Forli, Lord At War, and Candy Ride. All three were champions in their native land, and all three showed high-class form in North America before going to stud.
As a group, Chilean horses haven't fared too well in the United States stallion market, although Cougar II was quite useful and begot 1982 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Gato del Sol. Nonetheless, Hakassan shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. One of seven champions sired by the Storm Cat horse Sir Cat (a multiple Grade 2 winner in the United States), he gave the impression that he greatly outclassed his peers during his Triple Crown campaign. His bloodlines aren't bad either: he is out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Fusaichi's Angel, whose dam Sand Pebbles (by Sadler's Wells) is a full sister to 1992 Royal Lodge Stakes (ENG-G2) winner Desert Secret and to Group 1-placed Bineyah, second dam of Australian Group 3 winner Alzora. The family is that of the great Seattle Slew, a half brother to Hakassan's third dam, Clandestina.
Hakassan's bloodlines and performance suggest that he may be a good choice for adding some stamina to a quick mare without sacrificing too much in the way of speed and precocity. Nonetheless, Kentucky horsemen tend to have the Missouri attitude of "show me" when it comes to the unfamiliar, and Hakassan is going to need to make the most of any early opportunities if he's to gain any traction in a tough and competitive market.
Granted, if American Pharoah could read the headlines, he probably wouldn't be worrying about it. Millennium Farm's new acquisition Hakassan won his Triple Crown in Chile in 2012, along with a title as the best Chilean 3-year-old colt on dirt.
How far those credentials will get him in Kentucky is anyone's guess, but mine is that a good many horsemen won't give him much respect. Chilean form isn't familiar to most American horsemen, and the list of top South American runners who have failed at stud in North America is a long one. In fact, during the last century, only three horses from South America have been unequivocal successes at stud in Kentucky, all of them Argentine-bred: Forli, Lord At War, and Candy Ride. All three were champions in their native land, and all three showed high-class form in North America before going to stud.
As a group, Chilean horses haven't fared too well in the United States stallion market, although Cougar II was quite useful and begot 1982 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Gato del Sol. Nonetheless, Hakassan shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. One of seven champions sired by the Storm Cat horse Sir Cat (a multiple Grade 2 winner in the United States), he gave the impression that he greatly outclassed his peers during his Triple Crown campaign. His bloodlines aren't bad either: he is out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Fusaichi's Angel, whose dam Sand Pebbles (by Sadler's Wells) is a full sister to 1992 Royal Lodge Stakes (ENG-G2) winner Desert Secret and to Group 1-placed Bineyah, second dam of Australian Group 3 winner Alzora. The family is that of the great Seattle Slew, a half brother to Hakassan's third dam, Clandestina.
Hakassan's bloodlines and performance suggest that he may be a good choice for adding some stamina to a quick mare without sacrificing too much in the way of speed and precocity. Nonetheless, Kentucky horsemen tend to have the Missouri attitude of "show me" when it comes to the unfamiliar, and Hakassan is going to need to make the most of any early opportunities if he's to gain any traction in a tough and competitive market.
RSS Feed