Help finding mare lines for double-bred Turn-To stallion

[HiddenEchoFarm]

We just bought a stallion that goes to Turn-To on the top & bottom, through Cox's Ridge on the top & the unraced Turn to Mars on the bottom. His dam side produced Lord Rebeau & Commadore C.

His pedigree is at:

http://www.pedigreequery.com/mountain+top

We're casually cruising for mares for him [G3 winner; 3rd in a G1 & won/placed/showed in 8 stakes, before falling off the radar screen & into the smaller allowance & then claiming ranks.]

He is free of Northern Dancer/Mr. Prospector [not to mention Seattle Slew & Secretariat]. My guess is people will love him or hate him. We love him. He's big, well-balanced, good natured & will probably start dressage training when he's had enough time off the track to settle down -- just to give him a job.

QUESTION #1: What bloodlines would you look for in broodmares? We have some ideas, but would love the input of others.

QUESTION #2: We bought mostly conformation, soundness, temprament & race record. Any thoughts on what to avoid or watch for, based on his bloodlines?

We won't be buying for several months, but are looking for advice now.

Thanks, in advance, for any help you can provide.

[louis finochio]

Turn-to produced superior nicks with mares that traced to the sire line of Swynford and Fair Play.

Turn-to produced inferior nicks when bred to mares that traced to the sire line of Tourbillon.

Your stallion has 1 cross of Swynford and no Fair Play. Look for a mare that is line-bred to both Fair Play and Swynford. Breed away from the Tourbillon sire line as it was a very negative nick with Turn-to.

[ragsdaj1]

HiddenEcho,

Good Luck with your new sire.

Question 1: some broodmare sire lines that have produced grade winners with Cox's Ridge.

With Approval, Nodouble, Beau Genius, Beau's Eagle, Kris S (2), Danzig, Lomond, Desert Wine, Spring Double, Iron Ruler, Star Shower.

Question 2: avoid.....discouragement; watch for......your first winner


JonR

[HiddenEchoFarm]

Louis & Ragsdaj1 --

Thank you so much for the helpful & encouraging replies -- I'll take them to heart in my mare search!

[kimberley mine]

Princequillo (to tie into the Alanesian family, which likes Princequillo blood): Meadowlake, Wolf Power, Blushing John, Round Table, etc.

Double Jay (through Star de Naskra, Spring Double, Nodouble, Overskate, daughter strains), also Sky Classic and Regal Classic

Buckpasser (via Buckfinder, Miswaki, Seeking the Gold his son Mutakddim) *****


*I find daughters of Seeking the Gold and Mutakkdim especially interesting here...the first time the Flitabout clan met Alanesian clan, the result was champion Revidere. STG has three stakes winners from Cox's Ridge mares, Sultry Song has a winner of $130k out of a STG mare, and Mutakddim has one winner out of one Cox's Ridge mare, and a good winner out of a Best Turn mare.

Mutakddim and Cape Town are especially interesting. The Seeking the Gold on top brings in a proven cross to Cox's Ridge, and Seattle Slew on the bottom makes for a nice linebreeding target. Their BM sire is Seattle Slew, who traces to Boldnesian (full sister of Trapp Mountain's sire's 2nd dam!), creating a nifty linebreeding target to Bold Ruler/Alanesian. Also, there is a neat reverse cluster breeding pattern evident: (Bold Ruler over Alanesian) over Round Table in Seattle Slew; Round Table over (Bold Ruler over Alanesian) in Mountain Top's sire's dam Play at Home. Both bring in Buckpasser via STG.

Good luck!

[HiddenEchoFarm]

I'd noticed Boldnesian's full sister, too, and it did bring interesting possibilities, as one of our current mares is a Seattle Slew grand-daughter.

And another mare who matches to him physically is a Miswaki daughter [but I haven't looked at her closely enough otherwise to make a decision].

Thanks for your thoughtful response. I feel like I'm getting great responses and insights and I really appreciate it.

[HiddenEchoFarm]

Forgot to mention on that Seattle Slew mare that her dam's family [going way, way back] produced Polymelus, sire of Phalaris, etc.

Don't actually know what that means in the greater scheme of things. But I did find it interesting, as I was wandering back looking for Swynford & Fair Play crosses.

[Bill from WA]

Leading Northwest sire, Basket Weave (Best Turn), has had great results when bred to mares with Swaps in their pedigrees, doubling up that great runner.

Bill

[HiddenEchoFarm]

Thank you, Bill. I shall look at Swaps, too.

Bill [from PA]

[ak1]

What about a Waquoit mare? Do I remember correctly that he likes a Turn To line mare and would this potentially work here in the reverse? I personally think he makes a lovely broodmare sire and brings plenty of the Fair Play line to the table.

[HiddenEchoFarm]

Hmm . . . Waquoit. A grand old man who meets some of the criteria & who is located right next door in Maryland. I wonder if the affinity does work in reverse . . .

Thank you.

[Cathy D]

Waquoit has worked in reverse with Turn-To . . . he is the broodmare sire of Sweetnorthernsaint, from the Halo line. Waquoit seems to particularly like the Turn-to/Mahmoud cross.

[HiddenEchoFarm]

Good point . . . I hadn't thought of Sweetnorthernsaint in those terms.

Thanks.

[aurora]

I once had a Best Turn mare and my research showed that BT did wonderfully with Danzig.

[Derring]

I once had a Best Turn mare and my research showed that BT did wonderfully with Danzig.

Can you give some examples to look up? I have a friend with Best Turn as the Broodmare sire. The sire line is Mr Prospector.