Nerud & Tartan Farm

[brogers]

Much has been written in thoroughbred breeding circles about the genetic relationship between Fappiano/In Reality, developed by John Nerud and Tartan Farm, and seen to great effect in recent years on the racetrack. Nerud, a master of not only training but breeding thoroughbreds, believed in reviving the older North American strains of the great Man O'War, his sire Fair Play and their contemporaries such as Peter Pan and his son Black Toney.

Nerud's contribution to the success of Tartan Farms was impressive. His purchase of Champion sprinter Intentionally, a stallion inbred to Fair Play, the sire of Man o' War, became the foundation for Tartan's success in breeding. For the Genter family, Nerud recommended that My Dear Girl (Rough'n Tumble - Iltis, by War Relic), who was the champion two-year-old filly of 1959, would make a good match with Intentionally. The result was In Reality, who became one of the Genter's best horses and a foundation sire for breeding in Florida. Trained by Melvin Calvert, In Reality might have made more of a name for himself as a runner had he been born in another year, but unfortunately for him his classmate at Tartan Farms was one of the greats – Dr. Fager.

Named A Champion Sprinter, Older Horse, and co-Champion turf horse, Dr. Fager was also an integral part of the successes of Tartan Farm and later the breeding program of the Genter's also. In 1957, some of the office workers at the 3M Company arranged the purchase of a filly for their boss Mr McKnight, who owed Tartan Farms. A three-year-old filly named Aspidistra, by Better Self out of the Bull Brier mare Tilly Rose was bought and while she did little on the racetrack, when bred to the Santa Anita Derby winner Rough n’ Tumble, the same sire of My Dear Girl, Dr Fager was the result.

The winner of 18 of his 22 starts, Dr Fager died at a young age at Tartan Farm but not before leaving some very quick horses including Killaloe, bred and owned by Nerud himself, who became the dam of the leading sire Fappiano. A much bigger and longer horse than was typical of his sire; Fappiano also died at a young age but left some outstanding gallopers. Many of his best were out of mares that carried the blood of Dr Fager's stablemate In Reality.

Fappiano sired a number of stakes winners out of In Reality line mares including the likes of Tappiano, Serape, Jeano, Speakerphone, AP Jet and Pentelicus. Probably the best to be bred on the nick was not actually bred on the nick directly with Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled being out of a mare by Le Fabuleux, but having In Reality as the sire of his second dam. Given that his second dam also produced a stakes winner by Fappiano it is hard not to disregard Le Fabuleux's involvement in Unbridled. Another example of this was the fast Rubiano, by Fappiano with In Reality as the sire of his second dam.

Recently there have been a number of examples of combinations of the Tartan Farm/Genter blood of Fappiano, In Reality, Dr Fager and My Dear Girl. Last year it was the Champion 2yo filly Folklore who looked a superstar in the making only to have injury befell her. She was by an In Reality line stallion in Tiznow and had her second dam, Jeano, bred on the Fappiano/In Reality nick.

Is the Adirondack Stakes G2 winner Octave this years' high class example of the blood at its best? She is by Unbridled's Song, a son of Unbridled (Fappiano/In Reality) out of a Caro mare. As Caro carries Relic, a son of War Relic (Man O'’War) out of a Black Toney mare, he is bred similarly to Iltis, the grand dam of In Reality, who is by War Relic out of a mare by a son of Black Toney. Octave's dam, the stakes winning and stakes producing mare Belle Nuit, is by Dr Carter. This stallion is by Caro out of a half sister to In Reality. This makes Octave inbred 3s x 3D to Caro, a Champion and Leading sire, and 6s x 4d to a Champion 2yo My Dear Girl.

[louis finochio]

JN did not get caught up in breeding for fashion. JN was light years ahead of his other TB breeders, as his fellow TB breeders were abandoning those NP sire lines.

JN was using those NP sire lines for an outcross when bred to his stallions that produced strong boned individuals. Look at the starts that JN bred Tb made in their lifetime.

The breeders of today wonder why so many TB are breaking down. If these TB breeders of today did their homework and have read Brogers post they will see why breeding to successful breeding patterns produces superior runners.

[brogers]

No sooner had I posted on Fappiano/In Reality that I saw the results at Arlington

Cryptoquip, winner of the Arlington Breeders' Cup Oaks (G3) today is by a son of Fappiano in Cryptoclearance and has her second dam by In Reality.

[louis finochio]

A superior nick is like a good vintage wine it will last forever. Congrats.

[FOS]

hi guys

Respectfully...I offer the following for consideration and perspective.

For starters...yes Dr Fager (1964 colt by Rough and Tumble out of Aspidistra by Better Self) proved to be a racehorse, Horse of the Year, champion and super-horse for the ages...

but...

...reality is that the horse that was expected to be the superstar was Minnesota Mac, another 1964 son of Rough and Tumble. Minnesota Mac was thought to be so special that he was named after Nerud's Tartan-boss Mr W L McKnight himself, who was also the chairman of 3M Corp (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing). Clearly a 1964 son of Rough and Tumble became a superstar for the ages...but it was NOT Minnesota Mac...it was Dr Fager.

To the breeding shed now. My Dear Girl being bred to Intentionally (a champion sprinter who raced in the colors of Harry Isaacs) was the result of a loyal and supportive Tartan Farm friend and client (Mrs Frances Genter) breeding her star-mare to a stallion owned by her dear friend Mr William McKnight. I have been led to believe (for many many years), and will continue to do so until a knowledgebale Genter-family member goes on record to the contrary, that breeding My Dear Girl to Intentionally was simply one dear friend accommodating the request of another dear friend. Regardless of why...the result proved to be breed-shaping.

Tartan Farms was a fantastic thoroughbred establishment, but be assured it took the efforts of many to make it the success it was. John Nerud was a significant piece of the puzzle...and many many others (from owner Mr McKnight to his daughter Virginia and her husband Jim Binger, to stallion man Brian Howlett to manager John Hartigan [arguably Nerud's nemesis, of sorts]) etc etc etc, made impacts also.

I suggest that Mrs Genter should also be recognized and credited for her loyalty and commitment to Tartan, and the affect it had on both her and Tartan's thoroughbred successes. Without Mrs Genter's loyalty, support and friendship, arguably the Tartan story might be short a few incredible chapters (at the very least).

Respectfully

[sparta]

I begged my parents to stop in Ocala on a trip through Florida our family took when I was a little boy. I'll never forget how wonderful the folks at Tartan were to us. They brought Dr. Fager out of his stall for me--that was a great thrill.

[bonzer]

Add to this all the various sons of Valid Appeal (By In Reality) who are getting great success when bred to daughters and grandaughters of Fappiano.

[mini's mom]

I had posted this before someplace but dr fagar got his name from the dr who treated john nerud for a bad back - his name was dr fagar and he started the lahey clinic with frank lahey - the clinic is located in burlington mass just outside of boston - there will never be another one like him - or nerud either!

[stancaris]

Saint Liam, horse of the year in 2005 had Dr. Fager on his dam side via Quiet American his broodmare sire.

Discreet Cat, undefeated in 4 starts, and looking unbeatable is by Forestry who has Dr. Fager in his pedigree.

Bernardini also has DR. Fager on his dam side by way of Quiet American, his broodmare sire.

Dr. Fager died in 1976 but his blood races thru modern stars today.

[Denise]

The other oft-referred to "Tartan cross" that we have used (with a bit of success so far) is the Fappiano/Caro nick. Our first two homebreds are from that cross, mating a son of Unbridled to a daughter of Cozzene.
It's the nick that produced Unbridled's Song and Red Bullet, among others.
I noticed it with a few yearlings in the upcoming Keeneland sale, some flip-flopped (Caro top, Fappiano bottom.)