da hossman wrote:Hi Oliver:
Almost every stud farm takes an equity position in the new stallions they stand - this gives the farm the opportunity to participate in the added profits in the event the horse makes it big. Day money is not why stud farms do business - it is break even at best.
Consider the Candy Ride situation - John Sikura did not own any piece of CR but stood the horse and invested 4 years of promotion (sure Craig's paid invoices but HillnDale staff managed campaign & was on the phone selling the horse), mares and effort to give CR a good chance. CR hits but because Sikura does not control the horse, Craig moves him to Lanes End, where he stands at a significantly higher fee.
Sikura has since made the statement he will no longer stand any horse in which he does not own a significant interest. Sikura was burned first by Haisfield then by the Craig's.
So how does DD lose? What if AA shocks the world and becomes the next superstar? Other farms with more capital & better resources will come calling and Messara is a businessman....the other farms do not have to buy Messara out, they can just buy a piece of the horse at an inflated value. Or if AA is really good Messara may not risk shuttling the horse again.
On the other hand if AA does not make it, DD will have invested 4 years of time and effort on a losing cause for $65/day plus 4 or 5 unsellable breeding rights each year. Not a very attractive picture either way.
The horse was moved for good reason, don't cast a light on Jenny or Sid Craig that is 100% wrong.
I'm sure when you talked to Sikura he told you just how he felt and his version of things, right
, how he was, how many mares he covered and how many more were turned down. Given how Sikura played the dumbstruck deer caught in headlights when he was moved I'm not surprised that people have the perception that he was the "victim". There's always two sides to the story, but since he has stuck to his "I never knew" that is just plain wrong.