First Year Sires of 2006

[TomFool]

In just glancing at pedigrees, I'm pretty impressed with Purge. He should fit very well with In Reality line mares esp Valid Appeal in his scond dame being the dam of Valid Wager & alsp family of Valid Expectations. Purge is a Slew line inbred to Bold Ruler another thing I like with In Reality. As a rachorse I remeber his Peter Pan was very impressive. He had plenty of speed & was the fav here at Oaklawn against Smarty Jones early in his 3 year old year. If not for SM, Purge would have been the big horse here. I think he may prove to be a very useful stallion & one i would go look at. Everything is way overpriced stud fee wise but at $7,500 I would expect him to be usable but he may be 10-12,500 the way stud fees are going. Thoughts?

[KAL]

I believe Purge is slated to start at $12,500 (maybe $10... I was told but I cannot remember exactly what I was told.

If it hasn't already been mentioned... Limehouse is slated to open at $17,500 (again... I was told the exact amount, but my memory may be slightly faulty).

[StrawberryFelidos]

Speaking of new stallions, who wants to bet Rock Hard Ten will be on the market this season? I've heard he has a difficult pedigree to work with, but the horse is having his best year yet (and he's hot- ahem-in a horsie way). I'd hafta think he's gonna stand soon, a successful horse never runs long If he wins the Breeder's Cup, hands down, he's retired, IMHO.

[austique]

I believe Rock Hard Ten is supposed to be retired this year, but no announcement has been made. He's lightly raced, so he may return next year, but given his niggling problems I would assume this is his last year.

[hpkingjr]

Stud Fee for Medallist for 2006 will be $8,500.00

[FOS]

hi hpkingjr

Are you predicting that Rock Hard Ten (by Kris S) will stand for a stud fee of $8,500?

His dam Tersa (who is by the GREAT Mr Prospector) is a G1 winner and champion 2-yo filly in France...and Rock Hard Ten is a multiple G1 winner and classic-placed etc (and reported to be a grand looking colt, to boot).

I'd guess that you are much on the low side.

Respectfully

[hpkingjr]

No I was speaking of Medallist at Three Chimneys. He will stand for $8,500.00. My guess on Rock Hard Ten would be $12,500.00 to $17,500.00 but merely a guess. My subject on the prior post was Medallist, I guess for sake of clarity I should have also included it in the body of the post.

[hpkingjr]

FOS:

What range do you believe the stud fee for Rock Hard Ten will fall? And why?

[FOS]

hi hpkingjr

Thanks for the clarification (Medallist at $8,500).

You ask "What range do you believe the stud fee for Rock Hard Ten will fall? And why?"

If Rock Hard Ten is as good looking as we've been led to believe (remember, Mrs Paulson said she named him Rock Hard Ten because he was so big, strong and good looking, she said he was a solid 10 on a scale of 1 - 10...thus Rock Hard Ten), I would expect that would come into play at stud fee setting time

Being by the very successful sire Kris S (who stood for $150k+ toward the end of his career) and out of a Mr Prospector daughter that was a champion 2-yo filly in France...coupled with the fact that RHT already has 2 G1 wins under his belt and multiple other graded wins and placings including a 2nd in the classic Preakness...

...I'd expect he would stand for no less than $17,500 (as you mentioned as the high on your range of $12.5k to $17.5k) if he was retired today. That being said, $20k - $25k wouldn't surprise me, and might be more likely than not if he finishes an impressive 2nd or 3rd in the BC Classic.

If he wins the Classic, I'd expect that he might stand for somewhere in the range of $25k to $40k. My best guess might be $30k - $35k...although such a victory might embolden his connections to go in the higher direction (possibly even higher than 40k) rather than the lower.

I would expect that the connections of RHT will consider comparables when it's time to set a stud fee. For example...a good looking horse like Grand Slam's son Strong Hope (who is not a G1 winner but is a G2 winner and G1 placed and earned approx $750k) boasts a big pedigree and stood his first season (2005) for $30,000 (at Claiborne). Three-time G1 winner Medaglia D'Oro (by El Prado out of a Bailjumper mare) stood for $35k his first season at stud in 2005. Two-time G1 winner and $1.3mil earner Lion Heart (by Tale of the Cat out of a daughter of Mr Leader) stood his first season (2005) for $30,000. G1 winner Eddington (by Unbridled) has been announced for 2006 at $20k...and G1 winner Southern Image (who's by the $10k stud fee stallion Halo's Image) is supposedly to stand in 2006 for $15,000...etc etc etc.

Arguably Rock Hard Ten's sire Kris S has experienced limited success as a sire-of-sires, but in the case of Rock Hard Ten himself...he's reportedly a grand and extremely impressive individual...he is out a champion daughter of Mr Prospector...and is a multiple G1 winner and classic-placed colt, all on the Dirt (and his earnings are in the $2mil range). In the for what it's worth category, the barrage of media coverage he's received for the better part of two years is arguably of some value also.

Those things being considered...if it were my call, and if he is an absolute knockout on the end of a leadshank...and if attracting strong outside support to fill his book is a priority...and if he were to stand at a top-class facility...I might recommend that he stand for $20,000 if he were retired now and $35,000 if he wins the classic. I expect those would be numbers that breeders would respond to very positively.

Respectfully

[austique]

Some more new ones:

Powerscourt: Ashford $12,500
Lydgate: Red River Farm $2,000
Grand Appointment: Red River Farm $1,500
One Nice Cat: Sequel $5,000
Special Rate: Key Ranch No Fee Announced
Deputy Storm: Northview Stallion Station $3,500
Dance With Ravens: Northview Stallion Station $7,500
Pass the Peace: Hamtom Farm $3,000

And some European and Asian ones:
Dubawi: Dalham Hall 25,000 pounds
Bago: Shinuzai No Fee Announced
Whipper: Ballylinch Stud No Fee Announced
Doyen: Dalham Hall 10,000 pounds
Sharmandal: Kildangan 40,000 euros
Vinnie Roe: Grange Stud No Fee Announced

[roving boy]

Rock Hard Ten was offered at $10mm last year....if he wins the BC Classic I think you can expect the deal done for $20mm or more. That would put your fee in the range of $40,000-60,000.

Who knows what the number will be? If Ghostzapper can stand for $200,000 then maybe RHT can stand for $100,000?

[austique]

Let the retirements begin!

Wimbledon: Valor Farm $4,000
Grand Reward: Hill N Dale $12,500
Borrego: Wintergreen Stallion Station (via TB Times) Will Race In 2006
Castledale: Crestwood $6,000
Mass Media: Hill N Dale $7,500
Wildcat Heir: Cloverleaf $8000

[Coquinerie]

Grand Reward might be a real bargain at 12,500 for the smaller commercial breeder. I had a friend who appraises stock for two of the top stud farms in Kentucky say he was the best looking Storm Cat he'd ever seen. He's worked with Ashford... he's seen a LOT of Storm Cats.

[austique]

Coquinerie,

I was thinking that as well. He's one of the few that's really intrigued me.

[austique]

Footstepsinthesand: Ashford $30000