http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35754
They're only selling half of him to Three Chimneys which's interesting. He'll stand for $25,000.
Flower Alley to Three Chimneys
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Flower Alley to Three Chimneys
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana"
flower alley
Any ideas on what mares would be good for him? He is already 3 x 3 to Mr. P and 4 x 4 to Northern Dancer with 3 crosses. Finding a suitable mare that is free of both Northern Dancer and Mr. P may be difficult.
Re: flower alley
jagger wrote:Any ideas on what mares would be good for him? He is already 3 x 3 to Mr. P and 4 x 4 to Northern Dancer with 3 crosses. Finding a suitable mare that is free of both Northern Dancer and Mr. P may be difficult.
That inbreeding will be another gen back in his offspring, so they'll see the ND as an opportunity to line-breed.
They'll have to be a little cautious with Mr. P mares though, I would think!
hello Heidilady
Flower Alley was a very good racehorse, and I look forward to seeing him in the flesh, but...
...as he is now retiring to enter the stallion ranks, I would be very wary (for starters) of no less than two of his first three dams' sires...1st/ Lycius...2nd/ Sadler's Wells...3rd/ Vaguely Noble. You might guess which two concern me the most. You are correct, Lycius and Vaguely Noble.
Although I haven't viewed FA yet, his pedigree alone (particularly on his dam's side of the equation) seems to raise some potential red flags (from my perspective). For starters, knowing the (what might be described as) long (and arguably somewhat slack) pasterns that Distorted Humor (sire of Flower Alley) has himself, coupled with the fact that those long pasterns often seem to be found on many of his offspring, concerns me. That said, the presence of Lycius, Sadler's Wells and Vaguely Noble, as the sires of Flower Alley's first three dams...seems to support the notion that his chances to pass on those long pasterns might very well be increased. If nothing else, a long (and possibly leaning toward fragile-looking) pastern is arguably NOT what many (if not most) potential buyers are attracted to.
Conformation and pedigree aside, it might be wise to consider that most (if not all) of the particularly successful sires that stood/stand at Three Chimneys started their careers elsewhere...examples: Rahy...Seattle Slew...Dynaformer etc. Furthermore, in recent years, the stud fees of most young stallions that Three Chimneys started from scratch were discounted (sometimes significantly) almost immediately. Often there were advertised stud fee reductions relatively early-on also. For example: War Chant (discounts then reduction in advertised stud fee)...Point Given (large discounts followed by HUGE reductions in advertised stud fee)...Smarty Jones (large discounts and deals from the gitgo). He was so overpriced (in my opinion) that I expect supporters that got in at retail (or near retail) might be in store for a very rude awakening. I expect that some (if not many) that have attempted or are attempting to sell their seasons and/or shares might already have experienced how shallow that market for SJ really is. He was a VERY tough sell this year. As you probably know, he was advertised for $100k; but, lots of seasons were available at $75k. Regardless of the discount, interest was apparently not very strong.
Why should I expect Flower Alley to be a whole lot different than so many other Three Chimneys stallion start-ups that proved to be priced too high at the outset, then were discounted...and, to boot, all-too-often floundered and/or flopped.
Three Chimneys is a beautiful stallion facility, and they seem to be very good marketers, but (from my perspective) few of their stallion start-ups seem to make a whole lot of sense (although I am on record that I do like Sky Mesa, and that it would not surprise me if he makes it). I submit that there's not a whole lot to be said (from a sire standpoint) about former Three Chimneys' start-up Silver Charm. Is it unfair to call him a sire-flop? Another example might be Albert the Great...a millionaire racehorse that retired to Three Chimneys some years ago to launch his career at stud. Is it unfair to refer to him too as a sire-flop also? OUCH!!!
I suggest that stallion selection (from the mare owner's standpoint) should be about what best enhances the prospects for success...whatever the mare owner's definition of that might be. To my way of thinking though, Flower Alley at $25k is a tough one to swallow (regardless what he looks like, and the fact that he won the Travers)...
...but, I'd like to see him first before I pull out the skull and cross bones.
At the very least though, when it comes to Flower Alley at Three Chimneys for $25k, I suggest be very careful, BEWARE!!!
Respectfully
Flower Alley was a very good racehorse, and I look forward to seeing him in the flesh, but...
...as he is now retiring to enter the stallion ranks, I would be very wary (for starters) of no less than two of his first three dams' sires...1st/ Lycius...2nd/ Sadler's Wells...3rd/ Vaguely Noble. You might guess which two concern me the most. You are correct, Lycius and Vaguely Noble.
Although I haven't viewed FA yet, his pedigree alone (particularly on his dam's side of the equation) seems to raise some potential red flags (from my perspective). For starters, knowing the (what might be described as) long (and arguably somewhat slack) pasterns that Distorted Humor (sire of Flower Alley) has himself, coupled with the fact that those long pasterns often seem to be found on many of his offspring, concerns me. That said, the presence of Lycius, Sadler's Wells and Vaguely Noble, as the sires of Flower Alley's first three dams...seems to support the notion that his chances to pass on those long pasterns might very well be increased. If nothing else, a long (and possibly leaning toward fragile-looking) pastern is arguably NOT what many (if not most) potential buyers are attracted to.
Conformation and pedigree aside, it might be wise to consider that most (if not all) of the particularly successful sires that stood/stand at Three Chimneys started their careers elsewhere...examples: Rahy...Seattle Slew...Dynaformer etc. Furthermore, in recent years, the stud fees of most young stallions that Three Chimneys started from scratch were discounted (sometimes significantly) almost immediately. Often there were advertised stud fee reductions relatively early-on also. For example: War Chant (discounts then reduction in advertised stud fee)...Point Given (large discounts followed by HUGE reductions in advertised stud fee)...Smarty Jones (large discounts and deals from the gitgo). He was so overpriced (in my opinion) that I expect supporters that got in at retail (or near retail) might be in store for a very rude awakening. I expect that some (if not many) that have attempted or are attempting to sell their seasons and/or shares might already have experienced how shallow that market for SJ really is. He was a VERY tough sell this year. As you probably know, he was advertised for $100k; but, lots of seasons were available at $75k. Regardless of the discount, interest was apparently not very strong.
Why should I expect Flower Alley to be a whole lot different than so many other Three Chimneys stallion start-ups that proved to be priced too high at the outset, then were discounted...and, to boot, all-too-often floundered and/or flopped.
Three Chimneys is a beautiful stallion facility, and they seem to be very good marketers, but (from my perspective) few of their stallion start-ups seem to make a whole lot of sense (although I am on record that I do like Sky Mesa, and that it would not surprise me if he makes it). I submit that there's not a whole lot to be said (from a sire standpoint) about former Three Chimneys' start-up Silver Charm. Is it unfair to call him a sire-flop? Another example might be Albert the Great...a millionaire racehorse that retired to Three Chimneys some years ago to launch his career at stud. Is it unfair to refer to him too as a sire-flop also? OUCH!!!
I suggest that stallion selection (from the mare owner's standpoint) should be about what best enhances the prospects for success...whatever the mare owner's definition of that might be. To my way of thinking though, Flower Alley at $25k is a tough one to swallow (regardless what he looks like, and the fact that he won the Travers)...
...but, I'd like to see him first before I pull out the skull and cross bones.
At the very least though, when it comes to Flower Alley at Three Chimneys for $25k, I suggest be very careful, BEWARE!!!
Respectfully
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