Pedigree Query

The radio just played George Michaels singing "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" for the 3rd time in the last two hours, so before I totally lose my mind, I figured I'd discuss a stallion. How about we discuss that paragon of soundness and comformation, Buddha?

Hill N'Dale is doing a fine job combating inflation - Buddha's fee dropped from $17,500 to $10,000. When you look at the early sales numbers, you have to wonder why....the average Buddha yearling has sold for $60,232, and his average colt has sold for $79,840. With all that fine Unbridled's Song coloring and blood in his veins, I'm scratching my head as to why the fee dropped so quickly - only $10,000 to get to a Grade 1 winning son of Unbridled's Song?

It can't be because of progeny performance. To Buddha's credit, he does now have a stakes winner. And, slowly but surely, Buddha's numbers are improving - he now has 12.78% winners/first crop and his median earner has now made $1,780...about double the amount it was in December. His average runner has made almost 4 starts already! So, one could argue that Buddha is on the move. No...I don't mean to Zimbabwe, you cynical people!

I was delighted to see Monk break his maiden on Sunday. I was remember when the Dogwood clan bought him for $125,000 at the Keeneland Two Year Old sale last year, and I thought Mr Campbell was crazy. Boy, was I proven wrong - in only his fifth start, Monk showed up in a Maiden Claiming $30,000 at Churchill as a new gelding and he showed his stuff! Now, you might wonder why Mr Campbell gave up on Monk's possible stallion career so soon, and so do I...Monk seems to have it all put together now. And...by winning for Maiden Claiming $30,000, he just won for 3X Buddha's 2007 stud fee - value, I tell ya!

You don't think I'd make this up, do you? Here's the chart:

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbPDFC ... E=1&BorP=B

I also got to watch one son named Peaceful Flight again try to break his maiden. His dam, Approved to Fly, was once the Champion California Bred 2 year old of the Year and I remember her as a nice filly. In this race, Peaceful Flight showed up as a new gelding (Damn, people give up on Buddha sons fast!) and I thought he could surely beat the Maiden Claiming field he was up against...the form of the other entrants was just terrible! He didn't win, but Peaceful Flight did run a fine race to finish second...he's on the improve!

Buddha's 2nd crop is about to hit the races, and I don't know about you, but I'm excited. I was also excited to hear that Peewee Herman may be making a comeback, but that's beside the point.

Hey Rokeby! I noticed that all but 2 of the Buddha's withdrew from the Barretts Sale. One did not sell (hip#274) on a $900 dollar bid and the other was bought back (Hip #139) at $47,000. Buddha's numbers are abysmal with a AEI of .46 vs a CI of 1.70, 10% wins f/starts, & $8,486 avg earnings per starter w/72 starters.

Buddha only got 172 mares in 2006, so I hope Hill N Dale isn't taking too bad of a beating at this point.

I guess he'll be coming to California soon, but we alreadly have several from the Unbridled line that, did not, would not, or could not, run. Ah, ... he'll just do fine. He'll be a standout with his race record and good looks, I mean we have "Gentleman".

What, didn't Louisiana want him?

(oops)

(oops)

Hey Fastappy! Always good to see ya!

Don't forget about Houston and Comet Shine. LOL!

A Buddha was RNA at $900? The reserve was probably $1,000...nobody was willing to take a shot? Not even an Amish bidder needing a horse to pull his wagon?

There is definitely more hype in Kentucky than Hollywood. A person needs to really do their research on a stallion and stay away from a lot of these unproven sires, unless they plan to sell before the bubble, or at least wait til the first crop runs, but I guess nothing is more exciting than the possibility that you may be getting in on the ground floor with an up & coming stallion.

A stallion like Street Cry had a much more extensive graded stakes race record, stakes placed siblings, out of a G1 winning mare, & by a top broodmare sire. Buddha is out of an unraced mare (by Storm Cat) who had not produced any stakes winners other than Buddha at this point, yet Buddha shares may characteristics which would lead you to believe he was capable and likely to become a success.

Though Street Cry is looking like a real bargain for those who bred to him for 30K, Buddha is looking like the worst kind of N.Y. mugging at 10K. Myself I have to see a few first (run that is) before I plunk down my cash.

Well, there's always Malabar Gold and Behrens to make Buddha and Gentleman look good. LOL!

You wrote:

"There is definitely more hype in Kentucky than Hollywood. A person needs to really do their research on a stallion and stay away from a lot of these unproven sires, unless they plan to sell before the bubble, or at least wait til the first crop runs"

Yep, that's true, Fastappy. It's interesting how certain KY farms advertise unproven stallions. Take Forest Danger standing for $20,000.

On the farm's Website under the Forest Danger link, they write:

FOREST DANGER is the first G1-winning son of Leading Sire FORESTRY to enter stud[/i]

[i]FOREST DANGER won the G1 Carter H. in 1:20 2/5

Ask yourself - how many Grade 1 sons does Forestry even have? And, as far as the claim of "Leading Sire Forestry," on what sire list did he ever lead anything?

Indeed, Forest Danger won the G1 Carter Handicap in 1:20 2/5. The horse he beat, Medallist, stands for $8,500 at Three Chimneys. What does Three Chimneys write on the Medallist link of their Website?

"Medallist's stakes debut was on Derby Day of his 3-year-old year, when he won the one-mile Withers S.-G3 over previously undefeated Forest Danger. Medallist went head to head with Forest Danger through fractions of :44.06 and 1:07.90, before drawing off to a commanding three and a quarter length victory."

A horse good enough to outrun Forest Danger stands for only $8,500? Hmmm.....

Rokeby Forever wrote: No...I don't mean to Zimbabwe, you cynical people!

Rokeby! Stop that, philistine!

Zimbabwe is MUCH more selective in their choice of cast-off stallions, and Buddha lacks both the pedigree and performance to stand there. A son of a distinctly American dirt sireline out of an unraced mare sired by a stallion who has never been tried with the local mare base? Who won a Gr-1 race on dirt?

No, Zimbabwe looks for unraced sons of champion mares and ne'er-do-well full brothers to Hollywood Derby winners (by champion sires out of Gr-1 winning mares) and produces brilliant fillies who show the boys a clean pair of heels. Barring that, they take quite well-bred European Gr-2 winners that nobody else seems to want. As the locals would say, ag, sies, bru!

Rokeby, you're a one note Johnny. You've slapped Buddha around for at least 10 posts that I've seen and probably more. We get it--you don't like him and he hasn't set the world on fire as a stallion. Oh and he's a Storm Cat grandson.

To mix it up a little, what about Came Home? $40,000 fee, son of Gone West, Grade 1 SW at 9 and 10 furlongs, sire of 18 six figure yearlings in his first crop and as of this writing no SWs (unless we count the Tsuen Wan Plate as a stakes). He's down to $25,000 now and no Storm Cat to be seen in his pedigree. You must think he's OK because you haven't posted on and on and on about him like Buddha.

there's always a chance you could get a good Belly Rub

well, I won at Belmont Friday on Miss Buddahfull. On the turf. So he's been directly useful to me!

Kimberley...LOL!!!!

Sysonby...what about Came Home? Let's see how CP West does in the Preakness. And I'm a "one note Johnny?" Is that better than being a "one trick pony?"

Came Home's bombed out so far for Farish, no doubt....so have Lemon Drop Kid and King Cugat. Lane's End always has a couple of disappointments on the farm...and sometimes lets a Charismatic get away. (Grrr!!!). Oh well...nobody bats 1.000 LOL!

hi Rok

Rokeby Forever wrote:...as far as the claim of "Leading Sire Forestry," on what sire list did he ever lead anything?

Mr Trebek...I'll take Sires Of All-Time High-Priced Unraced Two-Year-Olds for $16mil.

Respectfully

Rokeby Forever wrote:
Sysonby...what about Came Home? Let's see how CP West does in the Preakness.

What if he wins it?

Does one horse make a sire?

Do you think at this point that one horse will have any great impact on the 2007 sales when buyers have already seen about 100 flops?