Easing Along to Claiborne

[Maven]

http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=38979

Leading Argentine first-crop sire Easing Along, a Claiborne Farm-raised son of Storm Cat out of grade I winner/producer Cadillacing, will stand the 2008 Northern Hemisphere season at Claiborne near Paris, Ky. The farm, owned by the Hancock family, has purchased a half-interest in 9-year-old Easing Along, who will shuttle between El Alfalfar in the Southern Hemisphere and Claiborne.

Easing Along is the sire of group I winner Que Piensa Cat and group II winner Compasivo. After breaking her maiden by 10 lengths, Que Peinsa Cay captured the Eliseo Ramirez (Arg-I) by eight lengths. Compasivo Cat, a colt, won the Guillermo Kemmis (Arg-II).

“This stallion is off to an impressive start, and as an added bonus, he’s a son of Storm Cat who is from a proven sire family,” said Claiborne director of stallions Bernie Sams. "We couldn’t be more pleased to introduce him to U.S. breeders.”

Easing Along is a full brother to successful Maryland sire Lion Hearted and a half-brother to grade I winner Strolling Along, who also achieved sire status. Cadillacing, by Alydar, is a full sister to champion Easy Goer, who sired Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) winner My Flag.

Bred by Phipps Stable, Easing Along won his first two starts at 2 in New York for the late Claiborne client Ogden Phipps. He was sent to Chile in 2003.

Easing Along will arrive at Claiborne this fall after he completes the upcoming Southern Hemisphere season. His fee will be determined at a later date.


Interesting move on Claiborne's part. I was wondering when they would secure a Storm Cat to their roster. Love the family but his race record leaves me cold, even if he's started well in the Southern Hemisphere. Time and time again success there hasn't transferred here.

Thoughts?

[Rokeby Forever]

Thoughts? Just another case of Storm Cat polluting another beautiful dam family, just to produce a foal that accomplishes nothing on the racetrack but will stand stud anyway.

My God, has Claiborne sunk to the abyss now that Danzig is gone and Seeking The Gold is 1,000 years old. They've gone from runner like Nasrullah, Nijinsky, Buckpasser, Secretariat, Nureyev, and Mr Prospector to During, Eddington, Out Of Place, and First Samurai. Now the place can proudly boast a Phipps throwaway, as well.

[Maven]

Yes, that Storm Cat pollutant managed to produce their best champion in some time with Storm Flag Flying and the only young stallion to make some consistent noise out of their stable is by Storm Cat, Pure Prize.

They also have Good Reward, a son of Storm Cat that has done them well on the track and should be a good prospect for Three Chimney's.

Let's face it, their broodmare band needs speed, and that Storm Cat/Crimson Saint line is the classiest speed of all, maybe only behind the Grey Sovereign line.

[Rokeby Forever]

Maven,

You forgot to mention On Parade, Storm Flag Flying's full sister. She ran 4 times in her career...but at least she broke her maiden. Are you going to tell me that patient Shug broke her down?

Has it occurred to you that the Phipps clan doesn't race champions year after year any more because so many of their mares went to Storm Cat? They bred Pleasant Home to Awesome Again...did you see a picture how beautiful that filly is?

So many of their mares have Seeking The Gold and/or Mr P in their pedigrees...why do they need a speed infusion?

[Maven]

They've used Storm Cat a lot LESS than Danzig, Seeking the Gold, etc. And for the record, their most fragile family, bar none, is their Our Country Place line runners, and they have ZERO Storm Cat, except for Chili Cat who is stakes-placed in 10 starts, which is 3 more than her ill-fated half-sister Pine Island, and there's a Rahy half i've seen personally who will also never make it to the races due to some physical issues stemming from the dam. Damn that Storm Cat.

Also, you've been around long enough to know a horse can injure itself in a thousand different ways. They're a walking accident. It's a big assumption to say On Parade was side-lined due to any conformational issues related to Storm Cat. Thats something you just DONT KNOW. Dont assume.

Other than the afore mentioned Our Country Place line, a female family known for their SPEED, name a recent stakes winner that was by a stamina-laden stallion?

And for the record, if you're going to say how beautifully conformed a foal is from a photo, then I have quite a few that are for sale for you. They're cute as buttons! Promise!

[Rokeby Forever]

Who said On Parade had conformation issues stemming from Storm Cat? I wrote, "She ran 4 times in her career...but at least she broke her maiden. Are you going to tell me that patient Shug broke her down?" Where do you see any allude to Storm Cat and/or conformation? Maybe you shouldn't be so hasty to make assumptions - or maybe defend the indefensible. hehehe

I don't know what makes you think the Our Country Place line is known for speed. She was by Pleasant Colony (blazing speed?) and out of Maplejinsky, winner of the Alabama and Monmouth Oaks (blazing speed?). Country Hideaway (who made 21 starts) won the Bed O'Roses and placed in the Ruffian Handicap (blazing speed?). Boca Grande won the Demoiselle and is being pointed for NY's Triple Tiara...blazing speed? Fragile? Pleasant Home won the BC Distaff as a 4 year old....fragile? Speed?

If anything, the Grecian Banner line is more fragile. She raced only 6 times, Personal Ensign needed surgery early in her career, My Flag didn't race at four, and Storm Flag Flying had to make a comeback after being injured at three.

It's easy to name a recent stakes winner bred to a stamina-laden stallion - Storm Flag Flying has an AP Indy yearling. I don't think Shug is looking for it to sprint.

[Maven]

So, you're telling me when you say "... patient Shug broke her down", you're not alluding to some other factor? Dont insult my intelligence.

I referred to the Our Country Place LINE... which goes through Stick to Beauty. Some of the fastest horses of the last 50 years descend from this line. And my point of reference to that, is its the only line they're continually breeding stamina stallions to... for that very reason. All other families they have, are too stout excluding this one. Thanks for making my point.

I should also add its the last family the late Mr. Phipps bought into before his death. Our Country Place was a private purchase after failing a pre-sale physical examination for the Keeneland July Yearling Sale. She was scratched and sold privately to Mr. Phipps. As a glutton for soundness, dont curse the late great Phipps, Rok!

And the question posed was what stakes winner from the Phipps' barn is by a stamina stallion, that isnt from the Our Country Place line?

[Rokeby Forever]

Aha, I see you did some editing, you sneaky sneak. OK, let's address the latest:

"And the question posed was what stakes winner from the Phipps' barn is by a stamina stallion, that isnt from the Our Country Place line?"

Storm Cat is certainly a stamina stallion (Tabasco Cat, Cat Thief...), and My Flag doesn't come from the Our Country Place line, so Storm Flag Flying should answer your question. If not, how about Defer? Hidden Reserve isn't from the Our Country Place line, and Danzig has sired stamina like Danzig Connection and others. And, from the Phipps barn, Versailles Treaty isn't from the Our Country Place line and foaled Saarland, by Unbridled. No sprinter there, huh?

They aren't yet stakes winners, but Heavenly Prize has a 2 year old by El Prado and a yearling by Awesome Again. Heavenly Prize isn't from the Our Country Place line....and I don't think they're looking for speed. Do you?

You can bet that Dinny Phipps cares nothing for soundness like his father did. Inside Information has a yearling by Unbridled's Song.

[Maven]

The edit was for an atrocious spelling error... nothing else.

And since when is Storm Cat a stamina influence? In fact, weren't you saying any Storm Cat had no chance at a Classic distance in some bashing post and then Tabasco Cat was brought up by another? Might be wrong but regardless...

You can try to work it any way you want, but the only time Storm Cat and Danzig got true distance horses, is when they were bred to stout female families. Both Storm Cat examples you used were out of such.

And for the record, Versailles Treaty and Saarland are both owned and/or bred by Cynthia Phipps. She never bred under the Phipps Stable name, just that of herself. She also bought into that family, it wasnt one cultivated by her family or her father specifically.

As far as the El Prado and Awesome Again breedings, until they produce a stakes-winner, its a moot point on your end. They could be dogs for all we know. I hope they're champions. And for the record, Heavenly Prize's two best offspring-- a millionaire by Storm Cat and another Storm Cat son who was just shy of 500k. Not bad for a "pollutant".

Rip on Dinny if you feel compelled, but it was Mr. Phipps Sr. who bought into the Our Country Place line as well as the fragile (thanks for pointing it out) Grecian Banner line. Maybe its just time to admit, unfortunately, brilliance often goes hand in hand with unsoundness with this breed.

[Rokeby Forever]

Now, now Maven - you wrote, "the Phipps barn." You didn't write which Phipps had to own a certain horse, did you?

I believe I wrote that Storm Cat can be a stamina influence, except that it might take a Storm Cat four minutes to run 1 1/2 mile - something facetious like that.

Wouldn't you agree that Military could run all day and all night - he won the Oak Tree Turf, the Citation, and another stake at 11 furlongs. This Danzig son is out of Wavering Girl, who in her first start, broke Woodbine's 4 1/2 furlong track record and later became the Canadian 2 year old filly of the year. So, to write that Danzig needs a "stout" type filly to sire a distance type needs to be reexamined. I could probably think of some more, but I'm racking my brains with Phipps breds for the time being. LOL!

Unsoundness goes with unsoundness, not necessarily with brilliance, and vice versa - most commercially bred "race to breed" horses are bred to be unsound (cripple + cripple = cripple) and certain trainers could manage to break anything down, even if the horse is made out of Kryptonite.

Before Shug came along, remember how many horses Angel Penna broke down for the Phipps? He'd break them ALL down at two and then have them debut in a 1 1/8th mile dirt race or 1 1/4 mile grass race at three (or four). Horses like Fluorescent Light and Dance Number must have been made out of steel to survive that moron - too bad Time For A Change wasn't as fortunate. How did Phipps ever go from a GREAT horseman like John Russell to a numbskull like Penna, anyway? That idiot! Grrr!!!!!

[Maven]

I'll say it again, Cynthia Phipps doesnt race under the Phipps stable but i'll let that slide.

The question still stands, what stakes winners have been by stamina influences? Just come to the reality, their best runners have needed an infusion of speed.

And dont use Storm Cat as a stamina influence quip. That's ridiculous. Next you'll be telling me we should have all bred to Crafty Prospector if we wanted a Triple Crown contender. In absolutely no shade of reality is Storm Cat a stamina influence and i'll go on to say Danzig isnt either, although he sired more versatility, and its easier to go longer on turf.

Military was out of a Wavering Monarch, out of a His Majesty, out of a Nijinsky... just because she was fast at 2 doesnt mean she wasnt better at a mile or more. But that's semantics, there's an exception to every rule.

And "unsoundness goes with unsoundness"... um duh. Simple fact is, speed kills. The fastest of the fast TEND to be unsound. It's all about nurturing the horse. I'll use the Grey Sovereign line again. Probably the most exceptionally fast line we have today, and can sprint or route, but because they're so fast so early, they're pushed and problems pop up. But thats for a whole discussion on the morality of the industry...

[hpkingjr]

Maven:

Congrats on the win at Arlington.

As an aside on Our Country Place line, Mr. P has been inbred most successfully with Fappiano as one conduit and mostly with another son. The exception to that general rule is Gold Beauty. When she is a conduit, there have been 4 graded horses produced, three 1's and a 2.

They are: Shadow Cast, Pleasant Home, Elusive City and Country Hideaway. Your point was well taken and correct. High end speed and quality in abundance lives in the line.

[Maven]

They're truly a brilliant line. On a side note, you can still pick up fillies from this direct filly for abbreviated costs at sales. They tend to have questionable front ends that dont make them attractive to many buyers. Keep them together, and you have yourself a serious racehorse and/or broodmare.

And thank you. I hear we have a mutual acquaintance at Stonewall.

[kimberley mine]

For what it's worth, here is his conformation photo from the Claiborne website. It is rather small and looks rather distorted, but it does give an idea of how he's put together.



And for comparison here is his full brother Lion Hearted:



Lion Hearted looks more like your "typical" dirt Storm Cat to me, whereas Easing Along strikes me more as a grass horse type. Does anybody know if the group races his kids won in Argentina are on dirt or turf?

Edit to Add: The Premio Eliso Ramirez, won by his daughter Que Piensa Cat, is run at 1400m on turf.

[Rokeby Forever]

Maven...."It's all about nurturing the horse." Stop making excuses for the cripples that are bred today and the butchers that train them!

Speed kills? Gallant Bob was as fast as they come - he won a stake at 2 and made 77 starts in his career. My Juliet was a bullet, won a stake at 2, and made 36 starts. Smile was a bullet, won 4 stakes at 2, and made 27 starts. Groovy was a bullet, and even though he was completely mismanaged, he made 26 starts...running 2nd in the BC Sprint as a 4 year old after stupidly being entered in the KY Derby as a 3 year old. Housebuster won a stake at 2...gee, he didn't do much as a 3 and 4 year old, huh?

Seattle Slew won the Champagne in only his 3rd lifetime start. Honest Pleasure was a bullet two year old that almost beat Forego in the Marlboro Cup (after running 2nd in th KY Derby and being burned out in the Preakness). I could go on for 10 pages with names. Grrr!!!!!

The speedster you keep bringing up, Gold Beauty, didn't race at 2 and ran only 12 times in her career. Hmmm......

My favorite speed line of all time is the Olden Times/Full Pocket line. Those were fast horses! Oh, and Full Pocket won a stake at 2 and made 47 starts in his career.