Pedigree Query

He's moving to Pa., with a fee reduction to $5,000. Was wondering what the opinion is of him, and whether he'll work in a regional market.

Times are bleak at Overbrook.

Don't feel that sorry for them, they did it to themselves. They could have had Grand Slam and Hennessey as sires, but sold them.

he's a theif alright. he stole poor breeders money for 4 years!

In my experience, Overbrook will rook 'ya in a heartbeat.

Jump Start is the only thing they have going for them - I follow him pretty close and he has some very nice graded stakes horses picking up the pace in their breezes after freshening. I think we will be hearing from him this winter. Too bad they own him and/or manage him.

I suppose they are no different than so many other stud farms where greed rules.

I find it a bit ironic that the farm that stood Storm Cat could never find something good to replace him.

They dealt very squarely with me. They were up front and honest about Storm Cat's fertility, and allowed me to back out of the contract after 2 failed attempted covers. Ric seemed very decent.

Jump Start had only 5 starts before he fractured a leg. His best rag no. was an 8 1/4. He has offspring that already "retired" the same way Eight Belles did. My stallion ran 5.5f faster than Jump Start or Officer(who beat Jump Start). His 2 year olds at auction this year were down sharply from last year and his yearlings sold for less also. Hennessy died young and he had a sway back when he died. Selling him was a smart move. Cat Thief's average earnings per runner for his first crop is $73,573.(lifetime is $48,829.)so far which is not bad. His winners to runners is 74% and stakes winners is about average at 3%. He was a lot sounder than the average Storm Cat. So far his runners over 2 are averaging about 14 starts compared to Storm Cat's 11. With the right mares he might do better outside of Ky. Sound mares with good knees Mr. Prospector and In Reality or other good influences would help. The best horse Overbrook has is Pioneering. He has 8% stakes winners with average starts per runner of 20 and lifetime average earnings of $64,538. and 76% winners to runners winners to foals of 61% and starters to foals of 80%.

So you have a problem with Jump Start getting injured and having only 5 starts yet you sing Pioneering's praises, who managed 6 total starts, only two of which were wins with zero blacktype?

Is Pioneering a good stallion? Yes. But I find it funny you will slam young stallions who have yet to prove themselves for being brittle or having suffered an injury, yet you praise their older counterparts who have had the opportunity to prove themselves.

Someone took a gamble and made Pioneering who he is, and if this board was around back then, you'd be slandering them and calling them polluters of the gene pool.

a Jump Start filly ran at Suffolk last summer, Musical Start, and won a few allowances. She was very physically impressive. I think she shipped to Laurel and is running there.

At least with Cat Thief you have a stallion with thirty starts, a BC Classic winner, so there's both durability and class.

Bohemia,

I have two Cat Thief fillies. Both very different in attitude, size and training style. I really like them both. We have started the one, she is a real speedball and is Overbrook bred. The other filly we have waited on because she is so big bodied, but shows a lot of talent and the ability to run farther than the other. They are both very smart and like to train. They have been easy to break unlike some of the horror stories I have been told about other Storm Cats. They both are beautiful. I would have another...

Jump Start has remained in the top 5 Third Crop Sires all year long, with over $3.3 million in earnings in 2008. As a comparison, Street Cry, who is 2nd on the list has $3.9 million in earnings this year - his published fee is $100,000. In 2008, they have about the same number of foals, Jump Start has 50% more winners and they both have 10 stakes winners.

In the last 2 days, Sir Whimsey had the bullet work at Belmont and Copper State, 2nd to Ginger Punch in a Gr I race a few months back had the bullet at Keeneland. Mark Casse has a 2-year-old at Woodbine by the name of Stimulus Plan - a fast closing 3rd in a G3 on Oct 5th, missing by a length. He broke his maiden there in a msw by 8+ lengths. If you are interested in Jump Start, better put this horse in your stable mail.

I could go on, but I won't. So I like Jump Start - sue me.

I have noticed a pattern of Jump Starts being unable to "stay good" for very long. In my observations, they almost always bounce off of big efforts.

Jump Start has 3 full siblings. High Torque 5 starts 0 0 2 $9,380., Lasting Appeal 1 start 1 0 0 $25,800., Steady Prospect unraced. Jump Start had 5 starts 2 1 0 $221,265. and was the only one with any black type. His dam has one other by a son of A P Indy named Steady Course 7 starts 2 3 0 $93,405. If his dam was bred to a fast sound siring hard boned horse she might produce a good horse but Overbrook people do no learn from their mistakes. They just keep repeating them. Pioneering is not the best sire in the world but he is the best they have. He is 1/2 to Storm Cat and his dam Terlingua had 3 winners with 24 starts: SW CHAPEL OF DREAMS, Tijuana, and Provo. I did not "slam" Jump Start I just stated the facts. With the right mares he can produce some that stay sound but they might be carrying a recessive gene for fragile bones. Bold Start is doing OK soundness wise with 25 starts.

Ill-bred...Very interesting observation. Cable Boy seems to fit into that mold.