Closing Argument
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:03 pm
Had a chance to go to Sequel Stalions today and take a look at their lineup, which includes Closing Argument. If this horse is typical on looks as to what Successful Appeal is siring, no wonder SA gets runners. Very well balanced, powerful, athletic horse with a nice shoulder and hip and generally good legs -- I would like to see slightly larger feet but he doesn't have the really tiny ones you see on some of the Valid Appeals or Mr. Prospectors. I suspect he will throw back to a miler type as a sire unless he gets some bottom from his mares; despite his tremendous run in the Kentucky Derby, his build doesn't suggest a stayer and his pedigree certainly doesn't suggest a 10f horse. Suspect he got as far as he did on pure athleticism as well as heart. Stallion manager Declan Doyle told me he was already booked to 70 mares and they expect to have a full book of about 100 by Christmas.
I had been hearing for some time that Bwana Charlie was a real looker as well --IMO, at least, rumor was right. He is a very good-looking sprinter type, might be just a shade wide-chested and base-narrow in front, but I found him very attractive with good balance and minus the downhill build you sometimes see in sprinter types.
One Nice Cat was also an attractive horse, though I can't say he really had a strong "Storm Cat" look to him. (Wonder if he looks like his dam, Jewel Princess?) He did have the typical Storm Cat disposition, though; kept trying to bite his handler. Generally pretty good looking, both knees slightly offset with slight left toe out, pasterns slightly long and weak-looking for my taste, would have liked to see a little more bone.
Heckle has not been at the farm long and has yet to fill out. Even allowing for that, however, he seems a somewhat rangier type than the others -- probably the influence of broodmare sire Spectacular Bid, who is certainly present in his gray coat. He lists at 16.0 hands but looks a little smaller, probably because he has rather high withers and the stick is somewhat deceptive in that regard. He doesn't have as much of a dip to his topline as his sire Hennessy does but may well head in that direction as he gets older. Like One Nice Cat, he tends towards slightly long pasterns. He also appeared somewhat base narrow in front. Generally a nice looking horse, but I'd like to see a little more bone.
Sequel's a beautiful farm, by the way -- used to be Silverleaf a few years back.
I had been hearing for some time that Bwana Charlie was a real looker as well --IMO, at least, rumor was right. He is a very good-looking sprinter type, might be just a shade wide-chested and base-narrow in front, but I found him very attractive with good balance and minus the downhill build you sometimes see in sprinter types.
One Nice Cat was also an attractive horse, though I can't say he really had a strong "Storm Cat" look to him. (Wonder if he looks like his dam, Jewel Princess?) He did have the typical Storm Cat disposition, though; kept trying to bite his handler. Generally pretty good looking, both knees slightly offset with slight left toe out, pasterns slightly long and weak-looking for my taste, would have liked to see a little more bone.
Heckle has not been at the farm long and has yet to fill out. Even allowing for that, however, he seems a somewhat rangier type than the others -- probably the influence of broodmare sire Spectacular Bid, who is certainly present in his gray coat. He lists at 16.0 hands but looks a little smaller, probably because he has rather high withers and the stick is somewhat deceptive in that regard. He doesn't have as much of a dip to his topline as his sire Hennessy does but may well head in that direction as he gets older. Like One Nice Cat, he tends towards slightly long pasterns. He also appeared somewhat base narrow in front. Generally a nice looking horse, but I'd like to see a little more bone.
Sequel's a beautiful farm, by the way -- used to be Silverleaf a few years back.