First Crop Stallions of 2008

[Curlin]

I selected some of the most promising sires of 2008 for the list below. Interesting that 4 of the 12 listed below are outcrosses. Also interesting is that only ONE is by Storm Cat (actually Tale of the Cat), and there's some much-needed variety (Roberto, Blushing Groom, Bold Ruler, Mr P).

Louis, I particularly want your comments!

Action This Day (Kris S) - Roberto*
Birdstone (Grindstone) - Mr Prospector / Fappiano*
Candy Ride (Ride the Rails) - Mr Prospector / Fappiano
Champali (Glitterman) - Bold Ruler
Chapel Royal (Montbrook) - Buckpasser
Congaree (Arazi) - Blushing Groom
Johar (Gone West) - Mr Prospector (Rasmussen factor x2 through Somethingroyal and Mixed Marriage)
Lion Heart (Tale of the Cat) - Northern Dancer / Storm Cat
Medaglia D'Oro (El Prado) - Northern Dancer / Sadler's Wells*
Peace Rules (Jules) - Mr Prospector / Forty Niner
Pleasantly Perfect (Pleasant Colony) - Ribot*
Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality) - Mr Prospector / Gone West

*Outcross through 5 gens

Anyone got a Roar or Sea Hero mare to breed to Smarty for that Rasmussen to Glowing Tribute?

Or a Grindstone mare (Birdstone?) to go to Medaglia D'oro for Rasmussen to Caps & Bells?

[FOS]

hi Curlin

I've seen a number of Medaglia D'Oros.

The overall impression I am left with is that they (at least the ones I've seen) were a hulky (if you will), somewhat unathletic-looking group.

For what it's worth, I felt more like I was looking at heavyweight weightlifters...than world-class runners (regardless the distance).

I didn't see a one (not a one) that was what I might refer to as a fluid cat-like mover...and, I saw front ends/knees that (for the most part) left me chilly.

Who knows though...maybe they'll make racehorses.

Respectfully

[Curlin]

I'm particularly curious as to how Action This Day's offspring will turn out, since he's an outcross with lots of distance in his pedigree. He did, however, only win 1 major race before tailing off.

Thanks for the insight FOS. I haven't seen any of his offspring, but from what I've gathered, they've been selling well and fetching good prices. Maybe buyers are just being optimistic, who knows?

[Sam]

An exceptionally uninspiring crop of first year stallions.....

[dray33]

I am very into CANDY RIDE. I believe. Of the others on the list, I'll be watching Smarty Jones, Lion Heart, and Medaglia D'Oro closely. Action this day is interesting too.

[Sam]

I am very into CANDY RIDE. I believe. Of the others on the list, I'll be watching Smarty Jones, Lion Heart, and Medaglia D'Oro closely. Action this day is interesting too.

There are a few that I'm watching just because I'm curious to see how they do. Action This Day and Strategic Partner obviously, but also Scrimshaw, Tapit, Marino Marini, Perfect Soul and Seattle Fitz. Cetewayo only because I think he's one of, if not the last, His Majestys?

On the whole, nothing really excites me. Nothing screams "Major 2yo sire" to me right now. This might be one of those years where the leading freshman sire comes from a regional market, not KY. Peace Rules, maybe?

[dray33]

Yeah, FITZ and SOUL are two others I cant wait to see.

[Curlin]

There are a few that I'm watching just because I'm curious to see how they do. Action This Day and Strategic Partner obviously, but also Scrimshaw, Tapit, Marino Marini, Perfect Soul and Seattle Fitz. Cetewayo only because I think he's one of, if not the last, His Majestys?

On the whole, nothing really excites me. Nothing screams "Major 2yo sire" to me right now. This might be one of those years where the leading freshman sire comes from a regional market, not KY. Peace Rules, maybe?

Seems a lot on the list are sires that may 'come of age' later, as Dynaformer did, for example. And I forgot about Tapit, who would be a good fit with Relaunch mares (that Rasmussen Factor again, through Foggy Note).

Cetewayo is off the top of my head the last of the His Majestys, and I won't count Pleasantly Perfect, whose grandsire is His Majesty. Nice to see that Ribot line continue.

[Curlin]

Sam,

Re: about any of them being precocious, 5 won graded stakes as 2 year olds, but not early in the season and all the stakes were 7F or longer:

Champali (Iroquois)
Peace Rules (Generous)
Action this Day (BC Juvenile)
Birdstone (Champagne)
Lion Heart (Hollywood Futurity, Hollywood Prevue)

Smarty Jones won the PA Nursery, 7F, ungraded.

So as far as precocity is concerned, my best crystal ball prediction is that some of these will be more like Harlan's Holiday and less like Posse, to reference two of last year's first croppers.

[AscotStud]

The biggest flop that I see on that list is Action This Day. I have a hard time thinking he will make it based on 1 race that I used as a toss out when evaluating the field in their future races. He was an allowance horse at best in the rest of his career.
A trend started that day and I jumped on it after the juvenile and was able to salvage the day.
Congaree is a horse whose foals I am really curious to see, Adena was very selective with his first book, he was a dam fine race horse. If he doesn't pass on his front legs, he's got to get some runners.
Interestingly enough the trend I noticed on that BC day got me off Congaree and on Pleasantly Perfect.

[Ill-bred]

On race record, Action This Day could appear phony, but I am hearing some good reports. There was a nice Action This Day colt in the OBS Feb sale that got snapped up privately BEFORE the breeze show. Must have been a looker.

And I've already heard reference to a couple other nice ATDs that we'll be seeing later this year.

Anyway, Lion Heart is my pick for freshman sire.

I like this group better than last year's.

[Tappiano]

I'm ready for Strong Hope's first crop to debut.

[Derby2004]

My two favorites are Cuvee and Friends Lake. Chapel Royal is on my list to flop. But withh 200 2yos, kinda hard to do. My sleeper is Canadian Frontier

[rubicon1967]

im keeping my fingers crossed for friends lake. i saw a few at keeneland last september and he stamped them well. mind u i might be biassed since i have a friends lake yearling, out of my mare halo my cat, whose a bit of a looker. looks like FL had another head turner at ocala breeze up that went for plenty.

patrick

[Sam]

Re: about any of them being precocious, 5 won graded stakes as 2 year olds, but not early in the season and all the stakes were 7F or longer:

I didn't say anything about them being precocious. I said none of them looked to be flashing neon "Major 2yo SIRE" signs. SIRE. Not runner. Just because the stallion may be quick at two, that doesn't automatically mean his foals will be. The reverse is also true. I know more than a few were surprised at the Includes.