Gossip on Successful Appeal

[FOS]

hi Pete

Hip #679, b.f. 2004 by Successful Appeal - Down South Truckin' brought $165,000 not an aggressive price considering the prices paid for others. Successful Appeal had some weak sales prices (2 or 3 @$6k or less) and I was surprised to be able to get hip #200 for $27k.

Successful Appeal seems to be in commercial decline unless he gets some help soon.

That said...respectfully Pete, would you imply that the following stallions seem to be in commercial decline unless they get some help soon?

A couple of examples from OBS April...

Hip #....Sales Price...Stallion

660......$15,000.....Aptitude
710......$14,000.....Holy Bull
789......$17,000.....Aptitude
826......$10,000.....Northern Afleet
828......$ 7,000.....Tale of the Cat
831......$26,000.....Grand Slam
882......$ 9,000.....Johannesburg

etc...etc...etc

Based on an advertised stud fee of $6,000 at the time that the 2-year-old in training (by Successful Appeal) that you referenced (above) was conceived...I suggest that $165,000 for a Successful Appeal sold at OBS April (which is NOT a select sale) is impressive...and that $6k or less (as you indicated) for a couple of other Successful Appeals, and relatively small sums paid for some Aptitudes or Tale of the Cats or Northern Afleets or Grand Slams etc etc etc (especially at a Non-Select sale) is not necessarily a cause for concern.

Hopefully you purchased a super-star Successful Appeal for $27k.

Best to you.

Respectfully

[Sysonby]

A 2 year old sale isn't really the place to assess the commercial appeal of a sire because pedigree is one of the last things considered by those buyers.

At the same sale

38/ Concerto colt $225,000
43/ Suave Prospect filly $140,000
237/ West Acre colt $150,000
295/ Prospector's Music filly $112,000
678/Lemon Drop Kid colt $115,000
719/Double Honor filly $170,000

This is the sale where Songandaprayer outsold Storm Cat. Also Holy Bull should be off your list because he sold at least 2 or 3 in the 6 figure range besides the one that was highlighted.

[FOS]

hi Sysonby

Another important bit of info that might be worthy of consideration is that Successful Appeal's Florida crops are miniscule, as compared to many (if not most) other sires. Even his 2-yo crop of 2005 (per TB Times) numbers a mere 32 named foals.

As has been well documented, Successful Appeal has his breeding issues.

Best to you.

Respectfully

[Pete]

Hi FOS,

I respect your opinions that you present clearly and with passion but I can't agree with your arguments made (in the last 2 posts) regarding Successful Appeal. You touted him very early as a freshman sire and I understand that you like him, but you, better than most, should understand that commercial appeal isn't always an accurate measure of a stallions’ value.

Clearly I'm not attacking Successful Appeal and I’ll leverage his sales weakness by purchasing his foals that I like but it's apparent that buyers are losing interest in him. Sysonby correctly points out what’s always been true in 2yo sales, the individual supercedes the sire. There's no comparison to be made with other stallions that show some weak prices because that's to be expected with specific individuals. Successful Appeal prices were lackluster across the board at this sale. His truly superior filly (hip #679) did sell for $165,000 but I’d say that she wasn’t as well sold as many others; as an example she was superior to a Red Bullet, hip #88, who sold for $175k. The rest of his prices were $27k (my colt), $17k $16k, $6k and buybacks at $30k, $22k, $5k and at any stud fee that’s unprofitable and most of these prices are well below his current fee of $25,000. A full third (4) of his foals were outs and that might indicate that sellers saw the handwriting on the wall.

Successful Appeal hasn’t had large crops but they’re not miniscule except perhaps in comparison to Coolmore stallions. The Jockey Club lists his foal numbers as; 2002-45, 2003-36, 2004-45, and 2005-61 (with a considerable number of live reports due). I’m not arguing either his numbers or actual siring success because he’s done enough to command respect but we both know that commercial success is measured in the sales ring.

Regards,

Pete

[FOS]

hi Pete

Bottom line is that Successful Appeal still amazes me to the extent that most of the mares he was bred to were what I might refer to as a cut or two (or even three ) below...OUCH

I have no dog in the fight, but I do believe that 11% stakes winners from named foals (per TB Times) is quite an accomplishment All Things Considered, and that Successful Appeal did it with little or no help whatsoever.

I still believe he is a wonderful young sire with a very bright future...and I believe it's important once again to note that his stud fee in Florida never exceeded $6,000; and that many (if not most) paid less, often much less.

His breeding issues (for one) have arguably stifled his opportunities, but I expect that his move to Kentucky was a wise one...and he will receive opportunities unlike ever before.

As always, I appreciate your thoughts and insights.

Best to you, and I hope your SA 2-year-old makes some serious noise.

Respectfully

[Pete]

Hi FOS,

Thanks for the kind wishes. The Successful Appeal I bought for a client last year is named Silent Success and he's at Belmont Park with a 3rd and 4th in his last 2 starts (considerable problems in his last). I think he'll win soon.

The new one isn't a classic mover but he goes well enough, with enthusiasm and I think we can improve on him. Physically he doesn't have any serious faults but he's not a beauty either. He'll look good enough in the winners circle.

I was tickled when a Slew City Slew sold for $200,000 at this sale, some well deserved respect for a solid sire. Hopefully Successful Appeal will start to light it up again but I hope he waits till I've gotten all of them that I can use.

Sweetsouthernsaint is making some noise too and I get the feeling that his best is yet to come. Similar to Successful Appeal, he had modest size crops from weak mares but he's stamping his get with a long ground eating stride. They sold well enough and I'd have liked #174 if I could have gotten him.

Regards,

Pete

[FOS]

hi Pete

I was tickled when a Slew City Slew sold for $200,000 at this sale, some well deserved respect for a solid sire.

I agree...he's been under-appreciated but obviously some are waking up to him.

Hopefully Successful Appeal will start to light it up again but I hope he waits till I've gotten all of them that I can use.

He can get an early explosive-type of racehorse so I expect some fireworks could happen at anytime. That said, I just read that of the 12 two-year-old races that were run this April at Keeneland, only two sires had two winners each...Successful Appeal had two Keeneland winners, as did Forestry.

Sweetsouthernsaint is making some noise too and I get the feeling that his best is yet to come. Similar to Successful Appeal, he had modest size crops from weak mares but he's stamping his get with a long ground eating stride.

I've been watching Sweetsouthernsaint out of the corner of my eye for some time...and (as you might recall) sense that he is the only son of Saint Ballado (with horses of racing age) worthy of watching closely. He's obviously now got what appears to be a very nice horse in Sweetnorthernsaint...

...as a result of his recent exploits, there is a BIG play (as you might imagine) from a major Ky facility for Sweetsouthernsaint, right now. Mr Plumley is, supposedly, not particularly kean on the idea at this moment, but I expect that enough money (and/or just the right deal) might change things. Ocala Stud would have something to say about the matter also, but I expect that all things will be considered and what the owners believe is an appropriate decision will be made.

Best to you.

Respectfully

[Pete]

Howdy FOS,

I think that we both hope that deserving stallions get the respect that they've earned because it's a testament to any stallion that can get quality runners.

Matty G got the graded 2yo SW Deputy G from his first KY crop and it didn't help him at all. His mature runner numbers are good and his graded SW % is solid. He gets 2yo winners and stakes horses too.

I agree that Successful Appeal has more potential to get an impacting 2yo (explosive) and he has larger FL crops than Matty had. Hopefully it will maintain him until his KY crops make their impact.

Saint Ballado stamped his get and that coupled with their racing success made him a sales favorite. Sweetsouthernsaint wasn't the most promising of his sons to enter stud but he clearly is now. His AWD is @7.5f and his first crop is only 4 now so they're getting distance. He's had a Derby (type) horse in each of his first 2 crops (General John B. last year). His mare base (to this point has been weak) though to be fair Sweetnorthernsaint's dam, Ice Beauty, is a proven stakes producer from a fast emerging family, certainly better than ordinary.

Sweetsouthernsaint may already have a ticket to KY (if desired) but the continued success of SNSaint and or the emergence of another quality performer should make for an interesting year for his connections.

Regards,

Pete