Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Pedigree matching’ Category

Part 2: The other daughters of Romola Hal

Posted in Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding, tagged , , , , on April 7, 2016| 5 Comments »

Romola Hal, like Golden Miss, Spinster, Arpege, and other great foundation mares of the modern era, act like a massive waterfall at a point when a river needs extra energy to carry its quality and volume further downstream. These mares and the sires they clicked with create the deep pool at the base of the waterfall, from which a freshly renewed river and many tributaries flow.

Romola Hal

Romola Hanover with John Simpson snr at Du Quoin in the late 1950s

In most modern pedigrees, Romola Hal will sit 6 to 9 generations removed, but her legacy is so strong that many branches of her line are able to kick up not just good performers but outstanding performers at regular intervals. Some branches do this more often, and at different times. Some have eventually become streams that dry up for long periods of time, as you see the sire choice become more affordable but less able to contribute new energy.

The Romola Hanover branch has been the strongest in recent years, particularly through the outstanding Rodine Hanover. But there is a wealth of other Romola Hal influences worth tracking in maternal lines, and this blog looks at her lesser known daughters.

Apart from Romola Hanover (1957), Romola Hal had 4 daughters of significance – all by Tar Heel. Ritzy Hanover (1959), Romantic Hanover (1960), Rochelle Hanover (1961), and Rotate (1962).

Ritzy Hanover

Ritzy Hanover

Newspaper article about Ritzy Hanover seeking her 8th win

Ritzy Hanover (photo here, originally in Harness Horse) was the only one to really shine on the track as a 2 and 3yo. Here’s a newspaper article about her chasing her 8th win in the Lady Maud (The Evening News, 7 May 1962) and she ended up retiring with a very tidy $127,550 in stakes. Ritzy Hanover had 14 foals for 10 winners (2 in 1.57). Her descendant line is extensive but her sons appear to have been more stamina types than speed horses and they accumulated wins over time (the best being Albatross colt Rhulen Hanover who got 16 wins, $227,802 and a 1.56.2 mark). Her daughters included Ricki Hanover (by Best Of All) who was a good broodmare and dam of Rampage Hanover (by Albatross, $367,531). A daughter of Ricki Hanover, Ripreza Hanover, is the dam of the very good mare Feeling You (by Cambest, $1,028,496) and the good mare Biggest Big Bertha (by Little Steven, $284,794). Yet another daughter of Ricki Hanover is Rapunzel Hanover who was also a consistent broodmare without yet producing a standout.

Ritzy Hanover had another branch worth noting – from her daughter Rio Rita Hanover. She did nothing on the track but has produced her own successful branch through her daughter Rilda Hanover (by Best Of All). That success traces through Rilda Hanover’s Meadow Skipper daughter Rashina, whose line has turned up some very good performers including the classy 1986 mare Windy Answer (by Storm Damage, $531,645)  – you can trace her line down on Classic Families here.

But to date Feeling You is the standout from the Ritzy Hanover branch of the Romola Hal line, and it will be interesting to see how she does as a broodmare herself. 

I spotted a female descendant of Rilda Hanover called Ciggs CA who was imported to Australia around 2007 and bred from by Cold Mountain Stud for two Camelot Hall  foals, but little result in terms of racing sucess. The filly foal, named Cammys Reign,  has since been bred by a MR Cuthbert in NSW for a 2014 colt by Always A Virgin, yet to be registered.  I can find no sign of any other descendants from Ritzy Hanover in the Australian and New Zealand harness racing databases. But let me know if I’ve missed one!

Romantic Hanover

Five daughters show up in the Classic Families page for Romantic Hanover – there may have been others but these are the only ones that have performed or left performers at the “classic” level – two by Overtrick (Rachel Lobell and Rebecca Lobell), two by Adios Vic (Roberta Lobell and Truck Stop Rosie), and one by Most Happy Fella (Romaine Dancer).

If you are judging the line on performance, Classic Families is a great way to get a snapshot of what branches are throwing a very good performer to two in each generation.

The longest continuing branches of quality from Romantic Hanover are Rachel Lobell (specifically through her Adios Butler daughter Romantic Butler), and, even more so, Romaine Dancer.

There is also a branch descending from Truck Stop Rosie who had a well-performed daughter Colour And Light (by Nero, $303,637). Colour And Light’s daughter Cheryl Hanover (by Big Towner, $243,943) is continuing that form with modern sires – she had a good Western Terror son Lord Terror (1:51.2US $363,095) and an Art Major grandson Whiskey Pete (1:48.4US $410,866) both born in 2007, and an Artsplace daughter Cheryl’s Place produced the tough raceway multiple winning mare Gabrielles Girl.

She Has Passion's yearling colt 2016

She Has Passion yearling colt sold for $20,000 in 2016. Photo: Jodie Hallows

A half sister to Cheryl Hanover called Purple Passion did okay as a 3yo and her one and only foal, a daughter called She Has Passion (by Laag, 16 wins, $38,347) was imported to Australia. A grey colt yearling by Betterthancheddar from She Has Passion was sold by KTC Bloodstock at the Perth yearling sales in February 2016 for $20,000. A Sportswriter 3yo gelding called Backpage Screamer from the mare has had 1 win and 3 places to date – current breeders are listed as K T Charles, K J F Charles, A G Charles, WA, i.e. KTC Bloodstock. Interestingly the Australian Harness online pedigree page for this family doesn’t take the maternal line further back than Truck Stop Rosie, so the connection to Romola Hal is not obvious, but it is Romola Hal>Romantic Hanover>Truck Stop Rosie>Colour And Light>Purple Passion>She Has Passion.

Romaine Dancer’s daughters have not been consistent, but there are high earners and classy horses scattered through daughters, grand-daughters and great-grand-daughters. The “Keystone” moniker is prominent, and to be honest I am not sure how that started, presumably with horse racing and breeding around the Keystone township, which once thrived as a racing centre, but there may well be a more modern story. Let me mention a few names from Romaine Dancer’s branch – her son, the 1985 colt Keystone Raider (by Big Towner,  1:51.1US $946,914) who went on to have a great siring career based in Michigan, including two millionaire sons. The following tribute was posted by USTA in October 2005:

Keystone Raider

Keystone Raider

Keystone Raider, 20, died earlier this month of complications from injuries suffered in an August paddock fall.The son of Big Towner raced for five seasons, amassing earnings of $946,914, and taking a 1:51.1 mark as a 4-year-old. He retired to a stallion career that made him one of Michigan’s greatest sires. His 774 starts earned in excess of $34.7 million, led by millionaire Rair Earth p,1:49.3s, and fellow sub-1:50 pacers Midnight Jewel p,1:49.1 ($666,723) and Fearless Raider p,1:49 ($663,120). In all, he sired 101 $100,000 winners, six in sub-1:50 and 135 in 1:55 or better.

There is also Keystone Rodeo (by Western Hanover, 1:51.0US $725,180) from her daughter Keystone Romance, and some very good performers from the line of another daughter called Leap Year Romance (by Keystone Ore).  She has two top performing sons: Keystone Luther (by Abatross, 1:52.1US $614,717) and Keystone Romeo (also by Albatross, 1:51.2US $704,412), as well as a grandson called Next Flight (by Shotgun Scott, 1:50.0US $895,406).  But there appears to be no current top performers from this line – yet. 

I want to come back now to the Rachel Lobell/Romantic Butler branch of Romantic Hanover’s family, as this is where we have many New Zealand connections and several that have spilled over to Australia.

It all comes down to a daughter of Romantic Butler mare called Romantic by No Nukes. As I mentioned earlier, Classic Families includes two separate filly foals from Romantic Butler – Romantic (b1988) and Romantic II (b1987). But these are one and the same mare, and I understand that the “II” was added when she was imported and registered in New Zealand as there was already another horse called Romantic here.

Romantic II was brought from America to New Zealand by Sir Roy McKenzie with Roymark at foot and in foal to Precious Bunny. She went on to breed another 11 foals here. Roymark (by Tyler’s Mark, $122,461) and Precious Romance (by Precious Bunny, $62,013) were the best performers by far, and the sprawling family has left less of a footprint here than might have been expected. Only two of her several fillies have done anything in the breeding barn – Rachel Romance and Dreamy Romance.

Rachel Romance (by Camtastic, unraced) is the dam of the tough Courage Under Fire campaigner Beyond The Silence (9 wins, Lt $116,846 to date). Two daughters of Rachel Romance went to Australia and now have foals – Sly Romance and Xplosive Romance. Sly Romance is a Sands A Flyin mare bred by Burbeck Harness Bl’Stk Ltd., and of course that sire traces back to Romola Hal in his pedigree via her daughter Rochelle Hanover (see below). Sly Romance has just one foal to date, a 4yo filly bred by N Van Der Snoek in Western Australia that raced once as a 2yo and not sighted since. Xplosive Romance also has just one filly born in 2009 after missing twice, but that foal never made it to the races. Another daughter of Rachel Romance is the Christian Cullen mare Romanticully, who has a 3yo Art Official colt and a 2yo Art Major colt bred by Malcolm Shinn (both linking back to Romola Hal via Art Major’s maternal line), and a yearling Big Jim colt bred by Lynda Hebberd who now owns the mare. She’s back in foal to Betterthancheddar which will bring a 3×3 to Camtastic. I’d love to find out more about these.

The only other filly from Romantic II that has kicked on in the breeding barn is Dreamy Romance. She was an unraced mare taken in by

Dreamy Romance and her Big Jim filly foal at Macca Lodge

Dreamy Romance and her Big Jim filly foal at Macca Lodge

Bill Keeler when Sir Roy McKenzie had a dispersal sale. After breeding 5 foals, Bill Keeler put the mare back in a mixed and broodmare sale, and that’s when I bought her. She’s left big types so far but as they strengthen (with trainer Kirsten Barclay) they are producing some nice wins Rainbow Romance (by Knight Rainbow (4 wins, $24,882, now sold to North America), and My Rona Gold (by Klondike Kid, 2 wins, Lt $10,665 to date), and a 3yo filly by American Ideal which Kirsten likes but is not hurrying. I’ve bred a lovely looking Big Jim filly, and the mare is back in foal to Mr Feelgood. Read more about Dreamy Romance in the blog I wrote back in October 2014 and I will say a bit more about the Mr Feelgood decision in a later part of this series, when I cover some of the current breeders.

Rochelle Hanover

At first glance on Classic Families, Rochelle Hanover’s line appears ordinary. Her daughters didn’t stand out as racers and the best of her foals was the Albatross colt Rockwell Hanover ($197,520). But as you click through the descendants there are some top class horses poking up every generation or so, and the strongest and widest branch descends from her Torpid daughter Ribbon Hanover, and her daughter Richelle Hanover.

It is way too extensive to cover in text here, when you can unfold it on Classic Families as the tree.

Richelle Hanover was by Dancer Hanover, a son of The Old Maid and Adios – what a potent mix. Her daughter Misty Raquel (by Meadow Skipper) won $484,463 and was a top class, tough type adding the Jugette as a 3yo and the Lady Maud to her credentials of eventually 48 wins.

One of Misty Raquel’s 14 foals was Misty Bretta. In New Zealand we know her best as the dam of Sands A Flyin ($481,436) who was a significant sire in New Zealand for many years, but she also produced David’s Day ($383,092), Ringaleevio ($265,567), and Beach Bretta ($251,960). 

Of particular interest are Misty Bretta’s two daughters Celerity (by No Nukes) and Myriad (by Niatross) – they are half sisters to Sands A Flyin, and both have had descendants downunder. An Artsplace daughter of Celerity, Lil Sweet Art, was imported to New Zealand and bred from by the late Dave Carvill and bred from with B T Mackie and M W Hamilton. Her first foal was a Falcon Seelster filly called All My Art who achieved 2 wins and 6 places from 23 starts. She’s gone on to be a great if difficult producer with several of her foals ending up racing

Ohoka Nevada winning Barastoc Cup

8yo Ohoka Nevada winning Barastoc Cup in 2011

with success in Australia – Ohoka Du Nord (by Bella’s Boy, 1:52.7 $200,760) and Ohoka Nevada (by Sands A Flyin, 1:51.0 $505,757) were her first two foals, and her third was Ohoka Squire (by Christian Cullen) who is still racing around Pinjarra and Gloucester Park this season with 30 wins and 34 places and $140,550 to date. Her fourth foal was Millwood Liberty, again racing in Australia with a lot of success (1:51.7, $199,459, 18 wins to date).

While there have been others bred from daughters of Lil Sweet Art, it is only the All My Art line that has fired to date. All My Art is now being bred by Katie Carville and B T Mackie, and after not getting in foal to American Ideal twice, now has a Christian Cullen filly at foot and was served this season by Art Major.

If you view the Romola Hal family in its deepest context, as a branch of the Miss Duvall (U7) family, you can see some possible “Romola Hal” or “Miss Duvall” angles on some past and present sire choices, but equally ones that are not. I hope Katie Carville might be able to throw some light on this in future blogs.

Myriad’s connection here is much more limited – a Jate Lobell son called Raleigh Road was imported and raced here by Sir Roy McKenzie for 40 starts, 4 wins and 4 places.

Although the Misty Raquel branch is probably the most well known here, there are some other stunning performers dotted through through Richelle Hanover’s line and through the generations of other descendants of Rochelle Hanover. Just to mention a few: See You At Peelers (by Bettor’s Delight, 1:49.2US, $1,573,260), Robust Hanover (by Warm Breeze, 1:52.2, $1,613,667), Chairmanoftheboard (by Meadow Skipper,  $1,341,823), Elusive Prey (by Western Hanover, 1:51.2, $802,706), Speed Again (by Dragon Again, 1:48.1, $882,296), Capital Request (by Life Sign, 1:49.2, $753,204), Mystic Desire (by Real Desire,1:50.0, $786,009), Fridaynightflight (by Panspacificflight, 1:51.3, $617,495), the mare Bunny Lake (by Precious Bunny, 1:49.0, $2,843,476) and her two sons Bestofbest Hanover (1:48.4, $586,041) and Tobago Cays (1:50.0, $818,272), plus a more recent one – the current 3yo Angel or Terror (by Western Terror, 1:53.1,$103,001), the winner of the USA Arden Downs Stakes for 2yo fillies in the previous season.

Chairmanoftheboard, a very well performed grandson of Richelle Hanover, was available in New Zealand as a sire for just two seasons, for 79 live foals but his legacy is minor. Read NY Times article about Chairmanoftheboard beating Falcon Seelster in the $600,000 Cane Pace in 1985. Update: 6 April 2016 trials – almost as I was writing this blog, a 2yo filly called Toppatherock from Sharn’s Delight (daughter of Sharn, possibly Chairmanoftheboard’s best filly in NZ) qualified – results.

Again you can find a few double ups in that lot I’ve listed above, not just Panspacificflight (who shares a very similar maternal line with Art Major), and Precious Bunny who brings in Romola Hal’s son Romeo Hanover as a sire on the bottom maternal line, but also Life Sign whose maternal line goes to K Nora and right back to Miss Duvall.

Rotate

Romola Hal’s 1962 daughter Rotate is a bit of a revelation. She sneaks under the radar, I think, because it takes a few generations to see which branch of a line is going to keep up the momentum, which river is going to keep flowing on even if sometimes it eddies and braids along the way.

In Rotate’s case, it is her Overtrick daughter Revolve who has ensured this branch has flourished overall, and is still tossing up some excellent performers from a wide range of its offshoots into the current day. Remarkably she has 18 foals and 14 of those were winners. Seven of her 18 foals meet the criteria themselves or through their own descendants to be included in the Classic Families database.

Just looking at some of the best of her descendants that were born from year 2000 onwards – Fancy Filly (by Western Hanover, 1:49.4, $1,080,806), Serious Comfort (by Serious Bunny, $622,468), Top Gear (by Real Desire, 1:50.0, $549,771), Adventure Bound (by Camluck, 1:49.2, $519,434), Native Bride (by Allamerican Native, 1:50.0, $707,493), Big Deal (by McArdle, 1:49.1, $818,544) and her half sister Galimony (by Artiscape, 1:52.4, $485,913), Coffee Addict (by Dragon Again, 1:51.1, $424,303) and her brother Mudslide (1:50.0US $242,399), as well as their dam’s half brother Something for Doc (by Western Hanover, 1:50.0,$619,972), St Lads Kingpin (by Million Dollar Cam, 1:50.0, $443,671), Itrustyou (by Third Straight, 1:48.2, $747,033), Rafferty Hanover (by Western Ideal, 1:51.3, $379,728) and Restive Hanover (by The Panderosa, 1:51.4, $941,971).

And that’s just most of the top ones racing during that period – there are many more with stakes $100,000+.

I can find nothing that descends from Rotate breeding on in Australia or New Zealand – with the exception of  Rotate’s 1965 Dancer Hanover son Rite Retort who was imported to Australia as a sire and had 163 foals from 1977 to 1983 for 31 starters and 24 winners. The database credits one of them as winning over $70,000 which got me quite excited – but checking the horse’s performances I think it’s a data entry error and should be corrected to just over $7000. Very little worth noting seems to have come from this sire in spite of his lovely breeding.

If I have missed a descendant of significance here, please let me know – and also if I have got something wrong. It is easy to lose yourself in the tributaries of this mighty river!

Next time: a quick recap on Romola Hanover’s legacy – and then we will start to talk with some of the breeders of the family in this part of the world.

Read Full Post »

Then three years later…

Posted in Harness racing, Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding on March 30, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Dior Mia Amore, the Australian-bred Tintin In America filly I featured almost exactly 3 years ago in a blog, hit the track at Pinjarra on Monday and won easily in a near track record time. Replay here,  Nevele R news story here

I don’t want to bore you with Tintin progeny stories, but I am damn proud of him! Especially when, as I’ve covered often, it is so hard for new sires to get some traction – whatever the price they are set at.

I Am Special, the dam of Dior Mia Amore, was a good Live Or Die mare. Live Or Die is one of the damsires I have suggested would suit Tintin, having  Shadow Wave twice in his sire’s pedigree, and Spinster twice in his dam’s pedigree. And I Am Special has a nicely constructed maternal line herself. Since going to Tintin In America she has gone “up in the world” with her next foals being by Art Major and Bettor’s Delight. Still, Tintin’s filly foal is holding her own right from the start, with one start for one win – and obviously a real turn of speed.

Tip o’ the hat to Brett Coffey, the breeder.

Read Full Post »

Rumour has it

Posted in Harness racing, Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding, tagged , , on March 28, 2016| 3 Comments »

In a recent blog following the yearling sales, I made this comment about the mixed/cool reception Rock N Roll Heaven received this year as a sire:

Rock N Roll Heaven was in favour at first, but now there is word around that some of his foals can be hard to gait. He was dropped in a big way at these NZ sales.

A couple of trainers mentioned that Mark Purdon had some that didn’t gait well, and so he wasn’t buying them/didn’t like them. That may be true, and it is his prerogative. I haven’t spoken to him yet. And there may well have been other trainers experiencing a similar thing.

What intrigues me is that a possibly off-hand remark by one person or a few people can become so influential in a sire’s early career, whereas it may be valid personal experience of a small number of his progeny, and in a context that is quickly lost in the retelling. It’s been the same for many a sire – Sundons are mad, Art Majors don’t want to be there, Mach Threes don’t have heart, Somebeachsomewheres are highly strung and hard to gait, Rocknroll Hanovers bash their knees, and so on. With luck and time, the “pudding” is eaten and a reputation is made based on more solid ground and more foals and racehorses and winners. Sometimes there is an element of truth – that sires can leave certain traits in a percentage of their foals. You want the good traits like conformation and speed to be in a higher percentage of foals, i.e. that a sire “stamps” his progeny with some traits that are consistent and favourable, and these make up for other traits that are perhaps less endearing in some of his foals!

All wasn’t doom and gloom for the “Heaven” yearlings at the New Zealand yearling sales – a total of 9 were offered, 7 were sold and 2 passed in for the same reserve of $20,000. So the average of ones sold by auction was $17,500. The highest price was $25,000 for my own filly from Zenterfold, bought by Merv and Meg Butterworth (strictly speaking this one was bought by Merv Butterworth when his wife wasn’t looking!). The Butterworths also bought a “Heaven” filly in the Christchurch sale for $17,000.

I can only speak for my one, but she’s been left in the care of Tony Herlihy, who reports she broke in well, gaits well and is bowling around nicely.

Benecio, the Australian bred Rock N Roll Heaven x Miss Brazillian, trained by Purdon/Rasmussen in New Zealand.

Benecio, the Australian bred Rock N Roll Heaven x Miss Brazillian, trained by Purdon/Rasmussen in New Zealand.

And at the race meeting on Easter Saturday at Addington, I noted the Purdon/Rasmussen team had two starters in race 2 by Rock N Roll Heaven – the winner Mackenzie, a 3yo filly, (formline now 8 starts, 3 wins, 3 places) and the third placegetter 3yo gelding Benicio (formline now 7 starts, 3 wins, 3 places). A couple of races later,  they got another win with Rock N Roll Heaven 3yo gelding Heaven Rocks, which gives him a 2 starts, 2 wins record. Today at Motukarara on the grass track, Cran Dalgety lined up his very talented Rock N Roll Heaven gelding Alpha Rock for another win (so far 6 starts, 5 wins, 1 place) off a very awkward draw, but what a talented young horse from a lovely family (dam Sparks A Flyin).

And here’s a comment from trainer Greg Hope about talented filly Emily Blunt (breeder Pat Laboyrie):

She is a lovely gaited filly but is also one of those fillies that lifts bigtime off the place on raceday. The other thing that has really pleased me all the way through with her is she has never stopped improving the whole time.

In New Zealand, “Heaven” has 60 registered foals of racing age showing on the HRNZ database, for 28 qualifiers (fractionally under 50%), 22 starters and 14 winners (23%), and 7 of those winners have had 3 or more wins. For small numbers and an oldest crop of just 3yos, Rock N Roll Heaven is tracking well.

His Australian stats seem to be proportionately about the same so far, with 88 starters and 44 winners. He was rated 2015 Australian leading first crop sire & 2nd Aust. 2yo sire. But although he can leave precocious types, those startlingly natural 2yos that show up in the top babies’ races, it is as 3yos and older that his foals will shine – as is the case with almost every sire.

In America he is a star sire.

So the “disappointment gap” and perhaps the rumours and perception about him currently, are probably more due to high expectations rather than to his actual performance as a sire.

The expectations were that

  • a really fast sire
  • of smaller size
  • and with a renown great gait

(all of which he had himself) would bring those things to his progeny in spades i.e. fast early types that were easy to gait. If only breeding was that simple!

Look at his own record – he was an outstanding 2yo, but the improvement in him from 2 to 3 years old was astounding! He developed into not just a fast horse, but a really tough one as proven by his Little Brown Jug heat wins. At 2 he won 4 of his 9 starts and a record of 1:50.4. But at 3 he won 16 of 21 starts and a record of 1:47.6. He retired to stud before racing as a 4yo but his gelding half-brother Clear Vision is showing just that sort of top level consistency as he ages. His dam Artistic Vision raced from 2 through to 7, and got her record of 1:50.2 as a 4yo.

North American top filly Sassa Hanover

North American top filly Sassa Hanover

It is a family that can run at 2 but gets better. And in the end, isn’t that what you want in a horse? Their gait early on is less important in the context of their potential to improve.

It’s timely to remember, as a couple of people have told me lately, Christian Cullen was really hard to gait and took about 3 months to get it right.

People want a sire that leaves fast, early types, and yet I’ve heard that in Australia some are viewing Sportswriter as a sire whose progeny “show speed early but don’t go on with it”. Boy it is hard to please some people!

Early reports can be skewed by the natural traits so many yearlings or 2yos show before they mature mentally and physically. And if they are pushed to be early 2yos, then some of those traits (like being overly keen/headstrong, or difficult to gait, or even hitting itself) may show up more strongly, or may take the will to race out of the horse. That’s why good trainers read their horses and know how to adapt their training to get the best out of a horse.

Several things will help Rock N Roll Heaven – his fillies appear as good as his colts, and as his current 2yos move into their 3yo season his reputation will right itself. Also his own pedigree is rock solid and is matchable with many mares.

The ideal thing would be to bring his service fee down from around $9000 to say $7500 with the same sort of discounts already offered. This would bring him closer to more proven sires like American Ideal and new kids with big support like A Rocknroll Dance and He’s Watching, both of whom will now be strong competition for him over the next couple of years. He needs a fee that still holds him as a top sire, but gives breeders an incentive to stick with him. Perhaps the new partnership between Pepper Tree Farm and Alabar will see some movement there. I hope he will remain available to New Zealand breeders, but I doubt we have earned it!

I went to Rock N Roll Heaven when he was $11,000 (but got a standard payment date discount to $9,500). I like him a lot, but until the rumours change, I could not contemplate going back to him for a foal bound for the sales at his current price of $9000 ($8,300), when I could pay two thousand dollars more and get Art Major – and possibly get twice the sales price for a yearling, certainly much less risk in terms of reputation.

Having said that, “Heaven” still strikes me as one of the classiest sires we have. The 2018 yearling sales are a long way off, and so much will happen on the racetrack and at the rumour mill by then!

Read Full Post »

Milk and horses

Posted in Harness racing, Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding, tagged , on March 25, 2016| Leave a Comment »

No, I am not promoting a milk-based formula for horses, although I do know that milk proteins are a key part of some popular supplement feeds.

This blog is looking at our industry as a whole and trying to find where breeders sit in terms of the industry’s returns.

To get some comparison, I have looked to the giant in NZ that is the benchmark of how to make things rural turn into things that deliver global success, and also how it handles bad times and its relationship with its suppliers, the dairy farmers.

innercowheroFonterra, one of the world’s biggest dairy product companies.

Now, I don’t agree with everything that Fonterra does. This is not about acting like them – but there might be some things that our own small and vulnerable (but resiliant) industry can learn from. I am very aware that analogies fall flat on their faces when taken to extremes, so this is more a look at “how does their industry manage this issue?” rather than a detailed comparison.

Recently I heard that Fonterra had made a record breaking profit. At the same time its Milk Price for farmers (i.e. the price it will pay for the milk that dairy farmers produce) has dropped to a level which is simply not profitable for most farmers, and is forecast to stay there for a couple of years more. Ironically, the two things are interlinked – stay with me, it does relate to horse racing – because the overall profit for Fonterra was driven by lower raw milk prices, which in turn allowed much better profit margins on items that use milk but are not “just milk” – e.g. cheese and yogurt – and which have a high “value added” factor and a growing market.

So that is how Fonterra can be having a record profit year while many dairy farmers in New Zealand have their backs to the wall.

The basic product - milk

The basic product – milk

The driver for this situation is not Fonterra’s greed as a monopoly, but worldwide trends. In a nutshell, there is an over supply of milk globally based on previous encouraging good signs (“get into dairy, it is white gold”) and a slower demand in large key markets like China and Russian based on their own economic situations. However while the global demand for basic milk products has gone down, there is still good demand for cheeses and yogurts and other dairy-based products.

It is also important to know that Fonterra is a farmers’ cooperative, so some of the profit made can be distributed back to farmers via a less direct route than the basic “farm gate” milk price. And that is the situation at the moment where Fonterra is releasing a good dividend at a time that will bring some help to cash flows over the difficult winter period when many cows basically go off production.

The longer term implications for most NZ dairy farmers depends on how resilient they are. And that is a mix of factors like debt burden, size, flexibility (ability to move partially to dry stock farming in the short term,  for example), and market niche. The farmers most likely to suffer are those that have highly capitalised their production to intensify outputs and reap the rewards of the very high “farm gate” milk prices we have had for a number of years. So newly set up farmers in Southland, for example, are probably mortgaged to their eyeballs and also reliant on expensive irrigation to maintain the intensive farming methods they have set up. Many of these farms may well go broke if bank support flags. Whereas in the Waikato, which is a more traditional dairy farming area, experienced farmers with larger farms, lower debt ratio and less pressure to farm intensively or with some dry stock alternatives, are likely to get through the hard times.

Now I am no dairy farming expert, only a listener of analysis thanks to our excellent national and rural farming media coverage which I catch online or listening on my radio on the way to and from work – tip o’ the hat to Radio NZ National.

This is a “helicopter view” actually more like a Boeing 747 view as the Auckland to Christchurch plan flies over the Waikato where I live in New Zealand.

But it puts a different perspective on our industry which sometimes we lack when we are literally at the grass roots level.

What can we learn from this?

First thing that strikes me is that the producers – those producing milking cows/milk – are recognised absolutely as key stakeholders (financially and structurally) in the industry. Their role in producing and managing a dairy herd (from which basic and value-added products come) is recognised in a range of ways, not just the “farm gate” price for milk. As shareholders of Fonterra, they get dividends and that is what is helping them now. They are not just stakeholders, they are shareholders.

In the harness racing industry, breeders are not recognised as key stakeholders in the same way. When profits from the racing industry are ploughed back to stakeholders it is usually in the form of payouts to clubs and into stakes. While this is a welcome move for the industry overall, it is not shared by breeders unless they are also successful owners or trainers. Many are, many are not. There is nothing going back directly as a “dividend” to breeders.

Value-added products

Value-added products

If mares and foals are the equivalent of dairy cows and milk, then the equivalent of cheese and yogurt is our own “value added products” – race horses. So many would say it is only fair that those who add the value (owners, trainers and drivers) get the rewards of higher stakes. However this doesn’t recognise that what breeders produce takes a while to mature – or as our Mainland cheese advert says, “Good things take time.” In one sense a foal is raw material, but what has been put into it and the mare, plus the experience of pedigree matching, and then the added resource of the weaning, handling, good feeding while growing and sometimes preparation for the sales is not just cosmetic. These things, if done well, optimise a foal’s potential to be the best it can be.

When we raise the concept of “breeders bonuses” or a performance-based percentage of stakes paid to breeders, the response is usually about the cost – “Where will the money come from?”

The Fonterra factory at Hautapu, just down a road or two from where I live.

The Fonterra factory at Hautapu, just down a road or two from where I live. specialises in high-value products including cheese, casein, whey protein concentrate, hydrolysate, lactoferrin, milk protein concentrate and lactose – bound for the domestic market, as well as international markets in Asia, Europe and the USA.

The Fonterra example shows that when you look at an industry in a more integrated way (particularly vertically integrated), the producers of your basic product will be better looked after and/or given better signals that help them predict the future and make choices which align with the industry’s direction and their own “business”. Fonterra gives clear signals via its forecast Milk Price – and estimate that is regularly adjusted of where the Milk Price is heading. The Milk Price is a price calculated on all the product as if sold as the basic product to the world commodity market i.e. basic market value. The sale of value-added products then make up the rest of the income. Profit is used for capital investment, maintenance, R&D and other costs  – but also allows a dividend to be paid back to shareholders (farmers). In some cases, including now, an early or additional dividend can be paid to help farmers through difficult cash flows. This is not a subsidy or a guaranteed safety net. They are still vulnerable to global ebbs and flows, changing interest rates and the consequences of their own decisions. Or indeed a stuff up by Fonterra.

So for our harness racing industry, there is a strong case to be made for a model that at the very least returns a dividend (as bonuses, credits or percentage of stakes) to breeders. And at the far extreme, a model that totally restructures and integrates our industry to provide contracted (but forecastable and adjustable) prices for foals, plus additional returns as a dividend potentially based on performance of a foal as a racehorse (i.e. when value is added to the product).

The devil would be in the detail, but it is a scenario I will have a look at in more detail in a future blog.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI believe there is a lot of confusion about the harness racing industry’s consumers versus the industry’s stakeholders. For the dairy industry, it’s those who drink milk or eat cheese, versus farmers with dairy cattle. In our case it’s punters versus breeders /owners /trainers. We need to structure our services to meet consumers’ needs because our success depends on their interest in our product. But we also need to structure our industry to meet stakeholder needs because our success depends on their ability to produce a good product. It’s a balance companies big and small struggle with, but I think there is a lot we can learn from those who do it well.

In future I will do a similar comparison with the wine industry, which we can also learn from.

Read Full Post »

NZ yearling sales – different planets for North and South Islands

Posted in Harness racing, Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding on February 28, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Here’s a quick analysis of some of the New Zealand yearling sales results this year.

As usual, I am looking to get a more realistic pictures overall than an average price will give you, and at the results for breeders/vendors as a group rather than for individuals who may have had a great sale or have the numbers to even out their return.

These statistics look at the results of the auction on the day, so I have not considered those who got no bid, withdrawn or passed in. (Many or were passed in may have subsequently sold privately, but I will assume the range of prices will reflect those from the auctions so will not dramatically alter the analysis.)

At this stage I have not differentiated between pacing and trotting yearlings. My overall comment on the trotters is that both sales were flatter than I had anticipated for trotters given the rising number of races for trotters now part of our racing landscape.

Lot 114 Karaka 2016

Lot 114 Mach Three filly x Silence Is Golden (sold for $17,500)

Australasian Classic at Karaka

  •  128 yearlings in total were sold/bought at auction.
  • The median was $40,000. That means that roughly 50% of horses sold for $40k or more, and 50% sold for $40k or less.
  • 24 yearlings (19%) sold for $15,000 or less.
  • 47 yearlings (37%) sold for $50,000 or more.

Premier Day at Christchurch

  • 373 yearlings in total were sold/bought at auction.
  • The median was $20,000. That means that roughly 50% of horses sold for $20k or more, and 50% sold for $20k or less.
  • 109 yearlings (39%) sold for $15,000 or less.
  • 47 yearlings (17%) sold for $50,000 or more.

The statistics paint a picture of sales that are worlds apart. That has always been the case, but becoming even more so. Take into account that the costs or raising and preparing a yearling in the South Island are significantly cheaper than in the upper North Island, although of course that will differ quite a bit depending on whether a breeder/vendor has the ability to agist on their own land and even grow some of their own feed, hay or haylage, whether they are preparing themselves or paying someone else, and what sort of deal they have managed to get for the service fee. Larger scale breeders have an edge here for sure, in both islands.

Lot 371 Christchurch 2016

Lot 371 Betterthancheddar x Saccha Maguire (sold for $11,000)

So given the statistics, there are some real challenges for South Island breeders and some creative thinking about how to make yearling sales part of a wider picture that allows vendors some structured options. I like the idea of somehow combining an entry fee into the sales with a large discount on (or free) entry to a ready to run or mixed sale later in the year (or even timed for a late 2yo aged sale to give yearlings more time to develop), for those who don’t manage to sell. But this still puts the onus on breeders/vendors to carry more costs and perhaps for no greater return – or for a greater loss. For many breeders, the option of retaining yearlings to race or sell later is an added expense rather than a valid option, particularly for fillies. They may well have others in the paddock at home who are tagged for that.

What about some sort of bonus for buyers who pin-hook yearlings for over $15,000 and put them in a ready to run sale? That gives an immediate return to the vendor and an incentive for the buyer and may bring back the smaller trainer-buyer who seemed to be missing from this year’s sales.

Lot 432 Christchurch 2016

Lot 432 Lucky Chucky x Sunny Moment (sold for $8000)

The $20,000 to $35,000 bracket is where costs are at least covered and the buyer has a bit of scope to make something as well if the horse turns out okay. The affordability to buyers, who are also taking a risk, is very important factor to keep in mind. At the higher end of that $20-35,000 price range, there is something to plough back into improvements and even to breed an additional foal next season. In the South Island sale only 18% of yearlings fetch a price in that $20-35,000 bracket.

For the North Island, I think the trend to higher prices merely reflects how breeders up here have taken up the message to go to proven sires, particularly for pacers. Luckily Alabar in particular have stood some of the newer sires at realistic prices (in the $4-6000 service fee range), so breeders who are willing to take a risk on newer sires (like myself) can still cover costs and make a wee bit at around $20,000. But there is nothing left to put into expansion of breeding.

Fashion is also so hard to follow – hindsight makes us wise. Somebeachsomewhere has been out of fashion in New Zealand for several years – but now is the best thing since sliced bread. Rock N Roll Heaven was in favour at first, but now there is word around that some of his foals can be hard to gait. He was dropped in a big way at these NZ sales. Interestingly, that comment about gait was also the same comment I recall about Somebeachsomewhere foals originally. Ah, fashion is fickle and time will tell.

And if the proof of the pudding is in the eating, or on the racetrack, I still believe that some sort of performance bonus paid to the breeder as and if the horse performs makes the most sense. It rewards the product that performs and the person that bred it.

Read Full Post »

Off to the sales

Posted in Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding on February 19, 2016| Leave a Comment »

There will be a short “holiday” from blogs while I immerse myself in the yearling sales at both Karaka in Auckland and in Christchurch – not just as an observer but also as a vendor.

I hope to catch up with some of the lots/vendors/preparers I’ve talked to, and other blog friends and standardbred breeders over that time as well. And will report back over the following weekend.

At Auckland it will be a nervous time until our three lots have all gone through the ring – any vendor will tell you, it can be so unpredictable. I wish all of them well. We are not in competition, but part of the same industry. And yet our drive to produce a really good yearling and then, secondly, to sell it well, makes us both comrades and competitors on the day.

Rock N Roll Heaven filly

Yeeehaaa!!! My Zentefold filly by Rock N Roll Heaven

The best result is that buyers expectations and vendors expectations align well, or at least in the same ballpark. There will always be some gutting negative surprises and some elating surprises. But my estimate is three quarters of sales results are pretty much aligned, if parties are realistic.

My own personal interest in going to Christchurch, same as two years ago, will be to see the variety of sires in the Christchurch sales. Yes, a more mixed lot, but this is where the future of harness racing is growing its future roots in the new sires and new combinations. I want to see a Stunin Cullen yearling or five for myself, and likewise Shadow Play (my colt is one of only two Shadow Plays in the Karaka sale, and the second one is a filly), and far more Auckland Reactors and Betterthancheddars than in the Karaka sale. I will enjoy looking at the 4 Big Jims in Christchurch (none at Karaka) including one by Under Cover Lover, and a couple of Mister Big, plus some Panspacificflights, more Sportswriters, and hey we have about 8 Well Saids to look at  instead on just one at Karaka. In the trotting lines some decent lots of The Pres, Skyvalley and some by Love You, Sam Bourbon, many others – even a decent related colt from Imperial Count.

It’s not just the numbers game. It is the way the breeders are reading the market and going into a corner that may be lucrative now, but may end up being a fight cage.

Variety, width, choice, spreading new sires, marketing new sires, seems to come to a dead end at Karaka at the moment. I predict it will be a good sale, and lots of figures to support that. My view is not the immediate result but the trend. And promotion of what has been successful in the past has resulted in what we have now – a successful sale (we hope) but one that is not taking our breeding industry forward at all, even though on the surface it appears to be pushing toward top end and established sires.

I think that will change in future. Now it is the probably wise and careful reaction of breeders at least 3 years ago when it became clear that selling a yearling for a decent return was a tough ask, whether you were a small or big player.

Kym Kearns

Kym Kearns with The Snow Leopard, my Shadow Play colt who is such a character!

Breeders in the North Island read those signals (not so different from years before but stronger, more potent) and made their breeding choices accordingly. Top end buyers may be happy – and may end up having so much similar top end choices (“this lovely well bred Bettors or those other 5 lovely well bred Bettors…) that it will level the playing field.

My wish, and one I have tried to act out in the real world with my mares, is that as breeders we go for quality but take some calculated and well considered “b4breeding” risks to bring our topline standardbred mares to sires that will most suit them as well as potentially attract buyers.

The two lots I have as a vendor at Karaka- as I said earlier, my colt (from a mare who is half to Tintin In America) is one of two Shadow Plays, the other being a filly. My filly (from Zenterfold herself) is a Rock N Roll Heaven filly – there are just 2 colts and 1 filly at Karaka from this potent new sire. Seems crazy to me. He is ticking all the boxes including that elusive one which says “Good Fillies”.

Makes you think. I understand the drivers behind breeding decisions and respect that. I just don’t want this “niche” to become a “Karaka Korner” that backs us up against the wall in the long term.

What we can learn from overseas experience is the scenario of first year sires supported by a stud farm – and that is why the Auckland Reactor marketing push from quite a few directions is interesting to follow. That’s an outcome of big players buying into long term results, which often our local sires have not had at that level. Canny, and good luck to them, a well planned and long term strategy to get Auckland Reactor off the ground and into orbit as a sire of the future. I will be keen to see his lots down south. Even the adverts mention his “type” as leggy and I wonder if they will present like many Changeovers have before – scopey types that may need a bit of time, but worth waiting for, rather than pushing them as the 2yos they may not be. Which can make it a longer wait for a sire.

Good wishes to all vendors in the sales. And all buyers. I hope we meet in a good place.

Read Full Post »

Three yearlings from Isa Lodge

Posted in Harness racing, Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding, tagged , , , , on February 8, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Sorry about the lack of blogging – still coming up to speed from being unwell.

The Australian yearling sales have started, and here in New Zealand we have only a couple more weeks before the Australasian Classic at Karaka (22 February) and the Premier at Christchurch (23 and 24 February).

This is a pressure time for all preparers, but to be honest if the ground work hasn’t been done then it is too late to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear. The canny buyers, usually trainers, will be focused on the underlying quality of the yearling, its conformation and pedigree, and what they see in their mind’s eye it will be like in another year or so. Those are not things you can turn around in the last two weeks.

Isa Lodge (the name Kym Kearns and I go under for our breeding) has two fillies and a colt headed to Karaka. All three have been raised at our home base, and it has been a pleasure to watch them develop. As always, Kym has done the hard yards of the preparation, and the horses reflect her skills and dedication. We are really pleased with them.

Lot 100 is a Shadow Play colt with heaps of character from my lovely mare The Blue Lotus. I love this colt. He is very sociable. He entertains himself with made up games, he’s intelligent and he can’t wait to have something more to do. He has a real zest for life, and my guess is that he’ll love racing. And that’s half the battle.

Lot 133 is a Rock N Roll Heaven filly from my top mare Zenterfold, so she is a half-sister to Tintin In America. This is the only filly from Zenterfold that has been offered at the yearling sales – she is genuinely for sale – and I think she’s a really nice racing proposition as well as having longer term broodmare value. She’s built like a brick sh**house, and has really quick reflexes. Very typical of the good Heaven fillies I’ve seen on the track, and potentially an early type.

Lot 115 is a Majestic Son filly from Kym’s mare Toggle. She’s an incredible yearling, lovely temperament, inquisitive, takes everything in stride. She’s a showy type in terms of looks, with a dark mane and a blonde tail. She seems a very professional youngster, well grounded, sensible. She’s got a really good trotting family behind her, and Majestic Son has given her a nice length and more height than her dam.

With the demise of the Harness Weekly, we’ve done almost no advertising this year – we feel many of the publications come out after the key buyers have long-listed and even inspected their preferred yearlings. We’ve focused more on having a good product ready to be inspected, hands-on, when buyers and trainers wanted to see them. We were delighted that PGG Wrightson again allowed smaller breeders in the Cambridge area to be part of the “buyers bus tour” of the major preparers/vendors in the Waikato area, by adding the Cambridge Trotting Track as a tour stop for presentation and inspection.  Almost all the top trainers were on that “bus tour”, and our lots did us proud.

Below are the posters we have developed for the yearling sale day promotions.

The Snow Leopard yearling pacer

The Shooting Star yearling pacer

Out Of The Box yearling trotter

Read Full Post »

A sire who should be all the rage – an update and photos Lots 264 and 412

Posted in Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding, tagged , , , on January 17, 2016| 1 Comment »

Update: Have received the photos from Sara and also a very recent result from Lady Moonlight’s first foal – one start, one win, you can’t do better. Check the race result at the bottom of the blog and thanks to Dot “Sherlock” Schmidt for picking that up.

Just a wee heads up – I have been very crook with a virus last week, and it has knocked me over. I hope to be better this week but it will take time. You can always pick up discussions via “Comments”.

 

The question

A few blogs ago I asked the question, who is going to be the inheritor of the In The Pocket siring line? And I took a closer look at some of the potential heirs including sons of Christian Cullen. Blog reader Ted Sieper rightly pulled me up for not mentioning Raging Bull. Dot Schmidt also came in with the comment that maybe we should try to get one of the well bred North American sons of Christian Cullen, from the brief stint he had over there as a sire.

Ragin Bull sire

Raging Bull as a racehorse, for trainer Cran Dalgety.

If you look at his pedigree, Raging Bull already fits that bill.

So why is he flying under the radar of too many breeders?

I wish it was a puzzle to know but it is a common dilemma. Using a rugby analogy (instead of my usual cooking ones) – the conservative nature of breeders, trainers and buyers makes it very hard for any new young flanker to slip past the “tight five” they are facing – Bettor’s Delight, Mach Three, American Ideal, Art Major and still in there Christian Cullen.

Raging Bull was one of several hugely talented youngsters who dropped out for various reasons and never had the opportunity to prove what they could do on the track in the long term. Alta Christiano falls into that category too. They didn’t get the time to really embed themselves in our imagination.

Raging Bull himself was an extremely talented 2yo and 3yo, but injured himself in the suspensory. He was tried again very briefly in 2014 by trainer John Parsons but the old injury quickly flared up, and he is now a sire. As that Harnesslink article points out,

Since Raging Bull disappeared off the harness racing scene, we have worked out just how good the only three horses that have ever beaten him are – Christen Me, Smolda (x3), and Ideal Scott.

The third problem for Raging Bull is that he wasn’t picked up by any of the main studs. Nevele R and Alabar already had their own sons of Christian Cullen standing (though neither have stepped up enough in the end). Woodlands is already committed to Bettor’s Delight son Highview Tommy as their “local boy” at the cheaper end. And Raging Bull would have had even less traction and more low end competition in Australia. He did however get huge support from Robert Famularo and his resources at Cavalla Bloodstock, who was not afraid to send quality mares to him.

He now stands at Craig and Nicky Kennedy’s stud “The Oaks”. Craig describes the stallion as a lovely type with a temperament like his father’s, whom he worked with as a sire at Wai Eyre. Raging Bull had 30 mares in his first year at Dancingonmoonlight, a small handful at Barra Equine last year and 10 this year at the Kennedys.  Craig Kennedy says they are not expecting much more until some of his foals hit the track – “He has to show he’s worth going to.” An advantage, he notes, is that even with his very small numbers this year, most of them are mares with a bit of breeding or racing performance behind them.

“When we got him to stand, I heard from owners of his foals and there was not one bad comment.”

Raging Bull stood at $1500 this season.

As a sire, he’s not a wild gamble. He is a calculated bet based on credentials.  He is an extremely well bred horse, being by the best pacing sire we have had in New Zealand in recent years – Christian Cullen – with some super North American maternal breeding that includes Galleria, who retired as the richest and fastest pacing mare of all time. What is there not to love?

His maternal family being USA based is perhaps less known by many breeders here except for Galleria. And I count myself amongst the ignorant, when he was on the scene as a race horse. Yet the more I looked at his pedigree credentials, his record and his potential crosses, I  consider him “on paper” as one of Christian Cullen’s best chances to carry on his line. With his own Christian Cullen and Artsplace influences, he is available at just the right time for many well bred New Zealand mares to cross back into two lines that are now well-embedded in a lot of good mares, or to outcross from mares from No Nukes or other Direct Scooter lines. Often for a sire, the timing is wrong – but not in this case.

I haven’t seen him in the flesh yet, but I believe Michele Carson in her interview with me, who described him as one of the finest looking horses she has seen. She saw him in a box without knowing what colt he was. He just stood out.

Sara Smith on the yearlings – Lot 264 and 412

There are two yearlings from his first crop  in this 2016 Premier sale in Christchurch by Raging Bull, both colts, and also a third colt from his Western Ideal half sister San Rafaella which I’ll look at in a later blog. All of them come from proven families, and when you add in the credentials of Raging Bull, I would hope these colts get a lot of interest.

Both lots are prepared by Sara Smith (Famularo) of Dancingonmoonlight Farm on behalf of Cavalla Bloodstock, so I rang her to find out what they were like “in person”.

PHOTOS OF RAGING BULL AS A STALLION PLUS THESE TWO YEARLINGS COMING IN A WEEK

Lot 264 Getarattleon (colt)

Raging Bull x Lady Moonlight – Sands A Flyin
Breeder/owner: Cavalla Bloodstock
Preparer: Sara Smith, Dancingonmoonlight Stud

2nd dam Sirius Flight, 3rd dam Direct Flight.

Raging Bull x Lady Moonlight yearling colt

Raging Bull x Lady Moonlight yearling colt

Sara describes this yearling as a standout. “He’s colty, a bigger type, makes his presence known.” She says he is one of the those colts that people may not mark down in the catalogue but when he parades they go “Oh wow, who is that?”

What sticks out to me in this pedigree is that it is both familiar downunder but also USA proven. At a really good level. The grandam of this filly was the wonderful Pacific Flight who raced here so well then absolutely made her mark in the USA as a great winning, tough, fast and durable mare. She left one good foal over there called Droppinthehammer ($323,617). Her daughter by The Big Dog is Sirius Flight, and she achieved 5 wins in the USA and went under 1.55 there. Brought back here she had the Bettor’s Delight colt Malak Uswaad who did very well both here and later in the USA.

All of this family goes back to Significant from the remarkable Black Watch family, one of our best quality families in New Zealand.

Lady Moonlight’s first foal is by Santanna Blue Chip, and qualified/trialed in some fast times before being exported to Australia late last year.

Lot 412 Boy George (colt)

Raging Bull x Soul Sister – Presidential Ball
Breeder/owner: Cavalla Bloodstock
Preparer: Sara Smith, Dancingonmoonlight Stud

Dam a half sister to Carabella.

Raging Bull x Soul Sister yearling colt

Raging Bull x Soul Sister yearling colt

Sara describes this colt as very well put together, muscular, not overly big, but very even in growth and conformation.

Being from a half sister to the absolutely stunning Bettor’s Delight mare Carabella, this colt could get quite a bit of interest.

The USA factor comes in because their dam Andress Blue Chip is North American bred  (Artsplace x Athens Blue Chip, an On The Road Again mare) and is a half sister to some very well performed USA horses including Athena Blue Chip, a World Champion by the Cam Fella sire Goalie Jeff. You can see it all in the catalogue entry. (Just a very short aside, Goalie Jeff comes from the same maternal line as McArdle’s .)

Soul Sister is an unraced mare by Presidential Ball. Presidential Ball is proving to be a good damsire and outcrosses this pedigree to balance up a 3 x 3 to Artsplace. Although she was unraced, Soul Sister carries quality genes. Look at the quality of sires who contribute to her maternal line. Presidential Ball, Artsplace, On The Road Again, and her 3rd dam was by hardly-known sire Super Wave (a son of Shadow Wave) but who was one of Shadow Waves best sons. Beyond that it continues with Bret Hanover and then Duane Hanover who of course appears twice in Artsplace’s own pedigree – as Abercrombie’s damsire, and in Miss Elvira’s maternal line.

Plenty to like about these two colts and their sire.

B J TURNBULL MEMORIAL

Race code:  BHC20011601    Stakes: $6,360    Gait: PACERS    Class: 2YO

1,730 METRES MOBILE START

1st BLUE MOON RISING NZ Add to Blackbook

BROWN GELDING 2 by SANTANNA BLUE CHIP USA out of LADY MOONLIGHT (NZ) 
Owner(s): H Harper, D W Harper
Breeder(s): S A (Sally) Smith

Track Rating: GOOD

Gross Time: 2:05:3, Mile Rate: 1:56:6

Read Full Post »

A further look at the K Nora crosses in New Zealand

Posted in Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding, tagged , , , , on January 4, 2016| 12 Comments »

He's Watching, Alabar stallion parade October 2015

He’s Watching, Alabar stallion parade October 2015. Photo: Bee Pears

When I wrote the previous blog on the sales yearlings bred on the American Ideal x Life Sign cross, I got diverted into seeing how other double ups with important mares from the K Nora line could happen, and what had already been tried here with our limited resources.

I edited much of that out, and it is now part of this extended blog looking at our potential downunder to dip into the K Nora/Adora pool in a number of different ways. Please comment if you find other options of interest, particularly in Australia where timings and numbers, siring and even Adora descendant options might be different.

As Australian blog reader C Rookwood notes in his comment on the last blog:  “Another way to get the Three Diamonds double up is American Ideal/Real Desire mare. Yes, absolutely, and in his case an American Ideal colt foal from a dam by Real Desire out of a Panorama mare, so in his mare he already has a duplication to another very good maternal line, aka Golden Miss. That is impressive. It is the same other strong maternal line that He’s Watching brings of course, via Real Desire. You also find a mix of the K Nora and Golden Miss families in $3.7m earner Mr Feelgood.

Mr Feelgood in the winners circle 2006

Mr Feelgood in the winners circle, 2006 Little Brown Jug
Photo: Bee Pears

Just before I go into some of these other cross options, I did take a look at the closer Australian crosses with American Ideal x Life Sign mares – in total 12 to date, and about half of those are 2yos or younger, so it’s really hard to get a line on anything from small numbers. So far the best performers are Life’s Just Magic (49 starts, 9 wins) and Spinner’s Boy (15 starts, 6 wins).

So let’s have a look at what other crosses deliver crosses to Three Diamonds or the K Nora/Adora line. Here’s part 2 of the blog:

American Ideal is offering more opportunities to achieve multiple influences of the Adora/K Nora family, and his coming of age as a sire is also well timed to catch breeding mares not just from Life Sign himself, but also from some of his sons – Day In A Life, I Am A Fool, Island Fantasy and (like He’s Watching) Real Desire.

But in many of these cases, the double ups are moving back in the pedigree and may not be situated in particularly influential positions. For example their influence is going through two males (e.g. Three Diamonds to Life Sign to Real Desire), rather than what seems to be a more influential female-to-male-to-female or female-to-female relationship. What we might call the “x factor” line. The numbers are so small here, that drawing conclusions is impossible. But it is still worth taking a look – and a punt that quality + quality will result in better quality. In New Zealand and Australia to date there is just a scattering of these sons of Life Sign mares going to American Ideal and it would be foolish to try to draw conclusions one way or another. You can check out the NZ ones on the HRNZ Info Horse website by filtering American Ideal progeny on damsire. My own view is that each of these sons of Life Sign is a different package in terms of pedigree and in their ability to pass quality genes and other attributes as a damsire, and for some of them the drivers may be less Life Sign/Three Diamonds, and more influences from their own maternal lines. Both Real Desire (via Whispering Sands, a daughter of Shifting Sands) and Day In A Life (via Strike Out, a half brother to Shifting Sands) bring in the Golden Miss family which, as noted above, may complement  the K Nora family.

In future there may be a reverse way of getting these strong female double ups, and that is through American Ideal as a damsire. In New Zealand he has 11 damsire credits to date, none of the mares going to sires with K Nora influence in their pedigree. Of potential sires, only Mr Feelgood and sons of Western Ideal meet the criteria at the moment as far as I can see, with He’s Watching being too close, Mr Feelgood not getting much traction here unfortunately, and sons of Western Ideal (like sons of Life Sign) really putting the Leah Almahurst factor in a position where it may not be particularly influential.  So a sire with perhaps Life Sign as his damsire or grandamsire is what we are looking for.

What about the Leah Almahurst branch of K Nora?

Leah Almahurst

Leah Almahurst. Photo from Gene Riegle Memorial website

Going back to the American Ideal x Life Sign cross offspring in New Zealand…. Remember there are 8 produced on that direct cross. Included in the 8 is Ideal Romance a mare who is bred and owned by Brisbane Pastoral Company Ltd and was exported to Australia in July this year but not yet sighted racing. Perhaps is going straight into breeding? She is of interest because (like He’s Watching), her maternal line adds two K Nora strands, one from Life Sign and the other via Angel Hair, who is Leah Almahurst’s grandam. Pedigree link here. Ideal Romance is from the American-bred mare Ashley’s Romance imported downunder and bred by Bromac Lodge and Cee Bee Holdings Ltd before selling her to Brisbane Pastoral Company Ltd.

As well as some imported mares, we are getting to a stage when Leah Almahurst will start appearing in the maternal pedigrees, through Make A Deal mares (so far only one bred on the American Ideal cross), Western Ideal mares (perhaps too inbred to go to American Ideal although Charlie Roberts has not shied away from it), and eventually Mr Feelgood, Rob Roy Mattgregor and He’s Watching mares. In Australia there may be other, different possibilities as well with Leah Almahurst or other descendants from Adora – let me know. I see Mr Feelgood has just had his first damsire credit in Australia – a colt foal born in October 2015 by, yes you guessed it, American Ideal.

In New Zealand we have only about 16 fillies or mares by Western Ideal, and the 3 ones doing most of the breeding so far are Lisconnie, Western Starr, and San Rafaella. Lisconnie, bred and owned by Charlie Roberts of Woodlands Stud, has gone 3 times to American Ideal (the 2yo and yearling already exported to Australia), but the others have made different choices, mainly to Artplace or one of his sons, or to Bettor’s Delight.

And another branch of K Nora – Halo

Tas Man Bromac

Tas Man Bromac and driver Nathan Williams. Photo Otago Daily Times.

There is another good horse bred here with a different K Nora cross, the 4yo American Ideal gelding Tas Man Bromac (15 starts, 8 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, Lt $64,363). This time there is no additional presence of Three Diamonds or Leah Almahurst, but his bottom line is also descended from Angel Hair, via a different branch – Halo. Pedigree link here. Again, the family was brought to New Zealand through Bromac Lodge importing the gelding’s dam Tasmcmanian. Interestingly, her latest breeding is to Western Ideal. (I should note that the mare has a yearling filly by Auckland Reactor in the 2016 sale at Christchurch Lot 424 Tempest Bromac. The pedigree page gives a nice summary of the recent descendants from this Angel Hair line, in this case the No Nukes mare Shy Devil.)

 

What is clear, is the strength of this K Nora maternal line, and nothing illustrates that better than how Three Diamonds and Leah Almahurst have kicked it into another gear in more recent times.

Just part of the K Nora descendants tree in Classic Families

Just a section of the K Nora descendants tree in Classic Families

 

Three Diamonds

Three Diamonds. Photo from Gene Riegle Memorial website

You only have to look in Classic Families “Descendents” category for Three Diamonds and click through to see the male and female descendent results are simply stunning. There is a significant return on extended family matches with Western Ideal and American Ideal, but not solely. Do the same for the whole K Nora branches and it is fascinating how very good performers keep occurring. Again, some crosses with sires from other branches from the wider family work – but probably some haven’t and don’t even appear on the Classic Families radar. I have only shown a fraction of it in the clipping above. It’s worth taking a look yourself; many of you will already be familiar with it.

In summary then, the numbers are too small to draw any real conclusions. However the K Nora/Adora family is probably one of the top 3 of the modern pacing era and is driven currently by two extremely potent mares – Three Diamonds and Leah Almahurst. Linking back to their influence is not going to give you certain success. It won’t work miracles. But is is definitely likely to add value and quality to a pedigree.

I’ve blogged about this a number of times. Use my blog search on “K Nora” and “Three Diamonds” to find some earlier musings and information.

Read Full Post »

American Ideal yearlings with Three Diamond double ups Lots 144, 353 and 487

Posted in Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding on January 3, 2016| 5 Comments »

With the arrival of He’s Watching as a top racehorse and now a siring option, the closer in/line breeding of the Adora/K Nora bloodline is having quite a resurgence. A double up to the magnificent mare Three Diamonds (a grand daughter of K Nora) should be worth its weight in gold and of course He’s Watching also has a double up to Leah Almahurst who is from another branch of the K Nora family.

This K Nora maternal line is very classy and enduring and, like the Golden Miss one, seems to throw up some exceptional horses when bred back to itself.

American Ideal

American Ideal at Woodlands Stud. (Photo Bee Pears)

The closest we can get in New Zealand is the American Ideal x Life Sign cross which puts Three Diamonds 3×3 in a horse’s pedigree. Remember American Ideal is also bringing in K Nora via Leah Almahurst in his sireline.

So far in New Zealand American Ideal has had 12 foals from Life Sign mares. Two of those are unregistered, 8 are of racing age and 3 starters for 2 winners to date. I checked the USTA statistics for the same American Ideal x Life Sign cross: 26 foals so far, 24 starters, 73% winners, 42% <1.55 and 19% (5 horses) winning $100,000+. The best horse so far has won $248,686 to date.

Given US-type statistics of this nature often result in percentages well above NZ equivalents (for a number of reasons), I would describe the cross as a very solid one but yet to result in any outstanding foal.

Those American Ideals that have been outstanding, such as fantastic filly American Jewel and colt He’s Watching, have had a dam who is a direct descendant of K Nora. But given how hard it is for us to get Adora/K Nora on that maternal bottom line in New Zealand, we may just have to work with what we’ve got.

So is the doubling to Three Diamonds adding value in practice? I would say: yes. No guarantees and other factors are at work, but doubling on a great female line with a great individual mare is a good move. All too often the focus is on doubling the males. But the drivers of many pedigrees downstream will be the classy females.

For the 2014 yearling sales I flagged up the nicely bred Six Diamonds and I noticed he had his first start at Gore the other day, and rattled home for a good third after getting an early check. He was sold for $34,000, and his full sister Southern Rain is in this year’s 2016 Premier Yearling Sale in Christchurch.

She is one of two yearlings in the PGG Wrightson Sale Of The Stars 2016 yearling sales bred on the American Ideal x Life Sign cross, both selling at the Premier sale in Christchurch:

Lot 353 Southern Rain (filly)

Lot 353 American Ideal x Raindowne

Lot 353 American Ideal x Raindowne

American Ideal x Raindowne – Life Sign
Breeders/vendors: Mrs J M Davie, P T and D J Cummings
Preparer: Dan Cummings

I think Six Diamonds will go on to win quite a few races, and this filly would be an “ideal diamond” as a broodmare. For New Zealand this filly’s family heritage is “solid as” in its own right, going back to Maureen’s Dream (half sister to Tuapeka Knight) – and of course her daughter Tuapeka Wings was the dam of the American Ideal multiple group winner Ideal Scott. The more immediate family is very consistent and it is reassuring to see that Raindowne herself was a well performed race horse with 5 wins and time trialled at 1.56.4.

Check out the video on the PGG Wrightson Sale of the Stars catalogue online, and she is a powerful looking filly.

Lot 487 Jack Starr (colt)

Jack Starr

American Ideal x Zoe’s Charm – Life Sign
Breeder/vendor: M Caig
Preparer: Michelle Caig
Photos now posted on PGG Wrightson Sale of the Stars catalogue website.

Again, this brings the Three Diamond double up into a very well known family – Bella Ragazza, the dam of the great Holmes DG and Giovanetto, and several other good winners. Of her 11 foals, 9 were colts. Of her 2 fillies Zoe’s Charm is, to be blunt, the one to carry on this line.

The fact the mare was by Life Sign was a factor that influenced her to get Zoe’s Charm. The mare had an Art Official filly at foot which was sold. Michelle is stepping up the quality of breeding, with her first choice being American Ideal for Jack Starr and next to Bettor’s Delight.

Michelle describes Jack Starr as an outstanding type, a good size, quite thoroughbred looking, and correct.

“He’s got a lovely head and a beautiful eye. He’ll click naturally into a pace when we are exercising them on the jogger.”

 

There is another yearling, this time in the Australasian sale at Karaka, who is bred with a double up of Three Diamonds, but through her grandam:

Lot 144 Lady Liberty (filly)

American Ideal x Bonnie Maguire – Dream Away.
Breeder/vendor: A K W Bublitz, Mrs E E Bublitz
Preparer: Tony Grayling, Woodlands Stud
No photo available yet.

The filly’s grandam is a Life Sign mare.

This filly is from a mare that Andrew Bublitz trained and raced with his mother. The family is quite thin on the page – you need to go back to the 3rd dam, Body Electric to get some black type and find her son Body Armour who toughed out 15 wins over 5 years of racing in Australia. And back further Robert Harlyn was also a good Aussie campaigner, and his sister Janet Harlyn has produced a branch of tough raceway horses in New Zealand.

The Bublitz have been wise to resist going to less worthy siring options as some branches have, and instead are building on the strengths in the breed and going to a top sire that suits. American Ideal is producing tough horses that sometimes are not show-off 2yo types. But they seem to have a touch of class and speed about them and trainers/buyers love them.

The fillies and mares have held their own as racehorses in this family – Body Electric (5 wins, 1.56.9), Janet Harlyn (5 wins, including 2nd in the Grt Nth Oaks Gp 1), Miss Abagail (8 wins, 11 places) and the dam of the tough Kilkeel Lady (3 wins, 26 places), and in Australia My Killarney Miss went 1.57.4 … and so on. So I’d look at this filly in terms of racing potential. If Life Sign can add the gems from his own genes, then this family has potential to pop up a durable, tough but also very classy mare that might in future win some damn good races.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »