When Leofric, by Candy Ride, won the Grade Two Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland on October 27, many things were at work to guide him to victory, among them weather and mud, because the favorite, Hofburg, clearly labored. Owned by Landers Racing, LLC, bred by Peter E. Blum, trained by Brad Cox, and ridden smartly by Florent Geroux, Leofric inherited his sire’s proclivity for getting mudders, as well as having a pedigree that in so many ways mimics that of Candy Ride’s very best runner, the magnificent Horse of the Year Gun Runner, who is out of a Giant’s Causeway mare, and whose second dam is by Quiet American, making him 4 x 4 Fappiano.

Leofric is out of an Unbridled’s Song mare, Lady Godiva (hip number 215 in the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Night of Stars catalogue—clearly her price just went up, as she is carrying a full sibling to Leofric), and his second dam, Lady of Choice, is by Storm Bird, and out of the Secretariat mare Chosen Lady, making Lady of Choice bred almost exactly like the breed-altering sire, Storm Cat. Combining the Fappiano-line Candy Ride (through Cryptoclearance) with a Fappiano-line mare (Quiet American in the case of Gun Runner, and Unbridled’s Song in the case of Leofric), clearly works. The combination of Mr. Prospector and Fappiano, who was by Mr. Prospector but has established his own sireline with the addition of In Reality relatives, is now a proven nick, but it would seem that within the Fappiano line, several of his sons and grandsons provide possibilities for inbreeding that could not have been predicted. My guess is that the Unbridled line will prove the most profitable among these, with the addition of Buckpasser—the return of Empire Maker and all of his sterling sons now succeeding at stud would offer proof of that hunch.

What also seems clear is that, though Cryptoclearance hasn’t become a sire or grandsire of sires across the board, if you add another, stronger dose of the Fappiano line to Candy Ride, you get something special. As well, adding to the American speed on top, is European staying power through Blushing Groom in Candy Ride’s pedigree. Blushing Groom’s affinity for Nijinsky II is well known, but Storm Bird is bred so similarly to Nijinsky that his presence in a mare’s pedigree enhances Candy Ride’s strengths; it’s worth noting how well Storm Cat has worked with Blushing Groom-line mares, because of this great nick—think Giant’s Causeway and Freud, for example.

More than this, though, an examination of Candy Ride’s best progeny reveals what can only be considered a terrific focus on Storm Cat and his sons and grandsons, in terms of getting stakes winners. The list is exceptional: Shared Belief, Lolo Forever, Sidney’s Candy, Capt. Candyman Can, Tiger Ride and Looking Cool all come from that cross. Paid Up Subscriber and Eagle both are out of Storm Bird second dams. And Sugar Shock’s second dam is an Unbridled mare, another instance of 4 x 4 Fappiano working with Candy Ride. It’s also worth noting that Leofric’s fourth dam is the blue hen, Mine Only, who brings more La Troienne to the table to join the Buckpasser, as previously mentioned, which enriches this pedigree.

Finishing second in the Fayette was Prime Attraction, by Unbridled’s Song—the same sire of Leofric’s dam, giving both Leofric and Prime Attraction a shared grandfather, though Leofric’s is on his dams’ side, and Prime Attraction is on his sires’. Once again, the Fappiano connection must be noted, as should the Secretariat, through A.P. Indy’s dam on the dams’ side, and the dose of Nijinsky II, through Strawberry Road, also on the dams’ side. Plus, Lord Avie on his dams’ side offers another dose of Somethingroyal, Secretariat’s immortal dam. The similarities in these pedigrees is fascinating.

In third place was Nice Not Nice, and the echoes continue, as he is by Twirling Candy, a wonderful young sire by Candy Ride. But—no surprise—his dam, Kiss is a Kiss, is by Broken Vow, by Unbridled, out of Wedding Vow, by Nijinsky II, and whose second dam is Wedding Picture, by—of course—Blushing Groom, doubling the influential stamina influence, top and bottom. Just as Leofric and Prime Attraction share a grandfather, Leofric and Nice Not Nice share a father and a grandfather.

The Fayette S. first three finishers demonstrate such a similarity that an alien being seeking to learn about thoroughbred breeding from this race would assume that the entire thoroughbred genepool consisted of no more than four horses—Fappiano, Nijinsky II and his close relative Storm Bird, Blushing Groom, and Secretariat. Young Twirling Candy’s best progeny reflect the same proclivities as his sire’s, littered with runners out of Storm Cat line mares, Fappiano line mares, Blushing Groom line mares, etc. In fact, his best runner to date, Finley’sluckycharm, was out of a Victory Gallop mare, and Victory Gallop, of course, was by Cryptoclearance—a twinning of that son of Fappiano, top and bottom, making Nice Not Nice 4 x 3 Cryptoclearance, and 5 x 4 Fappiano. Twirling Candy’s other top winner, Danzing Candy, is 5 x 5 Fappiano (through Unbridled on his dams’ side), and his second dam is by a son of Nijinsky II. The evidence doesn’t lie; these patterns aren’t mere coincidence.

There are some pedigree elements which you cannot have too much of, though they are mostly through mares: La Troienne, Somethingroyal, Almahmoud, Plucky Liege. The only sire who has made his mark by creating distinct sire lines through his sons and grandsons is Northern Dancer, who as a sire of sires and broodmare sire was truly breed altering. Though we must acknowledge Mr. Prospector as well, of course, it now appears, through an examination of the Fayette S. first three finishers, that Fappiano may well inhabit a similar place in the rarefied air of sire lines that are unique and everlasting.

This past weekend in thoroughbred racing was missing a lot of stars, who are awaiting the arrival of the impending Breeders’ Cup Weekend, so the drawing of huge conclusions may be faulty. But American racing is starting to look more and more like the Fappiano Show. As Storm Cat’s influence wanes, and A.P. Indy remains a huge influence through his sons and grandsons, a blast from the past, in the form of Fappiano, is surfacing. Once considered a part of Mr. Prospector’s legacy, Fappiano now presents himself not just as the sire of his own, influential sire line which can be crossed with other Mr. Prospector line stallions, but as the sire of multiple and unique sire lines which can be bred together to great effect. Cryptoclearance, Unbridled, Unbridled’s Song, Empire Maker—all are making an impact on racing today, and carving into stone the name of their primogenitor, Fappiano, as one of the all time greats.

-- Roberta Smoodin

Thanks to Thoroughbred People contributor and bloodstock consultant Roberta Smoodin for this article. Roberta offers pedigree analysis for sales and breeding recommendation services for your broodmares - please contact Roberta at [email protected] for more information.