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What The Next New Racetrack Needs To Be. Bigger & Better With Three Surfaces. Dirt, Turf & Tapeta.

Aqueduct_Racetrack

When synthetic tracks were first put on the agenda in the US a few years ago, the debate and opposition amongst trainers, owners, bettors and racing fans raged long and hard. Feelings ran high. Traditionalists favored the dirt track surface that they were familiar with, over a synthetic track that they were not. Yet the hard evidence of the massively increased safety of synthetic tracks was already on the table for all to see, even then. Ireland, the UK and France had installed multiple synthetic tracks 20 years previously. Synthetic tracks’ safety records for horses and riders were spectacular, but many US horsemen simply did not want to hear it. (If anyone seriously doubts now after several years of solid statistics and records, that synthetic tracks are not significantly safer for horses than dirt tracks, I would be happy to introduce them to a good psychiatrist.)

A few years on, Santa Anita and Keeneland made the decision to take out their synthetic tracks and go back to dirt. The installation of Santa Anita’s synthetic surface was questionably managed, as was its maintenance program. Keeneland – well that’s another story… But it was a sad day for the horses at both venues.

GoldenGate Other tracks however have now realized what a boon their racing synthetic tracks truly are. Woodbine, Turfway Park, Presque Isle Downs and Golden Gate Fields horsemen, many of whom were previously die hard dirt track protagonists, now fully embrace the synthetic surfaces and love training and racing over them.

They know their horses are enjoying the surface. They know their horses are in better shape. They know they are seeing far fewer catastrophic career ending injuries. They know their horses are sounder and are generally able to run more often. They know their barns are fuller, and business is better, as a result of the synthetic surface.

What horsemen actually objected to when California mandated to switch all their tracks from dirt to synthetic, was that they were being told that they had to replace the one with the other. If the mandate had been to install synthetic tracks in addition to the existing dirt tracks, rather than instead of them, it is a fair bet that curiosity and interest would have replaced fear and angst, as the dirt tracks were not being taken away. Unfortunately, space and existing racetrack layouts scuppered that possibility. It had to be one surface, or the other.

The next racetrack built in the USA, whenever it comes, will hopefully have enough space that it can be designed differently to current tracks, thus enabling three different surfaces for owners and trainers to run and train their horses on. Ideally it will also be a bigger set of ovals, as most horsemen agree that at speed, gradual turns are kinder to horses than tighter ones. Perhaps it would look like this.

1) A mile and an eighth inner dirt track.

2) A mile and a quarter turf track.

3) A mile and a half synthetic (Tapeta please) track.

The three tracks should also be equipped with chutes to enable flexibility in the distance of their races.

Possible? Of course. Good news? How could it not be? A solution that appeases all comers by giving horsemen the option of running their horses on the surface that they prefer, or/and which suits their individual horses best.

And how interesting it would be to see, over time, which surface becomes the most popular for both training and racing. And to see which surface produces the biggest field sizes, the most entertaining races and the strongest betting handle.

My bet is that Tapeta would come out on top, followed closely by Turf, with Dirt a distant third.

-Carl Wilson

The Interviews: Renowned Thoroughbred Artist Thomas Allen Pauly

Thomas Allen Pauly & American Pharoah Award-winning equine artist Thomas Allen Pauly has portrayed some of the finest horses and jockeys in the country. Born and raised in Chicago, Pauly’s work has encompassed Royal Ascot, the Hong Kong Cup, the Arc de Triomphe, the Dubai World Cup, the Velka Pardubicka Ceske Pojistovny Steeplechase in Prague and numerous Breeders’ Cups, Preaknesses, Belmonts and Kentucky Derbies.

TBP: Tom, how did you become an equine artist, and were you an artist before you discovered horse racing?

TP: When I was in 5^th grade at John Palmer school in Chicago, my classmate Paul Cronin brought a “Mad” magazine into class. The issue was passed around from desk to desk and it finally arrived at mine. I was paging through it and I came across a cartoon of President Richard Nixon that was illustrated by Mort Drucker, and for some odd reason I was compelled to copy it. I started buying more and more Mad Magazines to do more drawings from them. They taught me how to draw. I ended up with a huge collection. To this day I sign my name with 3 dots at the end of my name, just like Mort Drucker does.

My introduction to the world of horse racing began on June 17, 1978. I was at a party hosted by a guy who’s dad owned tons of harness horses. That night he invited everyone to go watch his dad’s horse Rusty Win race at Sportsman’s Park in Cicero, IL. He captured the feature race by five lengths and we all got to be in the winner’s picture.

A week later, I received the photo and decided to draw my friend’s horse. His dad bought the picture and I was hooked.

TBP: When you started painting horses was it just for your own enjoyment? At what point did it become a professional situation, was there a turning point where business started to accelerate?

The moment I sold my first horse picture, I decided that painting race horses would be my profession. For 11 years I painted only harness horses. But, it was a commission of the Who’s Who in Racing from newly built Arlington Park that directed my brushes to the Thoroughbreds

TBP: What is your process and how does it start – Do you use film and photo images, and how important is it to experience the individual animal in person? How long does it typically take to paint a horse like American Pharoah, or a picture of a major race? Is there ever a true end/finish? Or could you always continue/tweak etc..?

TP: I enjoy using my own photographs as reference material for my art. I try to see and photograph every horse that I paint. I feel it is very important to view my subjects in person and take notes about their conformation, coloring and tack. I have photographed the last seventeen Kentucky Derbies and those photos, at least to me, are priceless. So many memories.

Once I choose the best image for my layout, I sketch it on the canvas, then I apply the underpainting followed by layers and layers of thin oil paints. It usually takes six to eight weeks. Once I sign the painting, it is completed. I never second guess my work.

TBP: What proportion of your work is private commissions for horses’ owners or breeders etc. and how much of your work is available for sale as originals or/and fine art prints etc.?

TP: I enjoy doing commissions, I love the artist – patron relationship. I have never had a client influence the way that I would portray their champion. They hired me for my experience and pretty much permit me to paint what I want. In between commissions I will paint racing scenes, jockey portraits or racing silks, still life. I do have a few originals and fine art prints available on my website, www.horseartist.com

TBP: Please tell us about some of your favorite horses that you have painted, and which works are you particularly pleased/satisfied with?

TP: My favorite horse to portray is the great Triple Crown Champion Secretariat. I have portrayed him 9 times. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and photograph him while he was at Claiborne Farm. I shot only 36 pictures which I cherish, but I do wish I had shot more. When they led Secretariat out of his barn he noticed that there was a group of photographers waiting for him. He looked at us and stood in the most perfect conformation pose. We were amazed at his professionalism. Last year, I was commissioned as the Official Artist of American Pharoah – Triple Crown champion by his owner Team Zayat. This was a great honor, WOW, a Triple Crown Winner… !

We published a limited edition print of him winning the Derby. The print was sold at Belmont Park on the day of his historic Triple Crown win. It sold out in hours.

72_ThomasAllenPauly woodford Recently, I was selected as the Official Artist of the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby Bourbon bottle. They are the Official Bourbon of the Derby and I am looking forward to seeing my painting image everywhere at this year’s event. This will be my 18^th Derby.

TBP: What have been some of your toughest/most challenging assignments/commissions?

TP: One of my toughest paintings was also one of my largest. The 5′ x 12′ triptych was commissioned by the National Art Museum of Sport for their Speed and Motion: Racing to the Finish Line exhibit. I only had a month to work on it. Although, it was a tough one, I completed it a couple hours before shipping it down to Indiana. It now proudly hangs in my art studio.

Six For Fun

TBP: What might you pick out as your most memorable day’s racing or racing experience?

There are two that stand out. Photographing my first Kentucky Derby in 1999, and photographing my first Triple Crown champion after witnessing six failed attempts, then meeting American Pharoah.

TBP: When you are not immersed in art, do you pursue any other vocations or hobbies?

TP: I do volunteer work for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) They do wonderful work. The PDJF is committed to working with both industry and medical research groups to improve the safety of both the human and equine athlete as well as medical research projects dedicated to reducing catastrophic injuries.

TBP: What is your favorite type of music?

Jazz/Big Band. Love Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, they make my brush “Swing”

TBP: Favorite vacation destination?

Paris, France, and Newmarket, England. It is generally considered the birthplace and global centre of Thoroughbred horse racing.

TBP: Favorite type of food or restaurant?

TP: RL restaurant in Chicago. It’s part of the Ralph Lauren Flagship store on Michigan Ave. The food is great and the entire restaurant is decorated with equine art, jockey silks, saddles and racing memorabilia . It reminds me of my art studio.

TBP: If you could pick any guests for an interesting dinner party who might you invite to your table?

TP: Equine Artist Richard Stone Reeves (my mentor), Jockey Willie Shoemaker, Del Mar Racetrack owner and singer Bing Crosby, Secretariat owner Penny Chenery, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Arlington Park Racetrack owner Richard Duchossois and Queen Elizabeth… What a dinner party this would be.

Visit Thomas Allen Pauly’s website at www.horseartist.com

The Fine Art of Secretariat by Thomas Allen Pauly – View Video

The Fine Art of Racing by Thomas Allen Pauly – View Video

Slots, Slots, Slots… Why Does Horse Racing Continue To Build Itself a House Of Cards?

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock since Christmas, it’s no news that for the past several months, Florida horsemen have been in a state of understandable panic about the future of thoroughbred racing in their home state due to potential “Decoupling”. What the full extent of the impact of decoupling on racing, through subsequent reductions in revenues for purses and racetrack operations, may ultimately turn out to be, is scarily unknown. Most believe that it will potentially see horse racing in Florida become a mere shadow of its former self. As betting handle, casino revenues and purses drop, many horsemen may go out of business at worst, or move their horses elsewhere at best.

Decoupling bills have failed for now, but will no doubt be back in the not too distant future. Thoroughbred racing’s casino bedmates are restless, and now they want out.

But wasn’t “Coupling” a ridiculously short sighted and dangerous idea in the first place? The arranged marriage of thoroughbred horse racing and slot machine operators was surely never destined to be one that would last. While initially both parties were mutually beneficial to each other, and of course agreements with racetracks were in many cases necessary for slots to become licenced, legalized and operate in the first place, divorce was surely always going to come. As soon as the gold digging casino operators had their feet parked firmly enough under the table to be able to survive without having to deal with and attend to the horses and horsemen they used to get in business in the first place, they were going to make a play to legislators and government for a case to leave those horses and horsemen behind.

slots To make matters far, far worse, as racetrack operators and various thoroughbred industry beneficiaries began to get (temporarily) fat on the run off revenues from casinos and slots, they got lazy too. They let themselves go and took their eyes off the business ball. They paid little attention to the quality of their racing product and their customers’ racetrack experience, as their customer base and their racetrack business eroded. Rather than focus on using this opportune financial time to build their racing product and their business up for the day when the slot revenues and support might not be there anymore, racetrack operators chose instead to lie down on their backs and bask in the sun. As if it was never, ever going to go down…

So to today. Now we have the nightmare in Florida, which will be only the first of several other racing states, who set up casino deals, that will have this coming. You could be forgiven for thinking that the lesson would have been learnt. Yet the coming day of reckoning in Florida apparently has not stopped New Jersey racetracks trying to jump on the casino/slots bandwagon.

As reported recently, New Jersey racing is now currently lobbying for a percentage of revenues from the expansion of casinos in the state, and installation of slots at The Meadowlands. A move which they apparently see as necessary to “save” racing in New Jersey.

AmercanPharoah “Save?” While thoroughbred racing is in poor shape in some states, and is obviously not as popular as it was in days gone by, there is cause for optimism. Monthly average betting handle across the USA is actually up on 2015 so far this year. But the path and the solution to seeing thoroughbred racing thrive again is not to seek out short term, hand out, revenue streams from “partners”, such as casino and slot machine operators, harboring ulterior motives and no genuine interest in horses and horse racing. To do that is simply to build a house of cards, as Florida has found out.

For horse racing to survive and thrive, there is only one way to do it. Alone. It must operate as a standalone business. If it cannot survive and thrive on its own feet, like any business, in the long run it won’t survive at all.

In the normal world of commerce, if a business needs improving, if it is failing to turn a profit, a smart business owner looks to solve their problem by:

— Improving their product to make it as good as it can be.

— Adjusting pricing to provide recognizable value for money.

— Focusing on providing a great experience for the customer to ensure continued repeat business.

— Aggressively, thoughtfully and continuously marketing their improved product to maintain and expand the customer base and build a loyal and sustainable following.

These fundamental business basics are what US horse racing and racetracks should have been practicing for the past twenty years. Yet sadly, anyone who pays a visit to their local racetrack can see only too clearly that not one of these four basic business initiatives has been genuinely or properly implemented in the past two decades. If racetracks and horsemen had tried as hard to push these four business basics in the past twenty years as they have tried to stop decoupling in the past few months, decoupling would not be a problem. Horse racing’s own core business would be thriving without any need for handouts from other sources.

Horse Racing 2015: Travers Stakes Scene AUG 28 It’s not too late. There is so much that can be done – that is not being done – to turn things around. While gambling and owners fund the business of course, the amazing sport of thoroughbred racing is so much more than slot machine or casino gambling. How does the sport try and get this truth across to people who don’t know it yet?

As a general rule, people who “don’t get horse racing” generally don’t “get it” because they don’t “understand it”. Almost anyone who receives the education and opportunity to understand horse racing really cannot help but to enjoy and follow the game. Horse racing fans are fans for good reason. We just need more of them.

Those new fans are out there. And they can be found, if racing and racetracks decide to get their act together and improve and market their product – which is horse racing, not just gambling – instead of turning their backs, as they rely on temporarily lucrative, but inevitably doomed revenues from slot machines and casino operators.

— Carl Wilson

Stud Notes: The Strange Case of the Vanishing Stallion

Majestic_Warrior Remember Majestic Warrior? A beautifully bred, precocious, grade one winning son of A.P. Indy, out of the millionaire, multiple grade one winning daughter of Seeking the Gold, Dream Supreme, he was the leading sophomore sire of 2013, thanks in part to his fantastic first crop daughter, Princess of Sylmar. She swept the Coaching Club American Oaks-G1, the Kentucky Oaks-G1 (defeating Beholder) and the Beldame Invitational S.-G1 (defeating Royal Delta), earning over $1.6 million.

She was also the sale topping broodmare prospect at Fasig-Tipton November, 2013, when she sold for $3.1 million to Shadai Farm, in Japan. As a freshman sire, Majestic Warrior ranked fourth, but had more winners, 30, than any other freshman sire. But in 2014, he fell to seventh on the third crop sire list, and in 2015, he fell again, to 47^th on the general sires list, with only $4.9 million in progeny earnings. Was Princess of Sylmar a fluke, never to be repeated?

The thoroughbred business may be worse than Hollywood in its “what have you done for me lately” mindset. In the fall of 2015, very quietly, without even a press release, Majestic Warrior was sent from Ashford Stud to East Stud in Japan, sold to the same farm that the previous year had purchased leading freshman sire Dunkirk from Ashford. Search for Majestic Warrior on the internet, and all you’ll find are a few Tweets and questions on obscure thoroughbred chat websites, asking the question, “where is Majestic Warrior? What’s happened to him?”

Majestic Warrior wins the 2007 G1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga

The business model at Ashford/Coolmore would seem to be one that demands the very best. The culling of such young studs as Dunkirk and Majestic Warrior so early in their careers suggests that, for a stallion starting out, if they’re not performing well, they will be sold on. With all their resources, and all their brilliantly bred race horses running all over the world, Ashford can afford to take this approach. After all, they’ve now added American Pharoah to their stallion roster, and Uncle Mo shows no sign of slowing down. Mistakes are made, however. The case of Empire Maker, whose progeny started running like crazy shortly after he was sold to Japan, illustrates this, and he has now returned to Kentucky to stand at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm. Fans of Majestic Warrior can hope to see him again, though, as of right now, his progeny have vanished from the racing radar.

The Life and Times of Monarchos and Charles Nuckols III

Monarchos-&-CharlesNuckolsIII Nestled among the rolling hills of Woodford County in Central Kentucky are some of the most prestigious Thoroughbred farms in the world. Farms like Lane’s End, Three Chimneys, Airdrie Stud and WinStar all call Woodford County home.

There are also many smaller farms that call Woodford County home, and as you drive the beautiful fence-lined back roads of the county you will see their horses grazing in pastures that stretch as far as the eye can see. As winter melts away and spring brings warmer weather, many of those pastures are filled with mares and foals running around and playing in the morning, and then napping in the afternoon before heading back to their stalls for the evening. It’s the cycle of nature and it plays out in all of its glory throughout Central Kentucky every year.

NuckolsFarm-2015 In some of the other pastures on those farms stand stallions, some well known; others not so much. For many who see them grazing in the fields, they are just beautiful horses; their names unknown. If you drive to the outskirts of the quiet town of Midway, Kentucky (pop. just under 1,700), visitors will see one of those stallions on one of those Kentucky farms. You see, for many who drive by Nuckols Farm and look in one of its front paddocks, all they see is a beautiful gray horse grazing on the grass. For others that drive by and see that beautiful gray horse, they know exactly who he is – he is Monarchos, the 2001 winner of the Kentucky Derby and still a favorite for many horse racing fans.

According to Charles Nuckols III, owner of the 1,150-acre Nuckols Farm, Monarchos, or “Mo” as he is nicknamed, is as beloved today as he was when he won the Kentucky Derby. At times, fans will pass by the farm and look at Monarchos through the fence along the road that fronts the farm and take photos. At other times some will stop in, announced or unannounced, to see their favorite horse. Sometimes, a tour bus will even stop by and people will get out to see him. For Nuckols, and Fred Braunm, the farm’s stallion manager, it is all part of the fun and responsibility of having such a popular Kentucky Derby winner on the farm.

Mo-SpringTime “Bus loads would come from tours through the Kentucky Horse Park, and then sometimes tours that are just driving around (would stop in), said Nuckols, or ‘Nucks” as he is called by his friends. “They’ll just pull in and 50 percent of the people or more on the bus do not even know who he is. They just see a nice gray horse out in the paddock. He probably has more photos taken of him than Secretariat. Even people just driving up and down our county road, they’ll stop and take pictures and have no idea who he is. Just a pretty gray horse.”

It is also a good thing, in some ways, that Monarchos is such an easy going horse, as he does not let all of the visitors bother him much.

“He’s friendly, but does not necessarily come up to the fence for everyone of them, thank goodness,” said Nuckols. “He keeps his space.”

His fans also know that Monarchos loves peppermints, and the farm has had an endless supply of them since his arrival.

MonarchosKY “He gets peppermints,” said Nuckols. “As a matter of fact, we got a two-pound box last week from a lady in Mississippi that had driven through the farm and knew that he liked peppermints. Of course, we have a container down there (next to his stall) and you can give him one when he comes out. He likes those. And, it doesn’t upset his stomach or anything like that. It’s just a little special treat. So, he gets peppermints by the pounds all year.”

Monarchos, who is by Maria’s Mon-Regal Band, by Dixieland Band, was bred by Jim Squires and foaled in Kentucky on February 9, 1998. He burst onto the horse racing scene in 2001 with his first big win coming in the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida. According to Nuckols, it was while Monarchos was at Gulfstream that he got the nickname “Mo.” Who said it first is unknown; it probably was said by a groom or one of the folks that worked in the stable. But, the reason for it was quite understandable.

“When he was on the track at Gulfstream in Florida when he was a 2-year-old, only some of the help could pronounce Monarchos,” said Nuckols. “(Others, including) racing fans, couldn’t… So, that’s pretty much how he got the nickname of “Mo.” All because a lot of people could not pronounce Monarchos.”

Mo-Summer After his win in the Florida Derby, Monarchos finished second in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct, and then headed to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby (G1). There, on May 5, 2001 under jockey Jorge Chavez, Monarchos took the lead in the stretch and pulled away to win the race by 5-1/2 lengths. His winning time of 1:59.97 in the 1-1/4-mile race was the second fastest in history, just behind Secretariat’s winning time of 1:59 2/5.

After the Derby, Monarchos went on to finish sixth in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and third in the Belmont Stakes (G1). A short time later he was injured and sat out the rest of the season. In January 2002, as a 4-year-old, he was injured during training and retired to Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, to begin his stud career.

Monarchos stood at Claiborne for an initial fee of $25,000 and had some good offspring, which included Informed Decision, who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) in 2009, and Win Willy, who won the Rebel Stakes (G2) in 2009 and was looking for a possible run in the Kentucky Derby before an injury sidelined him.

Monarchos stood at Claiborne Farm for five years before his owner, John Oxley, owner of Fawn Leap Farm near Midway, decided to move him to Nuckols Farm in 2008.

“Mr. Oxley just wanted to get him a little closer to home,” said Nuckols. “They don’t stand stallions at Fawn Leap. So, he called me up one day and said, ‘Nucks, would you mind going over to Claiborne to pick up Monarchos and bring him back and stand him.’ I said, ‘that’d be no problem.'” Upon his arrival, Monarchos was placed in the paddock just across from Nuckols’ house and he’s been there ever since.

Mo-Winter While life at Nuckols Farm for Monarchos has mostly gone smoothly over the last eight years, there were two colic episodes in 2012, which he recovered from in great fashion. He also had a colic-related problem in 2015, where an incision from one of his previous surgeries was irritating him. That was corrected with no problem, and today he is doing just fine.

One of the most interesting things that came out of all that, however, is that Mo now has a love for Guinness beer.

“It was about two years ago when he had a colic surgery,” explains Nuckols. “I think Mr. Oxley heard about the Guinness beer through some other horse (owners) because of the hops and what not that’s in there. He had a couple of mares on his farm over at Fawn Leap (Farm) that were on it that had colic problems (and) he said, ‘why not give it a try.’

“So, we’ve been doing that. He (Oxley) sends a couple cases every month, and he (Monarchos) gets a bottle in the morning with breakfast, and he gets a bottle at night. And, believe me, he knows whether it’s in there or not. … Not that 12 ounces is going to get a 1,200 pound stallion drunk, but he knows the flavor.”

Word for Monarchos’s love of Guinness beer spread and soon his fans started sending bottles and cases of it to the farm for him. “Every now and then, Fed Ex or somebody will pull up, and they have to have a special permit or something to ship it (liquor/beer), and he still gets that,” said Nuckols. “But, every six months (or so), he’ll get a case from somebody from outside the state. He never runs out, so, that’s good.”

Monarchos1 Monarchos was even sent a special surprise from the makers of Guinness beer. “We had a client in Dallas that knew about this (Monarchos’s love of Guinness) and they had talked to the guy who’s vice president of Guinness, and, on my counter over there, is a glass that he sent to Monarchos that has his name on it,” said Nuckols. “It’s right there (…on the trophy case). Needless to say, he (Monarchos) hasn’t had any Guinness out of that, and me neither.”

As another day draws to a close, Nuckols is sitting behind the desk in his comfortable home office, which is adorned with horse racing books, photographs and other horse racing memorabilia. Sitting there, he looks out the window just across the way and watches Monarchos grazing in his paddock. By the way he looks at the big gray horse, there is no question that he loves him and could just enjoy watching him graze and walk around his paddock for hours on end.

“(There) is his paddock (right outside my office window), and right now, there he is,” said Nuckols with a smile as he watches Mo graze just outside his office window. “Every morning when the sun comes up, he’s the first one (horse) I see, and every night when we turn the lights off, of course, he’s in his stall by then, but he’s the last horse I see at night for I don’t know how many years.”

Well, it’s been eight years since Monarchos first stepped onto Nuckols Farm and Nuckols got to watch him outside his office window. The two have come a long way together, through good times – such as when Nuckols happily gets to introduce him to visitors or give him his morning Guinness beer – and bad, which included the two colic surgeries for Monarchos and a recent shoulder replacement for Nuckols.

Still, the two have enjoyed eight wonderful years together, and, hopefully, there will be many more to come.

— Rick Capone

Stud Notes: Selling a New Stallion

By Roberta Smoodin

Karakontie Unless you’re standing a horse with instant name recognition and a high profile career (think American Pharoah or Honor Code), getting mares booked to a freshman sire can be a daunting proposition. As lower end horses sell worse and worse at auction, while competition for the few mares, two year olds, yearlings and weanlings who are in foal to or by the hottest horses (think Tapit and War Front) and who tick all the boxes in terms of physical perfection heats up, stud farms must bring more and more creativity to their marketing of young stallions, such as Spendthrift’s “Share the Upside” proposition that has found such popularity with lower end breeders.

Gainesway Farm faces such a dilemma with their new stallion, Karakontie. The winner of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf Mile, and a horse who raced successfully on two continents, name recognition becomes a real issue: what is a Karakontie? How do you pronounce it? And why should anyone breed to a turf horse?

Karakontie is the Mohawk word for “flying sun,” a fabulous race horse name, actually. Gainesway’s aggressive advertising campaign for him stresses his stunning good looks and his equally stunning family: Miesque herself, multiple champion and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile-G1, twice, against the boys, is his third dam, making him from the female family of the glorious Kingmambo. Kingmambo was a great success at stud at Lane’s End, and Gainesway keeps reminding breeders of this in their ads. Karakontie earned over $1.9 million, and was a multiple Grade and Group 1 winner, so his $15,000 stud fee seems a bargain. How will Gainesway distinguish him from all the other relatively low priced new stallions of 2016?

The answer to that question is, by demonstrating their own commitment. Gainesway will breed 40 of their own mares to Karakontie. One can assume that the Niarchos family, who raced and own Karakontie, will bring some of their own mares to the young stallion as well, making his first book both interesting and impressive.

Gainesway has a history of importing stallions with European bloodlines and making them successful here. That list includes such greats as Riverman, Green Dancer, Irish River and Blushing Groom. So, clearly, it behooves breeders to consider Karakontie seriously—breeding to him will put one’s mare in elite company. When Tapit retired to stud, his fee was the same $15,000. And look at him now.

The Interviews: Fairgrounds Leading Trainer, Michael Stidham

MichaelStidham

Since he started out in the 1980s, much travelled trainer Michael Stidham’s horses have won over 1600 races and $48 million dollars in prize money. A recent winner of the Trainer’s title at Fairgrounds racetrack, Michael took time out of his busy schedule to talk to Thoroughbred People about his career to date.

TBP: Michael, how did you get involved in horse racing?

MS: My father was a jockey in New Jersey so I was born into it really. My brother Steve Stidham was the track photographer at Hollywood Park for about fifteen years. As a child I loved the action of the races. The Hall of Fame rider Bill Hartack was a family friend and he also had a big influence on me. My father advised me against being a trainer as he felt it wasn’t a very secure business to be in. He said to go to college, and if I wanted to be around the racetrack he suggested I become a vet. As a jockey on the lower levels he had fought the ups and downs of the game and I guess he just didn’t want me to go through what he had been through. I decided to try the college route with a view to becoming a vet, but after a couple of years it was clear that it wasn’t for me, I really wanted to become a trainer.

MichaelStidham1 TBP: Tell us about how your early training career.

MS: I worked my way up through the ranks to become an assistant trainer to my father when we were based at Calder in Florida. Then he sent me with about eight of our lower level horses to Florida Downs, which is now Tampa Bay Downs. I was there for a winter meet and I learned a lot. Then in 1980 I got the opportunity to train privately for Harold Goodman at Louisiana Downs. We did pretty well and won a couple of nice stakes races, then Mr Goodman asked me to go on to Southern California with some of his horses. I spent the next ten years in Southern California. While I was training there I went over to France to look for a stallion prospect for Mr Goodman and we found a horse by Nijinsky called Manzotti. He was a big beautiful horse with an amazing stride. I told Mr Goodman we had to have him and we gave $150,000, which as it turned out was a great deal.

We initially ran him on the turf over here a couple of times and he didn’t run that well, so we switched him to dirt and that’s when he got really good. He was a very tough, strong horse to be around and tough to handle sometimes, but he went on to win several Graded Stakes for us, and later sired Two Altazano who became my first Grade 1 winner.

MichaelStidham2 Then towards the end of the ‘80s things got a bit lean for me and I was having to rethink my future. I was down to about six horses, so I decided to go up to Northern California, I had some solid relationships with Southern California trainers and I figured they might send me some horses who weren’t fitting down south and that might revitalize things for me.

Sure enough, within a short period of time up there I was up to around twenty horses and I was back on track, but I didn’t have any really good horses and I wasn’t really getting anywhere. Then Mr Goodman asked me to go to Sam Houston in Texas to train for him. Texas racing was taking off at the time, but after I’d been down there a year or so Mr Goodman sadly passed away suddenly. The family, who I was close with, were very good to me and allowed me to continue with my contract and also take on outside clients, so I managed to slowly build the operation up through the ‘90s and things started to get better for me.

I knew I had to get on to a good circuit where they had good purses and good turf racing year round as well, so I decided on Arlington Park in Chicago in the summer and New Orleans in the winter, stopping off at Keeneland in the spring and the fall.

MichaelStidham6 TBP: Who are your assistant trainers and what sort of client base do you have?

MS: My main assistant is Hilary Pridham, and I have Mitch Dennison at Laurel and Nick Canani at Hawthorne. I have a lot of owners and a very diverse client base. My biggest clients are probably Ike and Dawn Thrash, who I won a Grade 1 stake at Keeneland for with Her Emmynency. I now also train for clients like Marty Nixon, John Adger, Twin Creeks Racing Stable, Cobra Farm, Pin Oak, West Point Thoroughbreds and Dare To Dream Stable, and recently Mr Duchussois, who owns Arlington Park, became a client.

TBP: What is your favourite part of training racehorses?

MS: I really like developing the young horses. It’s like a puzzle to solve when you first bring them in and start working with them, analyzing their pedigrees, watching them train, watching their stride, watching them work with the other two year olds and figuring out what distance and surface they are likely to want.

I try to adapt my training style to the individual horse depending on their characteristics and habits. I watch how they respond to different types of training, identify what works best with them and make an individual program for each.

MichaelStidham5 TBP: What do you think of synthetic tracks?

MS: We train all summer long at Arlington on the polytrack. On a day to day wear and tear basis it is easier on them and you just don’t see the same kind of catastrophic breakdowns on the synthetic tracks that you see on dirt tracks. If I can avoid issues like chips in knees and ankles obviously that’s good news. They talk about temperature problems with the synthetics in California, but it gets hot in a Chicago summer and we didn’t have any problems with the polytrack there.

Here at Keeneland I work most of my horses on the polytrack. For me it’s been safer to train on. I was 100% behind the synthetics all along. I went to see Mr Duchussois to let him know how good I felt about the polytrack at Keeneland before they put it in at Arlington. The Arlington dirt track was a dangerous track when it rained and I’m very glad that they put the synthetic surface in there.

TBP: How did you feel about Keeneland taking out their synthetic track and going back to dirt?

MS: I was disappointed when Keeneland took their synthetic track out. It unfortunately came down to a corporate mentality as there was a feeling that they wouldn’t get the Breeders Cup unless they did that, but it wasn’t in the best interest of the horses.

TBP: Do you see other types of injuries occurring on the synthetic tracks?

On the synthetics we see some high suspensory strains for example, some hind end issues, but the difference is that these are manageable injuries that horses can recover from, unlike many of the terminal injuries that occur on dirt tracks. It is definitely harder to keep horses sound on dirt tracks than synthetic tracks or turf.

Grade 1 Winner Miss Emmynency TBP: You recently pulled off a great training performance when you won a Grade 1 at Keeneland with Miss Emmynency who you brought back from a long layoff, what was the issue that had put her out of action?

MS: Miss Emmynency came down with colitis when we were preparing her for the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2014. We got her to the clinic in time and luckily we saved her. We gave her four months off at the farm and she recovered well. As a two year old she had showed us a lot of talent, she was very quick. We took her to Del Mar where she broke her maiden and was then second beaten just a neck in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante. Then we went to Santa Anita where she won the listed Surfer Girl Stakes on the turf very impressively. After that is when she came down with the colitis.

TBP: Where are you on the medication debate?

MS: I feel strongly that things needed to be reigned in, things were out of control with so many guys abusing things like clenbuterol, anabolic steroids and regularly injecting horses right on top of races. With our racing schedule however I am against banning Lasix. We’re racing year round here and I think if we can help these horses with some issues with things like that and anti-inflammatories then why not?

TBP: Tell us about some of your other good horses. Istanford?

MS: Istanford was a very quirky filly, highly strung and a little difficult to deal with in the mornings, quirky in the paddock too, but a lot of talent, very athletic. She won the Grade 2 San Clemente at Del Mar in 2014 and we also won against the boys in the Arlington Classic. She was similar to Two Altazanno in that if she made the lead in her races and got her way she was very hard to get by.

MichaelStidham4 TBP: How about Upper Line?

MS: Upper Line is a great story. I trained for Stonerside for Bob and Janice McNair. John Adger who was their racing manager and has known me since my days with Harold Goodman, called me when they were selling their operation and horses to Darley. John said that there were some yearlings that Darley were weeding out but that were from well bred families, and he asked me if I wanted to go see them.

We bought a package of three for around $40,000. Upper Line was one of them. She wasn’t perfect confirmation wise, but we thought she was the best of the three. Hilary my assistant and I both stayed in for 25% and Upper Line went on to win $700,000 on the racetrack. Arthur Hancock became interested and bought in and because of that we bred her to War Front, just before War Front got white hot as a stallion. We sold her in foal to him and she brought $1,750,000 at the sale, so that worked out alright!

TBP: What was she like as an individual?

MS: She was a laid back filly, she never really jumped out at you in her work and was something of an overachiever, she had a lot of heart. It was only later in her career when we stretched her out to a mile and a half and she won well that we realized that she could have been even better over a distance of ground. 1.04

MichaelStidham3 TBP: Would you like to see more long distance races?

MS: Yes, I think there is too much of this nonsense where some trainers just want to run their horses over shorter and shorter distances and seem to be scared to send their horses further than a mile. Some of the mindsets seem quite ridiculous, for some it seems to be just about sending them and just speed, speed, speed. That’s not my style, I love to train horses to run long, especially on the turf, I really enjoy that.

TBP: What other horses are memorable for you?

MS: Wilcox Inn is another great story. We were at the Fasig Tipton sale and Hilary and Marette Farrell said you have to come and look at this Harlan’s Holiday colt. He was very small but he was very athletic and had this amazing walk. He would have been about 15.1 hands high when we bought him and would be no more than 15.2 or 15.3 when he was fully grown. We went for him for $50,000 and I said we either have a racehorse or a shetland pony here. He turned out to be an amazing horse.

On his first start at Arlington he ran against Animal Kingdom, and the move he made in the race from way back to beat the future Kentucky Derby winner was amazing. He was from a good family for turf and distance, Cetewayo is in the family, and he won over a million dollars.

We had him set up for a stallion career but unfortunately he died in a paddock accident just a few months ago. He was bred to 30 mares though, which is something. He was a real character, he’d always be nipping at you and wanted to be tough about things, but not in a mean way.

Gran Estreno was an amazing horse originally from Argentina, we claimed him for $25,000, He was a massive, powerful horse, maybe 16.3 hands high, huge shoulder and hip. When we were thinking about claiming him Marty Nixon (Feels Like Thunder Stable) called me up and asked me if I knew why they were dropping him in for $25,000. We figured he had some major problems and that they were trying to lose him, as he had been claimed for $25,000 from Dick Dutrow and was running him right back for the same money. I made a call to a guy who knew the assistant to Dutrow, he said there was nothing wrong with the horse, he just hadn’t panned out as expected and they didn’t want him anymore.

He won by eight lengths the day we claimed him. He went on to earn over $400,000 for us and won three Graded Stakes including the Washington Park Handicap twice.

Sutra was a filly who was probably not one of the most talented horses I trained but we were in the right place at the right time with her. She had done well as a two year old, and the owner Jack Hodge persuaded me to go to Belmont for the Grade 1 Frizette. I remember looking at the track and thinking that it was so deep that day, even for the “Big Sandy”, and wondering how Sutra was going to handle it, but she ran a huge race, the rider found a gap on the rail and she ran on and won, she clearly loved the track.

Another horse we claimed for $20,000 was a Texas Bred called Sandburr, also owned by Marty Nixon (Feels Like Thunder Stable). We won several stakes with him and he won over $470,000. He was a really kind, gentle horse who just went out there and laid his body down for you every time. We raced him till he was nine and he wasn’t as good as he was, he came back down the claiming ladder and was beaten for $25,000.

I called Marty and said listen, we’re at a point right now where for this horse to be competitive we are going to have to drop him down to $10,000. He’ll probably get claimed and then go to run at some low level track for $4000 and who knows where he might end up, so we need to do the right thing for this horse and retire him, which we did. He is retired with Kathy Volkman on her farm in Texas and they still send me pictures which you can see on my website, he’s very happy.

TBP: Have you had success rehoming your horses when they finish racing?

MS: We have a good track record of rehoming retired racehorses, Hilary Pridham is very good at it and has a lot of connections with hunter jumper people. I don’t think the majority of the people in the business, owners, breeders, trainers and even jockeys, step in and do enough to find homes for these horses when they retire. It should be made mandatory for everyone involved in the industry to play some small part in this matter.

TBP: What issues would you like to see resolved in racing?

MS: One thing that gets me is the corporate mentality racetracks who put a big front side show on, but don’t look after situations and often deplorable backside conditions for the employees and the barns. These people need to be held accountable for what’s going on on the backstretch, just like when the State of Louisiana stepped in at the Fairgrounds and told Churchill Downs that if they didn’t fix up their backside and renovate the turf course they would pull their slot licence. Churchill then went in and fixed it of course.

In Texas it’s a shame what’s happening, it’s shocking to me that Texas racing didn’t take off and do better than it did, I think a lot of it is down to a political mess which shouldn’t have happened.

I like what’s happening at Laurel. I met with Tim Ritvo and I think that at the end of the day even though some people are upset with the changes Stronach made at Gulfstream and is making at Laurel, they are providing options to get people’s attention and make it an all round entertainment situation. They are doing things in a corporate way but they are promoting racing along the way.

This is a business I truly love and I love horses and training. It has been very good to me and I am always looking to give back to to help the sport and the horses.

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Thoroughbred People’s Equine Legends Series: 1840s Racemare – Reel

By Kimberly French

reel Her presence has been a fixture on the Jockey Club’s boardroom wall for more than a century and her blood coursed through the capillaries of none other than champions Tim Tam, Two Lea, Chris Evert, Winning Colors and Chief’s Crown. Her name was Reel and although this horse’s name may not leap to mind when discussing Thoroughbred pedigrees, this daughter of Glencoe was not only a fantastic race mare, but one of the most outstanding broodmares ever to live on American soil.

Reel, a daughter of Glencoe, who captured the 2,000 Guineas and Ascot Gold Cup in England prior to his importation to the United States, was born in 1838 at James Jackson’s plantation Forks of Cypress. Jackson had purchased Glencoe upon his retirement and the stallion stood his first season (1836) in his homeland prior to taking up residence on the outskirts of Florence, Alabama.

Galopade, an English-bred, had already produced two daughters of Leviathan, Fandango and Cotillion, who when mated with Glencoe, proved to be just as influential to the breed as their younger sibling. In his first crop Glencoe, who was the top sire in America in 1847, 1849, 1850 and from 1854 to 1858, produced the tremendous broodmare Pocahontas. This mare gave birth to Stockwell, Rataplan and King Tom, all of whom left their own imprint on the breed. Such notable stallions as Man O’War, Mr. Prospector, Secretariat, Raise A Native and Northern Dancer had multiple crosses to Pocahontas in their pedigrees.

By the time Reel was a yearling, Jackson had sold 50 percent of her to General Thomas Jefferson Wells and she was whisked to Wellswood, his estate located near Alexandria, Louisiana. Before, the spectacular looking gray filly ever competed, however, Wells made sure he owned her outright.

Reel commenced her racing career in the autumn of 1841 at the Louisiana Course in New Orleans. She annexed her first two contests with ease in 2-mile heats prior to taking the Jockey Club Purse in 4-mile heats. This feat established her reputation as a very talented horse. The filly continued her dominance at age four, with four more triumphs added to her resume, including a match race with Miss Foote at the Metairie Race Course in New Orleans. Reel placed all of her male and female rivals into submission until her final race at age 5. She took a bad step in the stretch of the last heat and simply could not reach the colt George Martin. She was sent to the breeding shed with seven victories from eight trips to the track and had very nearly broken Fashion’s record for 4-mile heats.

reel It was in her second career, however, where Reel absolutely excelled. Ten of her thirteen offspring were high quality racehorses. Her first three foals, all by Leviathan and male, were Lincoln, Stafford and Captain Elgee. During her pregnancy for Captain Elgee, Reel was moved to Kentucky where she was managed by James A Grinstead (Walnut Hill Farm) and boarded on Winchester Pike in close proximity to Ashland Farms (Henry Clay). She remained in the Bluegrass State until her demise.

Captain Elgee sired two fillies out of Albion, Wenonah and Lantana. Wenonah was the dam of the 1879 Kentucky Derby winner Lord Murphy, as well as Sue Walton (the dam of stakes winner Barrett). Lantana was the dam of 1879 Kentucky Oaks winner Liahtunah, who would go on to foal the stakes winner, Gipsy Queen. She also produced Poca Wiley, the third dam of Highball, the 1903 juvenile champion.

In 1847 along came Bob Green, a gelded son of Ambassador and the following year it was the Sovereign filly Ann Dunn, both of whom were successful racehorses.

It was 1850, however, when Reel offered her most exceptional progeny in Lecomte. By Boston, Lecomte was a fabulous racehorse, whose reputation was only exceeded by the great Lexington, another son of that sire. Lecomte did defeat his flashy rival, however, which was Lexington’s only loss and established a new American standard of 7:26 for 4-mile heats.

Lecomte was bred to several mares in the spring of 1856 after recovering from a bout of lameness and later that year was sold to Richard Ten Broeck, who also owned Lexington. Ten Broeck plunked down $10,000 for the stallion and shipped him to England for competition. Lecomte was third in the Warwick Cup, which would be prove to be his final start, as he exited the race lame. It was not very long after his appearance in England that the horse succumbed to colic. There is a stakes race for colts run every spring at Fairgrounds Racetrack in in Lousiana in his honor.

reel From the very few foals he managed to sire Lecomte got the nice stakes winners Umpire and Uncle Jeff. There was also an unnamed filly by Sovereign, who produced Lizzie G., who was the dam of Mannie Gray, who was responsible for the great Domino, in addition to his outstanding sister Correction. Triple Crown winner Affirmed is her descendent and she was also the grand dam of Hamburg.

In 1851, Reel foaled Ashland by Wagner before producing the filly Prioress by Sovereign in 1853. While Prioress produced six foals, none of them ever amounted to much in the racetrack or in the breeding shed, but this filly is the first American-bred and owned horse to ever capture a major stakes race in England. She was also purchased by Ten Broeck and accompanied her older half sibling Lecomte oversees.

During her racing days, Prioress toted 93 pounds and finished in a triple dead heat with El Hakim (93) and Queen Bess (66) in the 1857 edition of the Cesarewitch Stakes at Newmarket. She also won the Great Yorkshire Handicap and the Queen’s Plates at Epsom and Newmarket. She perished in 1868 while giving birth to her last foal and the Grade I Prioress Stakes is a tribute to her achievements each year.

In 1855, Reel gave birth to the colt Starke by Wagner. He also joined his older half siblings Prioress and Lecomte in England, as he was also owned by Ten Broeck. In 1859, he annexed the Goodwood Stakes, the Warwick Cup and the Bentinck Memorial. In 1861 he won the Goodwood Cup and the Brighton Stakes easily. In November of 1861 he was purchased by Prussian ownership group for $7,000, where he spent the remainder of his days as a stallion.

Fanny Wells, a full sister to Prioress and Ann Dunn, arrived in 1858. The gray daughter of Reel was not as prolific as her older full siblings on the racetrack, but far eclipsed their efforts in the breeding shed. She was the dam of the stakes winners Nellie Gray and Jils Johnson. Jils Johnson sired Famine, the dam of steeplechaser Good and Plenty and Belle of Nantura, whose line still carries on today.

She was also the dam of Rosaline, who gave birth to Roke the grand dam of champions Waterboy and Rosary. Rosary is the dam of Vespers, who continued Reel’s line into modern times.

Fanny Wells was also responsible for the Ten Broeck mare Rena B who is present in the direct lineage of the 1912 2-year-old filly champion Gowell and the 1917 Coaching Club American Oaks victress Wistful.

Reel may have saved her best for last with Lexington’s son War Dance in 1859. Some claim there is an error in the Stud Book’s records and the colt was actually born in 1860, but there is no dispute he is her last foal. Wells sold War Dance as a 2-year-old to his friend A. Keene Richards of Georgetown, Kentucky, for $5,000.

Richards initially intended to ship War Dance to England for his racing career, but his plans were interrupted with the onset of the Civil War. He felt his horses would be much safer at Wellswood rather than in Kentucky or overseas so his stock was sent to Wells. By 1862, however, the Union forces had overrun much of New Orleans and Wells and Richards sent all of their horses to the property they owned in Texas. Wells died there shortly after the transition and War Dance was in training in 1866 after the conflict’s conclusion, but was lame. It was decided racing was not an option and he was sent to Georgetown, Kentucky, at Bluegrass Park to stand stud for $50 each live cover.

reel War Dance accomplished what Lecomte was unable to do in the breeding sire and became a tremendous sire. His best runner was Modesty, a filly that defeated the boys in the 1884 American Derby. His male progeny include Chance, Wyoming, Stampede and Buillion.

The stallion was also an excellent broodmare sire as he was responsible for Lizzie G. There was also War Song, who gave birth to the champions Eole, St. Savior in addition to Eon and Eolo and Lizzie Hazelwood. In turn Lizzie Hazelwood produced Preakness victor and the good sire Knight of Ellerslie.

War Dance also fathered the mare Bradamante, who in turn gave birth to champion The Bard. Another of his fillies Buff and Blue was the mother to Rainbow and Bright Phoebus. The list continues with Sister of Mercy foaling Pardee, Distraction producing Millie, an Alabama Stakes victress and Geneva foaling Kentucky Derby victor, Riley.

Although the general public may not be privy to the portrait of Reel at the Jockey Club’s headquarters, her memory, her presence and impact on the sport will never wane.

$2.48 Million in Grants Awarded for Aftercare of Retired Thoroughbreds

By Victor Ryan

TAA One of the major bright spots in horse racing in the last decade-plus has been the increased attention and care given to retired Thoroughbreds. Today there are dozens of organizations across North America that support nearly 200 facilities for horses whose racing career has come to an end. Last week, it was announced the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance – an umbrella organization funded by various industry stakeholders – would award $2.48 million in grants to 56 accredited aftercare organizations.

The number of organizations receiving grants was up from 42 in 2014. Jimmy Bell, president of the TAA and Darley America, said the goal this year was to increase awareness and that’s exactly what’s happened. Last year, the grant-winning organizations supported 130 facilities. This year that number has risen to 180 aftercare facilities.

Bell said he is pleased with the progress in Thoroughbred aftercare, but more funding is still needed in this area.

“The demand continues; the awareness continues; the sustainable funding is now a blinking light as the growth in that department is not keeping pace with demand and awareness,” Bell said. “As an organization and an industry we must continue to develop and evolve. We are making great strides thanks to all of the support we have received to date. Obviously, we need to do more.”

TBA Thoroughbred aftercare organizations that receive grants are evaluated in a variety of areas by the TAA. These include operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and adoption policies. Additionally, periodic site inspections are conducted to ensure TAA standards are being met.

It’s great to see the Thoroughbred industry continuing to make strides in this area, which for too long was treated as horse racing’s dirty little secret. The TAA was started by seed money from Breeders’ Cup Ltd., The Jockey Club and Keeneland Association, but since then financial support has been expanded to included owners, racetracks, trainers, breeders and more.

If you would like to help in this area, the TAA is in the midst of a Holiday Giving campaign. Folks who make a donation will receive a holiday e-card that can be given as a gift to clients, colleagues, friends, family etc. The e-card features a spectacular photo by Barbara Livingston of a Thoroughbred in the snow. You can click here (https://donations.thoroughbredaftercare.org/checkout/donation?eid=63989) if you would like to make a donation to the TAA and receive a holiday e-card.

Stallion Review: Honor Code

By Roberta Smoodin

I fell in love with Honor Code the first time I saw him race. Such a handsome horse, both masculine and elegant, with that magnificent head and eye, and that determined running style. And of course that pedigree—as if the gods of racing designed utter perfection, both on the page and in the flesh. His win in the Whitney, over another favorite horse, Liam’s Map, was one of the most thrilling races of the year, the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic aside (it has been a fantastic year for racing, hasn’t it?). For these looks, this pedigree, and over $2.5 million in earnings, $40,000 seems a reasonable price, given the fact that sons and grandsons of A.P. Indy, truly a breed altering sire, sit atop the sires’ lists perennially.

His Pedigree

In the book and movie review business, there are certain reviews known as “love letters,” when a reviewer’s passion for a certain book or movie knows no bounds. My “review” of Honor Code’s pedigree is certainly a love letter. What more could anyone ask of a pedigree? By A.P Indy, and out of a Storm Cat mare—have any two stallions ever defined racing in their generation as these two have? Their legacies, though they are not yet ancient history, are certain, and the fact that the crossing of the two of them has produced such wonderful horses is proof of that. And his second dam is by Mr. Prospector! These, alone, would be enough to mark Honor Code as a possible great. But that is just the beginning—his third dam is one of the greatest race mares of her time, Serena’s Song, whose daughters and granddaughters, Honor Code’s first two dams, were both stakes winners themselves. By one of the best broodmare sires of our time, Rahy, it’s not surprising that Serena’s Song was as successful as a broodmare as she was as a race mare. An unprepossessing looking horse (some at Three Chimneys called him “the pony” because of his diminutive size), his daughters foaled such as Giant’s Causeway, Even the Score, and innumerable others.

Add to this his three doses of Somethingroyal, top and bottom through Secretariat, and that extra dose on his sire’s side through Sir Gaylord, and his multiple strands of La Troienne, through Buckpasser, Cohoes, and of course Seattle Slew, not to mention Rahy’s dam, Glorious Song, and we’ve got mare strength in spades, surely the reason for Honor Code’s literal and figurative huge heart. Three ways back to the great Myrtlewood must also be mentioned, two through Slew, and one through Mr. Prospector’s dam, Gold Digger, further enhance the female lines in his pedigree. As with most successful sires, Honor Code’s collection of female stars will be as significant in his future as a sire as those breed altering stallions.

In terms of inbreeding, Honor Code is 5 x 4 x 5 Bold Ruler, and 3 x 4 Secretariat, through two of the best Secretariat mares ever, Weekend Surprise and Terlingua. If racing success is a measure of a stallion’s success at stud, it must also be mentioned that all of his relatives, three generations back, are stakes winners. This family can flat out run. It would be a reasonable assumption to conclude that Honor Code’s offspring will be runners as well.

The next issue to consider is any weaknesses in this pedigree, and these are hard to find. Perhaps a more appropriate question would be, what’s missing from this pedigree that might enhance it even further? The two representatives of the Northern Dancer line are Storm Bird, of course, and five generations back, Northfields, on the dam’s side, so it would be natural to look for other strains of Northern Dancer, especially those that work well with Storm Bird. Furthermore, a glaring omission from this pedigree can be found in the strengths of the Fappiano line, which work so well with both Mr. Prospector and A.P. Indy (Tapit and Bernardini represent this cross), and which add the power of the In Reality/Dr. Fager line, infusing any pedigree with both speed and toughness.

His Best Potential Mates

It is easy to identify the strengths of Honor Code’s pedigree—as mentioned above, his mare power is intense. So more appearances by those great mares (Somethingroyal and La Troienne, primarily) underscore my belief that when it comes to such mares in any pedigree, too much is not enough. As previously noted, finding the right strains of Northern Dancer and Fappiano would also be key in designing Honor Code’s first crop of offspring.

Unbridled: The wealth of genetic material in the pedigree of Unbridled, and in such sons as Unbridled’s Song, Empire Maker and First Defence, perfectly complements Honor Code’s pedigree. Through Unbridled, we get his sire, Fappiano, with his Dr. Fager dam, Killaloe, and his Princequillo third dam, Cequillo, who reaches out to the other Princequillo mare featured so prominently in Honor Code’s genetics, Somethingroyal. Unbridled’s second dam, Charedi, is by In Reality, and out of the Buckpasser mare Magic; Magic’s dam is Aspidistra herself, so prominent in relatives of In Reality. This cross would be utter and complete perfection.

As mentioned above, some sons of Unbridled also present great opportunity. Unbridled’s Song has, as his third dam, yet another Princequillo mare, Incantation. The addition of Caro also presents interesting possibilities for combining with Honor Code, as Caro’s best son, the exquisite Cozzene, had in his pedigree Princequillo through both Prince John and Somethingroyal, and a dose of Jet Pilot, who is tail female Frizette, the ancestress of Myrtlewood. As Honor Code’s pedigree adds Somethingroyal and Jet Pilot to the Caro in Unbridled’s Song, it seems certain that this combination, which worked so well in the creation of Cozzene, will also work beautifully when combining Honor Code with Unbridled’s Song mares.

Empire Maker mares have long been at a premium because of the fascinating genetic material they possess, and they would also make ideal mates for Honor Code. Empire Maker’s dam, the Broodmare of the Year Toussaud, is by El Gran Senor, thus providing Northern Dancer and another dose of Buckpasser, both key elements in designing the perfect offspring of Honor Code. Toussaud’s dam is Image of Reality, by In Reality—need I say more?

First Defence is similarly bred, by Unbridled’s Song, and out of a daughter of Toussaud, so all of the strengths of Empire Maker exist in his pedigree as well, with the addition of Seattle Slew, his broodmare sire. This would make offspring from this mating 3 x 3 Seattle Slew, though it must be considered that A.P. Indy started his own, unique line, and noted that this inbreeding is on the zigzag, through a male line on top, and a female line on bottom. It should also be noted that First Defence’s best runner, Close Hatches, is out of a Storm Cat mare, which Honor Code’s pedigree also provides.

One more ideal mate from this same line would be a Broken Vow mare. Broken Vow is by Unbridled, of course, and is out of a Nijinsky II mare. Nijinsky II is, in my opinion, the very best son of Northern Dancer to combine with Honor Code, because he reaches out to both the Storm Cat and Rahy in Honor Code’s pedigree; both of these are power packed combinations which create stakes winners. Broken Vow’s second dam, Wedding Picture, is by Blushing Groom (evidence that the Nijinsky/Blushing Groom cross works brilliantly), doubling the Blushing Groom in an offspring’s pedigree, as Rahy is also by Blushing Groom, 5 x 4.

Northern Dancer: Both El Gran Senor and Nijinsky II, as mentioned above, are ideal in potential mates for Honor Code, but there are others as well. Any son or grandson of Northern Dancer out of a Secretariat, Sir Ivor, or Sir Gaylord mare would be wonderful; Dehere is a perfect example of one of these, as is El Prado (and his son, Medaglia D’oro). Deputy Minister-line mares are turning into serious producers, so it would be wise to add such influential sires as Awesome Again (providing another dose of Blushing Groom and Mr. Prospector), Silver Deputy (adding Mr. Prospector), Touch Gold (with his added Buckpasser) and their sons.

Mr. Prospector: There are so many sons and grandsons of Mr. Prospector whose daughters would be wonderful for Honor Code that a book could be written on the subject. Gone West, of course, would add the Secretariat mare Secrettame, and sons of Gone West bring other strong suits to the table, such as Speightstown’s Buckpasser and Storm Cat (though I’m wary of close inbreeding to Storm Cat), and Elusive Quality’s absolutely royal pedigree with La Troienne, Sir Ivor, and a cast of thousands. Smart Strike’s Hail to Reason line dam reaches out to both the Hail to Reason and My Babu in Honor Code, and, even better, a mare by his son, Curlin, adds Deputy Minister and Somethingroyal through Bates Motel. A Woodman mare would also work wonderfully, because of his La Troienne-rich dam’s side. I’d select Mr. Prospector-line mares with care, making sure their dams’ sides provide enough strength to counteract the flaws that inbreeding to Mr. Prospector sometimes creates, such as feet and knee issues.

Hail to Reason: Given the Seattle Slew, My Babu and Blushing Groom in Honor Code’s pedigree, a Hail to Reason-line mare would certainly work well. More Than Ready comes to mind, with his added Northern Dancer and Woodman. Arch too is an ideal broodmare sire for Honor Code, with his Danzig and Courtly Dee on his dam’s side; being by Kris S., he also has another powerful Princequillo mare as his sire’s dam.

Tiznow: Tiznow is a particularly interesting broodmare sire for Honor Code, because he is from the In Reality sire line, and has two strains of Northern Dancer, through Lyphard and Nice Dancer, and Seattle Slew through Seattle Song. I wouldn’t hesitate a second to inbreed to Seattle Slew through Seattle Song, whose dam, Incantation, is a granddaughter of Princequillo. With sons of Tiznow proliferating as sires, mares by them will also be particularly suitable for Honor Code. One has only to glance at Morning Line’s pedigree to understand how successful this Honor Code/Tiznow cross might be: Morning Line, who won more than $1.2 million, is out of an A.P. Indy mare, and his second dam is by Storm Cat, and he is also 4 x 3 Seattle Slew—this cross absolutely works.

The possibilities for creating brilliant offspring by Honor Code truly seem limitless. With Tapit, Bernardini and Malibu Moon currently carrying on the legacy of A.P. Indy, perhaps, in three years, we will be adding the name Honor Code to the list of top stallions from that line, while at the same time further burnishing the legacy of the superb Serena’s Song. No one can say with absolute certitude which young stallions will become future greats, and which will end up standing in Turkey or Korea; there are both happy and unhappy surprises in store for many young stallions. Selecting a stallion for your mare is always a crap shoot. A stud like Honor Code, however, would certainly be a favorite rather than a longshot to have a long and storied career at stud.

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.