The Importance Of Broodmare Sires
When first looking at a pedigree, particularly in a catalogue, I first look at the sire, then I look at the dam, and then I look at the female line, or at least the first two dams.
But how important is the broodmare sire? When looking at such modern day champions as Horse Chestnut and Dynasty (out of mares by Col Pickering and Commodore Blake respectively) it is easy to believe that the broodmare sire pays little part in the pedigree, as both of the aforementioned horses are out of mares by failed stallions.
However, the final field for the feature race on Saturday at Turffontein suggests otherwise. Of the 16 horses accepted for the Charity Mile, ten are out of mares by stallions considered successful.
However, Rudra and The Mouseketeer are the only two horses in the field whose dams are by champion broodmare sires (Northfields and Northern Guest respectively).
There were 25 winners of 32 G1 races run last year in South Africa. Of these 25 horses, eight were produced by daughters of champion sires. Genetically speaking, the broodmare sire will contribute 25% to the DNA makeup of the individual horse.
It is hard to see this when looking at a horse like the mighty Smarty Jones – by a good sire in Elusive Quality out of a 12 times stakes winner. Smarty’s broodmare sire Smile was a disaster at stud – and it is hard to see quite what part he plays in the pedigree of one of the finest racehorses of the 21st century.
It is also surely more than an a coincidence that often a champion racehorse, but poor sire, who covers good books of mares when first retiring to stud, can produce at least one G1 producing daughter. One such example is the mighty Dancing Brave, a stallion who was largely a disappointment, but whose daughters have done very well at stud.
Ironically enough, a horse to fall in the same category as Dancing Brave, is his old rival Shahrastani (who beat Dancing Brave somewhat fortuitously in the 1986 Epsom Derby). Shahrastani, who has spent his stud career in all of the USA, Japan and Ireland, was a very poor sire, but his daughters have produced such G1 winners as Alamshar (Irish Derby) and Caradak (Prix de la Foret).
It is also worth noting that sometimes ordinary stallions can leave their mark on the breed through their daughters. One of history’s greatest ever stallions, Danzig, is out of a mare by Admirals Voyage (himself a son of champion handicap male Crafty Admiral). The latter sired just a handful of minor stakes winners during his time at stud – none of which won at the highest level. But through the deeds of Danzig and his legions of successful sons and daughters, Admirals Voyage’s name will survive in the modern day pedigree – outlasting sires who enjoyed more stud success!
Another ordinary sire whose name lingers in the modern day thoroughbred through a daughter is the Promised Land stallion, Understanding. Winner of the G3 Stuyvesant Handicap, Understanding sired just two stakes winners in a brief stud career – but one of those stakes winners was Wishing Well. She not only won the Gamely Handicap (today a G1 race), but at stud she produced US Horse of the Year and legendary Japanese sire, Sunday Silence.
Poker was a son of the top-class sire and broodmare sire Round Table. While he himself was an ordinary sire (his only champions coming in Norway and Puerto Rico), Poker’s daughters produced champion and champion sire Seattle Slew. The latter himself twice topped the US broodmare sires list, and his daughters have produced a host of champions. Poker is also the maternal grandsire of US champion Silver Charm as well as the useful sire Lomond (himself a champion sire in Italy). Through Seattle Slew alone, Poker is guaranteed to be around in pedigrees for decades.
In contrast, history has produced a number of truly exceptional broodmare sires. In North America, arguably the greatest broodmare sire of all was Sir Gallahad III. Sir Gallahad III led the US broodmare sires list on 12 occasions – and his daughters produced over 130 stakes winners (in an era where stallions covered 30 mares a season). Sir Gallahad III’s daughters produced champions Challedon and Gallorette as well as such high-class stakes winners as Mars Shield (Kentucky Oaks), Boswell (St Leger), Galatea (Epsom Oaks), Black Tarquin (St Leger), Aurelius (St Leger) and Nothirdchance (Acorn Stakes, dam of Hail To Reason).
Another truly phenomenal broodmare sire was Princequillo. The latter, a stout stayer himself, dominated the US broodmare sires list in the 1960’s and 1970’s. He not only headed the list on eight occasions, but remarkably enough his son Prince John and grandson Speak John (by Prince John) also became champion broodmare sires. Princequillo is best known as the broodmare sire of the US Triple Crown winner Secretariat (himself a great broodmare sire), but his daughters also producing such luminaries as champion Mill Reef, leading sire and broodmare sire Kris S, and G1 winners Squander, Sham, champion half brothers Fort Marcy and Key To The Mint, and champions Bold Lad and Successor.
In South Africa, the trend has been in recent times of champion sires becoming champion broodmare sires. The broodmare sire list has recently dominated by Northern Guest, who has been champion broodmare sire in this country nine times. He is certainly bred to be a champion broodmare sire with both his sire, Northern Dancer, and broodmare sire, Buckpasser, having been topped the broodmare sires list on more than one occasion.
So how relevant is the broodmare sire? Clearly it helps to have a successful sire/broodmare sire as a maternal grandsire of a horse, but it is also clear that it is not the sole defining success factor.
Sweet Sanette to sell in December
The top-class SA bred mare, Sweet Sanette, has been catalogued for Tattersalls December Breeding Stock Sale. The sale will be held from 28th November to December 1st.
Sweet Sanette, who sells as lot 1737, is offered as a horse out of training. The daughter of Jallad is a full sister to the SW Dark Justice. She won four races in South Africa including the G3 Sycamore Sprint, before she was exported to Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, Sweet Sanette won four races including the Bahunia Sprint Trophy. She put up her best performance, however, at Royal Ascot this year. Despite sweating up badly before the race, Sweet Sanette ran a great third in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes.
Sent back to Hong Kong, Sweet Sanette, who is now six, ended her career with an unplaced effort in a G3 race over 1000 metres.
River Jetez to sell at Fasig Tipton
River Jetez, former J&B Met winner and an own sister to Pocket Power, has been entered in Sunday’s Fasig Tipton November Sale. A mixed sale, Fasig Tipton’s Sunday offers some exception broodmares and broodmare prospects.
River Jetez, offered as a racing/broodmare prospect, has done South Africa proud during her overseas campaign. Winner of the G2 Balanchine Stakes in Dubai, the daughter of Jet Master is now a eight year old, and she is in as good a form as ever. Somewhat of a handful, River Jetez has been second in both the G1 Dubai Duty Free and G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup this year. Last time out she ran third, to leading Breeders Cup F&M Turf hopeful Stacelita, in the G1 Beverly D Stakes.
By a champion sire, River Jetez is out of dual Equus Broodmare of the Year Stormsvlei.
