The 1972 Epsom Derby winner, Roberto, proved an excellent sire, broodmare sire, and sire of sires, with his numerous top class stallion sons including all of Dynaformer, Kris S, Red Ransom, Silver Hawk, Brian’s Time, Lear Fan and South African champion, Al Mufti.
While the Roberto male line has thinned out dramatically over the past ten years or so, he remains a factor in a number of countries, through both male line descendants and granddaughter broodmares.
Al Mufti
Sarah Whitelaw writes that Dynaformer’s son, Temple City, has enjoyed Gr1 success as a sire in North America (another son of Dynasty, Point Of Entry, is sire of 2019 UAE Derby winner, Plus Que Parfait), while Red Ransom has a number of stallion sons in Australia, notably such Gr1 producers as Charge Forward, Duporth, and Domesday.
Silver Hawk remains a factor, primarily as a broodmare sire, today – his maternal grandson, Nathaniel, is an increasingly successful sire, whose progeny include the great champion, Enable, while Al Mufti’s South African legacy lives on through his champion sire son, Captain Al, and the latter’s growing number of sire sons at stud.
One of Roberto’s very best sire sons, without question, was the lightly raced Kris S, a winner of three of only five starts, including the non-graded Bradbury Stakes.
Kris S, whose descendants enjoyed particular success in the Breeders Cup, left behind 839 registered foals, of which 88 were stakes winners. Kris S’ black type winners included five individual Breeders’ Cup winners, Epsom Derby winner, Kris Kin, dual Japanese Horse Of The Year, Symboli Kris S and outstanding producer, Vertigineux – whose Horse Of The Year daughter, Zenyatta, ran second to Blame in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Kris S is represented in South Africa by the Drakenstein Stud based Philanthropist.
Zenyatta
One of Kris S’ very best performers was the now deceased Gr1 Super Derby winner, Arch, and the latter continues to build on his successful stud career –more than three years after he died.
While not as consistently successful as his outstanding sire, Kris S, Arch was a very good sire in his own right, with the former Claiborne Farm resident’s number of stakes winners currently standing at 71 (from 916 runners). His 12 Gr1 winners include Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winning champion, and increasingly successful sire, Blame, 2019 Gr1 Woodward Stakes hero, Preservationist, Canadian Horse Of The Year, Arravale, July Cup winner, Les Arcs, and Arkansas Derby winner (and G1 sire) Archarcharch.
Arch, whose gelded son, Tax, ranks as one of the best US 3yos of 2019, having won both the Gr2 Jim Dandy and Gr3 Wither Stakes this year, has been responsible for more than 660 winners, with his progeny having banked in excess of $91 million. This tally looks sure to grow further, with the likes of Preservationist and Tax likely to add to their respective earnings.
Preservationist currently ranks as a potential contender for the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and also won the Gr2 Suburban Stakes earlier in 2019, although he could only finish a well beaten fourth in Saturday’s Gr1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Arch made his mark on both the recent Gr1 Natalma Stakes and G1 Summer Stakes, with his son, Blame, sire of the Natalma winner, Abscond, and Arch’s daughter, Gamely Girl – very closely related to Blame – the dam of Summer Stakes victor, Decorated Invader.
Arguably, Arch’s best son to date, is the regally related Blame (he hails from the family of Sadler’s Wells, Nureyev, and Stormy Atlantic), and the latter continues to build his resume as a successful sire in his own right.
Arch is showing signs of shaping up to be an outstanding broodmare sire, as was Kris S, and to date is broodmare sire of more than 40 stakes winners, including recent Grr1 winner, Decorated Invader (Declaration Of War) and 2019 Gr1 Pacific Classic runner up, Draft Pick (Candy Ride).
Uncle Mo (photo: Coolmore)
While Arch is already damsire of a Kentucky Derby winner in the form of I’ll Have Another, arguably the most important horse produced by a daughter of Arch thus far is champion and increasingly successful US sire, Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie). Leading First Crop Sire and Sire of 2Yos in North America in 2015, Uncle Mo has already sired over 50 stakes winners, with his seven Gr1 winners headed by Kentucky Derby winner, and champion, Nyquist, and fellow Gr1 winner and sire, Outwork.
A consistent producer of stakes winners, the former unbeaten champion 2yo, Uncle Mo has a growing number of sire sons at stud, and he looks likely to build on his impressive start during the coming seasons. A son of Indian Charlie, Uncle Mo was an exceptional racehorse, with his three wins at two including romps in both the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Gr1 Champagne Stakes. Uncle Mo’s dam, the stakes placed Arch daughter, Playa Maya, is also dam of Irish 1000 Guineas runner up, Could It Be Love (War Front).
Interestingly enough, inbreeding to Arch is now proving successful, with the 2019 Gr1 Del Mar Debutante winner and Friday’s Gr1 Chandelier Stakes heroine, Bast (Uncle Mo) closely inbred to the 1998 Gr1 Super Derby winner.
Lady Of The House
From a limited number of runners, Arch has also made his mark in South Africa. His local runners include multiple Equus Champion, Overarching, dam of Gr1 Woolavington 2000 winner, Lady Of The House, and Gr3 Yellowwood Handicap winner, Arch Mistress, while his daughter, Archerfield is the dam of Listed Ardmore Jamaica Handicap winner, Princess Irene (Duke Of Marmalade).
With the likes of Uncle Mo, Blame, and, potentially, Preservationist, the Arch influence looks set to continue and Arch and his descendants could well ensure that Roberto remains a factor in major winners in North America.
