Inglis Classic Yearling Sale commences the Company’s selling season on February 12th. With 830 lots on the Catalogue there is something for everyone. Personally, with flood recovery still underway I haven’t been able to put in the time I like. However, I have uncovered two yearlings which I believe should attract attention.
Lot 199 br f Better Than Ready – Where it Began
Better Than Ready has got off to a promising start. He has sired 8 SW including the G1 winner Apache Chase who scored in the Kingston – Smith Cup over 1308m. The female line is excellent. A 6GFI of 14.3% is something to be proud about. The cross Better Than Ready to Exceed and Excel has already produced a SW. Skirt the Law won a L race for 2yo at the Gold Coast. A calculation of her PRI score records 96.5. She should win something and its likely to be something pretty good.
Lot 479 b c Star Turn – Holley Shiftwell
Star Turn has begun with a big bang. Six SW in his first couple of crops. He is leading the sires’ premiership table with 54.2% winners /runners. But can he keep it up? If Lot 479 lives up to his pedigree it will help him. The female line is a bit of an enigma. The 6GFI is only average at 4.31%. However, it is spiced with powerful horses. KingstonRule still holds the Melbourne Cup 3200m track record. The cross Star Turn – TestaRossa has already produced a SW.Saltaire scored in the Inglis Nursery 2yo over 1006m. The PRI score for this colt is 88.5. High enough to achieve plenty.
The Inglis Classic Yearling Sale is one not to be missed.
The importance of a pedigree analysis which can be related to racetrack performance cannot be overstated. There are many factors to be considered when undertaking an analysis. You cannot just base your hopes on one. I have added another tool to my system of analysis. PRI (Pedigree Racing Index ) which quantifies the compatibility of the various stallions making up a pedigree. The higher the number, the more likely the horse will be a good performer. PRI does not replace other analytical methods, it just helps reaching a more rounded conclusion. In an industry/sport where the outcome can come down to centimeters if not millimeters, all factors need to be considered to give you an edge in making the right selection. Most of this complex mixture of factors can be performed adequately by paper studies. Other factors such as conformation faults which will impede the performance of the horse, athleticism, courage, will to win, need a more hands-on approach.
Selections from 2020 Sales
Any process based on the application of a scientific method (no matter how shaky the science is) should be tested against the results. I selected fourteen yearlings in the 2020 sales and produced a brief synopsis of the data in posts on flavonebr.com as the sales rolled on throughout the first half of the year. Now that these yearlings have matured and had their 4yo birthdays it is a good time to make an assessment. This is set out below:
Review of Selections based on Pedigree Analysis from the 2020 Sales
Of the 14 selections, nine have started, seven have won races and one has been placed. Collectively, their performance in Black Type races was G1 (2ND), G2 (2ND and 3RD), G3 (2 Fourths ) and L (2 Seconds). Total earnings was $635k. Some of the most successful horses are still racing.
The selections were made addressing a number of pedigree relevant issues
Both Meritableand Undoubtedly Luckyare products of a Delta Cross ( Redoute’s Choicex two of his sisters, Monsoon Wedding and Lucky Raquie). This factor was given more emphasis than the relatively Low PRI scores. Meritable was quite successful and the other was not.
For reasons I am not privy to Our Teofilo and Sunday Legend have been sent to stud without racing, or why Across the Dawn went overseas, or why some horses haven’t raced
I have rated the horses in traffic light terms: green, yellow and red! Some of the yellows might make it but I hold out little hope for the reds.
Conclusions
It is difficult to compare my results with “the Industry Standard”. The most useful comparison is found in the excellent paper by Garry Mackrell (The economic reality of breeding and owningracehorses). This comparison appears in the table below
I am first to admit that my numbers won’t past the test of sigficality (if there is such a word). On the other I looked at many hundreds of horses to come up with the 14 selected ones. Overall I am happy with the results achieved by the chosen horses. I have learned more about my selection process and hope for more achievement from the next (2021) sales results. Pedigree analysis is worth the effort.
The Inglis Great Southern Sale comprises three elements. Select Weanlings, General Weanlings and Broodmares. I have examined the pedigrees available of the Select group. Picking weanlings that will grow into good racehorses is obviously more difficult than selecting yearlings. They have to survive (and their upkeep paid for!) for an additional 12 months. Then you might know something. Here are my two selections.
Lot 75 br c Pierro – Single Note
Pierrois now a well established sire. He has sired 27 SW with a and his colts have topped the fillies 19 to 8. However, his best horse was the mare, Arcadia Queen, winner of the McKinnon Stakes (G1). Overall, his SW/r figure is 5.98%.
The female side of the pedigree is solid without being spectacular. The 6GFI is a healthy 13.04%. The PRI score for Lot 75 is 83.5. I would expect him to be a winner.
Lot 105 b fNight of Thunder – Tashaarok
Night of Thunder has already produced 28 SW. Fillies have prevailed, 19 to 8. His SW/r ratio of 12.61% is very impressive. His best horse to date is Thundering Nights, winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes (G1). He seems to have the credentials of a stallion that can bring out the best in a strong broodmare lineage and he certainly gets his chance here.
Fanfreluche- one of Northern Dancer’s greatest mares
The key to the female line is the Northern Dancer mare Fanfreluche. US Champion filly in 1979, she was sold after her 3yo days, for US $1.3m, a record price at that time. The dam of L’Enjoleur, twice Horse of the Year in Canada, and two other G1 winners. The female line has continued to produce not only great racehorses but great sires. Those well known in Australia are Flying Spur, Encosta de Lago and Holy Roman Emperor. It hasn’t stopped as Russian Revolution has now joined the list. Lot 105 has a PRI score on 99.2. Almost Perfection.
Inglis Great Southern Sale June 2022 has something for everybody.
The Gold Coast National Yearling Sale is always a great event. This year I have concentrated my search on finding yearlings with high PRI scores and strong female (tail) lines,
Lot 1524 b f Brazen Beau – Za Star
Brazen Beau has made a promising start as a sire. He has recorded 16 SW and a SW/r of 4.69%. His colts have performed better on the racetrack than the fillies-13 to 3. Dosage suggests a middle distance horse so she probably won’t be at her best in the early 2yo races. The female line is strong with a 6GFI of 16.6%. Probably the best horse in the female line is Lucia Valentina winner of 4 G1 including the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The cross Brazen Beau x Zabeel has already produced two SW
General Beau, winner of Blue Diamond Prelude 1100m (G3)
North Pacific, winner of Up and Coming Stakes 1308m (G3)
A PRI Score which is 95.0 indicates a high quality filly.
Lot 1655 b c Swiss Ace – Go Kate Go
Swiss Acewas a very fast race horse. I guess you have to be to win an Oakleigh Plate. At stud he has a useful record of 14 SW and SW/r of 3.22%. Dosage predicts Lot 1655 to be a very fast horse which should be an early starter. The female line is incredibly strong with a 6GFI of 49.6%!!The female line just rolls with SW and champions. Undoubtedly, this colt has the strongest female pedigree of any horse in the sale. Commands, Danewin,
Klairessa – start of a dynasty
Octagonal, Deep Field, Shooting to Win, Tristalove etc etc. I examined this female line for a previous client and concluded that the key mare in the line up was Klairessathe dam of both Eight Carat and Habibti. Most breeders followed down the Eight Carat path and bred champion stayers. Habibti, one of Europe’s best ever sprinters also went down this track without much success. So breeding the line to a very fast horse could produce something exceptional.
The cross Swiss Ace x More Than Ready has already produced two SW
Little Giantwon in Hong Kong 1000m (G3)
Top Prospect won in New Zealand 1500m (L)
A perfect PRI score shows this horse is worth a look.
Lot 1745 b c All Too Hard – Mnemonic
We have commented before that the statistics of All Too Hard improve year upon year. He has now a record of 14 SW with SW/r of 3.22%. Colts out number fillies 9 to 5. Dosage predicts a miler- middle distance horse. The female line of this colt has a very attractive 6GFI of 13.2%. Jetball and Marwina are relatives in the female line.
The cross All Too Hard x Hussonet has already produced a SW
Hard to Think won the Singapore Derby 1811m (G3).
With a nearly perfect PRI score this could be an exceptional colt.
The Gold Coast National Yearling Sale will have many good horses than the three I have studied. Its an event not to be missed.
Australia’s biggest thoroughbred sale. That is the MM Gold Coast National Weanling and Broodmare Sale with 1267 lots on offer. The information is overwhelming and my advice to buyers is to focus. Decide on what you want and put your attention to it. I have concentrated of finding potential race winning progeny from the coverings of the broodmares on offer. Sometimes mares are put in foal on the belief that a pregnant mare will attract more interest and more money in the sale ring. We suggest that these three mares are worth a look based on the PRI analysis of their offspring. Of course you won’t know the outcome for at least three years!
Lot 814 So You Think – Remlap’s Jewel
I have covered the exploits of So You Think before. He has sired 40 SW and has a SW/r of 5.85%. Let’s say he goes from strength to strength. The female tail line goes back to a bit of equine royalty in Day Girl (Todman – Wenona Girl). Kinjite is also part of the female family. However, recent times haven’t been good as shown by a 6GFI of 2.89%. The cross So You Think x Choisir has already produced a SW in So You Assume (winner of Stocks Stakes at 1610m). This mating has SW/r of 12.5%. The outcome will produce a horse of PRI of almost perfect score. If So You Think can tap into the tail line genes it will produce an excellent racehorse.
Lot 822 Camelot – Rocket Science
Camelotwas an superb race horse. Only a second in the St Leger prevented him from being the first horse since Nijinsky to complete the triple crown (English Derby, Irish Derby, St Leger.) Best Known in Australia as the sire of Russian Revolution (SA Derby, Underwood Stakes) and Sir Dragonet (Cox Plate, Tancred Stakes). However, his 42 SW
Camelot
set down an impressive list of American and European winners; SW/r 7.71%. He has shown that he can produce exceptional stayers and middle distance performers when bred to the right mares. Rocket Science comes from an exceptional family with a 6GFI of 31.5%. The list doesn’t have a champion but has loads of black type. The cross Camelot xFastnet Rock, with SW/r of 11.11%, has already produced a G3 winner, Youth Spirit. He scored in the Chester Vase Stakes for 3yo at 2515m. Dosage rates this cross as producing a stayer. The PRI score is 86.7. If you are looking for a potential Melbourne Cup starter, this could be the go.
Lot 912 Exceed and Excel – Tragic
I won’t go into the details of the ability of Exceed and Excel. He has a deserved international reputation. Overall, he has produced 242 SW with SW/r of 4.02%. The mare Tragic comes from a strong female family with 6GFI of 10.5%. The cross Exceed andExcel x Reset has SW/r of 5.56%, and has produced a Listed SW. Madeenaty was successful in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes for 2yo over 1000m. The blend of speed with a bit of stamina from the Zabeelinfluence will produce a horse of close to a perfect PRI score.
Inglis has two sales of yearlings coming up. The first-Inglis Gold Yearling Sale, will be held in Victoria. With 224 lots there are some impressive yearlings available.Here are a couple of my selections:
Lot 160 b c Turffontein – Personal Ensign
Turffontein was a very good sprinter miler with victories in two G1 races. He saluted in both the Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and the William Reid Stakes (1200m), both races having a proud history. The most important part of his pedigree is the descendance from Storm Cat. This line through Hennessy, Johannesburg, Giant’s Causeway, Scat Daddyand now Into Mischiefwho is in the top three sires in the world. At stud Turffontein has performed moderately with 273 runners producing 7 SW. The female line of Personal Ensign is not strong with a 6GFI of 2.0% But what action there is around her.
The cross Turffontein to Rubiton mares has produced not one but two SW. FonteinRuby (Turffontein – Charming Ruby) won the G2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), and beat the
Fontiton as Yearling: sister to Lot 160
colts in the G3 Norman Robinson (2000m). Fontiton (Turffontein– Infinite Charm) won G2 Blue Diamond Prelude. Lot 160 is a full brother to this filly. Full brothers and sisters rarely perform the same on the track. In this case you are looking at a glass half full or half empty situation. Half full he could win at G1 level. Even at half empty, I would be surprised if he didn’t win his share of races. He certainly should do something with a PRIscore of 99.4!
Lot 53 b c Brazen Beau – Chevovessence
Brazen Beau was an exceptional sprinter who only raced to the end of his 3yo days. He won 3 G1; the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), Lightning Stakes (1000m) and the Newmarket Handicap (1200m). He has got off to a good start at stud with16 SW from 332 starters (4.82%). The dam’s pedigree is nothing exceptional with a 6GFI of 4.76%. It does however, put some stamina into Lot 53.
Brazen Beau; Champion Sprinter
The cross Brazen Beau to an Encosta de Lago mare has already produced a dual G2 SW in Pretty Brazen. She won the Sandown Guineas (1600m) and the Lets Elope (1409m). Lot 53 ticks a lot of boxes with a PRI score of 95.8. The weather should be good so enjoy yourself at the Inglis Gold Yearling Sale.
The Inglis Premier Yearling Sale 2022 is the second of their selling season. There are 783 Lots on offer from 99 sires. The catalogue is well balanced between sprinters and stayers. There is also a sprinkling of overseas bred yearlings to compete with those locally bred. Our search of pedigrees looking for suitable candidates for further examination is based on matching top sires with top broodmare sires. The resulting batch of yearlings is further refined using standard pedigree examination techniques.
Lot 127 f Exceed and Excel – Nazca (by Medaglia d’Oro)
The PRI score this filly is a stellar 99.8. Exceed and Excel has been a wonderful sire both locally and internationally with a W/R ratio of 48.3%. The female line through Nazca is excellent with a 6GFI of 17.1%. This area of the yearling’s pedigree bristles with exceptional horses. Zomorada (by Deploy) is the dam of Dubawi (now ranked second in global sires list) and In the Wings(by Sadler’s Wells) the sire of Singspiel.
Exceed and Excel: great racehorse and great sire
The cross Exceed and Excel x Medaglia d’Oro has already produced two SW. Aquitainewinner of the L Mick Dittman Plate (1006m), and Bacchanalia winner of L Gosford Guineas.
Medaglia d’Oro is rated the twelfth best broodmare sire in the world.
Lot 463 f Medaglia d’Oro – Devout Heiress (by Speightstown)
A PRI score of 92.1 indicates a horse which should have success on the race track. Medaglia d’Oro is a successful sire (currently ranked tenth in global rankings ) with a W/R ratio of 54.4%. The female line is quite strong with a 6GFI 10.4%. Among the relations are Park Express, a dual G1 winner of both the Nassau Stakes (10f) and Irish Champion Stakes (10f), and dam of New Approach (G1 Epsom Derby). Alfred Nobel winner of G1 Phoenix Stakes (6f) is also a family member.
The cross Medaglia d’Oro x Speightstownhas a SW/R ratio of 8.70% and produced two SW to date. Rockefeller won the 2yo Nashua Stakes G3 (1610m), and Whatwasithinkingwon the 3yo Auburn Stakes G3 (1200m). Speightstown is a son of Gone West and is placed 23 in global sire broodmare rankings).
Lot 655 c Magnus – Rathlin Island (by Giant’s Causeway)
A PRI score of 99.2 is spectacular for this yearling. Giant’s Causeway is currently rated the number five broodmare sire in the world. Consequently, any horse of which he is broodmare sire deserves attention. The female line of Lot 655 had a healthy 6GFI of 8.69% . Included are Mastercraftsman ( European Champion of his year), Hidden Talent (Kentucky Oaks) and Ack Ack(A four times G1 winner and America’s Champion sire of 1994.
Magnus (Flying Spur- Scandinavia); Has plenty of important relations
The cross Magnus x Giant’s Causeway has already produced a G3 winner at 13500m. Platinum Kingdom won the Fred Best Classic and four L races in NZ including the Dunedin Guineas.
Magnus has not quite lived up to expectations. He certainly has the chance when crosses to this Giant’sCauseway mare.
Lot 779 f Foxwedge – Girona (by Giant’s Causeway)
A PRI score of 88.1 is still high enough to warrant attention. The AEI around this PRI score (expressed as a mean) is $41.7k. Foxwedge is a more than useful sire and of his 21 SW, 16 have been female. Hence Lot 779 is even more interesting. The female line has a 6GFI of 6.12%; while not exceptional it is above average.
The cross Foxwedge x Giant’sCausewayline has already produced the a SW filly WildVixen, winner of two L races, Bennet’s Racing Black Pearl 1208m and H C Nitschke Stakes 1400m.
There is no doubt there will be some excellent juveniles at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale 2022. Good luck in finding them.
The Inglis Classic Yearling Sale heralds the start of the Inglis selling season. There are 810 lots on offer from 85 sires. This venue is known for its production of racehorses successful at the classic distances. This year I have concentrated on looking for a colt that could win at the classic distances. I have selected one from Dundeel (High Chaparral –Stareel). I also uncovered a filly from Spirit of Boom ( Sequalo – Temple Spirit) whose pedigree indicates it could be a very fast horse. The Inglis Classic is not only associated with classic staying horses such as the Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare (WarFront – Geblitz), but has produced fast 2yos such as the Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain – Courgette).
A six times G1 winner, his victories include the AJC Derby. He has sired 16 SW to date including the classic winners Castelvecchio ( Rosehill Guineas), Super Seth (Caulfield Guineas), Truly Great (Kingston Town Classic ), and Atyaab (SAF Cape of Good Hope Derby).
Lot 412 b c Dundeel – Believe (by Fastnet Rock)
Dundeel beats Atlantic Jewel in G1 Underwood Stakes
The PRI value for this yearling is 98.3 which according to the pedigree analysis means an exceptional horse. The female line is a very encouraging 6GFI value of 10.4%. Two useful runners in this line are Gold Lottey (2x G3, VRC Stocks Stakes and VRC Vanity), and Informed (2xG2, San Diego Hcp, and California Stakes). The cross Dundeel x FastnetRock has already produced a SW.Cerberus was successful in the Listed Hill Stakes at 1811m. If you are looking for a classic winner , Lot 412 deserves to be on your list.
A multiple SW. His most significant win was in the Doomben 10,000 over 1350m. He is the sire of 14 SW. None of his progeny have won beyond 1400m. Eighty percent of them have been at 1200m or shorter.
Lot 103 b f (Spirit of Boom – My Dear Friend (by General Nediym).
The PRI value for this filly is 90.8. She is bred to go fast. The female family on the dams side has a6GFI of 3.36% . Whereas, this value is not exceptional, My Dear Friendis right where the action is. General Nediym is an underrated broodmare sire that has produced 42 SW. Sixty percent of his progeny have won at 1200m or less.
Jameka: Broodmare sire General Nediym at his best
Rather surprisingly, 26% have won at 1600m or beyond. Included in this lot are the multiple G1 winner Jameka (Caulfield Cup, VRC Oaks and BMW Tancred Stakes) and Mr Quickie (Queensland Derby). So the General is not just the broodmare sire of fast horses but can impart staying genes.
The cross Spirit of Boom x General Nediym is definitely speed x speed mating . The late Colin Hayes had exceptional results following this policy. Dosage analysis confirms the breeding outcome producing Lot 103. With 30 dosage points and a DI of 9.0 and CD 1.47 it is all speed. The closest I can find is the triple G1winner of the 1991 Kentucky Derby Strike the Gold (Alydar – Majestic Gold) with 20 dosage points, DI 9.0 and CD 1.30.
Both these horses are worth a look at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
In Part 2 of my review of the MM Yearling Sales 2022, I have looked at the yearlings available from So You Think (High Chaparral – Triassic). Based on his racing performance both in Australia and overseas he is one horse where the term champion fits very well. His record of 23 starts 14-4-1 with 10 G1 victories is hard to fault. Unlike a number of stallions who have a limited number of starts before retirement,
So You Think: A Great Champion
So You Thinknever shirked a real challenge. He raced at the world’s most elite tracks; Flemington, Ascot, Langchamp, Churchill Downs, Curragh and Meydan (UAE) and against serious opposition. He started favourite 15 times in his 23 starts, ran third in a Melbourne Cup and fourth in the Arc D’Triomphe coming from third last at the turn into the straight. As expected his record as a sire was a little slow to start waiting for his 2yo’s to mature. Currently, he is the sire of 36 SW. His seven G1 winners range in distance 1509-2000m, and his eight G2 winners 1208-3219m. So he is as versatile in siring winners as he was winning races on the track. Overall, he has a SW/r of a healthy 5.61%
MM Yearlings
Here we describe three that we believe will be successful racehorses. In support of the methodology we can report on the performance of the only yearling we selected from the MM 2020 series. Lot 209 (Snitzel – Crystal Flute),now a 3yo, is racing in NZ under the name Meritable. His record is 5 Starts 1-3-0 which includes seconds in a G1 and G2.We have applied similar analytical methods to the three yearlings selected in MM 2022.
Lot 66 (So You Think – Fullazz by Redoute’s Choice)
The cross has produced three SW with a SW/r figure of 5.88%. Fullazz does not come from a strong female line with a 6GFI of 1.90. The best hose produced from the female line is Sizzling. He is a multiple SW including the G1 T J Smith Stakes. Sizzling has not been very successful at stud with only one SW from 430 foals. Despite a high PRI score there has to be a situation where Art perhaps has to Science. Fullazz already has a sibling to Lot 66. D’Argento is a G1 Rosehill Guineas winner and subsequent form says this was no fluke. Whereas this might sound good, full brothers never perform the same on the racetrack (Extra Brut and Grinzinger King are a recent example) . Lot 66 could be better, he may be worse. Look closely at him. He has an excellent PRI score going for him.
Lot 262 (So You Think – Miss Anabannana by Redoute’s Choice)
As stated above, this cross has been successful three times. Miss Ananbanana comes from a female line dominated by sprinters. Two horses in the female line, Midnight Fever(Luskin Star – Campbell Fever), and Knowledge (Last Tycoon -New Acquaintance) were both winners of the Blue Diamond Stakes. The female line has a 6GFI of 6.46. The overall pedigree is very strong (seventeen of the thirty horses in the 4×4 pedigree are SW). A PRI score of 97.9 gives hope that this colt will be a good winner.
Lot 770 (So You Think – Babel by Lonhro)
The cross So You Thinkto Lonhromares has a SW/r ratio of 50%. It has worked once in two attempts to produce So Si Bon (G3,2L). Unfortunately this isn’t much data. The PRI score for Lot 770 is 90.9. The female line has a 6GFI of 4.17. Both these values are encouraging. Babelhas produced a sibling to Lot 770. Racing as Statesmanship, he is off to a slow start 3-0-0-1. However, he hasn’t raced beyond 1400m which doesn’t suit his stayers pedigree, so perhaps his record will improve. The comments on siblings made on Lot 66 apply equally to Lot 770.
Final Thoughts
Its always wise to have a good look at any horses you fancy. But don’t get too wrapped up in this. In his book Traits of a Winner, dual Kentucky Derby winning trainer Carl Nafzger puts it this way “Books on conformation are good, but what they teach does not always apply to racehorses”. Another pearl of wisdom is from John Nerud, founder of the Breeders Cup in America “ Don’t go to a stakes paddock to study textbook conformation.” For anyone interested in buying, selling or just looking at exceptional racehorse the MM Yearling Sales 2022 is the place to be.
The yearling sales are about to commence. The MM Catalogue 2022 for January 11-17, is now available. I have attended the last fifteen or so and it is a wonderful experience. There are plenty of well bred horses on offer, and if you are in the market you just need to be able to pick the right one. This year I describe two that I believe will be successful racehorses. In support of my methodology I can report on the performance of the one yearling l selected from the MM 2020 series. Lot 209 (Snitzel – Crystal Flute), now a 3yo, is racing in NZ under the name Meritable. His record is 5 Starts 1-3-0 which includes seconds in a G1 and G2. I have applied similar methods to the yearlings selected in MM Yearling Catalogue 2022.
Street Boss
A winner of 2xG1 he goes from strength to strength as a versatile sire. Already with 58 SW, evenly spread between male and female offspring. Street Boss has SW/r of 5.57%.
Street Boss: siring winners everywhere
His female line has a whopping 6GFI of 18.3% and Almanzor (who also has yearlings in this sale) appears here. His G1 winners are spread geographically, by racing distance(1200-2000m) and surface (turf and dirt). Amanoe, who ran a gallant second in last year’s Cox Plate is his most successful horse.
Lot 79 (Street Boss – Glory’s Girl, by Exceed & Excel)
This cross has already produced four SW with Elite Street (G1, 2xG2, 1XL) the winner of the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth being the most successful. The SW/r for Street Bosscrossed with Exceed and Excel mares is a healthy 14.29% . Glory’s Girl comes from a strong female line with 6GFI of 9.30. The colt from this mating has a PRI score of 95.0.This all points to a very capable horse.
Lot 613 (Street Boss – Tennessee Gold, by Lonhro)
Lonhro: 26 wins from 35 starts, a real champion
This cross has produced a SW from two only runners. Arcaded (G2, G3) won the Blue Diamond Prelude (1107m). The SW/r for Street Boss crossed with Lonhro mares is 50%, admittedly with little data. Tennessee Gold has a female line with 6GFI of 8.67. Allez Wonder(Toorak Handicap winner) and the Melbourne Cup winner Rainbird are part of this line and if her genes flow through, this filly is classic material. Her PRI score of 91.5 lends support to this view.
The catalogue for the Inglis Ready to Race October 2021 is now available. Ready to race sales have advantages over conventional yearling sales. The horses are broken in, fit to race and prospective buyers can see the horse’s action from their breeze up videos. There is also a record of the time they are capable of running. You will probably pay more dollars for this information. The advantage of seeing a horse run should not be underestimated. Those who have been following my posts will know that I selected fourteen yearlings during the 2019-2020 sales period. These horses are now 3yo. Of the fourteen, all have been named, but only 6 have started in a race. Of these, three have won and another placed. For the other eight, their 2yo career is over. Dreams of a Golden Slipper triumph evaporated. Of the one hundred and eighty-five 2yo on offer at the Inglis Ready to Race Sale I have looked for fast horses with PRI back up.
Dosage and Fast Horses
The Dosage system attempts to put a numerical analysis on the pedigree of a horse which is based on its Speed and Stamina. For those interested I would recommend Steve Roman’s book “Dosage Pedigree and Performance”. The data can be utilized in a number of ways. One choice is to establish a Dosage Index (DI) which is simply a measure of speed to stamina. The Table shows the range of values for the DI for a number of races as well as for champion sprinters in Australia in the last ten years or so. The data can also be arranged to provide a value for Centre of Distribution (CD). This figure marks the balancing point of a pedigree between speed and stamina and it is displayed by a number between +2 and -2. A positive number shows speed outranks stamina and a negative number stamina out ranks speed. The Table below sets out some DI and CD values of relevance.
It is clear from the data that the range of values for speed horses, (2yo in the Golden Slipper and the Blue Diamond, and that of Champion Australian sprinters) show different dosage profiles from the horses that have won the Melbourne Cup and the UK St Leger.
Dosage Ratings of Horses at the Inglis Sale
I did not measure the DI and CD values of all the horses in the sale. I cut the list to those where there was a reasonable quantity of data available and selected three horses for comment. Lots 93.45 and 79 should have exceptional speed. In fact, lot 93 is more like a quarter horse. However, the low PRI score probably means it could run out of breath rather quickly. Lots 45 and 79 have strong PRI scores to back up their speed rating. It will be interesting to see how they go. Paper studies are useful but so is the real thing and to see that you need to look at the information provided at the Inglis Ready to Race Sale in October.
The Inglis Great Southern Sale will conclude with the offer of 125 Broodmares. It takes much more time to assess a broodmare especially one in foal, than to assess a yearling. Two investigations are needed. First the mare must be assessed on her future capability to deliver a foal that will be a winner. Secondly the pedigree of foal she is carrying must be assessed relating it to the chance of it being a winner. We have carried out an evaluation of two mares lots 463 and 499; both in foal to Street Boss.
Lot 463 ch m Socialista (Served by Street Boss)
Socialista (New Approach – Ambitious Lady) scores 290 on the Mares Mating Index (MMI) which is a way of measuring how her immediate family and herself rate in producing SW. In a sale like this the averageMMIvalue is around 500. However, her 6GFI (six generation female index) is a stellar 22.1%. The difference shows that the female family is a rich producer of SW but that Socialista is not in its strongest vein. Nevertheless, on balance, it is a very good female family. Most of the success is due to the influence of Anna Paola, champion 2 and 3yo filly in Germany three generations back.
Mr Prospector: Sire of 67 SW and a dynasty
New Approach (Galileo – Park Express) a five times G1 winner has recorded eight SW as broodmare sire. Two from Mr Prospector and two from Sunday Silence line stallions. Of the six previous mating of Socialista, only one was to a Mr Prospector line stallion (Street Boss) and it is her only winner.
The cross Street Boss x New Approach has already given a 2yo G3 winner. Heresy (Street Boss – Montsegur) scored over 1208m at her second and only start to date. The foal from Street Boss – Socialista has a PRI score of 91.9 which suggest a winner of high quality
Lot 499 g m Bugaboo (served by Street Boss)
Bugaboo (Mutakddim – Bavarian) scores 640 on the Mares Mating Index (MMI) which is above average. The 6GFI is a healthy 15.8% although there are only 19 horses. Whether this is caused by some inherent fertility fault in the family I haven’t investigated but it is a fact to bear in mind. Bugaboo has apparently completed 4 successful foalings which is good news. House Rules (Distorted Humor –Teamgeist) one of the three SW in the female line, was successful at G2 and G3 level in America. Her pedigree shows 3m x 4m to Mr Prospector. It appears the females cross well with Mr Prospector sire lines and this bodes well for the foal from Street Boss x Bugaboo.
Street Boss: already the sire of 44 SW
In his role as a broodmare sire, Mutakddim has produced 20 SW. Eight (40%) have been from MrProspector line stallions. The cross Street Boss x Mutakddim has already given On the BackStreets (Street Boss – Mutakaway). This filly won two L races over 6.5f. The foal from Street Boss– Bugaboo) has a PRI score of 86.0 so it should be able to win.
The Great Southern Sale has some wonderful horses. I hope you are successful.
The Inglis Great Southern Sale has been moved to July 4th – 5th because of the Covis situation in Victoria. This will give buyers and sellers more time to scan the catalogue. I have selected two weanlings of interest, Lots 82 and 208. In my next post (Part 3) I will address the pedigrees of two broodmares in foal, Lots 463 and 499. Firstly, a word about the two broad strategies of breeding racehorses – breeding to sell or race.
Breeding to sell
If you want to breed a horse to make money the strategy is very simple. Go and buy a G1 SW mare off the track and put her to a top stallion. Remember these mares are not cheap. Nor are service fees for top stallions. You don’t need to know much about horses or breeding-just plenty about money management and return on investment. When put in a Sale as a yearling, buyers will pay big money for the progeny especially if it looks strong and healthy. If you have followed my posts, you will understand that this type of mating approach rarely produces a horse that will recover its purchase price in earnings. However, once the purchase has taken place that is no longer the breeder’s concern. From a buyer’s point of view there have been some catastrophic failures.
Eight Carat: Super broodmare of five G1 winners
If the breeder is very lucky, he could purchase a mare who turns out to be a great producer. There aren’t too many of these around
Urban Sea (Melika, Galileo, My Typhoon, Sea the Stars)
Breeding to Race
If, however you want to breed a horse that will win races you need to examine the pedigree of the mare and consider access to a stallion with compatible blood lines. This should be done before purchase. Good planning will considerably improve your chance of success. Things to look for in the mare are the strength of the pedigree, history of racetrack performance of the mare and her immediate family, and breeding performance if any. Any genetic problems that may be passed to the offspring should also be looked for.
When buying a mare, you should ask yourself why is this mare in foal? Is it the result of a carefully crafted breeding plan? Or is it an opportunistic event where the seller hopes that a pregnant mare will sell for a higher price more than a barren one. The real cost of the offspring to you will be a minimum of $20,000 before the hammer falls at the auction. Will the sale recover this money? Purchasing a mare in foal requires considerable investigation. You need to decide if the foal is either going to sell well if you take that option. Or the foal’s pedigree suggests it should be a winner. A PRIscore will help you there.
To provide additional information to answer the question is the pregnancy an opportunistic event we can look at the covering sires in the Inglis Great Southern Sale. There are 47 sires and 29 of them have never sired a SW. Eight have sired less than 10 SW. It can be said that only 10 stallions are established sires. You can draw your own conclusions.
The Inglis Great Southern Sale has been moved to July 4th -5th because of the Covis situation in Victoria. This will give buyers and sellers more time to scan the catalogue. I have organized my deliberations into two parts.
Inglis Southern Sale Part 1 Weanlings
Purchasing a weanling has the advantage that the horse is obviously older than a yearling and looks more like the racehorse it will grow up to be. The disadvantage is that you will usually pay more for it. There are two weanlings in this Sale that appeal to me on analysis of their pedigrees. I consider they are worth looking at to assess their physical characteristics before considering a purchase.
Lot 82 b f Toronado – Morwell
Toronado (High Chaparral – Wana Doo) was anointed joint 3yo world champion colt with a record of 2xG1, G2, G3, L). He is off to a good start as a sire with 14 SW to date and a strike rate of SW/R of 3.76%.
Royal Academy: an incredible 155 SW as broodmare sire
Morwell (Royal Academy – Marwell Lady) wasn’t hopeless on the racetrack. Although she did not win, she had four starts for three seconds. Her female line with a 6GFI of 6.5 is encouraging. The most accomplished horse in this line was Stage Hit (Century – Oh Calcutta) who won 2xG1 and 2xG2. If I remember right, she was trained by Bart Cummings when she won the Edward Manifold Stakes.
The cross Toronado x Royal Academy has already produced the L stakes winner. Laverrod (Toronado –Demasheen). This horse won the Hareeba Stakes (1208m). A PRI score of 85.8 tells us that she has a pedigree to win in the city.
Lot 208 b c Iffraaj – The Kipling Girl
Iffraaj (Zafonic – Pastorale) was essentially a sprinter on the racetrack. He was first in three G2 races over 7f, and second in the G1 July Cup. The is the preeminent race for sprinters in the UK. At stud his sire line has produced 89 SW with a SW/R score of 5.49%. For comparison Redoute’s Choice has a SW/R ratio of 4.60%. Some of Iffraaj’s progenies have won beyond sprint distances.Gingernuts (Iffraaj – Double Elle) won both the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and NZ Derby (2400m), at G1 level.
Iffraaj: sire of both sprinters and stayers
The Kipling Girl (High Chaparral – Mrs Kipling) comes from a strong female family. Her 6GFI is 11.3. She was successful on the race track.
The cross Iffraaj x High Chaparral has produced a G1 winner Wynspelle (Iffraaj – Western Star), winner of the prestigious Captain Cook Stakes (1610m). The pedigree is bristling with SW. Of the first 14 horses in this colt’s pedigree, 9 are SW.A PRI score of 89.2 puts this horse in the winner’s category
The Inglis Great Southern Sale may be delayed but if you are buying or selling horses its worth your attendance
The Gold Coast National Yearling Sale has 615 yearlings to go under the hammer. Like most sales there is plenty of untested sires and a few that have more than proved their mettle. For those who have followed my suggestions you will note that I like More thanReady as a broodmare sire. He is currently leading the Australian Broodmare sires list with a w/r ratio of 47.2. Don’t get confused with sires listed by stake money won. In the days of mega prize money on a few select races these lists are pretty meaningless. Overall, he has a SW/R ratio of 4.95%. When matched to All Too Hard it climbs to 6.98%. All Too Hardhas steadily improved his ranking to reach number 4 (by w/r). The cross All Too Hardto More Than Ready is worth following up. It has already produced three SW
• Forbidden Love (All Too Hard – Juliet’s Princess)G1 Surround Stakes,
• Wellington (All Too Hard – Mihiri)G1 Chairman’s Surprise Sprint in Hong Kong,
• Outrageous (All Too Hard – Fit and Ready)G3 over 1509m.
All Too Hard Sire and Broodmare Sire More Than Ready
There are four horses available in that category in the Sale. All are worth considering
Lot 1456 b f All Too Hard – More Graceful More Gracefulwon one race in five starts. Lot 1456 has a PRIScore is 97.1 and a 6GFI 7.45. She is essentially an outcross but shares an inbreeding to the brother and sister combination Northern Dancer-Spring Adieu (4m x 4f). Danehill3f x 4m remains a concern for me but it hasn’t affected the PRI score unduly
Lot 1575 b or br c All Too Hard – Spice Temple.
Although unraced the mare has shown she can throw winners. Lot 1575 has a PRI Score of 95.4 and his female line 6GFI is 9.87. In this line there are two VRC Derby winners; Redding and Nothin’ Leica Dane.
Lot 1785 b f All Too Hard – Gigi Girl
Three wins over a bit of distance points to All Too Hard being a useful match. The filly has a PRI score of 96.7 with a 6GFI of 12.71. This figure is up with the best. Not surprising when you list some of her ancestors. Apart from those named in the catalogue you can add Benicio, Romneya, and Ortensia.
Lot 2016 b or br c All Too Hard – Just for Naara Mare unraced but has produced a good winner. The colt has a PRI Score of 86.3 and a female line 6GFI 6.67. There a bit of explanation needed here. This is a very fertile female line. There are 599 descendants and good horses are rather rare in most of the pedigree. However, around Ciboulette and her daughter Franfreluche by NorthernDancer, sparks begin to fly. Frafreluche became US Champion 3yo filly of the Year. From her line came Grand Luxe, Krupt, Flying Spur, Encosta De Lago, and a host of others. Just for Naara is in the thick of these.
Exceed and Excel Super Sire
Lot 1422 b c Exceed and Excel – Looking for Love
Exceed and Excel is a worldwide power with his sire line producing 216 SW with a SW/R of 4.23%. He is regarded as primarily a sire of sprinters. However, in his top ten hoses of his sire line there is a scattering of SW victories over 1800 or longer. In fact, his best horse Barney Roy (Excelebration – Alina) won at G1 In Germany over 2415m with three other G1 victories. Alinawas by Galileowhich suggest Exceedand Excelcan pick up staying blood from the right mares. Lot 1442 has a PRI Score of 90.4 and a 6GFI of 7.18. The cross Exceed and Excel with Street Cry mares has produced two SW. September Run (G1 Coolmore Classic 1208m) and Promotions(L Canberra Guineas 1409m).
There will be plenty of good horses sold at the Gold Coast National Yearling sale so good luck. I will be there too.
