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FEATURE STALLION JANUARY 19, 2008 2007 Stallion of the Year - Smart Strike by Jordan Strickler Perhaps it's the water that they give their stallions at Lane's End. Maybe it's the grain that allows their stallions to have such great success. Either way, SMART STRIKE (Mr. Prospector) claimed an extraordinary year in 2007 with two presumptive champions and a probable Horse of the Year title -- more than enough to label him as the best sire of 2007. Curlin and English Channel are the first Smart Strike progeny within the United States likely to garner a champion's crown, succeeding past Canadian champions Soaring Free (2004 Canadian Horse of the Year and Canadian champion turf horse, 2003 Canadian champion sprinter), Gold Strike (2005 Canadian champion three-year-old filly), Eye of the Sphynx (2004 Canadian champion three-year-old filly), Portcullis (2002 Canadian champion turf horse) and Added Edge (2002 Canadian champion two-year-old colt). Curlin took the racing world by storm early last year. Unraced as a two-year-old, the chestnut colt exploded in his maiden debut at Gulfstream Park, razing his opponents in a 12 3/4-length victory versus maiden special weight company at seven furlongs. That contest inspired Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stable, Satish Sanan's Padua Stables and investment banker George Bolton to buy an 80 percent interest in the Midnight Cry Stable sophomore for a reported $3.5 million. This was an incredible profit for Midnight Cry Stables, who purchased the colt for $57,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2005. Transferred from trainer Helen Pitts to Steve Asmussen, Curlin went on to annex the Rebel S. (G3) by 5 1/4 lengths and the Arkansas Derby (G2) by 10 1/2 lengths before running third in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He didn't wait long to get back in the winner's circle, capturing the Preakness S. (G1) over Derby winner Street Sense. After a second in the Belmont S. (G1), following a prolonged stretch duel with likely champion three-year-old filly Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), and a third in the Haskell Invitational (G1), he narrowly won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) over older horses and put the icing on the cake by taking the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Monmouth Park. Curlin's mark for the year was 9-6-1-2 with $5,102,800 in earnings. That's our likely Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old. On to the next. Coming into his five-year-old season already a multiple Grade 1 winner, English Channel decided to kick it up a notch last year, repeating his 2006 victories in the United Nations S. (G1) and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) while adding a seven-length Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) score to the portfolio. When not in the winner's photo, he was always close in the background, running second in both the Sword Dancer Invitational S. (G1) and Manhattan H. (G1) for trainer Todd Pletcher. His only blemish last season was a 12th in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1). Earning $2,640,000 in 2007 with a 7-4-2-0 record, the James Scatuorchio-owned English Channel moved his career mark to 23-13-4-1 with a bankroll of $5,319,028. That's our educated guess for turf champion. Smart Strike produced a number of other notable runners in 2007, including Fabulous Strike, who won three of four starts as a four-year-old. The talented sprinter captured the Vosburgh S. (G1) and Aristides S. (G3), but was unable to participate in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) due to a lung infection. Strike Softly was Smart Strike's top filly last season, winning her only two races of the year -- the 6 1/2-furlong Hendrie S. (Can-G3) over Woodbine's Polytrack and the 1 1/16-mile Nassau S. (Can-G2) on the turf. Overall on the year, the now 16-year-old sire had 102 winners from 215 runners, 16 stakes winners with a total 29 stakes wins, as well as three Grade 1 winners who captured eight Grade 1 victories. He led all sires in earnings in 2007, with his runners bringing home $14,358,570. That boosted Smart Strike's total progeny earnings to more than $48 million. Smart Strike himself had a very solid race career. Through 1995-96, the bay won six of eight races, including victories in the Philip H. Iselin H. (G1) and Salvator Mile H. (G3). He rounded out his career with a fourth-place outing in the Woodward S. (G1) to 1995 and 1996 Horse of the Year Cigar. Smart Strike currently stands at Lane's End near Versailles, Kentucky, for a stud fee of $150,000.
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