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PEDIGREE HANDICAPPING FEBRUARY 16, 2008 Some value-producing "A" rated turf sires by Tim Holland In this space last weekend eight "under the radar" sires that were rated "A" in the first-time starter category in the 2008 TSN Sire Stat book were pinpointed. Those who paid attention did not have to wait long to be rewarded, as the same day the article was run Doc on the Rock, a first-time starter by Snow Ridge, broke his maiden at Santa Anita and returned $24.80. Additionally the article pointed out that runners from the selected sires should be watched when making their second start if unsuccessful in their debut. On Monday at Bay Meadows, Lei of Gold, a second-time starter by Wild Gold who had been unplaced in his debut last October, scored at 8.30-1. This week six "A" rated turf sires are selected that may be profitable to follow, especially when their progeny are making their first or second start on the grass. Perhaps the best known, and certainly the most expensive for breeders, of the selected stallions is CITY ZIP, who stands at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky. A bargain yearling purchase for $9,000, City Zip is by Carson City, whose other offspring at stud include Five Star Day and Good and Tough, and he is a half-brother to 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner and Horse of the Year, Ghostzapper (Awesome Again). City Zip was trained for the majority of his racing career by Linda Rice and his biggest wins came as a two-year-old via the 2000 Hopeful S. (G1), in which he dead-heated with Yonaguska, and in the Futurity S. (G1), in which he was first past the post but was subsequently demoted to second. In his final two starts as a juvenile and early as a three-year-old, City Zip's distance limitations were exposed. He is best remembered as a sprinter, although he did make his final two starts over a mile on the turf, which included a good third-place finish in the Kelso H. (G2). City Zip inherited turf influence from Carson City, whose dam is by Blushing Groom (Fr) and whose second dam is by Nijinsky II. Horseplayers who have recognized that City Zip is in turn passing this influence on to his offspring have been rewarded. Of the 50 runners by the sire to try the turf, 14 won on their first or second attempt on the surface. These included Zip by You, a winner at Belmont last July returning $28.60, and Angianna who scored the summer before at 7-1. Both of these won going wire-to-wire sprinting which is fairly typical for City Zip's offspring as they inherited speed. However, horseplayers should be aware that this speed can also be employed in routes, which was illustrated by subsequent Lane's End S. (G2) $99.60 upsetter With a City. In his second turf attempt, With a City led all the way going 1 1/16 miles at Calder, returning $18.60. This was emulated by Red Zipper, wire-to-wire winner of his second grass race at odds of 6.10-1 and who would employ similar tactics to win last year's Kingston H., rewarding his followers with a $26.40 payout. KIPLING, who earned relocation to Kentucky from his previous Oklahoma home when his son Kip Deville won the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) last year at Monmouth, is the second selected overlay turf sire. A son of Gulch from the family of A.P. Indy and Summer Squall and a full brother to current leading Kentucky Derby (G1) hope Court Vision, Kipling cost $1.4 million as a yearling but was a disappointment on the racetrack, winning five of his 28 starts. In hindsight it could be argued that he might have been a decent turf runner given the chance earlier in his career. As it was he did compile a decent turf record of 5-2-1-0 and returned $36.60 when returning off a near year layoff at Remington Park for one of these wins. Kip Deville is not the only clue that runners from Kipling should be watched on the turf. Indeed, in 2005 the three-year-old Dreamsadvisions made his turf debut a winning one in a stakes at Louisiana Downs returning $23.80, and the same year his contemporary Miriam L. won a Fair Grounds stakes at odds of 30.30-1. Meanwhile, last fall two low-level claimers, Miss Mint Julep and Kippersol, that had both been lightly raced on the grass each returned more than $28 when winning on the turf at Retama and Remington respectively. From relatively few runners on the grass Kipling has recorded remarkable success and his runners should be watched for, especially in the Southwest, where the majority of his runners will appear. With his first two-year-olds performing in 2007, SLIGO BAY (Ire) finished the year in 25th position in the Leading First Season Sire list, and his leading earner was Wind in My Wings, who won the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine S. on the grass at Keeneland. This may have set the trend for Sligo Bay (Ire) being a turf sire, which would not be a surprise since he is by Sadler's Wells from the female family of Singspiel (Ire) and Rahy as well as Devil's Bag and Saint Ballado. Sligo Bay started his racing career in Europe owned by Coolmore, for whom his best effort was a third-place finish in the Grand Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) prior to being sold to America where he would win the 12-furlong Hollywood Turf Cup (G1) in his penultimate race. In addition to Wind in My Wings, runners from Sligo Bay's first crop to race last year included Prairie Fox, who broke his maiden in his debut over a mile on the turf at Woodbine at 12.10-1 for trainer Brian Lynch. That same conditioner also saddled a daughter of the sire, Bahia Girl, to a second-place finish in her first start at Calder, also on the grass. These two should both be watched for, and handicappers should bear in mind that Sligo Bay's runners will improve with time and distance. DEVON LANE won his first three races before being laid off for nine months. When he returned, it was apparent that he had lost his form and was retired. While his race record does not earn him the right to be a stallion, his pedigree does, as he is a son of Storm Cat and a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winners Stellar Jayne (Wild Rush) and Starrer (Dynaformer). Originally standing in California, Devon Lane has now relocated to New Mexico. His best runner is River's Prayer, who created a slight upset when winning the Princess Rooney H. (G1) last year at Calder. Being out of a mare by turf influence Cozzene, it is not surprising that River's Prayer owns a record of 5-4-0-0 on the grass. However, what is surprising is that she was ignored by the public when she won the California Cup Distaff H. at about 6 1/2 furlongs in her first try on the lawn at odds of 18.30-1. In contrast to River's Prayer, another daughter, Whatwerewethinking, has little in her female pedigree to suggest that she would show improvement when switched to the turf. However, she proved this wrong when she returned $106.80 in her grass debut at Hollywood Park last spring. Both these fillies were best at short distances, and handicappers should keep an eye out for overlooked runners sprinting on the grass by this sire. A similarity among many of these underrated turf sires is that they all have strong pedigrees, and this is likewise the case with ROYAL STRAND (Ire), who is by Royal Academy and is closely related to Grade/Group 1 performers Alderbrook, Danish (Ire) and Ace (Ire). A winner of 10 of his 36 starts including the Sycamore S. on two occasions, Royal Strand was best over long distances and set course records at Keeneland and Delaware Park. The Louisiana-based Royal Strand's leading runner is Costa Rising, who has earned the majority of his $861,366 bankroll on the main track. However, he does sport a 4-2-0-0 record on the turf and one of these wins resulted in a $44.80 payoff. Another runner by Royal Strand came close to besting that mutuel when second in her turf debut. Indeed, Royal Madame failed by just a head in the Sarah Lane's Oates H. at 41.60-1, proving that turf routers at long odds by this sire should not be ignored. The well-bred theme continues with the unraced SEEKING A HOME, who is a full brother to Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Pleasant Home and to multiple Grade 2 scorer Country Hideaway. Standing in Texas, Seeking a Home is best known for being the sire of the ultra-game and consistent Smitty's Sunshine, who has compiled a turf sprint resume of five wins from eight attempts, including a win in the Mamzelle S. at Churchill Downs. Smitty's Sunshine has been popular with the public, in fact starting as the favorite in 12 of her 15 races, so handicappers have not been able to find value with her, but they could have with another of Seeking a Home's few turf runners, Raine of Courage, who returned $38.40 in one of her two grass victories. A third turf runner by this sire was Shake a Lake, who closed fast to miss by just a neck in a small sprint stakes race at Retama last fall at 26.70-1. "A" rated turf sires from the 2008 TSN Sire Stat book that may provide value: City Zip
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