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PEDIGREE HANDICAPPING MARCH 29, 2008 Freshman Sires for 2008 by Tim Holland When looking at the freshman sires this time last year, they appeared to be a strong group headed by Empire Maker (Unbridled) and Mineshaft (A.P. Indy), who had both stood for $100,000, followed by Vindication (Seattle Slew) at $60,000, and Aldebaran (Mr. Prospector) and Sky Mesa (Pulpit), who both commanded $30,000. While it was not a surprise that Empire Maker and Mineshaft, being late-maturing types themselves whose runners will undoubtedly be at their best as three or four-year-olds, did not threaten the leaders on the year-end Leading First Crop Sires list, it was slightly surprising that neither Vindication, Aldebaran nor Sky Mesa were able to crack the top five positions. While there were a few disappointments, it must be said that the 2007 freshman sires did indeed turn out to be above average, led by Posse (Silver Deputy), Harlan's Holiday (Harlan), Proud Citizen (Gone West), Van Nistelrooy (Storm Cat) and Macho Uno (Holy Bull), who sired 23 stakes winners between them. To put this figure into perspective, it is a total that has been bettered only once -- in 2006 by Street Cry (Ire) (Machiavellian), Johannesburg (Hennessy), Pure Prize (Storm Cat), Officer (Bertrando) and Orientate (Mt. Livermore), who were responsible for 25 stakes winners. Furthermore, the strength of this group is seen by the fact that the earnings of the top seven sires (including Whywhywhy [Mr.Greeley] and Empire Maker) exceeded $1 million -- an unprecedented feat. At first glance, the depth of this year's freshman sires may look a little light, with just Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality), at $100,000, commanding a fee in excess of $40,000 for 2008. However, a closer look reveals a perhaps larger than normal group of stallions in the $20,000 to $40,000 stud fee range, namely Lion Heart (Tale of the Cat), Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado [Ire]), Pleasantly Perfect (Pleasant Colony), Speightstown (Gone West) and Strong Hope (Grand Slam), all of whom have a right to succeed at stud. Likewise, breeders looking to take a chance on a freshman sire in the $10,000 to $15,000 stud fee range have a large choice of promising sires to select from, including Action This Day (Kris S.), Birdstone (Grindstone), Candy Ride (Arg) (Ride the Rails), Chapel Royal (Montbrook), Congaree (Arazi), Cuvee (Carson City), Friends Lake (A.P.Indy), Johar (Gone West), Peace Rules (Jules), Perfect Soul (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), Spanish Steps (Unbridled), Tapit (Pulpit), The Cliff's Edge (Gulch) and Toccet (Awesome Again). It would be of little surprise to see any of the above 20 names at the top of the freshman sires' list at the end of the year, but there are several new stallions standing for less than $10,000 whose runners should be watched for by handicappers and breeders. One of the most exciting of these sires is OMEGA CODE who, like Smarty Jones, is a son of Elusive Quality -- himself by one of the best sires of sires in the nation, Gone West, who is also responsible for the likes of Mr. Greeley, Grand Slam and Proud Citizen. A $350,000 two-year-old sale purchase, Omega Code is out of a mare by Deputy Minister who was the leading broodmare sire of 2007 through the successes of Curlin and Rags to Riches, and his granddam is Squan Song (Exceller), who won 18 races, including three Grade 3 events. After stumbling at the start and finishing third in his debut as a two-year-old at Del Mar, Omega Code set new track records at Fairplex and Fresno in his next two outings for trainer Wesley Ward before having his lack of stamina exposed in a third-place finish in the seven-furlong Gilded Time S. at Arlington Park. This was his final start of the year, and Omega Code reappeared in a winning effort the following January in the San Miguel S. (G3), which would be his final victory. Retired to stand in Florida, Omega Code has a large first crop of 96 two-year-olds to represent him this year, of which 44 were sold as yearlings averaging $27,959. An average of $52,667 at the two-year-old in training sales this spring, which included a colt who sold for $115,000 and will be trained by Steve Klesaris, hints that Omega Code may be passing on his speed and precocity. Standing alongside Omega Code at Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds is CITY PLACE, who Kiaran McLaughlin states is one of the fastest horses he has ever trained. However, while City Place worked sensationally -- his worktab displays two blazing five-furlong moves in :58 4/5 seconds at Palm Meadows Training Center, unsoundness kept him away from the races. Being by Storm Cat and out of the Ashland S. (G1) winner Glitter Woman, who is by the sprint influence Glitterman, City Place has a license to be a sire of precocious runners. With just 42 registered two-year-olds, City Place does not have a huge first crop, but of these, 30 were sold as yearlings and were well received, averaging $33,180. His two-year-olds to sell so far this year have been even more sought after, with six selling for an impressive average of $182,500 with prominent trainers Jeff Mullins and Dale Romans and owner B. Wayne Hughes listed as some of the buyers. A third promising Florida-based freshman sire is ALKE, whom Todd Pletcher trained to defeat the previous year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner in the Deputy Minister H. (G3) prior to finishing second in his final start in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1). A half-brother to the stakes winners Debit My Account (Classic Account) and Red N'Gold (Tabasco Cat), Alke must have inherited his speed from his sire, Grand Slam, for his dam is by Crow (Fr), who was third in the 1977 Turf Classic S. and is best known for winning the 14-furlong St Leger S. (Eng-G1). Alke has 62 registered two-year-olds, and 26 of his yearlings sold last year for an average of $20,181 but, similar to Omega Code and City Place, his two-year-olds were very popular at the in-training sales, with four averaging $146,250 -- a healthy return on a $4,000 stud fee. After being named champion two-year-old in Ireland by virtue of finishing second in both the Middle Park S. (Eng-G1) and the Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1), the racing career of TOMAHAWK, a $2.5 million Keeneland July Sales purchase by Coolmore, was disappointing. Indeed, his five starts as a three-year-old yielded just one minor stakes score and his four starts in North America as a four-year-old, after having been resold, resulted in one allowance win at Gulfstream Park in the hands of Pletcher. By Seattle Slew, whose successful stallion sons include A.P. Indy and Capote, Tomahawk is out of Statuette (Pancho Villa), who won the Nijana S. (G3) on the turf, and he stands at Park Stud in Canada for C$8,500. He has 51 juveniles in his first crop, and his 20 yearlings that sold last fall averaged $39,766. READ THE FOOTNOTES won his first two starts in New York, including breaking his maiden while earning a huge BRIS Speed figure of 110, before disappointing in his stakes debut when finishing sixth in the Champagne S. (G1) behind Birdstone. However, he rebounded to win the Nashua S. (G3) and the Remsen S. (G2) later that fall and the following spring, Read the Footnotes proved a legitimate Kentucky Derby (G1) contender when winning the Fountain of Youth S. (G2). Being by the sprinter Smoke Glacken, many felt that the colt's suspect stamina would eventually be exposed, and this may have been proven correct when he failed in his last two starts, the Florida Derby (G1) and the Kentucky Derby itself. Retired to stand in New York for $8,500, Read the Footnotes has 53 in his first crop. Twenty-six of his yearlings sold for an average price of $25,065, while four two-year-olds that sold this year have averaged $137,500. These included a $220,000 a filly purchased by Zayat Stables. In his racing career, DOMESTIC DISPUTE improved with age and added distance and produced his best effort when winning the nine-furlong Strub S. (G2) as a four-year-old. However, he also displayed speed and precocity when third past the post in the Hollywood Futurity (G1) as a two-year-old and when he defeated the top-class sprinter Pico Central (Brz) while finishing second in the Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup H. (G2). Trained for the early part of his career by Bob Baffert and subsequently by Patrick Gallagher, Domestic Dispute won three of 31 starts before his retirement to stud in Maryland where he would stand his first season for $5,000. The chestnut is by Unbridled's Song, whose best son at stud so far is Songandaprayer, and he produced a sizeable initial group of 70 two-year-olds for this year. While boosted by one $240,000 price, Domestic Dispute's 20 yearlings to sell last year averaged an impressive $49,370. So far this year two juveniles by Domestic Dispute have sold with one bringing $150,000 -- a filly that had been sold as weanling for $1,200 just 18 months earlier. The impression that Domestic Dispute's offspring are already making is reflected in his stud fee, which has been raised to $7,500 for this year. Another son of Unbridled's Song who will have his first runners this year is EVEN THE SCORE. A tough and sound runner, although not quite top-class he, like Domestic Dispute, also improved toward the end of his career. Having spent three seasons trained by Dallas Stewart racing primarily on the turf, he was sent to California where under the care of Vladimir Cerin he made his last four starts of his career, all on the dirt. Of these he won two including the Californian (G2) before finishing third in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) behind Total Impact (Chi) (whom he had beaten in his two previous starts), and Olmodavor. While it could be argued that this was a somewhat subpar Grade 1 event, it still earned the gray a place at stud in Kentucky, and his first crop of yearlings to sell were well received, averaging $37,202. Eight juveniles by Even the Score have passed through the ring so far this year, generating an average of $66,429, including a filly that cost $180,000 and will be trained by Steve Klesaris. The Kentucky-based TETON FOREST will have 39 youngsters to represent him this year, of which 16 went to auction last year. They averaged $27,012, and this year two colts sold for $185,000 and $200,000, the latter knocked down to the successful West Point Stables. A winner of three races including the Jerome H. (G2) at Belmont in wire-to-wire fashion, Teton Forest has the pedigree to succeed at stud, being by the successful Forestry and a half-brother to the useful New York stallion Tomorrows Cat (Storm Cat). Freshman sires to watch: Omega Code
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