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FEATURE STALLION DECEMBER 17, 2005 Stallion of the Year -- Standing tall in a land of giants by Jordan Strickler The old adage "like father, like son" has made itself very apparent this year as we see GIANT'S CAUSEWAY following in the hoofsteps of his father, Storm Cat. So much so that Ashford Stud has raised his stud fee 50 percent, from $200,000 to $300,000, after just his second crop of racing age. Although Saint Ballado made a good case for this title with two possible champions on the late sire's 2005 roster of stakes winners (Ashado and Saint Liam), Giant's Causeway has produced four Grade/Group 1 winners this year and is still an active stallion with more crops to come. One of Giant's Causeway's most proficient offspring has been Shamardal, who was awarded the honor of champion two-year-old colt in Europe last year as well as highweight colt in England after annexing the Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1) and Vintage S. (Eng-G2). His pace has not slowed as a three-year-old, as he won three Group 1 events this year -- the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp, Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly and St. James's Palace S. at York. The Prix du Jockey Club came over eventual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) winner Hurricane Run (Montjeu [Ire]). First Samurai came onto the scene this year with a bang, breaking his maiden at first asking by 5 1/2 lengths before annexing the Hopeful S. (G1) by 4 1/4 lengths. He then went on to score in the Champagne S. (G1), came home third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), and is one of the candidates for champion two-year-old colt this year. The chestnut has captured four out of five starts and earned $682,575. Maid's Causeway stamped herself as a leading European runner this year after annexing the Coronation S. (Eng-G1) and finishing second in the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) to Virginia Waters (Kingmambo). Footstepsinthesand captured his only race of the year, winning the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) in April. Other graded stakes winners on the track this year include My Typhoon (Ire), who proved victorious in the Mrs. Revere S. (G2) and Virginia Oaks; Naissance Royal (Ire), winner of the Lake Placid S. (G3); the late Diamond Omi, who captured the Oak Leaf S. (G2); Aragorn (Ire), who annexed the Oak Tree Derby (G2); and Frost Giant, victor in the Killavullan S. (Ire-G3). Mona Lisa placed in the Prix de l'Opera (Fr-G1), Coronation and Irish Oaks (Ire-G1), while Noble Causeway came home second in the Florida Derby (G1). Giant's Causeway is proving to be as good in the breeding shed as he was on the track. In two years of racing, the chestnut compiled a record of 13-9-4-0 and $3,077,960 in earnings. He opened his career winning four consecutive races in 1999, including the Prix de la Salamandre (Fr-G1) in just his third outing, and would go on to triumph in the St. James's Palace S. (Eng-G1), Coral-Eclipse S. (Eng-G1), Sussex S. (Eng-G1), Juddmonte International S. (Eng-G1) and Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1). In his final start, Giant's Causeway lost a thrilling finish in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), his main-track debut, by a neck to Tiznow (Cee's Tizzy), who would go on to be named 2000 Horse of the Year and win the Classic in 2001. Overall, Giant's Causeway was twice named highweight colt in Ireland in 2000 as well as highweight three-year-old colt in England that same year. This year, we have seen Giant's Causeway's popularity spill into the sales ring, as the eight-year-old stallion has had the hammer fall at $500,000 or more for 20 of his progeny, including four that brought $1 million or more. In all, Giant's Causeway has had 62 foals (10 weanlings, 49 yearlings and three two-year-olds) sell this year in the United States for an aggregate $24,679,000. His weanlings this year have averaged $322,700, yearlings $429,224 and two-year-olds $140,000. Giant's Causeway has proven a versatile stallion, siring both winners on the dirt and turf. He is still young in his career as a sire, and we should have a lot more to look forward to from this one.
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