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STALLION OF THE WEEK AUGUST 6 Seducer's Song makes it five by James Scully UNBRIDLED'S SONG (Unbridled) has established his place among the top sires in the world and was represented by his fifth graded winner this year when Seducer's Song captured Monday's Lake George S. (G3) at Saratoga. The 11-year-old stallion was successful on the track, capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Florida Derby (G1) and Wood Memorial (G2) over three seasons of racing, and appealed to breeders with his pedigree when he headed to stud. His bloodlines feature strong sire influences of Mr. Prospector, In Reality, Dr. Fager and Caro (Ire), and his progeny produced right away on the track with Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) heroine Unbridled Elaine and Fountain of Youth (G1) winner Songandaprayer in his first crop (1998 foals). Unbridled's Song was an impressive youngster, bringing $1.4 million as a yearling, and his offspring have been well received at auction. His yearlings have sold for an average price of $257,653, and his weanlings average $194,512. The gray horse, who currently ranks 12th on the 2004 Leading Sires by Earnings list, counts Even the Score, Domestic Dispute, Last Song and Forest Music as his other four graded stakes winners this year. Even the Score captured a pair of Grade 2 events, the Californian S. and Mervyn LeRoy H., prior to finishing third as the 3-5 favorite in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) last out. Unbridled's Song's most heralded son entering 2004 was Eurosilver, who easily captured the Breeders' Futurity (G2) last fall but bypassed a very legitimate shot at an Eclipse Award when skipping the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). That strategy backfired, but Eurosilver is expected to return to training later this season and could be a force next year. Wood Memorial (G1) winner Buddha, whose first foals were born this year, is another prominent offspring. Unbridled's Song is also responsible for this year's Florida Derby runner-up, Value Plus, and Illinois Derby (G2) runner-up Song of the Sword. An earner of more than $1.3 million himself, Unbridled's Song has sired 32 stakes winners from five crops of racing age. With an average winning distance of 7.2 furlongs, his progeny have proven adept at longer distances and he also throws a lot of precocious two-year-olds. He owns a 17 percent win rate on off tracks and is an 11 percent sire on the turf. Unbridled's Song stands at Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Kentucky, and commanded a 2004 live foal fee of $125,000.
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