Grindstone

STALLION

OF THE WEEK

Travers glory for sire Grindstone

by James Scully

Birdstone, who is from the fourth crop of 1996 Kentucky Derby

(G1) winner GRINDSTONE (Unbridled), proved his Belmont S. (G1)

win was no fluke with a stirring 2 1/2-length score in Saturday's

Travers S. (G1) and now has the opportunity to stake a legitimate

claim for Horse of the Year with a victory in the Breeders' Cup

Classic (G1).

Grindstone's success didn't stop with the Travers winner as

Organ Grinder ran to his 4-5 odds when capturing the Canadian

Derby (Can-G3) on Saturday.

Winner of the Louisiana Derby (G2) and second in the Arkansas

Derby (G2), Grindstone's racing career was cut short following

his classic victory at Churchill Downs. The millionaire was

retired to Overbrook Farm, but there wasn't much demand at first

for the dark bay.

The 11-year-old stallion is now gaining popularity.

Grindstone covered his largest book to date, 91 mares, in 2004,

and his stud fee was raised during last season from $5,000 to $7,500.

Look for another increase next year.

"We've had a lot of interest from other countries to

relocate, but we've resisted those efforts because we're excited

about keeping Grindstone at Overbrook," Stallion Manager Ric

Waldman said.

Out of 1983 Spinaway S. (G1) queen Buzz My Bell (Drone),

Grindstone's female family includes 1971 Belmont winner Pass

Catcher. Along with Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) hero and fellow

sire Unbridled's Song, the Kentucky-bred hails from his late

sire's first crop. Unbridled, who captured the Kentucky Derby and

Breeders' Cup Classic en route to the champion three-year-old

title in 1990, died too soon but is turning out to be an

excellent sire of sires.

The ingredients were there for Grindstone to be a success at

stud, and he's had some good runners from his first few crops

with Grade 3 winners Ommadon and Smooth

Maneuvers, as well as stakes winners Ekolu Place, Emery Board and Heirloom Diamond.

However, Birdstone has taken his sire to a new level.

Owned by Marylou Whitney and trained by Nick Zito, Birdstone

won his career debut at Saratoga last year by 12 1/2 lengths and

then hit the gate and lost all chance when fourth in the Hopeful

S. (G1). He rebounded to win the Champagne S. (G1) convincingly.

Birdstone, who has won five of eight overall starts, easily

captured his 2004 bow at Gulfstream and then caught a sealed

track that he didn't handle in the Lane's End S. (G2) at Turfway

Park. Following a brief illness, he lost a shoe early in the

Kentucky Derby and settled for eighth over the sloppy going. He

hasn't lost since then, running past Smarty Jones to capture the

1 1/2-mile Belmont before taking the 10-furlong Midsummer Derby

at the Spa.

That leaves him one-for-two against Smarty Jones, with his

lone setback coming over a monsoon-drenched Churchill Downs track

that his rival relished. Birdstone now needs to win the Breeders'

Cup Classic to make a convincing case for Horse of the Year and

championship three-year-old honors. Given his affinity for longer

distances and Zito's ability to train the smallish colt up to an optimal

performance, there's plenty of reason to like Birdstone's chances at

Lone Star Park.

Grindstone's profile is also rising. Currently 36th on the

leading sire by earnings list, he figures to get his best book of

mares ever in 2005 and may reward those looking for a hot

stallion.