HOLIDAY SOIREE (15, Harlan's Holiday–Try to Remember, by Include) to be bred to Gun Runner.
Holiday Soiree was a talented racehorse who won the Shine Again S. at Saratoga and placed in the GI Humana Distaff at Churchill. She is the dam of Vahva (Gun Runner), who won the GII Raven Run S. and GIII Charles Town Oaks last year. She is a gorgeous filly with lots of tenacity and determination. Cherie DeVaux trains her, and her connections are excited about what 2024 will bring. I like the linebreeding to Storm Cat on this mating; it is the same cross as Echo Zulu, Gunite, and Pappacap. You also have female family linebreeding back to foundation mare, Alanesian. I am a big fan of linebreeding to superior females. Based on the above, I decided to send her to Gun Runner for 2024.

Holiday Soiree descends from a powerful female family cultivated by Ned Evans, and she might become a foundation mare for us. It will be tempting to keep the fillies out of her to race and add back to the broodmare band. We are commercial breeders, so it will be a tough decision on what to do if a filly is born.

Currently, Holiday Soiree is pregnant to City of Light, who has a lovely physical, and his offspring are having great success on the track and sales ring. Her newly turned 2-year-old filly is by City of Light and was a $400,000 purchase for Belladonna Racing. The filly's connections report she is doing very well and at the top of the list each week. Holiday Soiree is also the dam of Signal From Noise (Arrogate), who ran second in the Lady's Secret S. I purchased this mare in November at Keeneland and am very excited to have her in the broodmare band.

GETTING LUCKY (6, Pioneerof the Nile–Lucky Number, by Smart Strike) to be bred to War of Will.
I purchased Getting Lucky in 2022 at Keeneland in foal to Bolt d'Oro. We now have a lovely Bolt d'Oro colt and will sell him at an upcoming auction as a yearling. I am excited to see how he does in the auction ring. Getting Lucky got a break from being a mother this year; however, we look forward to breeding her to War of Will in 2024. I am a big fan of what this sire did on the track, winning a Grade I on turf and dirt. He won the Preakness at 3 and at 4 he won the GI Maker's Mark Mile.

War of Will is an absolute bargain at his current $25,000 stud fee. His yearlings averaged over $100,000 in 2023, over a 4X multiple of his stud fee. Not only was he an excellent racehorse, but he is doing a great job as a stallion. He is very fertile, with an 80% live foal rate in his first year and an 82% live foal rate in his second year. War of Will looks like a promising heir to carry on War Front's legacy.

We think this sire is the perfect match for Getting Lucky, who descends from a deep Phipps female family, with mares like Get Lucky, Dance Number, Numbered Account, and Intriguing in the pedigree. The female family continues the excellent branch of the great foundation mare La Troienne.

Flightline | Sara Gordon

TOBAGO (8, Pioneerof the Nile–Caroni, by Rubiano) to be bred to Flightline.
Tobago is one of my favorite mares; she is a good mother from an excellent family. She is out of Caroni and is a half to GSW Mo Tom (Uncle Mo), MGISP Beautician (Dehere), Don'tforgetaboutme (Malibu Moon), and MGSW Red Ruby (Tiznow). All of whom had successful racing careers.

Caroni's offspring have gone on to earn $2,348,994 in career earnings. Tobago's nephew, Crupi (Curlin), just placed in the Pegasus World Cup. I purchased Tobago in the fall of 2020 at Keeneland and am excited to get into this family.

Last year, we sold her yearling colt by Tapit privately to Winchell Thoroughbreds. He was a lovely specimen and precisely what you would expect a Tapit colt to look like.

As mentioned above, I am a big fan of linebreeding back to superior females. In this case, we are linebreeding back to Ruby Slippers. She has a really nice Essential Quality yearling colt on the ground, which will go to auction this year. I liked what I saw with the Tapit and Essential Quality, so I thought we would continue down the same path. She will be going to Flightline this year.

With these matings, you get the linebreeding back to Ruby Slippers, but you also get the magic Tapit-Empire Maker cross, which produced 31% stakes winners. We don't have a lot of data yet on Pioneer of the Nile as a broodmare sire, but if he is anything like his dad, Empire Maker, then we will be in good shape.

KIRTAN (6, Cairo Prince–Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike) to be bred to Nyquist.
Kirtan is a half-sister to GISW/MGSW Faiza and is carrying a foal by Girvin, so she has a 3/4 to Faiza in her belly. Faiza sold for $4 million at Fasig-Tipton November Sale last year and is a beautiful individual. Kirtan and Faiza are attractive females, and I would expect their foals to be beautiful, too.

I am a big fan of Girvin and will be breeding more mares to him. It will be interesting to see what his offspring can accomplish with his move to Airdrie. I would say his mare quality has improved, and there is a big chance you will see more graded stakes winners coming in the future.

This will be the first foal for Kirtan, and I wanted to return to a proven stallion and give her every chance to succeed as a broodmare. Kirtan will be going to Nyquist in 2024, and I think the two will complement each other very well. The cross has produced horses like Outwork and A Mo Reay.

SHESA MYSTERY (Verrazano–Mystery Itself, by Pulpit) to be bred to Not This Time.
We purchased GSP Shesa Mystery at the Keeneland November Sale and we were delighted she was in foal to Life is Good. He was a sound and brilliant racehorse, and we believe his offspring will be highly sought after in the sales ring.

Shesa Mystery comes from a strong female family; every dam going back to 1919 has produced stakes winners or stakes placed racehorses. She just had her first foal, and we are encouraged that this foal gives us a shot at continuing the trend. She is a beautiful mare and I hope her offspring take after her in the looks department.

Since she was bred to an unproven stallion for her first foal, I wanted to get her to a proven stallion for the second. Not This Time really improves his mares and what he has accomplished at stud made him a top match.

Not This Time's dam, Miss Macy Sue, was linebred back to foundation mare Aspidistra through Ta Wee. That seemed to work well because we now have two outstanding sires in Liam's Map and Not This Time. I thought adding some more Aspidistra to the pedigree would make some sense.

Shesa Mystery goes back to Aspidistra through the legendary Dr. Fager. Physically, they make a top pair and will complement each other very well.

HONORIFIQUE (Honor Code–Double, by Exchange Rate) to be bred to Elite Power.
We purchased Honorifique at the Keeneland November Sale while she was in foal to Quality Road. This will be her first. Honorifique is out of Doubled, who won the Sorority S. and placed in three other black-type races.

Doubled is out of Mayan Milagra, who produced Tapit full-siblings GSW Dancinginherdreams and Good Pick Nick. The former won the GII Pocahontas S. and placed in two others at that level. Good Pick Nick placed in the GIII Pegasus S.

Honorifique | Coady Photography

Mayan Mialgra is out of Dhaka, bred by Allen Paulson, and she was a fast racehorse. Dhaka won or placed in five black-type races. Not only could she run, but she also produced a graded stakes placed gelding and two black-type winners.

I really like Honorifique's female family and think she has a real chance to continue the tradition of producing stakes winners.

Like her mother, SP Honorifique showed talent on the racetrack. She is an attractive filly with lots of potential as a broodmare. Since her first foal will be by Quality Road, obviously a superstar stallion, I thought it would be worth a gamble to go to an unproven stallion for her second.

I wanted to breed a mare to Elite Power this year; she was the perfect match. He has an outstanding physical and showed so much brilliance on the track. He has all the qualities to become a top sire, and his offspring will be highly regarded in the sales ring.

FROSTED OATS (Frosted–More Oats Please, by Smart Strike) to be bred to Practical Joke.
Frosted Oats is a beautiful mare who showed talent on the track, earning over $140,000 and winning multiple races. She was a $250,000 yearling campaigned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm.

Her half-sister is Peace and War (War Front), who won the GI Darley Alcibiades S. and placed in the GIII Delaware Oaks and the GI Cotillion S. Peace and War sold for $1.45 million at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.

Since this is her first foal, we wanted to get her started on a solid footing and thought Practical Joke would be a terrific fit. He is a very attractive stallion, and his offspring excel on the track.

Practical Joke has started 2024 off strong, already siring four black-type winners–tied for second place with Quality Road. We think these two will make a top pair and produce a foal who will do well in the sales ring and on the track.

MY FIRST PEARL (6, First Samurai–Pearly Blue, by Empire Maker) to be bred to Bolt d'Oro.
SP My First Pearl was a talented a racehorse. She is a half-sister to the 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner, Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}). I really think this family is on the upswing, and I am delighted to have her in the broodmare band. This filly needed to go to a stallion that matched her physically, and we thought Bolt d'Oro would be a top match.

Bolt's offspring are winning on turf and dirt, and I think he is a stallion to keep your eye on. This will be her first foal, and we are hopeful this mating will get her off to a good start as a broodmare.

FASHION WEEK (10, Speightstown-Theyskens' Theory, by Bernardini) to be bred to Liam's Map.
I purchased Fashion Week in 2019, pregnant to Into Mischief, now named New York Strong. He was a $250,000 purchase by Peter Brant. She has also produced a $90,000 Catholic Boy and a $170,000 Uncle Mo. She has a Nyquist yearling on the ground who will go to auction this year, and she is in foal to Golden Pal. Everything she produces is attractive, so we are encouraged to see one of her offspring go on to do big things.

Fashion Week has a lot of linebreeding in her pedigree, so I thought an outcross would do her well. She is currently in foal to Golden Pal, who is an outcross with her, and we are going to breed her to Liam's Map, who is as well. Liam's Map is a very handsome individual whose offspring are doing well on the track and the sales ring. He is also a good value at a $40,000 stud fee. His 2023 yearling average was over $120,000, over a 3x multiple of his stud fee.

Fashion Week needs to be mated with a stallion with some speed. Liam's Map and Golden Pal both ran 126 e-figure races, and I am hopeful their genetics will add some speed to her offspring.

HARVEST (6, Street Sense–Cleaning, by Hard Spun) to be bred to Mitole.
I purchased Harvest in 2022, pregnant to Knicks Go, and he has turned out to be a handsome individual. He looks like what a racehorse should look like. I am impressed with what I have seen so far. He will be going to auction this year, and seeing him go through the ring will be a thrill.

Harvest is currently in foal to Upstart, which I am a big fan of and I think is great value. Airdrie has something special with Girvin and Upstart; they both improve their mares and produce winners. They are both great value at $30,000.

For 2024, we will be breeding Harvest to Mitole. Mitole already has SW Ice Cold out of a Street Sense Mare, and they make a top match physically. He is also a great value at $15,000, and we know he can produce runners.

I look forward to seeing Harvest continue being a good mother and Mitole excel at stud.

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In 2023, War Front's yearlings sold for up to $800,000, and he is among the top 10 North American-based sires this season by percentage of black-type winners from starters (6.9%), black-type performers from starters (11.8%) and total graded stakes winners (six).

War Front's GI Preakness S.-winning son War of Will will stand for $25,000. His first yearlings sold at auction this year, going for as much as $650,000 with an average sale price of $120,132.

Blame (Arch) will also stand for $25,000. In addition to siring top runners including, Grade I winner Wet Paint, Blame has emerged as an important broodmare sire. Led by champion Forte, Blame has 12% stakes horses from starters, the highest percentage of any broodmare sire with 100 or more starters.

The Grade I Met Mile winner Silver State (Hard Spun) will stand for $15,000. His first weanlings will arrive at auction this fall.

Champion sprinter Runhappy (Super Saver) will stand for $10,000, with runners in 2023 led by Grade I winner Nutella Fella and Grade II winner Smile Happy.

Dual-surface Grade I winner Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) will also stand for $10,000. His first crop of juveniles had an average progeny-winning distance of 7.26 furlongs leading all freshman sires.

Veteran sire First Samurai (Giant's Causeway) will once again stand for $7,500, led by Grade II-placed Synthesis, who has earned over $648,000 over the course of his career.

First Samurai's son Lea will stand for a private fee, with a resume of recent runners that includes Grade III winner Poppy Flower.

Demarchelier (GB) will have his fee announced at a later time. The only son of top international sire Dubawi standing in Kentucky has gotten off the mark quickly with his first 2-year-olds, leading all freshman sires by black type performers on turf (two) and average winning distance over turf (8.05 furlongs).

Mastery has been relocated to Lex Stud in Japan.

Following is a full list of Claiborne Farm's 2024 roster and fees:

Blame (Arch)–$25,000

Catholic Boy (More Than Ready)–$10,000

Demarchelier (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})–TBD

First Samurai (Giant's Causeway)–$7,500

Lea (First Samurai)–Private

Runhappy (Super Saver)–$10,000

Silver State (Hard Spun)–$15,000

War Front (Danzig)–$100,000

War of Will (War Front)–$25,000

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While dozens of their original competitors have been banished to regional or overseas theaters, they have battled their way through and now contest a rather different market. Typically it will be oriented to those rare programs that can either afford to pay the top fees, for the likes of Into Mischief and Tapit, or at least take a longer view on building up families.

So today we must confront head-on the claim that drives so much commercial traffic towards new stallions that will, in the majority of cases, turn out to be standing at career high fees. And that's the idea those few sires that earn the label “proven” tend to become so expensive that investors have no choice but to roll the dice on relatively affordable rookies, hoping to hit a Gun Runner on the way up.

To a degree, of course, that consensus creates its own validity. Commercial breeders know where to anticipate ringside interest and as a result a stallion's debut book, very often, will prove the best he will ever assemble.

Putting that reality to one side, however, I do feel skeptical about the basic premise. For one thing, agents and managers almost invariably back off stallions as soon as they have cycled through their debut crops, long before they have had a meaningful chance to demonstrate whether or not their stock can actually run. But the principal point, and the object of the exercise today, is that there are actually plenty of stallions out there you could describe as both “proven” and affordable.

Despite career stats that will remain far beyond the vast majority of those newcomers annually flooding the gene pool, more likely than not with mediocrity, many of these stalwart operators tend to suffer flagrant commercial neglect. Their books are modest, whether measured by quality or quantity, and unsurprisingly the same then proves true of their sales dividends.

Hence, in turn, their accessible fees. That does mean that some of the horses we highlight today will seldom appeal to a fast-buck commercial breeder. But I'll keep saying it: there should be nothing more commercial than putting a winner under your mare.

So I have every confidence that in this final wrap we're not only looking at some of the worthiest stallions around, but at some of the best value as well. And because of the sheer range of this final group, we'll include rather more than usual in our round-up of near-misses.

The whole process, of course, has represented no more than one more opinion in a massively subjective environment. A ton of deserving stallions will have been overlooked; perhaps even entire farms. But nobody knows better than you what might work for your particular mare, and your particular program.

Many of the choices I've made are based on principles that a lot of people will consider impractical. When I suggest that you can get value from sires whose stock may need time to mature, and a second turn, then I absolutely accept that a lot of people need (and really “need”, as opposed to “prefer”) to get paid sooner and better than that will typically allow. Equally, however, I'm not going to flag up stallions that corral 400 mares in their first two seasons and then get their vaunted black-type action at only a pedestrian rate.

The nature of this particular beast means that we will be revisiting some old pals here. A body of work extending over several years is hardly invalidated by a single quiet one. And, as I've said before, there's no vice harder to overcome than that of being too stubborn!

BUBBLING UNDER:

I hate to admit it, but commercially the game does appear to be up with my old favorite LOOKIN AT LUCKY. It tells you everything about the unwholesome way the business is skewed that he can sire winners of America's two most iconic races and still be reduced to a fee of just $10,000. His scandalous neglect does have one benefit, however, for breeders far-sighted enough to “prove” a young mare inexpensively.

Even now his neighbor Munnings—launched simultaneously but long a darling of the sales ring, now commanding a fee 10 times higher than Lookin At Lucky–cannot beat his elite footprint. Both have 13 Grade I performers, but it is Lookin At Lucky who has produced them at a superior percentage (and, of course, from far inferior opportunity). “Lucky” should be gold on the value podium every year, but there would clearly be no point by this stage. All we can do is hand over the baton on to his big-value sons Accelerate and Country House.

MIDSHIPMAN, another podium regular, has in contrast finally had his remarkable data acknowledged by the doubling of his fee to $20,000. Somehow he can't quite crack that Grade I ceiling, but maintained his astounding consistency at black-type level in 2022, with 25 such performers representing 10.7 percent of starters. He'll have to work harder to achieve the

same profitability from his new fee, having soared to an average of $65,687 (median $50,000) for yearlings conceived at just $8,500, but hopefully his mares will also be upgrading now. What an exemplary horse! He's been a gift for so long, but I am confident he will keep on giving.

Midnight Lute | Sarah K. Andrew

MIDNIGHT LUTE almost achieved the same stakes footprint last year, at nine percent of starters–just shy of his lifetime clip, which has yielded 41 stakes winners including five at Grade I level. These are obviously headed by Midnight Bisou, but we have long since established that this is no one-trick pony. Midnight Lute really has a tremendous output for a horse standing at $12,500 and is another to mock the notion that there are no “proven” stallions out there within reach of the ordinary breeder. He looks after his clients respectably at the sales, too.

Even better stats back up SKY MESA, another whose resumé will remain far beyond the competence of the vast majority of rookies annually launched at much steeper fees than $10,000. Even among “proven” sires, you'll find quite a few at much higher tariffs that can't better Sky Mesa's lifetime 12.5 percent stakes performers-to-named foals.

Another struggling for due respect at $7,500 is FIRST SAMURAI, who nonetheless got on with business as usual in 2022 with another seven stakes winners. His buddy BLAME did not quite meet his own high standards, and rather feels due another star, but he has long demonstrated an ability to recycle his class at a rate better than his $25,000 fee. With that aristocratic pedigree behind him, I've always thought Blame highly eligible to become a distaff influence and so it is already proving. Two of the very best juveniles of 2022, Forte (Violence) and Loggins (Ghostzapper), are both out of Blame mares—surely a hugely significant straw in the wind.

BRONZE: CROSS TRAFFIC (Unbridled's Song–Stop Traffic by Cure The Blues)
$7,500 Spendthrift

Cross Traffic | Spendthrift Farm

To be honest, this lad is not quite in “proven” territory just yet, belonging as he does to the intake immediately preceding the three we grouped together last time as still “earning their stripes”. Even so, it feels like he has been around for quite some time: in his relatively short career he has managed to squeeze in some dazing fluctuations in fortune. He finds himself at another crossroads now, but the fact is that he has just confirmed (for a second time) his ability to punch above this kind of fee.

As champion freshman by multiple indices in 2018, the gray was hoisted to $25,000 for 2019 and duly received a stampede of 188 mares. The resulting crop were juveniles of 2022 and drove a spirited comeback in the all-comers' table of 2-year-old sires. Though this category was conspicuously dominated by freshmen, his 33 individual winners from 79 starters put him second overall; while his 13 black-type juveniles represented a knockout ratio of starters, surpassed in fact only by his latest successor as champion freshman, Bolt d'Oro, and the six-figure covers Quality Road and Constitution.

His four juvenile stakes winners included one unbeaten in both starts at Saratoga, and a filly that flew late into fourth at the Breeders' Cup. But despite doubling down on a reputation for precocity, Cross Traffic's stock is actually entitled to keep building. His principal earner to date, Ny Traffic, won over $900,000 across four campaigns, and remember that Cross Traffic himself only raced as a 4-year-old, when making up for lost time with a GI Met Mile second and GI Whitney success on only his fourth and fifth starts.

He has some pretty exotic names seeding the bottom line, but that certainly hasn't stopped the big horse on this farm and it felt auspicious that Cross Traffic actually elevated his yearling average in 2022 to $43,250 from $29,019, reversing a bleakly familiar trend at this stage of a stallion's career. Unfortunately his books have quickly dwindled since his renewed vogue in 2019, but his juvenile returns in both 2018 and 2022 show what he can do if given a chance—which is surely just what he deserves at this kind of basement fee.

Incidentally, a word here for his studmate JIMMY CREED, who struggled somewhat commercially with his last yearlings but counted dual Grade I winner Casa Creed and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint third Private Creed among his seven stakes scorers in 2022. His book numbers have held up healthily over the past couple of years and there's a corresponding sense that he has more to offer at just $10,000.

SILVER: HARD SPUN (Danzig–Turkish Tryst by Turkoman)
$35,000 Darley

Hard Spun | Darley

Okay, so he had no real headliner in 2022—dropping out of the top 10 in the general sires' list for the first time in four years—but his customary foil Street Sense ($75,000) was nonetheless the only stallion standing for under six figures to beat 11 stakes winners. In other words, Hard Spun maintained his customary consistency and, moreover, boosted his yearling average to $109,187 from $80,353 the previous year.

That gives a commercial dimension to his principal appeal as the most accomplished sire of runners around at this kind of fee. Hard Spun stands as high as eighth in the earnings table of active American stallions, just ahead of his longstanding accomplice Street Sense. Their ratios across all indices are uncannily similar, for horses who first crossed swords on the track and at one stage even shared a sojourn in Japan together. As Street Sense himself is widely respected as pretty fair value at $75,000, it's remarkable that you can still get to Hard Spun for less than half that fee.

As a parting gift of the breed-changing Danzig, he has duly parlayed that international influence into many different theaters—short, long; dirt, turf—and he is already proving a notable broodmare sire. That's no surprise, when he complements Danzig with all that Darby Dan royalty down the bottom line.

Sure, much like our gold pick, Hard Spun's youngsters tend not to be the most precocious. But they are worth the wait. That capacity to carry speed, after all, is supposedly the grail for breeders. Though he later landed the GI King's Bishop over seven furlongs, Hard Spun held out for second in Street Sense's Derby after setting a pace that left the eventual winner, third and fourth, respectively, in 19th, 13th and 20th after half a mile.

It's a mystery, really: Hard Spun was standing at $60,000 before his year in Hokkaido, and he dominated the fourth-crop sires' table during his absence (ahead of Street Sense, English Channel and Scat Daddy), yet has never since restored his fee to its due level. You wouldn't catch me complaining about that, however, if I had a worthy mare.

GOLD: SPEIGHTSTOWN (Gone West–Silken Cat by Storm Cat)
$80,000 WinStar

Speightstown | Louise Reinagel

So what better way to finish a project like this, where you cannot fail to offend more people than you please, than with a truly provocative pick!?

But while I, too, would love to live in a world where $80,000 feels like a bargain, then we have to accept that value is a relative concept. And, for those folks who really can afford to send a mare to the elite sires, then here's a fee that brings to mind the old advertising slogan: “Hurry while stocks last!”

This is a game of opinion and I absolutely respect your right to share the prejudice against ageing stallions and mares. To me, even so, it has a self-fulfilling quality. The most expensive sires gradually find themselves in competition with their own sons—who start out not only with all the customary freshman fanfare, and a recency bias, but generally at a more accessible fee.  Nonetheless there are copious examples of champion runners and important influences (including the one on the second step of this podium) being delivered very late in the career of their sire and/or dam.

As a very late starter (aged seven) at stud, of course, Speightstown has not had quite as exhausting a love life as his peers: Tapit, for instance, is three years younger but has 1,567 named foals against 1,344 for Speightstown. And the WinStar stalwart evidently remains as potent a genetic influence as ever, with nine new Grade I winners over the last three years.

Take the two most expensive stallions among his established rivals, Into Mischief ($250,000) and Curlin ($225,000). At those fees, they must be man enough to stand comparison. Speightstown has maintained his 130 stakes winners at 9.7 percent of named foals (Into Mischief 8.6 percent, Curlin 8 percent); graded stakes winners at 4.6 percent (Into Mischief 4.1 percent, Curlin 4.5 percent); and his 24 Gråade I winners represent 1.8 percent, exactly the same as Curlin with Into Mischief (obviously started from a lower base of mares) on 0.9 percent.

At this rarefied level, the only pair who can shade Speightstown's ratios are the ever-freakish Tapit, who costs more than twice as much; and War Front, who has always hit incredible percentages but from unusually selective books for this day and age. And while War Front himself arguably now represents value at $100,000, the fact is that some such surgery to his fee had become imperative after his 2022 yearlings, conceived at an eye-watering $250,000, couldn't redeem that sum either by average or median.

Speightstown's latest crop of yearlings, in contrast, averaged $229,450 on a conception fee of $70,000. Having for several years routinely been a six-figure cover, he was hiked back up to $90,000 for 2021 and 2022 as the elite winners just kept on coming. But he has taken a friendly trim this year and, in this giddy context, he looks authentic value for a stallion who now has Olympiad joining half a dozen other sons at stud in Kentucky.

One of those, Munnings, has now overtaken his sire in fee. Pending the testing of Jack Christopher, however, Munnings can hardly be called an established sire of sires as yet; whereas Speightstown has now been in the game long enough to be launching stallions out of his daughters (Vekoma, Laoban, Aloha West) as well.

If this seems an even eccentric way to conclude this series, so be it. But this horse, surely, is an influence that we can all agree on: commercial breeders, pinhookers, end-users. He had the physique and pedigree to cost $2 million as a yearling and duly poured on the speed on the main track. Yet he was also better than ever at the age of six, and has diversified his legacy in terms of distance and surface. His three latest Grade I winners sum him up perfectly, in tests as diverse as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Dubai Golden Shaheen and Maker's Mark Mile.

The one dimension he has admittedly lacked is precocity, but I would trade that for his old-school soundness. He gets a stellar 83.3 percent of named foals into the starting gate, and narrowly shades even Tapit with 63.5 percent also proceeding to the winner's circle. (To pick on a couple of other stallions standing at fees that require them to face the music: Quality Road ($200,000) gets 56.6 percent winners to named foals; and Uncle Mo ($150,000) 47.1%.)

Speightstown is now 25 and must surely be nearing the final stretch of a storied career. But just think about the great names he compresses to our reach, as a result: first three dams by Storm Cat, Chieftain and Buckpasser. He has retained the vigor to serve 199 mares across the last two seasons and, if you have that kind of money, being granted one of his final audiences would be a privilege beyond price.

The post Value Sires For ’23: Part VII, Established Sires appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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For instance, despite examples showing otherwise, it remains tempting to box sires as 'dirt' and 'turf' and 'American' and 'European' when actually some of them will prove capable of crossing the differing racing jurisdictions quite easily. Had all breeders and buyers remained on 'the straight and narrow', the chance to appreciate the likes of Scat Daddy, Medaglia d'Oro, More Than Ready and Distorted Humor, as perfectly capable influences for Europe might have passed us by. Naturally, not every dirt horse will serve European investors well but as history has shown on countless occasions, there will be those that work and therefore sometimes the inclination to act with an open mind and experiment with bloodlines can benefit in the long run.

In some cases, the issue with these horses is that they will be quite often well into their stud career before they become fully appreciated by an international audience. Kitten's Joy was middle-aged by the time he came to be well regarded by Europeans, having made his name through the hard work of his owner-breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey. He was part of a select group of older Kentucky stallions that consistently piqued the attention of turf-orientated breeders until his death earlier this year. Other such horses, More Than Ready and English Channel, have also died in the past 18 months while Distorted Humor has been pensioned.

That leaves a dwindling clutch of Kentucky-based sires who are proven at the highest level on turf. There is War Front (Claiborne Farm: $100,000), the sire of 24 Group/Grade 1 winners including this year's G1 Coolmore Turf Mile scorer Annapolis. He is rising 21 but the stats remain firmly in his corner, notably that 11% black-type winners to foals of racing age figure.

Medaglia d'Oro (Jonabell Farm: $100,000) has also long been a friend of the European breeder, with his stud record ranging from turf performers of the ilk of Golden Sixty (Aus) and Talismanic (GB) to iconic dirt runners such as Rachel Alexandra and Songbird. However, the Darley stalwart will be 24 years old next year while his studmate Hard Spun (Jonabell Farm: $35,000), another go-to horse for Europeans whose international stud career includes the turf Group 1 winners Hard Not To Like, Gatting (Aus) and Le Romain (Aus), will be 19. Similarly, WinStar Farm's venerable Speightstown ($80,000), another firm favourite with Europeans, will turn 25.

There is the trap of taking these horses for granted. They won't be around forever and for those looking to invest in American bloodlines, particularly pinhookers, there is value in pinpointing those younger stallions capable of perhaps following their example.

Quality Road (Lane's End Farm: $200,000) isn't young at 16 and is primarily a dirt sire. But like his sire Elusive Quality before him, he is also very capable of throwing turf runners as well; in fact, it was on British soil that he first came to attention as a potential sire of note when his first-crop son Hootenanny won the 2014 Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot.

The issue for European breeders is that when these elite stallions reach a certain level, they become almost out of reach. Quality Road will end 2022 as America's second leading sire behind Into Mischief and is set to command $200,000 in 2023, up from $150,000 in 2022. As such, he is very much the domain of American breeders.

Yet there is a subplot developing that will bring him to greater prominence in Europe, namely the handful of 2-year-olds housed at Ballydoyle. In 2019, Coolmore utilised Quality Road as an outlet for various Galileo (Ire) mares and are on the road to being well rewarded given that the five 2-year-olds to have run include G3 Killavullan S. winner Cairo (Ire) (out of Cuff {Ire}), Leopardstown maiden winner Mohawk Chief (out of Wedding Vow {Ire}) and Dundalk maiden winner Carracci (out of Butterflies {Ire}). The remaining duo, Canute and Time To Boogie, have both been placed.

War Front, of course, filled that role of clicking with Coolmore's broodmare band, many of them daughters of Galileo (Ire), for several years. With his resulting European success in mind, several of his sons should come under consideration.

As far as his proven sons are concerned, it doesn't cost the earth to use either The Factor (Lane's End Farm: $15,000), a proven Grade I sire who has been ably represented in recent years by the high-class, hardy turf sprinter Bound For Nowhere, or Summer Front (Airdrie Stud: $7,500). Both have served European pinhookers well over the years and in turn have had a smattering of representation over here, in particular Summer Front, who was represented only earlier this month by the Italian listed winner Tequila Picante. Also responsible for turf graded stakes winners such as Speaktomeofsummer and Fighting Seabee in the US, Tequila Picante maintains a successful association with Europe for the stallion that also includes the stakes-placed Summeronsevenhills and Ete Indien, a graduate of the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale who won the GII Fountain Of Youth S. back on American soil.

Safe Option

Despite Speightstown's (WinStar Farm: $80,000) advanced age, his profile has not diminished. On home soil, he was represented by two Grade I winners in 2022–Shirl's Speight on turf and Olympiad on dirt–as well as yearlings that sold for up to $950,000. At the same time, he remains a safe option for Europeans, with his ability to throw fast turf runners and good-looking stock a particularly appealing attribute to the breeze-up community.

However, he won't be around forever. Currently, his legacy runs most strongly through Munnings (Ashford Stud: $100,000). Available early in his career for $10,000, his stud career has been one of a steady ascent to the top 10 American stallions, with this year's standing buoyed by the presence of 15 stakes winners led by the 10-length GI Woody Stephens S. winner Jack Christopher. That colt might have been an extremely gifted dirt runner but the ability to throw high-class runners on turf is also there as illustrated by Kimari, who ran second in the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G2 Queen Mary S. for Wesley Ward, and G2 Del Mar Derby winner Om.

The turf success of American Pharoah, himself a true dirt
performer with a pedigree steeped in dirt success, is living
proof of the dangers of pigeon-holing horses

Such is the versatility of this line that it would be folly for turf-orientated breeders to dismiss other Kentucky-based sons of Speightstown ranging from Charlatan ($50,000; Hill 'n' Dale Farm) and Olympiad ($35,000; Gainesway Farm) to Nashville ($15,000; WinStar Farm) and Lexitonian ($7,500; Lane's End Farm), for all they did all their racing on dirt. And given that speed was also the essence for a number of them, the scene is set for those horses to attract the attention of the European breeze-up pinhookers when the time comes.

Versatility has also been a striking element to the stud career of American Pharoah (Ashford Stud: $60,000). As befits a Triple Crown winner, the horse has never lacked for high-level support, particularly from high-profile international breeders. That in turn has allowed him the opportunity to be well represented on an international scale. In fact, his first ever winner arrived courtesy of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Monarch Of Egypt at Naas in April 2019 and, since then, he has continued to make his presence felt in these parts, notably as sire of the Group 1 winners Van Gogh and Above The Curve, both campaigned by the Coolmore partners.

The turf success of American Pharoah, himself a true dirt performer with a pedigree steeped in dirt success, is living proof of the dangers of pigeon-holing horses. As expected, his stock do enjoy dirt. But a willingness to experiment early on and cross him with turf mares and/or import a number of his progeny to Europe has helped build the horse as a major presence worldwide. Indeed, close to 10 yearlings by him were bought at the Keeneland September Sale to come back to Europe.

Fellow Ashford Stud stallion Uncle Mo ($150,000) is another with the ability to produce the goods on turf if given the right mare; for that, look no further than the top-class turf sprinter Golden Pal, himself an interesting new recruit to Ashford Stud, and the GI Hollywood Derby winners Mo Forza and Mo Town.

Uncle Mo has commanded six figures since 2017, making him likely out of reach for most European breeders. But it is probably worth keeping an eye on his son Mo Town (Ashford Stud), for whom a first crop includes five stakes horses on turf and dirt and the earners of nearly $1.5 million, enough to make him a top eight American first-crop sire. He stands for $5,000, quite a bit less than several of those who surround him on the table.

The key for breeders is to determine that stallion that could be on the way up. Not This Time (Taylor Made Stallions) is one such horse, having leapt from a fee of $12,500 to $135,000 within the space of three years. Much of his reputation is built on dirt performers of the calibre of Epicenter and Princess Noor but he is after all a son of Giant's Causeway and there has been enough action within his own stud career on grass–notably the 10 black-type turf horses of 2022–to make him interesting to the higher end of the European market.

Not This Time is the most successful American-based son of Giant's Causeway but that's not to say the others are not worth considering. The past season for Creative Cause (Airdrie Stud) was highlighted by the dual Grade III-winning grass 2-year-old Packs A Wahlop while Claiborne Farm's veteran First Samurai held his own as the sire of six stakes winners, among them the $800,000 turf earner Plum Ali. Both proven Grade I sires, neither is expensive at $7,500.

Storm Cat Speed

The Storm Cat sire line retains much of its popularity via Scat Daddy, whose sons Justify and Mendelssohn will be discussed in more depth in part two among the younger stallions available. But let's not forget Kantharos (Hill 'n' Dale Farm: $20,000), who descends from Storm Cat via Lion Heart, or Karakontie (Jpn) (Gainesway Farm: $10,000), a son of Bernstein (himself a high-class 2-year-old for Aidan O'Brien) who is now established one of Kentucky's most effective turf sires.

Grade II-winning juvenile Kantharos made his name out of Florida-bred crops that included the high-class speedsters World Of Trouble, X Y Jet and Bucchero. The latter was in fact deemed good enough to take his chance in the 2018 G1 King's Stand S., where he ran fifth behind Blue Point (Ire). Few Kantharos representatives have made their way to Europe but turf speed has been one of the elements to his success so far and thus he appeals as the type to click well with faster European-type mares if given the chance.

As a French Classic-winning miler owned and bred by the Niarchos family, Karakontie (Jpn) (Gainesway: $10,000) has understandably had plenty of exposure in Europe, notably as the sire of G3 Horris Hill S. winner Kenzai Warrior, Killarney listed winner Cigamia and Spendarella, who ran second in this year's G1 Coronation S. for Graham Motion. He is primarily a turf sire in the US but there has been the odd good dirt runner, notably Grade III winner Sole Volante.

Few Kantharos representatives have made their way to Europe but
turf speed has been one of the elements to his success so far

Both stallions are bred on a variation of the Storm Cat-Halo cross; Kantharos is out of a mare by Southern Halo while Karakontie's dam Sun Is Up (Jpn) provides a welcome strain of Sunday Silence.

For years, the Hail To Reason line more than held its own, renowned for its consistent ability to throw sound, durable horses. Sadly, as a sire-line it is now on the wane, its fortunes in Kentucky currently resting on Blame and Temple City, both proven Grade I sires but both also approaching the twilight of their careers.

Blame (Claiborne Farm: $25,000) sprang to attention in Europe as sire of the Niarchos family's G1 Prix de Diane heroine Senga out of his first crop. While he hasn't reached quite the same heights over here since then–although in fairness representation has been sparse enough–the son of Arch has forged a reputation as a very solid sire for his price point in the US, with his stud record ranging from a top-class dirt colt in Nadal to the Grade I turf winner Abscond. A 6% black-type winners to foals of racing age figure places him in a favourable light, especially for his price bracket. He is also rapidly developing into a broodmare sire of note: look no further than the outcome to the GI Breeders Futurity at Keeneland in which his daughters supplied the first two home in Forte (Violence) and Loggins (Ghostzapper). With that in mind, an accomplished Blame filly would be a worthy addition to any broodmare band worldwide, especially as he himself is related to Sadler's Wells and Nureyev on his dam side, allowing for some interesting inbreeding opportunities.

As for Temple City (Spendthrift Farm: $5,000), he is the sole son of Dynaformer at stud in Kentucky and doing that sire-line proud as North America's fourth leading active turf sire of 2022–a highly noteworthy feat given his lowly fee. A clutch of eight stakes winners in 2022, seven of them on turf, included the graded stakes winners Temple, Temple City Terror and Another Mystery to enhance a stud record already highlighted by the Grade I winners Miss Temple City, Bolo and Annals Of Time.

Part II of this feature will appear in Saturday's TDN and will take a closer look at some of the younger members of the American stallion ranks.

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2nd-KEE, $100K, MSW, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:32 p.m.

Trainer Wesley Ward brings 3-year-old LAWMAKER to Keeneland on Saturday for owners Westerberg Limited and Mrs. John Magnier. The son of Uncle Mo, who sold for $550k at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Big Brown mare Red Sashay, herself a half-sister to GSW Shamaal Nibras (First Samurai) who earned over $580k and GSP & SW New Edition (Stormy Atlantic). Lawmaker has been in consistent work in preparation for his debut including a five furlong drill on the all-weather track at Turfway Park Apr. 7 in 1:00 2/5 (3/11) and a four furlong bullet from the gate Mar. 21 in :46 1/5 (1/4). Lawmaker gets veteran jockey John Velazquez aboard for his first time out.  TJCIS PPs

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Jockey Manny Franco sent Plum Ali to the lead out of the gate, a departure from her usual racing position behind horses. The 3-year-old filly set early fractions of :23.77, :49.72, and 1:15.28, a moderate pace that allowed Plum Ali to stay a length ahead of the field of ten others.

Into the stretch, the filly was able to stretch her lead out to three lengths, her moderate early pace ensuring she had plenty left in the tank to hold off the closers. At the wire, she was 3/4 of a length in front of the bunched trio of White Frost, Miss Dracarys, and Gam's Mission. Runaway Rumour, Invincible Gal, Bipartisanship, Flown, Out of Sorts, Quinevere, and Batyah rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles over good turf was 1:45.11. Find this race's chart here. 

Plum Ali paid $11.20, $5.40, and $3.40. White Frost paid $4.40 and $3.60. Miss Dracarys paid $6.20.

The idea was to be forwardly-placed. She ran very well. He [Manny Franco] gave her a great ride. She's been very unlucky and the filly deserved this,” trainer Christophe Clement said after the race. “The idea was to be 1-2-3 and, if possible, on the lead. If anybody took us on, then sit second or third. Nobody took them on and when I saw the 49 and change and 1:15, I knew she was going to be pretty tough. She's a very nice horse.”

“She broke sharp and I let her do her thing. We ended up on the lead and it worked out,” Franco told the NYRA Press Office after the Winter Memories. “After we broke like that, I wasn't thinking to take back. If they wanted to take the lead, they would have to go faster than me. In the second part of the race, they let me slow down the pace and that was it. She handled it really well.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, Plum Ai is out of the Stroll mare Skipping. She is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Consigned by Stone Farm, Plum Ali was purchased by Cromwell Bloodstock for $65,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Her win in the Winter Memories is her first in seven starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of four wins in 11 starts.

The post Plum Ali Scores Gate-To-Wire Win In Winter Memories appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Internationally acclaimed sire War Front again heads all Claiborne stallions with a stud fee of $100,000.

The son of Danzig has had another strong year around the world with his 10 stakes winners led by Group 1 winner Homesman and four other Grade 1 performers worldwide. A stallion who has had stakes performers in six major countries this year, he again sees his 2-year-olds performing at a high standard, with the group including Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes winner Annapolis, G1 Summer Stakes runner-up Grafton Street, and Ancient Rome who placed in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

An emerging sire of sires, War Front is North America's number one sire by percentage of lifetime stakes winners, graded stakes winners, and Grade 1 winners. War Front also continues to be a hit in the sales ring with multiple million-dollar yearlings this year taking him to 29 seven-figure yearlings with his 2021 group led by a $1.2 million filly.

Standing alongside his famous sire is dual-surface star War of Will. This classic-winning son of War Front captured four graded stakes victories during his career, including the G1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland on turf and the Preakness Stakes on dirt. 2022 will be his second year at stud for $25,000.

Already the sire of multiple champions, Flatter has had one of his best years in 2021 and will command a fee of $35,000 next season. Flatter is the sire of 120 stakes performers and nearly 60 stakes winners with over $80 million in progeny earnings to date. This year alone, the prolific A.P. Indy son has sired six stakes winners and 11 stakes horses led by the Grade 1 winner Search Results.

Champion racehorse Blame continues to prove year after year that he's one of the best of his generation with 70 stakes performers and 37 stakes winners – led by five Grade 1 winners. A proven sire in both North America and Europe, his runners this year include French Group 3 winner and €575,000 Arqana Arc Sale purchase Saiydabad with his eleven 2021 stakes performers coming in three different countries. Blame has also been in demand in the sales ring with his yearlings bringing up to $525,000. He will stand for $20,000 in 2022.

Catholic Boy will stand for $20,000 and Demarchelier will stand for $5,000 on the eve of their highly anticipated first weanlings going through the ring this fall.

Catholic Boy is one of only three North American 3-year-old colts in history to win Grade 1 events on both dirt and turf. Supported by top breeders around the world, the regally-bred graded stakes winner Demarchelier is the only son of the great Dubawi standing in Kentucky.

Champion sprinter Runhappy has been a leading second crop sire this year and will stand in 2022 for $12,500. The sire of nine stakes performers and five stakes winners, his runners are led by G2 Vosburgh Stakes winner Following Sea. Runhappy has also proven to be a top sire of juveniles this year with his 37.5 percent 2-year-old winners to runners. Included in his group of juveniles are stakes winners Runup, Happy Soul, and Run To Daylight.

Two exciting new stallions join Claiborne's roster this year in Performer and Silver State.

Undefeated as a 3-year-old, Phipps homebred Performer is by emerging sire-of-sires Speightstown and from the family of champion Storm Flag Flying and Hall of Fame mare Personal Ensign. A multiple graded stakes winner, Performer proved to be a talented racehorse who finished in the money 100 percent of the time. Among his wins were the G3 Discovery Stakes and the G3 Fred Hooper with Performer also placing in the G1 Cigar Mile Handicap. Performer will stand for $12,500.

A grandson of the great Claiborne stallion Danzig, G1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Silver State will enter stud at Claiborne in 2022. His stud fee will be announced at a later date. The winner of six consecutive races spanning 2020 and 2021, he has won or placed in eight stakes races in his career for over $1.9 million in earnings. Silver State is now aiming for this year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

See Claiborne's full stallion roster and 2022 stud fees below:

Blame
Arch—Liable, by Seeking the Gold
Fee: $20,000

Catholic Boy
More Than Ready – Song of Bernadette, by Bernardini
Fee: $20,000

Demarchelier (GB)
Dubawi (GB) – Loveisallyouneed, by Sadler's Wells
Fee: $5,000

First Samurai
Giant's Causeway—Freddie Frisson, by Dixieland Band
Fee: $10,000

Flatter
A.P. Indy—Praise, by Mr. Prospector
Fee: $35,000

Lea
First Samurai—Greenery, by Galileo (IRE)
Fee: $5,000

Mastery
Candy Ride (ARG)—Steady Course, by Old Trieste
Fee: $10,000

Performer
Speightstown – Protesting, by A.P. Indy
Fee: $12,500

Runhappy
Super Saver—Bella Jolie, by Broken Vow
Fee: $12,500

Silver State
Hard Spun – Supreme, by Empire Maker
Fee: TBA

War Front
Danzig—Starry Dreamer, by Rubiano
Fee: $100,000

War of Will
War Front – Visions of Clarity (IRE), by Sadler's Wells
Fee: $25,000

(All stud fee payable Live Foal Stands & Nurses)

The post War Front Tops Claiborne Farm’s 2022 Stallion Roster At $100,000 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“It was a nice maintenance work. They both worked well and finished well,” said Clement. “One will go to the River Memories and the other will go to the Oaks. They were the best workers of my barn this morning.”

Plum Ali (by First Samurai), runner-up last out in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again, is pointed to Saturday's $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational, first leg of the Turf Triple series for sophomore fillies.

Mutamakina (Great Britain-bred by Nathaniel) will be part of a strong one-two punch for Clement along with R Unicorn Stable's Call Me Love, who worked a half-mile solo Monday on the inner turf, in preparation for Sunday's 12-furlong $150,000 River Memories on the Widener turf for older fillies and mares.

Call Me Love, a 5-year-old Sea The Stars chestnut, won a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming event last out on May 23 on firm Belmont turf.

Call Me Love was winless in five starts against graded company last year, completing the exacta in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont and the 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa at Saratoga.

Clement said he was pleased with the easy half-mile breeze.

“It was easy by design,” said Clement. “She's very fit. We let her stretch her legs a little bit.”

The post Plum Ali Has Final Tightener For Saturday’s $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Samurai Queen, a 4-year-old dark bay daughter of First Samurai, had already built up a reputation on the Woodbine backstretch, and it wasn't a flattering one.

Of all the words used to describe the filly, “difficult” was perhaps the most often-used term attached to her name.

But for all of her quirks, bad habits and poor manners, Samurai Queen had the one quality Banach was looking for when it came to adding a horse to his barn.

“Talent,” said the conditioner who has recorded 288 lifetime wins. “You knew she had it. You knew it was there. But you also knew it would take a lot of work. She's been scratched at the gate, she's been scratched in the paddock – I think she kicked a jockey in the paddock when they went to get on her – and some of the trainers that had her before, you heard that she flipped in the barn, or on the way to the track. Rob [lead outrider, Love] used to pick her up at the tunnel and pony her the whole time. They used to have to walk her, with Rob ponying her, and try to saddle her that way. So, we knew we had a problem child. She definitely needed a lot of attention and she needed a lot of patience.”

Even more than Banach had anticipated.

In 2018, her first year racing, Samurai Queen posted a second and a third from five starts. One year later, she had four top-three efforts from 11 starts, including her maiden score.

The milestone victory came on Sept. 11, 2019, a wire-to-wire 11 ¼-length romp at 1 1/16 miles over Woodbine's main track.

That was followed by a fifth and eighth, respectively, in her next two outings.

On behalf of owners John Hillier and John Lofts, Banach claimed Samurai Queen on Oct. 4, 2019, a race she would go on to finish eighth of nine as the even-money choice.

She would finish seventh and fourth, respectively, for Banach and co. to end her sophomore season.

“We didn't have a lot of time with her that year and obviously it showed. She was showing speed and then stopping all the time in her races.”

Soon enough, the veteran conditioner would get to work with his work-in-progress horse.

Those efforts would be rewarded, but not until hours, days and weeks of labor were dedicated to Samurai Queen's mental fitness.

“Because of the COVID situation and getting shut down temporarily, we had a chance to spend a lot of extra time with her. We were out on her for an hour or more every day, doing everything. She was the type of horse that if you backed her up to the wire, she'd flip over backwards in the morning. She couldn't handle it. We just did all kinds of different things. We would train and walk half way back to the wire with her and try to make her stand and relax. Then we would back up a little farther. Once she got that, we'd walk back a little farther. We also had to let her jog and look around. Since there weren't that many horses on the track, we were able to do figure-eights at the wire to let her know that this wasn't a place that was going to hurt her.”

It's then that Banach draws a deep breath and exhales.

“We spent a lot of hours with her. I bet you I schooled her 10 times before her first race this year, to the paddock and back, myself. In between every race, she schooled a minimum of five times.”

In her first start of 2020, she won by a whopping 9 ¼ lengths over six panels on the Woodbine Tapeta, stopping the clock in 1:10.51 and earning her connections $18,573.

Sent off as the 9-5 second choice, Samurai Queen had a 10-length lead at the stretch call and coasted to the wire the easiest of winners.

None of it came as a surprise to Banach.

“I actually was [expecting it]. She had been training really, really well all spring. She had talent. We thought if we could get her to turn the corner and give her a chance to be good, that maybe she would be. When we got her, we just gave her lots of chances, and at some point, we came to some kind of agreement. We would let her do so much and when she would accomplish that, we stopped, and then gradually did a little bit more until she reached her comfort level. And she responded to that. By the end of the year when she schooled, a 2-year-old could have taken her over.”

It has been a gratifying journey for Banach, who won 18 races and posted 44 top-three finishes from 100 starts in 2020.

For the multiple stakes winning trainer, who finds himself 12 wins shy of 300 for his career, all of it – setbacks, successes and everything in between – has been worth the hours logged.

“That's exactly it. When hard work like that – watching them change, grow and seeing behavioral issues corrected – pays off, it's a wonderful feeling. The whole racetrack at Woodbine knows her. We never had to worry about anyone claiming her because everyone was deathly afraid of her.

“She was a funny horse, in the fact some horses you try to keep away from doing the same thing, but she wanted it to be a routine. If you took her out of her routine, that's when you'd have problems. We found that she would like to go out early in races, before the rest of the horses. She wanted to go behind the gate and walk around behind it. That was her happy place. We did that so much because she was bad at the gate, and she ended up being comfortable. And the gate crew would always load her first. Usually, you load the tougher ones last, but she got upset if other horses were in the gate ahead of her. She always wanted to be the first one in.”

Samurai Queen will have the winter off from race action, spending the next few months relaxing at Vera Simpson's Curraghmore Farm in Waterdown, Ont.

All of it well deserved, offered Banach.

“Vera couldn't believe how much she's filled up, grown up and turned into this amazing horse. 'Samurai,' now that she doesn't fret over everything and everything isn't a fight, she's put on weight, muscled up. She looks great and she's doing fantastic. We're thrilled to have her with us.”

The post Beyond The Win: Banach’s Patience Turns ‘Problem Child’ Samurai Queen Into Seasoned Winner appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Among Claiborne’s 13 stallions, War Front leads the charge with a stud fee of $150,000. The internationally acclaimed son of Danzig and emerging sire of sires is North America’s top sire by percentage of lifetime stakes winners, graded stakes winners, and Grade I winners. In 2020, War Front has added three new Grade I winners to his record, bringing his lifetime total to 23, second in North America behind only Tapit’s 27.

War Front’s most recent Grade I winners include Flower Bowl S. heroine Civil Union and GI Fourstardave H. victor Halladay, as well as classic winner War of Will, who will stand alongside his sire at Claiborne Farm for the upcoming breeding season. In the sales ring, he had a yearling filly sell to Mike Ryan at Keeneland September for $1.05 million and on the racetrack, no other sire in North America has more Grade I winners than War Front in 2020.

War Front previously stood for $250,000, which was the highest advertised fee in North America.

“In these unprecedented times, we felt it would be irresponsible to raise or keep some stud fees the same as last year, despite our stallions having outstanding success in the sales ring and on the racetrack,” said Claiborne President Walker Hancock. “It is now more important than ever that we do what is best for the sustainability of our industry.”

Eclipse champion and three-time Grade I winner Blame (Arch) will stand for $30,000. One of the leading sires of his crop with 63 stakes horses and 30 stakes winners lifetime, his 16 graded stakes winners include Nadal, winner of this year’s GI Arkansas Derby. Yearlings sired by Blame have sold for up to $400,000 this year.

Flatter, the prolific son of A.P. Indy, will stand for $35,000. He has sired more than 100 stakes horses and 50 stakes winners lifetime, including recent champions West Coast and Avie’s Flatter. This year, his 2-year-olds sold for up to $600,000, while his yearlings brought up to $330,000 in the sales ring.

Mastery, the undefeated Grade I-winning son of Candy Ride (Arg), will remain at $25,000. The much-anticipated first yearlings by Mastery sold for $510,000, $450,000 and $400,000 this year, with an average of $142,425.

Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) and Demarchelier (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who both stood their first seasons at Claiborne in 2020, will remain unchanged at $25,000 and $5,000, respectively. First Samurai (Giant’s Causeway), the sire of undefeated 2-year-old filly Plum Ali, a Breeders’ Cup hopeful and winner of the recent GII Miss Grillo S., will stand for $15,000. Stud fees for Eclipse Champion Runhappy (Super Saver) and War of Will will be announced following the Breeders’ Cup. GI Preakness S. hero War of Will added a score in the GI Maker’s Mark Mile S. at Keeneland this summer and is being pointed for the Breeders’ Cup.

The post Claiborne Announces 2021 Stud Fees; War Front Dropped to $150K appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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