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Value Sires for 2021, Part II: New KY Sires

For the first half of this story, please visit yesterday’s instalment.

Precocity may not be the first thing you’d have in mind from TOM’S D’ETAT (Smart Strike–Julia Tuttle, by Giant’s Causeway), who enters service at WinStar at $17,500 after only really seizing our attention at the age of seven. Nonetheless, he represents one of the most promising prospects of the intake.

For a start, he’s by a sire of sires out of a graded stakes-placed Giant’s Causeway mare whose own dam was a full-sister to Candy Ride (Arg). And nine consecutive triple-digit Beyers attest to the tough and consistent way in which, having initially required much patience of connections, Tom’s d’Etat ultimately reached his pomp.

His four-win streak from the GII Fayette S. permitted no doubt as to his Grade I caliber, albeit that was formally sealed only in the Clark S. Though geared down in the GII Stephen Foster S., his 1:47.30 barely missed the 1:47.28 track record set by Victory Gallop (Cryptoclearance) in 1999. He had beaten Improbable (City Zip) in Hot Springs on their resumption and was unlucky when that horse turned things round in the GI Whitney S., having stumbled out of the gate and been caught behind a dawdling pace. Their opening fees suggest we take that form at face value, but I remain convinced that Tom’s d’Etat had as much class on his day as any older horse operating round two turns this year. Despite maturing into a big, powerful physique, his mechanics were always very smooth and balanced.

It will be fascinating to see the WinStar system, which so reliably loads the engine for a young commercial prospect, helping a horse who will surely appeal as good value to any breeder possessed by the quaint notion that the object of a mating might be to produce a runner. Okay, so maybe he won’t be champion freshman. But with the right material, he is as eligible as any horse in this intake to sire a Classic Thoroughbred, which to me is kind of the point of what we’re all doing.

Honor A. P. | Benoit

As it happens, you could say much the same of one starting out at Lane’s End–except you might just say it a little louder, given a fee as tempting as $15,000. In terms of value, that makes HONOR A. P. (Honor Code–Hollywood Story, by Wild Rush) the neon standout among the new sires for 2021.

His scenic route into fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby was exasperating, his subsequent retirement heart-breaking, and it is the coldest of comforts to reflect that he remains the only colt ever to have beaten the winner. He did so decisively, too, while clocking a 102 Beyer in the GI Santa Anita Derby–no less than he had promised when chasing home the same horse in what proved primarily an educational exercise in the GII San Felipe S. The genius who was training him toward one day certainly wasn’t fazed when Honor A. P. was beaten in his rehearsal, but there was no accounting for the trip he got at Churchill. Hampered at the gate, he already had no chance when preceded by the whole field past the post first time. While the winner was not for catching, left to his own devices in front, the ground made up by Honor A. P. (while going an extra 49 feet) filled his admirers with confidence that he could yet confirm himself the best in the crop at the Breeders’ Cup.

Sadly, it turned out that his Derby effort had also been compromised by injury. But no more beautiful a horse goes to stud this year, as you might glean from his $850,000 tag as a Saratoga yearling. And now that he joins his sire at the farm that also gave us his breed-shaping grandsire, Honor A. P. can also recycle the excellence of a dam who won Grade Is at two and five. That longevity offers comforting reassurance for a horse confined to a light career, while the bottom line of his pedigree–largely seeded by iconic Classic influences–complements the sumptuous family of Honor Code in eventually extending to the great Myrtlewood.

It’s all there, then: perhaps physique above all, but also performance and pedigree. And all for one-fifth of the fee charged for the horse he outgunned fair and square in the Santa Anita Derby.

Global Campaign | Sarah Andrew

Myrtlewood also pegs down the bottom line of GLOBAL CAMPAIGN (Curlin–Globe Trot, by A.P. Indy), who similarly looks plenty of racehorse for $12,500 at WinStar.

A half-brother to Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro), among just three foals delivered by their tragic dam, Global Campaign rounded off with a podium in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic that came as no surprise to those who sat up and took notice when he returned from a nine-month layoff over seven furlongs at Gulfstream in the spring. He had to regroup after disappointing next time but did so in style, notably in making all for his Grade I in the Woodward S.

His second dam is a triple graded stakes winner whose half-sister produced triple Grade I sprint winner Zensational (Unbridled’s Song)–an unusually quick horse, for the sire, and that’s something of a pattern through this family. Myrtlewood speed filters through elsewhere, indeed: through Seattle Slew, as grandsire of Global Campaign’s dam; and through Mr Prospector, who recurs 3×5. I just wonder whether Global Campaign quite lasted home in the Classic, with all this speed packed down behind him (unpressured in the Woodward). Certainly with his half-brother a dual Grade I winner at two, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Global Campaign getting earlier momentum than Curlin-over-A.P. Indy might imply. (He himself was five days into his sophomore year when romping on debut at Gulfstream, his fulfilment ultimately delayed only by bone bruising.)

Complexity | Sarah Andrew

Like Honor A. P. and Volatile (Violence), COMPLEXITY (Maclean’s Music–Goldfield, by Yes It’s True) raised the bar as a yearling, at $375,000 the most expensive yearling in his sire’s third crop. He, too, looks sensibly priced at $12,500 with Airdrie.

The way he stitched everything back together at four, after losing the thread of juvenile promise, left no doubt as to his elite quality and commercial appeal. A ‘TDN Rising Star‘ on debut at Saratoga, he then ran Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) into the ground in the GI Champagne S. and was duly fancied for the GI Juvenile when bombing out at the Breeders’ Cup. He was really back on song this summer, including when just collared after contributing to molten fractions in the GI Forego S. He then steamrolled Code of Honor once again in the GII Kelso H., earning a 110 Beyer, before a creditable run at the Breeders’ Cup when again pouring coal into the pace out wide.

Complexity is another of those that bring back some retro names–first three dams by Yes It’s True, Digression and Torsion–but it’s obviously working as his unraced mother (half-sister to a GII Demoiselle S. winner) has already produced Valadorna (Curlin) to be runner-up in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. No question about it, this guy had a ton of ability on his day and, with such a good farm behind him, looks a potential player in the freshmen’s championship.

Spun to Run | Breeders’ Cup/Eclipse Sportswire

A third horse introduced at what feels like a market sweet spot of $12,500 is SPUN TO RUN (Hard Spun–Yawkey Way, by Grand Slam) at Gainesway. Few people took his defeat of Omaha Beach (War Front) at the Breeders’ Cup as too literal a guide to their relative merits, given the way the race developed that day, but the 109 Beyer he nonetheless earned was his third consecutive triple-digit. Though unfortunate to be confined to single start when kept in training this year, he confirmed his caliber in beating all bar Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) in the GI Cigar Mile H. His dam won a Saratoga stakes at two, and a paternal grandson of Danzig who showed so much dash at a mile has a good ring to it.

‘TDN Rising Star’ GIFT BOX (Twirling Candy–Special Me, by Unbridled’s Song) didn’t surface at all in 2020, but at $10,000 it’s well worth reminding ourselves what a splendidly old-fashioned campaigner has now joined his sire at Lane’s End. He was better than ever at six, nosing out ‘Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense) for his Grade I success in the Santa Anita H. and then running Vino Rosso (Curlin) to three-parts of a length in the GI Gold Cup at the same course.

I really like the fact that his dam, a half-sister to G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Our New Recruit (Alphabet Soup), has produced an equally hardy and classy daughter in dual Grade II winner Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast). By combining two branches of Fappiano, moreover, Gift Box is exactly what his name suggests for a lot of other blood. He was precocious enough to notch a 93 Beyer breaking his maiden before running third in the GII Remsen S., but longevity and two-turn guts are his trademarks–and heaven knows the breed needs plenty of both.

Gift Box | Benoit

PROMISES FULFILLED (Shackleford–Marquee Delivery, by Marquetry) is in much the same boat, in starting out at WinStar off $10,000, having disappeared this year after establishing toughness and quality through three preceding seasons. He, similarly, got going early enough to win his first two and then make the frame in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S.; after being tempted astray on the Derby trail, he showed his true zip back in trip and won his Grade I in the Allen Jerkens S.; and at four put up a trademark blitz for the GII John A. Nerud S. in 1:21.75. His dam, twice graded stakes-placed, has managed to produce a multiple stakes winner by Cowboy Cal, but his real calling card is pure track speed. Indeed, his farm is highlighting how he won the first call in 15 of 17 starts, and you can easily picture him achieving corresponding early thrust in his new career.

ECHO TOWN (Speightstown–Letgomyecho, by Menifee) is another Allen Jerkens winner, launched at the same fee at Ashford. If you are only going to manage a single season, it helps if you can demonstrate such soundness: he spread 10 starts evenly between Fair Grounds in January and the Breeders’ Cup. And while he presumably owes a Kentucky stud career pretty well entirely to his standout Saratoga success, where the favorite bombed out, he was certainly a stylish winner on the day and does have something to work on genetically. His dam won her first three, including a Grade II, before derailing in her only other start, and has also produced GIII Gotham S. winner J Boys Echo (Mineshaft). And a lot of people are going to like the fact that she is by a grandson of Storm Cat, who recurs as damsire of Speightstown.

The team that brought us Gift Box has meanwhile housed HIGHER POWER (Medaglia d’Oro–Alternate, by Seattle Slew) at Darby Dan, where he, too, opens at $10,000. And he’s in a similar mold, a hardy old stager round two turns who matured through four seasons, the highlights being a five-length rout in the GI Pacific Classic (107 Beyer) and a podium in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. He has a solid-enough page, too, as a half-brother to Alternation (Distorted Humor), sire of Serengeti Empress, out of a multiple graded stakes-placed sibling to Canadian Horse of the Year Peaks and Valleys (Mt. Livermore).

Country House | Coady

Mind you, he will do very well to match the value available about his new neighbor ‘TDN Rising Star’ COUNTRY HOUSE (Lookin At Lucky–Quake Lake, by War Chant). To be fair, at $7,500, newcomers right across the Bluegrass will be embarrassed by the contrast.

True, Country House has to be led out to the crossroads to remind everyone of his existence, having unfortunately failed to get back onto the track when kept in training at four. You can see why that felt like an imperative, the horse having been given so little credit for the merit of his own Kentucky Derby performance while everyone debated the disqualification of the first past the post. But let’s take a step back and remind ourselves that he overcame a rough trip from gate 19 to beat 18 rivals including several–including Improbable, Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) and War of Will (War Front)–who are being launched at much higher fees. Forget his long odds on the day: he had been brought skillfully to the boil by his trainer, taught to pass horses behind War of Will in the GII Risen Star S. and Omaha Beach and Improbable in the GI Arkansas Derby.

Yes, we know that a son of such an underrated sire will likely be undervalued himself. But Country House not only doubles up Danzig–responsible both for his own damsire and for that of Lookin At Lucky–but has a complementary mirror of No Class, the Sam-Son matriarch who belied her name as dam of four champions. Her celebrated daughter Classy ‘n Smart (Smarten) produced Lookin At Lucky’s sire Smart Strike, while her son Sky Classic is the sire of Country House’s Grade I-placed granddam.

Promises Fulfilled | Sarah Andrew

From just four foals and three starters, Country House’s dam has also produced graded stakes winner Mitchell Road (English Channel); while her half-brother (also by Lookin At Lucky) is multiple Grade I-placed Breaking Lucky. Country House himself obviously came into his own with a proper test round two turns, but his dam and third dam were both sprinters so there’s more latent speed to draw out than you might assume. Bottom line is that Country House, given the right material, would be perfectly entitled to sire a colt able finally to secure him overdue credit under the Twin Spires. The only barrier is whether people with the fast, well-bred mares that he deserves are smart enough to save so much money on a cover fee, or view a $7,500 stallion as beneath their dignity.

Many a commercial breeder, you suspect, will need less persuasion to roll the dice at the same fee on a very different type in INSTAGRAND (Into Mischief–Assets of War, by Lawyer Ron) at Taylor Made.

Here’s a thought that tells you a lot about our industry. Had he happened to retire after the GII Best Pal S., there would have been a stampede of breeders ready to use him at nearly any money. At that point he was a $1.2 million Gulfstream 2-year-old bullet who had then won by 10 lengths both on debut (in :56 flat) and now in a Grade II. But the flame has dwindled through two campaigns since, meaning that he must start at a fee feasible for a gamble. Bearing in mind that second and third dams were both graded stakes winners, you can be sure that plenty of pinhookers will be keeping an eye on his first crop.

Two of the three stallions in the bargain basement of this intake have been recruited at Crestwood, itself an immediate recommendation. This farm deserves much respect for the way it fights its corner, against much bigger rivals, with a roster always full of interest.

Caracaro | Ryan Thompson

CARACARO (Uncle Mo–Peace Time, by War Front) only managed four starts but shaped very well, six months after his dashing ‘Rising Star‘ maiden win, when beaten a neck in the GIII Peter Pan S., before proving least embarrassed among the pursuers of Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the GI Travers S.

His first three dams are by War Front, Unbridled and Storm Cat, the middle one being the very smart Santa Catarina, a Grade II winner who was placed three times in Grade I company as a juvenile. And their line traces to the Phipps matriarch Lady Be Good, via the branch that also gave us top-class European milers Zilzal (Nureyev), Polish Precedent (Danzig) and Culture Vulture (Timeless Moment).

We know to expect this kind of thing at a farm that understands how aristocratic lineage can elevate a stallion past the perceived track limitations that keep them affordable. Sure enough, YORKTON (Speightstown–Sunday Affair, by A.P. Indy) is backed up by a terrific family–and, in contrast with Caracaro, also bears another farm trademark in having thrived through five seasons of racing. Albeit he did not win beyond Grade III level, he was as committed as ever at the age of six and showed his form on three surfaces.

But what makes him well worth a punt at $5,000, not least in view of a $1-million breeders’ incentive program, is one of the very best families in the book–and one that has been seeded accordingly: first four dams, this time, by A.P. Indy, Sunday Silence, Nijinsky II and Mr. Prospector. The third dam, in fact, is Gold Beauty’s daughter Maplejinsky, the half-sister to Dayjur (Danzig) who herself produced Sky Beauty (Blushing Groom {Fr}). This dynasty just keeps on giving, with Violence (Medaglia d’Oro) and Guarana (Ghostzapper) among its recent adornments, and Yorkton has the build to support the farm motto: “We raise runners.”

We round off our survey with BRAVAZO (Awesome Again–Tiz o’ Gold, by Cee’s Tizzy) at Calumet, standing at $6,000. There were times when it felt as though a race could only be accorded Grade I status if he were in the gate and, if he couldn’t always show why, he certainly had his moments in banking $2 million–notably when within half a length of derailing the Triple Crown express of Justify (Scat Daddy) in the Preakness. And you have to admire a horse that can miss the Clark by just a neck on his 11th sophomore start, the last eight at elite level.

Instilled Regard | Susie Raisher

Ducking under the wire in time for inclusion in this review is INSTILLED REGARD (Arch–Enhancing, by Forestry), whose name has just been added to the roll call of rookies. He has been announced at $12,500 by Taylor Made.

If he’s last, he’s certainly not least–having maintained high standards in different environments through four seasons: he was Grade I-placed on dirt at two, fourth in Justify (Scat Daddy)’s Derby and rounded off with a :22.31 split to notch his Grade I on grass in the Manhattan S. That longevity augurs extremely well for a $1.05-million 2-year-old, and it’s all backed up by a top-class Phipps pedigree.

For his second dam is champion Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold), who herself produced a Manhattan winner in Good Reward (Storm Cat), as well as the dam of Grade I winner Persistently (Smoke Glacken); while fourth dam is the blue-hen Blitey (Riva Ridge), mother of three Grade I winners plus another at Grade II level.

I love matching Blitey against a name as resonant as Courtly Dee in the bottom line of Arch, himself such a wholesome influence. In fact, Instilled Regard offers as good a “stairwell” up and down the fourth generation as you can find anywhere in this intake. Having finished so strongly in both his starts at 10 furlongs, in the Derby and the Manhattan, arguably his stamina was never fully tapped: had he made the gig, he might well have given the Euros a run for their money in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf.

If that won’t be received as the most commercial of recommendations in this myopic marketplace, then don’t forget the way Instilled Regard got himself rolling on the winter Triple Crown trail. This looks a really interesting new option for any breeder far-sighted enough to seek a Classic horse for any theater.

CHRIS McGRATH’S VALUE PODIUM

Gold:

Honor A. P. ($15,000, Lane’s End)

Staggering physical, and the only colt to beat the champ

Silver:

Country House ($7,500, Darby Dan)

The least credited Derby performance ever gets a corresponding fee

Bronze:

Global Campaign ($12,500, WinStar)

A family that loads up the speed

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Who’s Your Pick? Adrian Regan

As we approach the end of the calendar, we turn our attention to the incoming sire class of 2021. We asked several judges who their favorite incoming sire is for next year and if there are any other stallions, new or otherwise, that have caught their eye as under-the-radar picks

ADRIAN REGAN, Hunter Valley Farm

War of Will (War Front), $25,000, Claiborne Farm

I hate singling just one, but War of Will made a lot of sense for me. I was very impressed with his physical appearance when we went to see him at the farm. With his performance on the track, he was pretty durable on both dirt and turf which I’m a big fan of. There’s not too many horses like that.

Complexity (Maclean’s Music), $12,500, Airdrie Stud

For under-the-radar incoming stallions, I was very impressed with Complexity. I thought he was a super physical. He’s got a beautiful frame and is an athletic, correct horse. He also was able to carry his speed on the track, which was a big plus. I thought he was good value.

Caravaggio (Scat Daddy, $25,000, Ashford Stud) and Laoban (Uncle Mo, $25,000, WinStar Farm) also both impressed me when seeing them for the first time. I thought they were both very good physicals.

Thank you to the breeders and agents who have participated in our ongoing ‘Who’s Your Pick’ series this week. Did you miss a few responses? You can catch up on the entire series here.

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A Wonderful Ride: A Tribute to Kenny LeJeune

Kenny LeJeune, a highly respected horseman who operated a training center in Ocala for many years, succumbed to cancer last week at age 60. Donations in his honor can be made to the PDJF or any horse aftercare organization. His wife Carey LeJeune wrote the following tribute.

The racing world just lost a fan. Ken LeJeune died at home Friday, Dec. 4 after a brief illness. In his 40-plus year career, he was a jockey, trainer, bloodstock agent and all things in between; but always A FAN.

He quietly went about his business: no advertisements, no parties, rarely a mention in the trade papers. That wasn’t his thing. His involvement in horse racing reached far and wide. There are not too many people I can think of in the business who have not asked him to train, examine, fix, buy, sell, evaluate or shelter a horse. He loved every minute of it. It was his life’s blood.

We met at Delta Downs in the winter of 1980. He was hungry, trying to ride Thoroughbreds until the Quarter Horse meet came in the spring. We lived in a tack room. We married four months later and still didn’t own a running car. No matter, we had each other and racing. He rode a match race the day we wed. He rode races for several years, sometimes away from home for months, other times dragging the family along–hotel to hotel.

We eventually moved lock stock, and barrel to Ocala with $65 and a tank of gas. He started breaking Thoroughbreds for various farms, the first being Fred Hooper’s, where he was a regular rider of the famed Precisionist.

When race riding ended, he dreamed of training and buying horses. The first horse he sold went to Jack Van Berg; a horse given to him as a thank you for getting up at 4:30 a.m. to gallop a few horses prior to his usual job. He enjoyed helping others in the business and that’s where he spent most of any profit.

He partnered in the early 2000’s on a few cheap horses. One, which he bought as a field buddy for $1,300, became my namesake Carey’s Gold, who fell just short of sweeping the Florida Stallion Stakes circa 2001? 2002? Bad feet, oh my, the horse had bad feet. He worked endlessly on those bad feet.

New York trainer Gary Contessa was the first prominent trainer to see talent in Ken’s horsemanship and soon Kenneth was in business in a big way.

In later years, we became close friends of Jim and Susan Hill and enjoyed many racing-related and personal trips together, all the while talking horses. Always talking horses.

Over the years, he had the good fortune of finding or developing some of the best; Peace Rules, Divine Park, Genuine Devotion, Anne’s Beauty, Bay to Bay, Clearly Now, Flip Cup and, more recently, Totally Boss, Gufo, Mo Forza and untold others I’m sure I’ve forgotten.

He was a true Cajun and he never left his roots. He enjoyed fishing in the Gulf, a few cold beers at the end of the day and a stop at the farm to check on the horses. He found total happiness in sitting on his pony, and watching his charges march like soldiers to the track. His faithful dog Sissy, always following behind, logging miles every day to keep up with him. She never wavered.

Although he was ill, even he did not know in the end that it would come so soon. He lived life by the drop and consumed every last bit. It may have seemed unfair, but it was long enough.

He adored, and was so proud of our children, John and Piper, and I’m sure bent everyone’s ear to speak of their success. They, in turn, adored him and I am proud to say inherited a strong work ethic, humble gratitude and a commitment of service to others.

To those who believed in him, I thank you… you allowed him to earn a living in a sport that he loved. For almost 40 years, I tagged along for the wonderful ride.

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Value Sires for 2021, Part I: New KY Sires

Welcome to our annual survey of covering options in Kentucky for the forthcoming breeding season. As usual, we’ll start with the rookies and work our way through the preceding intakes, before trying to eke out some value among the more established stallions.

A wholly subjective exercise, clearly–so apologies if your fellow doesn’t make our “value podium.” Every farm is understandably sensitive about the reputation of its stallions, for whom opportunity can be so fleeting and about whom fashions can swell or fade on the flimsiest grounds. We’ll do our best to be fair, and polite. It’s all guesswork at this stage, after all, educated or otherwise. And, in the end, individual breeders will decide for themselves what they feel to be right for their own mares.

The choices they might make in an ideal world, after all, are often very different from what may feel necessary in the real one. Very likely, the priority is making sure you get paid enough for your yearling not just to clear fee and keep, but to retrieve something on what you once gave for the mare herself; and still have a little left over to keep the lights on.

Perhaps it’s only from the luxury of this pulpit that I might try to do something dumb like breed a racehorse. Naïve as it may be, however, I do persist in the belief that there should eventually be nothing more commercial, when you’re trying to make a mare or build a family, than to get some winners on the page. Since this time last year, of course, the market has absorbed some frightening shocks. Arguably this is precisely the time, with the fast bucks slowing down, to take a somewhat longer view on your mare. But the whole concept of “value” can encompass a spectrum of strategies, and I’ll do my best to acknowledge that.

In response to the crisis, the farms have certainly done their bit. With the international market showing welcome signs of resilience, and vaccinations on the horizon, generous fee cuts have given breeders every incentive to keep the faith. This, remember, is a community that needs patience and perspective at the best of times. Your 2021 cover typically won’t have a bottom line until you get to the 2023 yearling sales, and it would be nice to think the economy might have spluttered back into growth by then.

Improbable | Jon Siegel

All that said, to me it looks as though the scythe has been restored to its hook for the sires we feature today. Measured against a market so full of temptingly reduced fees, the newcomers as a class look brutally expensive. But you can’t blame the farm accountants, the commercial market’s infatuation with unproven sires having in recent years become ever more compressed–to the point that selling nominations has often become uphill work even for stallions entering only their second year.

I have banged this drum too often to weary you by reprising the argument here. Suffice to say that the majority of those we examine today start at a fee that will simply keep dwindling, to the point that many will pack their bags for an overseas or regional program; and even the few that do eventually achieve viable careers in Kentucky will typically have to ride out a dip first.

Nonetheless there will be value lurking among them. Most obviously because it’s a question of demand, rather than supply: their fees may never again be so high, nor will their stock ever enjoy the same premium at the sales ring. Each crop, moreover, will have its Not This Time.

The son of Giant’s Causeway was “gold” on our podium when introduced at $15,000 (and remained so when clipped to $12,500 last year). Anyone charitable enough to ascribe that oil-strike to judgement, rather than luck, hopefully won’t be expecting something similar every time. And we’ll have to decide, when revisiting his intake, whether Not This Time can retain a step on that podium at $40,000!

Nowadays, moreover, new stallions can offer extra value when so many farms incentivize even a little perseverance by, for instance, offering lifetime rights for repeat breeders.

One of the most significant recent developments in the stallion market is the way that the pioneer of such schemes, B. Wayne Hughes, is upgrading the caliber of animal to which they apply. Into Mischief himself having started out as a blue-collar experiment, Hughes is now welcoming a succession of authentic Classic types to Spendthrift with the potential to revive the heyday of Nashua, Raise a Native and Seattle Slew.

McKinzie | Benoit

Last year the first, second and joint-third highest fees among the new stallions were all charged at Spendthrift. This time round, rival farms have looked to their laurels but Hughes again stands top of the heap with much the most expensive of the intake, at $75,000–a son, of course, of his remarkable champion sire.

Spendthrift had been quick to double down on Into Mischief, hosting his first-crop star Goldencents as a cheaper alternative to a sire whose fee would soon climb beyond the reach of most. And the success of AUTHENTIC (Into Mischief–Flawless, by Mr. Greeley) in the postponed GI Kentucky Derby has broken priceless new ground for the farm flagship. For here is immediate evidence that the amelioration of Into Mischief’s books as his fee went up–still $45,000 when Authentic was conceived–would enable him to stretch his trademark speed and become a legitimate Classic sire.

Authentic is the only black-type winner under his first two dams but that doesn’t tell a fraction of the story. His unraced granddam (whose half-sister produced the dam of two Grade I winners) died after delivering just three foals, one of which was a 13-length winner on debut, only to bow a tendon on her next start. That was Flawless, and Authentic is only her third starter. The next two dams were both graded stakes winners, but what I really like about Authentic’s page is a ghostly pattern of Ruffian: her half-brother Icecapade recurs top and bottom, while her sire Reviewer gave us the dam of Mr. Greeley.

Yes, they were handing out track records like bobble hats at the Breeders’ Cup; and maybe maturing sophomores would clock 2:00.61 in the Derby more often if they ran it in September every year. But there’s no gainsaying Authentic’s effortless speed. His class-high speed figures were founded on a wonderfully fleet action, which made him look something special even when still a gawky beginner in the GIII Sham S. His gate-to-wire dash guarantees Authentic commercial traction and, as a leggier and stretchier model, the right mares will entitle him to continue dad’s work round that second turn.

Game Winner | Alys Emson

Would I trade two foals by Omaha Beach for one by his new barnmate? Nope. But that’s just a personal take on the most expensive stallion of the last intake, whose revised price we will visit in the next instalment of this series. We know that Authentic will make his fee function, at least through his first cycle, because he’s the most accomplished son of a freakish stallion now standing at $225,000. And nobody, such is the nature of the business today, will be looking past that initial phase for now.

Just as was the case in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, Authentic’s closest pursuer in terms of fees is IMPROBABLE (City Zip–Rare Event, by A.P. Indy) at $40,000. He matured into a most accomplished older horse, with a Grade I hat trick, but WinStar will doubtless be emphasizing what a very smart juvenile he was, too: spectacular on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, he then beat Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) by five in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity. Though a creditable fifth past the post in the Derby, he looked closer to the finished article in his third campaign.

Certainly it would be gratifying to see another son assist Collected in carrying the torch for City Zip, a set-your-clock force for good in his stock. And Improbable’s granddam is a half-sister to none other than Hard Spun, just one decoration to a bottom line extending to the Darby Dan foundation mare Banquet Bell (Polynesian), i.e. the family of Little Current (Sea-Bird {Fr}) and company.

Improbable has always been a slick mover, and that completes a pretty comprehensive package: pedigree, class, toughness, balance. No less than we should expect, at this kind of money–but he is at a farm, like Authentic, that will secure him numbers and then it will be over to him.

War of Will | Maryland Jockey Club

Next off the grid, at $30,000, extends Bob Baffert’s influence on this intake into a third crop. MCKINZIE (Street Sense–Runway Model, by Petionville) goes to Gainesway with a similar profile to Improbable, as a GI Los Alamitos Futurity winner (albeit in the stewards’ room) who really confirmed his standing at four, similarly winning the GI Whitney S. and placing in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. Persevering this year did not really pay off as it deserved, but at least he reiterated his versatility by adding a Grade II success at seven furlongs to his earlier GI Malibu S. score at that trip.

Bottom line is that he’s a Grade I winner at two, three and four, with 11 triple-digit Beyers to his name. That’s the kind of mettle the breed could do with, nowadays, and perhaps traces to a family seeded with some pretty left-field influences: he combines two Mr. Prospector sire lines but his first three dams are by Petionville, Houston and Navajo. This kind of stuff can be pretty invigorating, as one glance at American Pharoah’s family tree will confirm. So while McKinzie is the only Grade I winner out of a Petionville mare, it has all stacked up somehow: his dam, a very smart runner in her own right, has three half-sisters who have also produced a graded stakes winner.

So we’re plainly looking at some kind of genetic vigour, as well as vigour on the track, and don’t let his admirable durability deceive you that McKinzie’s stock will need time. His dam made 10 juvenile starts, sandwiching her third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with two Grade II wins; and the next dam won four times at two, including a couple of Listed prizes.

Starting on the same peg at Lane’s End is GAME WINNER (Candy Ride {Arg}–Indyan Giving, by A.P. Indy), who completes Baffert’s lock on the top four. You have to feel sympathy for connections, who felt there was more to come after he derailed halfway through his sophomore campaign but never got him back on track. But if breeders have to dust off his juvenile championship, they will find it a worthwhile exercise–reminding them how he reeled off three Grade Is after winning on debut, culminating in a decisive defeat of Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Maximum Security | Horsephotos

He trained on well, too, running the race-fit Omaha Beach (War Front) to a nose on his resumption, while sixth home in the Kentucky Derby was a respectable effort after a messy trip.

A pedigree that superficially hurries through the generations soon repays closer attention. His first three dams have produced just 10 foals between them, through sundry misfortunes, and Game Winner’s only sibling to have started is Grade II winner Flagstaff (Speightstown); while his granddam is champion Fleet Indian (Indian Charlie), who counted two Grade Is among 13 wins from 19 starts. And you can’t complain about the compression of a pedigree that ends up taking you through the Striking branch of La Troienne’s line.

Genes certainly support a fee of $25,000 for WAR OF WILL (War Front–Visions Of Clarity {Ire}, by Sadler’s Wells) at Claiborne.

For a start, he foreshortens access to the two premier branches of the Northern Dancer dynasty in a fashion that is rare today: he’s a grandson of Danzig out of a Sadler’s Wells mare. And what a family that mare represents. His fifth dam is the matriarch Best In Show; closer up, he’s a half-brother to a Group 1-winning juvenile; and their stakes-winning dam is a half-sister to the brilliant miler Spinning World (Nureyev) out of a Group 1-placed half-sister to Chimes of Freedom (Private Account), herself an elite operator and dam of two others in Aldebaran (Mr. Prospector) and Good Journey (Nureyev).

War of Will parlayed this glittering international page into Classic success on dirt plus a Grade I success when switched back to grass for his third season. With his sire rising 19, the chance is there for War of Will to establish himself as a transatlantic influence, obviously at a more accessible fee. He certainly looks the part.

It was War of Will, notoriously, who took the nudge that cost MAXIMUM SECURITY (New Year’s Day–Lil Indy, by Anasheed) the Kentucky Derby. Little could we realise how even the furore over his disqualification would be surpassed by the far graver infringements subsequently alleged about his trainer. One way or another, he could never quite confine headlines to what was plainly a pretty freakish talent: by renouncing the GI Preakness for a 1-20 defeat, for instance, and then when diverted from the Breeders’ Cup by colic. Nor did he build conclusively on what was, in the circumstances, an important Grade I for his new trainer this year. But the bottom line is 10 wins in 14 starts for a rating of 122, and the hapless victim of so much controversy now gets the chance to create a fresh legacy of his own, starting out at Ashford off $20,000.

Vekoma | Sarah Andrew

Maximum Security is another whose first couple of dams introduce pretty exotic names, in Anasheed and Cresta Rider. But a third dam by Double Jay–who was foaled in 1944!–is a throwback I love: he was a fantastic broodmare sire. Anyhow we’ve already remarked how variegation of this kind is no bar to success, and his dam is a three-parts sister to a very hardy multiple Grade I winner in Flat Out (Flatter). Relative to Maximum Security’s accomplishments, the fee takes full account of the fact that he has been a bundle of surprises throughout, for better or worse; and he will reliably be given every chance to write a redemptive final chapter. Put it this way, he has more obvious credentials to make his fee work than when carrying a lesser claiming tag on his debut!

Also launched at $20,000 is VEKOMA (Candy Ride {Arg}–Mona de Momma, by Speightstown) at Spendthrift. He, too, always carried an air of unconventionality–in his case, that highly idiosyncratic action. But there was no arguing with its efficiency, and it is a real shame that he was consecutively derailed just as he was confirming his class both at three and four. At least he went out on a high, in the stallion-making GI Met Mile.

An unbeaten GIII Nashua S. winner at two, he won the GII Blue Grass S. decisively only to disappear for 11 months after his Derby disappointment. On his return he looked much closer to the finished article: after a stylish comeback, he was plainly at home in the slop when romping in the GI Carter H., but no such qualifications were required when he sealed his status as one of the most lavishly talented animals around in what turned out to be his swan song, just a click off the track record.

Though confined to eight starts across three seasons, Vekoma fully established his class and versatility, with Grade I wins at seven, eight and nine furlongs. There’s no mystery as to where it comes from, either. He owed his efficacy in the slop to a dam who won her Grade I in similar conditions, but a more important inheritance was her sisterhood to Mr. Greeley (Gone West) and to the second dams of Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}) and Paradise Woods (Union Rags). Moreover Vekoma’s fourth dam is Lianga (Dancer’s Image), whose elite scores in Europe were similarly both in sprints and at a mile. She is also the third dam of Coolmore’s rags-to-riches sire Danehill Dancer (Ire).

Volatile | Sarah Andrew

Sadly Vekoma’s dam, lost the year she delivered him, won’t be decorating the page further; but the credentials of Candy Ride as a sire of sires grow all the time. This must be his fastest son to stud, moreover, with the precocity to clock a 97 Beyer in the Nashua. Assuming he doesn’t reproduce that quirky gait, Vekoma can make the grade.

Another offering ‘V’ for velocity is VOLATILE (Violence–Melody Lady, by Unbridled’s Song), launched by Three Chimneys at $17,500. It would have been mouthwatering to see the pair of them square up in top form for a race like the GI Forego. Unfortunately Volatile was likewise unable to see things through, confined to three starts as a sophomore and another three this year. But these latter confirmed his blossoming as an authentic speedball: dazzling on his return, he then detonated a 1:07.57 romp in the Aristides S., missing the track record by a sliver; and put a formal Grade I seal on his resumé at Saratoga.

Admittedly he was allowed to tee up his wild closing fractions that day, having controlled the early pace against just three rivals. But an $850,000 yearling tag tells you all you need to know about his looks, as the most expensive son of his flourishing sire; and his second dam is Lady Tak (Mutakddim), a dual Grade I winner over seven at Saratoga–and whose own granddam Dangerous Star (Dark Star) was one the 10 foals of the remarkable Dangerous Dame. Of these, eight mustered a grand total of three starts between them; the other two, however, were the elite winners and producers Hidden Talent and Heavenly Body, both also by Dark Star. This is a family fertile in classy horses on both sides of the Atlantic.

Though himself held up by a setback at two, Volatile’s full-sister as a juvenile became their sire’s first stakes winner as early as May. So breeders can hope to match commercial speed with corresponding precocity. If that happens, Volatile looks highly eligible to achieve the momentum so critical to a young sire in the freshmen’s table.

With so many new sires in the Kentucky marketplace for 2021, stay tuned as we continue to cover more than a dozen others in tomorrow’s instalment.

The post Value Sires for 2021, Part I: New KY Sires appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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