Stallion Spotlight Presented By New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc.: ‘Soundness, Consistency, Athleticism’ Has Taken Central Banker To The Top

Stallion Spotlight offers stud farm representatives a chance to address breeders and answer questions as they plan their future matings.

In this edition, John McMahon of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds discusses Central Banker, a Grade 2-winning son of Speightstown who has developed into one of New York's perennial leading sires.

Central Banker
B. h., 2010, Speightstown x Rhum, by Go for Gin
Race Record: 13-4-3-2; $598,786
Advertised Fee: $7,500

In winning the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes, Central Banker recorded a 107 Beyer Speed Figure in 2014.

Question: What makes Central Banker an attractive stallion for potential breeders?

John McMahon: McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds: He's a proven horse at an affordable price in a market that has extensive racing opportunities. The attributes he puts on his foals are speed, soundness, consistency, athleticism. All those things that have helped bolster his career are the things that make him an attractive stallion prospect.

He moves his mares up, and we feel like he does it in a safe manner, without a lot of exposure to his stud fee. Our main objective as a farm is for our breeders to make money, and we've never wavered with that in regards to his stud fee.

If I've got a mare lacking in a physical aspect, what can Central Banker best contribute to that equation?

McMahon: Balance and athleticism are his primary physical characteristics. His foals are so consistent. I've always told breeders he makes unattractive mares have attractive foals. He makes a mare that throws small foals have a medium-big foal, he makes a mare that throws too big and makes it a more athletic individual.

What would a breeder looking to capture the Speightstown line find familiar in Central Banker?

McMahon: Soundness. Bankit has displayed tremendous soundness throughout his long career. He's run against a lot of horses, and Central Banker gets a lot of horses to the racetrack that are all sound. That's what we also look for in an elite stallion like Speightstown.

Central Banker still has Bankit competing well in stakes competition going into age seven. What does it mean to Central Banker's resume to have one maintain high-level form this long?

McMahon: It helps a stallion's resume tremendously to have a horse like Bankit, who we've been watching seriously since he was a newborn. We always felt he was special. He was just born beautiful and kept outperforming expectations. I hate to just keep saying “soundness,” but it's just so important that a horse has a good mind and a sound body to go with it. Speed is a necessary ingredient, because the best trainers in the world can't make a horse perform if it's not inherently fast. Central Banker himself as a racehorse was quite handy, and his foals display plenty of speed.

What do you think has made Central Banker such a good fit for the New York program?

McMahon: Soundness, speed, durability, and dirt racing, and all those things that we see a lot of, he's been the horse for the course, because he's been able to keep up with the demands of the racing schedule.

What are some of the crosses that you have found work best with Central Banker, either through pedigree or physical?

McMahon: Pedigree-wise, we've seen a lot of variability. Northern Dancer, Seattle Slew, Indian Charlie, Halo are all stallion lines which come to mind immediately. Hoist the Flag, which is a speed stallion, and In Reality, through Relaunch to Colonel John. The majority of the broodmare band, I think, fits very nicely with him, because he doesn't seem to be falling upon just one main broodmare sire line to gain success.

Interestingly enough, no one really talks about inbreeding as much as they should, but the most recent stakes horse my parents have bred, Bank Sting, is a Mr. Prospector line, so we've in-bred to Mr. Prospector and had some success.

Where do you think the sweet spot is for a Central Banker runner, in terms of distance and surface?

McMahon: I'd say six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles is their sweet spot. Surface-wise, we love dirt racing, and that seems to be where they hit. We had a great Saratoga meet. From juveniles to horses breaking their maidens at three at Aqueduct, the purses are great and the distances lend themselves to be helpful.

For potential buyers at auction, what does one typically see from a Central Banker foal as a yearling, and as a 2-year-old in terms of their physical? What do the best commercial Central Bankers do to separate themselves from the rest?

McMahon: I think the best Central Bankers have balanced that athleticism with that size attached. There are always horses within your consignment that display a little bit more bone, more overall mass, and Central Banker has that really nice body type that he puts on that horse. I think that whole combination of consistency with that hip and shoulder, tied into a horse that looks mature, are usually the ones people pick out, and I think the market has rewarded those horses quite readily.

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What is something about Central Banker that you think goes overlooked?

McMahon: When he broke his maiden, it was in Saratoga, and the horse that ran second ended up being the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner later that year (2012 winner Hightail). We didn't ever advertise that when he was first starting, and that's probably something nobody knows without going back and looking at the charts.

What else should readers know about Central Banker before picking up the phone?

McMahon: His Average Earnings Index is three times higher than his Comparable Index, so he moves your mare up. We just recently did a study on the Beyer Speed Figures of his winners, and 30 percent of Central Banker's winners display a Beyer of 90 or higher. Regardless of where you're racing, that Beyer number is something consistent to judge a horse's performance on.

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Stallion Spotlight Presented By New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc.: Tourist Moves In At Rockridge Stud

Stallion Spotlight offers stud farm representatives a chance to address breeders and answer questions as they plan their future matings.

In this edition, Rockridge Stud's Erin Robinson discusses Tourist, a Breeders' Cup Mile-winning son of Tiznow who moves to New York for the upcoming 2023 breeding season.

Tourist
Dk. b. or br. h., 2011, Tiznow x Unbridled Melody, by Unbridled's Song
Race Record: 18-6-3-4; $2,170,340
Advertised Fee: $3,500

Question: What makes Tourist an attractive stallion for potential breeders?

Erin Robinson, Rockridge Stud: Anytime you can bring a proven stallion into a new market, I think there's an excitement for opportunity that follows him.

I've got a mare that's lacking in a physical aspect, what can Tourist best contribute to that equation?

Robinson: He is very well balanced and has good bone, and on top, he is a very pretty, flashy horse.

What would a breeder looking to capture some of that Tiznow magic find familiar in Tourist?

Robinson: His speed that has proven that his offspring gets better with age.

Tourist is a half-sibling to three other black type winners. How important is it for a stallion to have significant black type on his page, especially under that first dam?

Robinson: I think that's becoming more and more important for breeders to know that there is precedent for success in the family.

Why was Tourist a target to bring to Rockridge Stud? What makes him a good fit for the New York program?

Robinson: Tourist is getting runners, but not enough of the Saturday horses to keep the attention of breeders in Kentucky – a familiar scenario for a lot of stallions in the state. He's worth keeping around, but would quickly fall off the radar completely with a lack of interest where he was. New York breeders, especially our breed-to-race clients, should love his versatility: winners at all distances, all surfaces, and all ages. We were delighted that he had a 2-year-old graded stakes-placed runner (Mo Tourist in the G3 Grey Stakes) and a new 4-year-old graded stakes winner (G3 Valedictory Stakes winner Wentru) in nearly the same breath right after we announced him coming to New York.

What are some of the crosses that you have found work best with Tourist, or which ones do you expect will do well with him?

Robinson: The great thing about Tiznow is that you can breed almost anything to that sire line and give it a shot. The physical, I think, will be most important when deciding whether to breed to Tourist – he has gotten winners out of a number of different sire lines: A.P. Indy (doubling Seattle Slew from Tiznow's dam), Uncle Mo, Deputy Minister, Mr. Prospector, Blushing Groom, etc. I haven't seen a strong argument for a “can't miss” cross yet, so I think you have to go with the physical first.

If you could point at one race to explain to breeders what Tourist is all about, what would that be?

He is a Breeders' Cup Mile record-holder. I think that's all you need to know.

What's something about Tourist that you think goes overlooked?

Robinson: He is one of the last chances to continue that Godolphin Arabian line from our livelihood's earliest ancestors. I think we have to give him every chance.

What else should readers know about Tourist before picking up the phone?

Robinson: He could be our next important staple stallion in New York – and a good way to prove your mare.

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The Back Ring: Xalapa Farm’s History Of Champions On The Track And Silver Screen

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

The latest issue of the Back Ring is now online, ahead of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.

The Back Ring is the Paulick Report's bloodstock newsletter, released ahead of, and during, every major North American Thoroughbred auction. Seeking to expand beyond the usual pdf presentation, the Back Ring offers a dynamic experience for bloodstock content, heavy on visual elements and statistics to appeal to readers on all platforms, especially mobile devices.

Here is what's inside this issue…

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

  • Lead Feature, Presented By Gainesway: Myra Lewyn dives into the history of the picturesque Xalapa Farm near Paris, Ky., that was used as a shooting location for “Seabiscuit,” and was recently acquired by Hill 'n' Dale Farms.
  • Stallion Spotlight, Presented By New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.: A discussion on the veteran New York sire Bustin Stones, who was deemed “the most underrated stallion in the country” by Richard Migliore.
  • Ask Your Veterinarian, Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Dr. Peter Sheerin of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital explains the difference between putting broodmares under overhead lights or a mask light, and how the light process effects a mare's cycle.
  • Pennsylvania Leaderboard, Presented By Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association: For a third straight year, Blackstone Farm was Pennsylvania's leader by state breeder awards. Stakes winner Dance Code was one of the many on-track successes that got them there.
  • Indiana Yearling Spotlight, Presented By Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance: An analysis of Hip 400, an Indiana-bred yearling by Spendthrift Farm's Goldencents, who will be offered at this year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.
  • Best Of The Breeders, Presented By Muirfield Insurance: Thanks to a pair of top-level victories by the hot 3-year-old Newgrange, the partnership of Jack Mandato and Black Rock Stable ended January with a razor-thin lead among breeders of graded stakes winners.
  • First-Crop Sire Watch: Stallions whose first crops of yearlings are represented in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, including the number of horses cataloged and the farm where the stallion is currently advertised.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

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Predicting The Future Of The Bloodstock Market: The Back Ring, Keeneland January

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

The latest issue of the Back Ring is now online, ahead of the Keeneland January Sale.

The Back Ring is the Paulick Report's bloodstock newsletter, released ahead of, and during, every major North American Thoroughbred auction. Seeking to expand beyond the usual pdf presentation, the Back Ring offers a dynamic experience for bloodstock content, heavy on visual elements and statistics to appeal to readers on all platforms, especially mobile devices.

Here is what's inside this issue…

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

  • Lead Feature, presented by Gainesway: Bloodstock editor Joe Nevills makes five fearless predictions for the bloodstock market in 2022 in his “Making Claims” column.
  • Stallion Spotlight, presented by New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.: The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. Stallion Season Auction is a crucial fundraiser for the breed organization each year, but the 2022 renewal reaches even further to help those recovering from the December tornadoes in Kentucky.
  • Ask Your Veterinarian, presented by Kentucky Performance Products: Dr. Craig Lesser of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital explains what horse owners should take into consideration to protect hooves during the winter months.
  • Pennsylvania Leaderboard, presented by Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association: How Li'lbito'charm, a daughter of Smarty Jones, brought in six figures worth of Pennsylvania incentive earnings for her connections in 2021 without entering a single stakes race.
  • First-Crop Sire Watch: Stallions whose first crops of yearlings are represented in the Keeneland January Sale, including the number of horses cataloged and the farm where the stallion is currently advertised.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE BACK RING

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