Could the Real Stars Be Under the Radar?

Tara Madgwick - Sunday July 19

The upcoming Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale has investors all over the country salivating over the smorgasboard of elite mares on offer, but are some of the real stars flying under the radar?

Our series of stories on Breednet detailing the performance of the most expensive mares in the country has generated plenty of interest, but as one reader pointed out Black Type mares are not the only ones producing Group I racehorses and expensive yearlings.

Stallions given a place at major commercial farms are required to have a certain level of Black Type performance to warrant that opportunity, but the performance bar for mares is set a lot lower with many minor winning, placed, unraced and even unplaced mares given a chance at stud.

Their lack of success on the racetrack can often be counterbalanced by some hidden genetic magic that can come to the fore with the right mating.


Of the 38 stallions standing in Australia this spring for a service fee of $25,000 or more, 16 of them, or 42%, were bred from mares with no Black Type and are listed below in alphabetical order.

Alabama Express, All Too Hard, American Pharoah (USA), Better Than Ready, Capitalist, Dundeel, Exceed and Excel, I Am Invincible, Pierro, Russian Revolution, The Autumn Sun, Toronado (IRE), Trapeze Artist, Written Tycoon, Yes Yes Yes and Zoustar.

Australia's most expensive sire I Am Invincible is from an unraced mare.

Among those stallions are I Am Invincible, Dundeel, All Too Hard and The Autumn Sun, whose dams were unraced, American Pharoah (USA), whose mother raced twice with no success, Trapeze Artist whose mother placed once from six starts and Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, whose mother won once from 15 starts.

Black cats might produce black kittens, but you don’t necessarily need a Black Type mare to produce a Black Type performer or indeed a champion sire.

You also don’t necessarily need a Black Type mare to produce an expensive yearling.

Of the ten yearlings that sold for $1million or more at the 2020 Magic Millions, five were from mares with no Black Type and one of them, a $1.1 million Redoute’s Choice colt, is the second foal from Gresset, who had three starts in country Victoria and never got close to placing.

There were also a further two seven figure yearlings sold at Inglis Easter from non-Black Type mares.

I guess the point of this story is to give hope to breeders with limited resources and to encourage more potential buyers to think outside the square and not be put off by a lack of Black Type.

Email us at media@breednet.com.au if you wish to share a story of a not so successful race mare that made amends at stud.


 

Advertisment
More Reading...
King’s Legacy Filly Salutes for Yulong
The first stakes-winner for her sire King’s Legacy when winning the Group III SAJC David Coles AM Stakes (1200m) last season, Steel Trap was subsequently purchased by Yulong privately and she posted her first win in their colours at Sandown on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Raider Pier Upbeat Ahead of Epsom
Co-trainer and part-owner Darryn Weatherley is taking a glass half full approach ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after he came up with an awkward wide gate for Pier.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Caulfield
Three barrier trials at Caulfield on Thursday morning produced heat winners for first season sires Wild Ruler and Profiteer with the quickest winner being Free Flying, the half-sister by Snitzel to brilliant Group winning mare Learning to Fly.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 30
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
NZ Derby Hero Willydoit Primed for Epsom
Last season’s New Zealand Derby hero Willydoit will step back into the spotlight on Saturday when he contests the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick for trainer Ciaron Maher, with jockey Tommy Berry bullish the horse is ready to make his mark over the famous mile.
Hellbent Winner Impresses at Sha Tin
Astute trainer Mark Newnham paid $425,000 at the 2023 NZB Ready to Run Sale to secure a promising two year-old by Hellbent and Invincible Ibis delivered on that promise when scoring a last to first win at Sha Tin on Wednesday.
Melody Belle Daughter Set for Long Awaited Debut
It will be a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at The Valley on Friday night when Lyrics ‘N’ Song, a daughter of their former multiple Group One winner Melody Belle, makes her debut.
Milan Park Experience Highs and Lows
Tony Rider experienced the extreme highs and lows of breeding thoroughbreds within a matter of hours on Wednesday.
Generation Foals Built for Speed
Victorian farm Lovatsville offer a diverse stallion roster for this spring geared to satisfy a wide spectrum of breeder ambitions and if explosive Aussie speed is your thing then Snitzel stallion Generation will fit the bill.