FRESHMAN SIRE POWER

By Steve Sherack

No fewer than 22 freshman sires are represented in the OBS March Selected Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training catalogue–responsible for a remarkable 28.2% of the 411 cumulative offerings on display during Tuesday’s auction. 

Six juveniles from the first crop of the 2010 GI Breeders’ Cup Classic hero and champion older male Blame (Arch; Claiborne Farm) have been catalogued; five from two-time champion Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike; Ashford Stud); 20 by 2010 GI Kentucky Derby hero Super Saver (Maria’s Mon; WinStar Farm); and four from 2008 champion 3-year-old Summer Bird (Birdstone; dead). Eskendereya (Giant’s Causeway; Taylor Made Stallions), a jaw-dropping winner of the 2010 GI Wood Memorial S., has four catalogued; GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. hero Majesticperfection (Harlan’s Holiday; Airdrie Stud) is represented by a dozen; and four-time Grade I winner Quality Road (Elusive Quality; Lane’s End) has nine entered. 

“Usually, whether we know what we’re talking about or not, by this time, the consignors and pinhookers have a pretty good idea of one or two freshman sires that they like that tend to be standing out,” bloodstock agent Pete Bradley offered. “This is one of those groups that is really deep in the fact that the pinhookers who pick out athletes bought a lot of them–more than usual.” 

Other freshman sires represented at OBSMAR include: Concord Point (Tapit; Hill ‘n’ Dale; 3); Desert Party (Street Cry {Ire}; Sequel Stallions NY; 5); Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft; Lane’s End; 7); Hold Me Back (Giant’s Causeway; WinStar; 2); Honest Man (Unbridled’s Song; Red River Farms; 1); Kantharos (Lion Heart; Ocala Stud Farm; 3); Lantana Mob (Posse; Southern Indiana Equine; 1); Line of David (Lion Heart; Spendthrift Farm; 3); Midshipman(Unbridled’s Song; Darley; 10); Munnings (Speightstown; Ashford Stud; 6); Musket Man (Yonaguska; Elite Thoroughbreds; 1); Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz; Gulf Coast Equine; 1); Tale of Ekati (Tale of the Cat; Darby Dan Farm; 4);Temple City (Dynaformer; Spendthrift Farm; 1); and Warrior’s Reward (Medaglia d’Oro; Spendthrift Farm; 8). 

“I think it’s a good sign for the industry–when things are looking up, freshman sires seem to be more prevalent,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski commented. “From what I’m hearing from the people that shopped the yearling sales [in 2013], they were really pleased with the representation of the freshman sires this year.” 

Three of Bradley’s pinhooks entered in the March sale are by first-crop sires, including Hip 159, a filly from the first crop of Blame ($165,000 FTSAUG); Hip 198, a son of Super Saver ($85,000 FTKOCT); and Hip 286, a Majesticperfection half-brother to Master of Disaster ($135,000 FTKJUL). The trio all hail from the Eddie Woods draft. 

“The feedback that I’m getting from other people and what I’m seeing with our own horses, is that it’s a very promising group of freshman sires and the kind of group that you wouldn’t be surprised that in 10 years,” said Bradley before concluding with a laugh, “If Bill Oppenheim is still writing, he’ll be saying something about it potentially being one of the better groups of stallions to come along.”