Kentucky Homecoming For Mr. Sidney

KENTUCKY HOMECOMING FOR MR. SIDNEY 
By Kelsey Riley 
Grade I winner Mr. Sidney (Storm Cat–Tomisue’s Delight, by A.P. Indy) has relocated to Walmac Farm in Kentucky for the 2015 breeding season after standing his first five seasons at Alec Head’s Haras du Quesnay in France, and Head was yesterday on hand at Walmac to introduce breeders to the strapping bay. 

Bred in Kentucky by Hilbert Thoroughbreds, Mr. Sidney is out of the dual Grade I winner Tomisue’s Delight, herself a daughter of dual Grade I winner Prospectors Delite (Mr. Prospector), and a full-sister to Horse of the Year Mineshaft and stakes winner Rock Slide. Tomisue’s Delight is also a half to Group 3 winner Monashee Mountain (Danzig) and stakes winner Delta Music (Dixieland Band). Mr. Sidney was a $3.9 million Keeneland September purchase in 2005 by John Kimmel as agent for Lee Einsidler’s Circle E Racing. Trained by Bill Mott, Mr. Sidney recorded five wins from 13 starts, highlighted by a victory in the GI Makers Mark Mile in 2009. He also won that year’s GII Firecracker H., and was third in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile. 

Mr. Sidney has sired 42 named foals and 10 winners, with his first crop being 3-year-olds this year. Head noted that Mr. Sidney proved a difficult sell in France, however, and he covered just 15 mares this year. Head attributed the horse’s limited popularity to the drug perception with American horses. 

“There is this reputation in America with drugs, so when you bring a horse from America, the French breeders says, ‘it must have been on drugs,’ so they will not use the horse,” Head explained. “So I couldn’t keep him on my stud. This year he bred 15 mares–this is hopeless.” 

The 90-year-old Head is no stranger to identifying top stallion prospects and developing them, having been involved in the distinguished careers of such luminaries as Nureyev, Miswaki, Bering, Arctic Tern, Riverman and Lyphard. Head noted that he has supported Mr. Sidney in France, and is likely to relocate some of the sire’s more promising stock to race in the U.S. next year. 

“I bred some nice mares to him and we have some nice 2-year-olds by him, but I thought his place was in the States, so that’s why we brought him back,” Head said. “I loved his pedigree and I loved the horse. I thought he would be quite popular, and it didn’t work out that way. You make mistakes sometimes, but you have to try.” 
Just days after Mr. Sidney’s arrival at Walmac was announced, Head noted that he is attracting interest from breeders. 

“I think people have accepted him,” he said. “It’s a little early–it was only two days ago it was in the press the horse had arrived. But people seem to be quite interested, and I think they should be.” 

Asked about the challenges facing the U.S. industry with regards to raceday medication, Head said, “I think they’re going to have a hard time [getting rid of raceday medication]. In France, we have one racing organization. In the U.S., every state is different, so it makes it very difficult. If one state takes a rule and another doesn’t take it, they’ll be in trouble, so no one dares to do anything. That’s the problem.” 

He continued, “Of course I’m against drugs. I don’t think it’s a good idea. We race in France without any drugs and our horses run pretty good. When they come to the States they do very well.” 

One such example of French success on U.S. soil was this year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile, where G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein) held off a fast-finishing Anodin (Ire) (Anabaa) to post a French-trained exacta. Anodin is trained by Head’s son, Freddy Head, and the full-brother to Goldikova (Ire) will enter stud at Haras du Quesnay next year. 

“It’s wonderful, especially because he’s a son of Anabaa, who has been so good to me,” Head noted of the horse he recuperated from physical problems and campaigned to victories in the G1 July Cup and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest with his daughter, Criquette Head-Maarek, the trainer. “It’s a wonderful story, Anabaa’s story. It’s a dream. Like Treve’s story; it’s a dream come true.” 

Head noted that the Quesnay-bred Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), who under Head-Maarek’s tutelage last month became just the second horse to win the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe twice, is enjoying a winter holiday at Quesnay and is “getting ready to win her third Arc.” 

“It’s lucky we have in this business nice days like that, because we run into a lot of problems other days, but people don’t know about those,” Head remarked. 

With the talented, handsome and well-bred Mr. Sidney ready to embark on his U.S. sire career, it wouldn’t be a huge stretch of the imagination to think that Head could have more nice days ahead.