Tags
arthur hancock iii, blush, broodmare success, cerise, derby kitten, kitten's joy, lexington stakes, menifee
A useful mare on the racetrack, Blush has left all that far behind with her first two produce, both stakes winners.
On Saturday, her second foal, Derby Kitten, won the G3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, and as of Tuesday, the colt was sitting in 22nd place for earnings among the stock nominated to the Kentucky Derby. Apparently, the colt is well named.
The mare’s stats:
1st Dam: Blush, b, 2001. Bred by James H. Stone & Arthur B. Hancock III (KY). Raced 4 yrs in NA, 15 sts, 3 wins, $69,745 (ssi = 1.83).
| 2007: | WILLIAM’S KITTEN, dk b/ c, by Kitten’s Joy. Raced 3 yrs in NA, 11 sts, 2 wins, $170,280 (ssi = 4.2). Won Sunday Silence Breeders’ Cup S.; 2nd Kentucky Jockey Club S. (gr. 2); 3rd Holy Bull S. (gr. 3). |
| 2008: | DERBY KITTEN. |
| At 3: Won Coolmore Lexington S. (gr. 3); 2nd Overnight S., Alligator Alley S. | |
| 2009: | Unnamed foal, c, by Kitten’s Joy. |
| 2010: | Unnamed foal, ch f, by Kitten’s Joy. |
| 2011: | Unnamed foal, f, by Kitten’s Joy. |
Broodmare sire: MENIFEE, b, 1996. Sire of 40 dams of 69 foals, 36 rnrs (52%), 21 wnrs (30%), 10 2yo wnrs (14%), 3 sw (4%).
2nd Dam: Cerise, b, 1997. Bred by Stewart L. Armstrong (KY). Raced 1 yr in NA, 4 sts, 0 wins, $6,615 (ssi = 0.58). ($180,000, 2000, keenov, brdmr; $7,500, 2009, keenov, brdmr).
As is obvious from the preceding information, Blush is a more than satisfactory broodmare and is described as being typical of her sire: sizable, scopy, and strong. Menifee, sold to Korean breeders because of lax support in Kentucky, was a big and talented animal who is becoming a useful broodmare sire.
Third dam Cherry Jubilee (foal of 1982 by Coastal) won the G3 Next Move Handicap in 1986. Fourth dam is Cherry Willow (foal of 1972 by Pia Star), who also produced Willow Hour, winner of the 1981 Travers Stakes.
So it might be a wise idea to have a Menifee mare huh? Know where I might be able to find one? Pat Day said he should have won the Derby on Menifee. Day has always said he never really had a chance to run until about the 1/16 pole. I just watched the ’99 Derby and Pat was right. He just lacked room most of the trip. He was flying at the end. With any racing luck he would have been the winner.
I could probably find you a nice Menifee mare with some size and scope. In fact, I know of one who earned $100k and has a crackerjack foal at side.
Menifee was a loss, but as with most of the stallions who have gone to the KRA, the offer was far too good to decline in the economic climate that we are all trying to survive.