In discussing the thorny problem of stallion selection and success, one of the loyal readers asked about stallions who went to stud the same year as Tapit, which was 2005, with first foals of 2006.
This was a robust group of entering stallions, with twice as many as will enter stud in 2012, and the quality wasn’t bad, either. Classic winners, major G1 winners, high-class 2yos, as well as the rugged campaigners, all found a place at stud.
That list is presented below alphabetically by name, with the farm where they initially retired:
Action This Day Castleton
Birdstone Gainesway
Bowman’s Band Lane’s End
Canadian Frontier Airdrie
Candy Ride Hill ‘n’ Dale
Champali Glencrest
Chapel Royal Ashford
Congaree Stonerside
Cuvee Gainesway
During Claiborne
Eavesdropper Walmac
Even the Score Millennium
Friends Lake Airdrie
Hero’s Tribute Buck Pond
Johar Mill Ridge
Lion Heart Ashford
Medaglia d’Oro Hill ‘n’ Dale
Newfoundland Brookdale
Ocean Terrace Highclere
Olmodavor Adena Springs
Perfect Soul Darby Dan
Pleasantly Perfect Lane’s End
Saarland Darby Dan
Scrimshaw Millennium
Seattle Fitz Buck Pond
Sir Cherokee Crestwood
Smarty Jones Three Chimneys
Soto Highclere
Speightstown WinStar
Stroll Claiborne
Strong Hope Claiborne
Tapit Gainesway
Ten Most Wanted Gainesway
Tenpins Walmac
Teton Forest Spendthrift
The Cliff’s Edge Vinery
Toccet Castleton
Although this list is as complete as I can make it, there’s doubtless a missing critter or two. The majority of those above are no longer in Kentucky. Several, including the high-class Lion Heart, have been exported, and many are now serving mares in regional programs.
That is not entirely bad. Congaree, for instance, is a pretty big fish in the New York breeders’ pond, especially in the context of his first G1 winner over the weekend in California in the Hollywood Starlet.
In selecting which horses from this crop that retired to stud in 2005 have become “successful sires,” different people are going to set the bar at different levels. By my most rigid reckoning, I’d say that at least six of this group (one in six) would count as successful. That’s actually pretty good, especially since there are a few more who would qualify if we stretched the criteria just a bit.
Your thoughts?
