Tags
albert the great, buck pond, darby dan farm, fappiano, french deputy, giant's causeway, halo, his majesty, in excess, indian charlie, niagara causeway, nobiz like shobiz, notional, spendthrift farm, storm cat, theatrical
This is the 16th in a series of notes and impressions about the new stallions in Kentucky for 2009. The horses will be reviewed alphabetically.
Niagara Causeway (2003 dark brown by Giant’s Causeway out of Theoretically, by Theatrical)
Stands at Buck Pond Farm for $3,500 live foal
A horse of quality, Niagara Causeway is a fine example of what to expect from mating Giant’s Causeway to a typical Theatrical mare. The result is bred to excel at racing on turf and is built like that.
While Giant’s Causeway can get something of the greyhound type racer and, when allied with Theatrical, that is presumably the goal. The lean, classic type is certainly the result with Niagara Causeway, who is narrow and smooth and light on his feet.
This quite elegant horse is tall and sparely made, stands over a lot of ground, and has considerable extension at the walk.
Nobiz Like Shobiz (2004 dark bay by Albert the Great out of Nightstorm, by Storm Cat)
Stands at Darby Dan Farm for $7,500 live foal
A powerfully made horse who was one of the most exciting colts for the 2007 classics from the time he made his class known as a juvenile, Nobiz Like Shobiz is a grand individual. He possesses great power, depth through the body, scope, and bone.
All in all, he has many of the best qualities of the Storm Cat tribe, as transmitted through his dam Nightstorm, and allied with the scope and leggier frame of sire Albert the Great.
A big, rangy horse from the Ribot line of St. Simon, Albert the Great was a very capable racehorse, earning more than $3 million and winning a G1 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Interestingly, both of the G1 winners by Albert the Great — Nobiz Like Shobiz and Albertus Maximus — are out of mares by top juveniles and eminent juvenile sires (Storm Cat and Forty Niner).
Off his best racing form, Nobiz Like Shobiz was a highly talented miler who stretched out to win the Remsen at 2 and the Wood Memorial at 3, along with four other stakes. This racing aptitude is very similar to the best influences in his pedigree: Storm Cat, Fappiano, His Majesty, and Halo.
Notional (2004 bay by In Excess out of Truly Blessed, by French Deputy)
Stands at Spendthrift Farm for $10,000 live foal
A handsome son of the influential California-based stallion In Excess, Notional is one of the wave of young stallions being acquired to stand at the highly updated and refurbished Spendthrift Farm owned by Wayne Hughes.
This year, Spendthrift also has retired to stand Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) and Tiz Wonderful (Tiznow), all representing appealing young sires who have experienced early successes.
And in the case of In Excess, that success has included siring a top stallion in Indian Charlie, who has accounted for champions and Breeders’ Cup winners in his early crops of racers.
Clearly, the success of Indian Charlie in Kentucky was a significant factor in the decision for Spendthrift to acquire Notional and place him at stud in the Bluegrass.
Another part of the decision is that Notional is an outstanding physical. Standing 16.1, the horse has a very good hindquarter, as well as length and depth through the body. These are qualities typically associated with In Excess and Indian Charlie, as well as Notional’s damsire French Deputy.