At the time, most people, probably including the folks at Hanover and certainly the folks at Brittany who owned most of Western would not in their wildest dreams have envisioned the great sire that he was destined to become. Artsplace was considered the super horse. Western Hanover was considered a steady warrior at best. I recall one of the so called experts of the business disdainfully referring to him as "Little Ralph" in mockingly comparing him to Ralph Hanover who became an abject failure in the breeding shed. He stood for a fee of $4,000. At best, his first three or four books consisted of "mom and pop" mares with a dearth of superstars. Artsplace, on the other hand was blessed with a collection of many of the great mares of the era.