Sires 13/14

Spot on, Viv. Experience tell us there's a good chance that a nicely related, moderately performed stallion will fail. That may be in part due to lack of opportunity but, as mentioned earlier, Cullen didn't serve top-shelf mares in his first seasons but still was a whacking success.

The reality - proven over and over again - is that full-brothers may be genetically identical ... but they don't produce identical performances (both on the track and in the breeding barn).

Certainly there's a science to breeding - but there's a whole lot more to it than that.

Michael, you were looking for feedback from people with experience in breeding. I think you've achieved your aim.

Good luck

What mares would suit Alta Christiano?

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussiebreno

What mares would suit Alta Christiano?

Interesting question Brendan. Here's my five cents worth. In Nz Christian Cullen mares have already had some big hits with Bettors Delight ( Highview Tommy--Ohoka Punter) so the reverse in the case of Alta Christiano of course would be a daughter of Bettors Delight.
The dam of Alta Christiano has had three nice foals which are by In The Pocket, Christian Cullen and Mach Three, all Direct Scooter line sires.
The dam Right This Time is by Fake Left. The best performer in Nz from a Fake Left mare as of today is Cyamach ($149,000) who is by Mach Three.
Therefore for me as both Bettors Delight and Fake Left are Cam Fella line sires and that cross with Direct Scooter has worked so well with this branch of the sires family, my first preference would be for mares by either of them followed by daughters of other Cam Fella line sires. Hope that makes sense.

Full brothers aren't genetically identical. The only way they can be so is if they are identical twins that resulted from the splitting of a single Zygote.

http://jcinternational.co.nz/stallions-sold/

2nd column. 4th from the bottom. ;)

Also....BETTERTHANCHEDDAR to stand in AUS this season. Outstanding horse. Will do a great job here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eliteblood

What an unbelievable mark Sportswriter is making as a sire in Canada.
On Monday, three Ontario Sires Stakes divisions were run for 2YO colts. Sportswriter provided all three winners as well as the quinella in one of the races.
Today, three filies divisions were run. Sportswriter improved on the previous effort, this time providing the three winners, the three second placegetters and two of the third placegetters.
Incredible !!!

There has now been 13 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series races and all 13 have incredibly been won by sons and daughters of Sportswriter. He is currently the leading 2YO sire in North America with progeny earnings of $535k, well clear of the 2nd placed Well Said on $360k.
He has had a good debut season in Australia being in 2nd place behind the perennial Art Major. If his Canadian results are anything to go by there may be even better times ahead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eliteblood

There has now been 13 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series races and all 13 have incredibly been won by sons and daughters of Sportswriter. He is currently the leading 2YO sire in North America with progeny earnings of $535k, well clear of the 2nd placed Well Said on $360k.
He has had a good debut season in Australia being in 2nd place behind the perennial Art Major. If his Canadian results are anything to go by there may be even better times ahead.

I think you need to wait a lot longer than July. Sportswriter is in Canada and that unfortunately is now a poor relative in the North American harness racing scene. They run their sires stakes earlier than the rest so the siring charts mean nothing at this time of year. The major players are all in New York or Pennsylvania. All their sires stakes are just getting under way now. Like Shadow Play last year, Sportswriter is a big fish in a wee pond. Now if on the other hand they can be competitive in the major stakes races coming up, then you can sit up and take notice. Until then all you can say is he has done a nice job with the largest crop in North America from some of the nicest mares in the stud book. A better guide will be in October when the siring charts are a lot more meaningful than they are now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viv Strangman

I think you need to wait a lot longer than July. Sportswriter is in Canada and that unfortunately is now a poor relative in the North American harness racing scene. They run their sires stakes earlier than the rest so the siring charts mean nothing at this time of year. The major players are all in New York or Pennsylvania. All their sires stakes are just getting under way now. Like Shadow Play last year, Sportswriter is a big fish in a wee pond. Now if on the other hand they can be competitive in the major stakes races coming up, then you can sit up and take notice. Until then all you can say is he has done a nice job with the largest crop in North America from some of the nicest mares in the stud book. A better guide will be in October when the siring charts are a lot more meaningful than they are now.

All that you say is true Viv and I am not suggesting that he will be leading sire at the end of the year. Taking all that into account, however, the performance of Sportswriter up there to date has still been incredible IMO. While Ontario is not New York or Pennsylvania, the wee pond does include Camluck and Mach Three. To totally shut them out like he has is noteworthy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eliteblood

All that you say is true Viv and I am not suggesting that he will be leading sire at the end of the year. Taking all that into account, however, the performance of Sportswriter up there to date has still been incredible IMO. While Ontario is not New York or Pennsylvania, the wee pond does include Camluck and Mach Three. To totally shut them out like he has is noteworthy.

For the first few months last season in Canada, Shadow Play did a very similar job winning everything going but not outside the sires stakes series in Canada. So far Sportswriter has done exactly the same. Now if Sportswriter takes that on to the big stage in the classics then it becomes note worthy.
I mean New York has Bettors Delight, Art Major, Rocknroll Heaven and American Ideal. Now thats competition.
Camluck hasn't registered on two year old sires list for ages and Mach Three has been mid field for a while as well. Not benchmarks you want to use in North America when looking at two year olds these days.
Canada results are not a good yardstick for stallions since the loss of the pokie money.
Sportswriter got a huge book of quality mares in his first year at stud and he does have the biggest crop of 2 year olds in North America.
As I said wait until October and you will have a much better idea of how he rates.