Repeating it can feel a bit difficult, but watch the time for a reason: the stallion market is always packed with demanding customers and stiff competition. And it turns out, both literally and metaphorically, as evidenced by the recent release Report on bred Mares. Breeders are attracted to quality and often turn to tried and true sources to find it, or become increasingly demanding on first year boars before taking the chance.
In an economy where links force austerity steadily, asking for more before opening a wallet is not an unreasonable and unforeseen response to current trends. Many stallion owners/associations outside of Kentucky often find themselves among the primary supporters of their stallion until the first racers make the first impression.
An example of this would be the case of the Battalion Runner-Up Ocala Stud (The Song of the Unbridled) and his son, Rudder’s Men. Announced last Saturday, October 22 at Belmont The Big A meets breeder – and breeder – St. Elias Stable, the dark bay was hard to miss as he went through a quick opening inning: 22.53 on a nice finish, and sprinted home with a score of 4 1/4 easy length . With the effort, he became the third winner of the Runner Battalion after Lady runner and Lightnin runner. The horse then carried her father’s banner into the victor’s enclosure on September 17 during Rachel’s Turn S. in Charles Town, his first black stallion. It’s not a bad feat for any male to have his first winner as well as his first win, regardless of track.
The first crop tally of the Runner Battalion? A total of nine ponies.
“We nurtured, nurtured and coached Rudder’s Men,” said Ocala Stud General Manager David O’Farrell. “He is a runner. When we moved him to Todd Pletcher, we all felt that [Rudder’s Men] would have to be the one to help carry the load and really give the Runner-Up Battalion a chance to get to the scene. We thought he would be better suited to running in Florida as a cross-bred by a Florida stallion, but Todd realized while taking him up there that the horse could run in a park. company opened in New York and that’s what he did. “
Part of the legacy is still growing from Tamboz (Tapit), the Runner Battalion claims a series of accomplished siblings. One of them is a more recent and recognizable name, in the Creative Minister by GI Preakness (Creative cause); began his career at Gulfstream Park before kicking off his career on the national stage in just his fourth career kick-off.
And it’s not just his immediate family. The dam of the Runner Battalion is Tapizar’s house sister, whose determination on his way to victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile – by some genetic magic – has been passed down to his descendants. No one is more famous than the amazing Monomoy Girl, who has amassed a sizable career crowned with victories in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks and the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaffs dual. Tragic Tapizar died in a stall accident weeks before he was scheduled to go to Japan for the start of the 2021 season at Yushun Stallion Station.
Unfortunately, however, there is a counterbalance as pedigree successes emerge such as Olympio (Naskra), Fun House (Prized), and Cuvee (Carson City), who appear deep in the women’s roster. Runner-up Battalion; genetics still have a lasting influence on the race today.
Runner-up battalion won ‘TDN Rising Star’-dom in 2016 | Lauren King
In the back of a family of female workers – even before the most recent additions – and the son of the Great Song of the Unbridled, the horse’s eye-catching shape helped him command a fortune precious as a september Keeneland longs for his day; brought in $700,000 from Crupi’s New Castle. Racing for the partnership of Teresa Viola Racing Stables and St. Elias Stable, the striking gray has weathered such an eventful second career start (winning over eight lengths after playing bridesmaid at debut) that the effort has attracted even TDN on his side, giving him the title ‘Rising star‘.
The Runner-up Battalion will fight its way to a second, bravery win in its 3-year-old bow in 2017 before heading north to Big A for a start at GII Wood Memorial. Lover was defeated that day by Irish War Cry (Curlin), and ahead of names like Cloud Computing (Music by Maclean) and Mo town (Uncle Mo), he will run Tuesday three months later at GIII Dwyer after his connections chose to skip the GI Kentucky Derby. The winner that day was Realistic jokes (Naughty City).
Incidentally, GIII Smarty Jones S. at Parx, where he held on to fifth place, will end his career; Connects bravely, but ultimately fails, in their attempt to bring him back from injury.
What followed was a phone call that initially intrigued O’Farrell.
“[St. Elias Stables’] Vinny [Viola] contacted me as the spawning season approached and said they had the Runner-up Battalion at Crupi’s New Castle Ranch. They tried to bring him back, and he couldn’t do it.”
He admits that the timing wasn’t ideal: stud registers were already printed, many breeders were committed to their mares, they would be behind the ball eight when advertising for him. , and that’s just the beginning.
“I told Vinny that I didn’t feel that we could do the job he expected. He’s a great horse but as a no bet winner if he starts late it will be difficult to get the mare on. With all the costs of registration, advertising, etc., I told him I don’t think [Battalion Runner] will generate enough to pay his way. “
O’Farrell said that Viola understands the concerns and uphill battle his stallion’s prospects are facing. It’s a race of chance; it can be kind but it can also be cruel, and it looks like the Runner Battalion just missed out on the good side. But like all good sportspeople in the industry, Viola refused to ignore her gut feelings and a while later the second call came to O’Farrell with a counterattack.
“He said ‘You’d think I’m crazy, but we still have this horse. I know it makes absolutely no business sense, but would you bear the horse if I bred a few mares with him? I will pay the registration fee; I just wanted to have a little fun with it. I believe in him, I just have a feeling. ‘… And I was everything for that. “
The Runner Battalion arrives at his new Florida home and the owner has been kind to his word, but in a way O’Farrell admits he wasn’t quite expecting it. There will be fillings, yes, but 12 claimed straight from the track as opposed to experienced breeders. The second challenge to overcome will be the impending end of the season, and is covered by a stallion that has never jumped a mare before. It was a tall order, but notably, a Battalion runner-up came out. In his first group, 11 were captured and nine ponies fell to the ground; it’s all late, but here they are.
“It’s a very unique way to start and market a stallion, but they’re having fun with it. And they are being rewarded. “
For everything to navigate through, it could well end up being understated. Males currently have a 33% win rate and 11% odds along with the fact that, of their eight combined starts, the female has won half of them. The chance to be the multi-stake winner’s daughter will come on Saturday, October 29 when the Lightnin Runner arrives to post at the Eleanor Casey S. Memorial in Charles Town. In many respects, the gray steed has thrown its hat into the familiar encirclement; a place where Florida breeders carefully and patiently prove their ‘eye’ for horses as good as any horse in the major markets.
Firenze Fire Savages Yaupon in GI Forego | Susie Raiser
For Rudder’s Men, it seems the cliché ‘the sky is the limit’ holds true. Like her male, the foal comes from an active female family. His young dam Without a trace (Sightstown) is a half-sister to the second-busiest stallion in North America; Spendthrift’s Yaupon (Uncle Mo). It’s the brother and sister who became sires that won GI Forego’s infamous rendition in Saratoga where his rival Firenze Fire (Soldier of Poseidon) chose to be violent and devastated him for accepting defeat gracefully.
Keeneland’s AU$140,000 September Graduation – purchased by Crupi’s New Castle – the mare is also a half for GII Del Mar Derby and GII Twilight Derby’s Hill (Spring At Last), who have enjoyed a successful career as a private How to be a multiple winner in California. As one of 12 statements made by St. Elias Stable in 2019, she was picked up for $40,000 in a first-rounder on Belmont, a race in which she finished eighth after slamming through a gate and knocking over her rider. me. For all the tumultuous circumstances leading up to his arrival, Unblemished’s first pony has shown a lot of promise and it’s a gut feeling that Viola won’t let go of.
“It is really a passionate project of Vinny. He raced and maneuvered the runner-up Battalion… the horse was absolutely stunning. He puts a lot of bones in his babies, and I wouldn’t be surprised he has more than one runner. If he gets the chance, he’s the one who can really do it,” said O’Farrell. “From what we see, the weaning of St. Elias this year is special. He’s good looking, and if they run anything close to Rudder’s Men’s capabilities, they’ll be in business for a long time. “
