Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

re: Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

needler in Virginia — Wed, 05 May 2010 22:39:26 GMT

As an aside, I'd like to thank Eric for this lovely column; his tale of a Derby "family" shows how far reaching the impact of these magical critters can be. The late-maturing 3 year old Wavering Monarch siring the precocious Maria's Mon siring the speedball Monarchos (AND the talented Super Saver) siring the amazing sprinting filly Informed Decision....and the hits will keep on comin'. Not every stallion will hit a home run every time, but then neither did Babe Ruth! In fact, Babe Ruth was also a strike-out king, and his bloodlines were truly blue-collar! A sound, solid, durable, talented racehorse is what everyone looks for (I KNOW, I KNOW.......EVERYONE wants the BIG HORSE) and I'd rather have one that hits singles and doubles and triples and steals a base now and then, than one that stays on the bench for most of the season. But that's just me. Thank you Eric, for a beautifully written tale of success and joy tempered by loss and regret.

Cheers and safe trips to all, ESPECIALLY Super Saver!

re: Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

mK in FL — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:49:21 GMT

Four Cats, I am as guilty as many other breeders the last ten years by breeding to "Hot" first year sires. They were over priced and people like me stood in line just begging to get a season. If you got a nice foal, you were pretty much guaranteed big money in the sale ring. If you had a decent bred colt at the track that won a stake, there would be ten stud farms circling trying to buy him to stand at stud, because they knew we would stand in line to breed to him. It was a trickle down effect. In those years you couldn't sell a Holy Bull, Monarchos, or Pleasant Tap. Did they get runners? Sure they did. They did not get good sale horses and we were all trying to make a quick buck. My biggest regret was how much did I devalue my mares by breeding them to stallions that turned out to be failures. If I had ignored what every one else was doing and bred my mares to proven stallions, maybe I would own Tiago or Informed Decision.

re: Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

Dawn — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:22:20 GMT

The Green Monkey is well on his way to becoming the patron saint of bad decisions!

re: Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

Karen in Indiana — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:21:11 GMT

needler, hear, hear! I think a prime example of that is Cetewayo. He had a long, distinguished career, but wasn't flashy and didn't set speed records. He has some of the best bloodlines available, but for some reason he isn't being supported as a stallion. I would love to see that bloodline with its stamina and sturdiness spread out more in the gene pool.

re: Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

needler in Virginia — Wed, 05 May 2010 03:01:23 GMT

If you look at the pedigrees of some of the most expensive-at-auction horses, then compare the price to how that horse performs, you might be a bit surprised, FourCats. Monarchos wasn't considered to be "upper class" but he damn sure ran like it; Funny Cide wasn't a trillion dollar horse, but he ran like one; in Derby 136, a $10,000 colt ran his eyeballs out and managed to finish a more than respectable 6th; last, but certainly not least, we need to compare these horses with the case of The Green Monkey....or maybe we'd better NOT go there!

I'd bet that Mr Nuckols meant that often there are more possibilities than the flavor-of-the-month stallions who stand for enormous fees, and that a little research and thought might, just might, get you that special horse. It's worth a shot, don't you think?? Maria's Mon certainly has placed himself alongside some pretty special stallions with his two Derby winners, and he wasn't considered such a "hot prospect" stallion at the beginning of his career, either. It's a real shame he's gone, and I know he is missed at Pin Oak, but we do have his two Derby winning sons to pass on his talent. Monarchos is already doing that....and I'd bet Super Saver will, too. I'd take a chance on him, for certain.

Maybe Mr Nuckols simply meant that a little thinking outside the traditional box might do your breeding program a world of good.

Cheers and safe trips to all.

re: Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

FourCats — Tue, 04 May 2010 23:28:38 GMT

'“I think people are starting to realize more that these pedigrees work,” Nuckols said. “They are getting away from flashy pedigrees and going toward the proven stallions. It was crazy we got away from that in the first place.”'

What does this mean? I'm not being sarcastic here. Does he mean by "proven stallions" stallions that have been around awhile? I mean, all stallions are unproven when they first start. And what is a flashy pedigree? Descendents of Northern Dancer or Mr. Prospector?

re: Derby Family - By Eric Mitchell

Karen in Indiana — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:33:13 GMT

After the Derby, I went back and looked at videos and photos to see how Super Saver looked and acted. He is impressive. With all the noise, people and commotion going on, he was one of only two that I could tell who didn't have lip chains on and he was acting very calm and professional, like he'd been doing this for years. That attitude will stand him in good stead. Also, he's a larger horse than I realized - not overly tall or bulky, but very sturdy. I would love to see him win it all the way.