2011's Top Commercial Sires: Indy & Son

A.P. Indy was a dominant force in the commercial
sire ranks in 2011 as his career as a stallion was coming to an end. He was the
leading sire of sale yearlings for the second year in a row and he also was the
top sire of sale weanlings. In addition, one of A.P. Indy's sons, Bernardini,
was the leading covering sire.


The 10 A.P. Indy yearlings that were sold last year at
public auction commanded an average price of $407,000. They included the most
expensive yearling that was sold, a $1.4-million colt out of Malka (by Deputy
Minister). John and Jerry Amerman and Robert S. Evans purchased the youngster, now named Powerful,
at the Keeneland September yearling auction. The three A.P. Indy weanlings that
were sold averaged $348,333.

A.P. Indy was third on the leading sires of sale 2-year-olds,
with five offspring averaging $220,000.

The 1992 Horse of the Year, A.P. Indy was retired
from the breeding shed last April. The 23-year-old son of Seattle Slew stood at
William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky., and still resides
there.


Bernardini, his sire's heir apparent as a commercial
force, grabbed the top spot on the covering sires list when nine mares in foal
to him were sold for an average price of $872,778. His rise to the top ended
Street Cry's two-year reign in the category.

The champion 3-year-old male of 2006, Bernardini
stands at Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation in Lexington. He ranked third
among sires of sale yearlings (with an average of $339,540 for 50 progeny), second
among sires of sale 2-year-olds (with an average of $240,400 for five
offspring), and fourth among sires of sale weanlings (with an average of
$275,000 for 10 progeny).

Empire Maker was the leading sire of sale
2-year-olds, with 13 of his offspring selling for an average of $330,538. A
12-year-old son of Unbridled and winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the
stallion began his stud career in this country but now stands in Japan.

Raven's Pass was the leading first crop sire of sale
yearlings, with 14 offspring averaging $161,429. He beat out two-time Horse of
the Year Curlin, whose 41 progeny averaged $136,780. Colonel John was the
leading first crop sire of sale weanlings, with 10 offspring averaging
$105,900. Street Sense was the leading first crop sire of sale 2-year-olds,
with 13 progeny averaging $187,654. And Quality Road was the leading first crop
covering sire, with 40 mares carrying his foals averaging $290,975.


Raven's Pass (by Elusive Quality), a champion in
England and the winner of the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), stands at Sheikh
Mohammed's Kildangan Stud in Ireland. Colonel John (by Tiznow), who captured the
2008 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and Travers Stakes (gr. I), stands at Kenny
Troutt's WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky. Champion Street Sense (by Street
Cry), who won the 2007 Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) and the
2006 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), stands at Darley in
Lexington. And Quality Road (by Elusive Quality), who captured the 2010
Woodward Stakes (gr. I) and three other grade I events, stands at William S.
Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles.



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