Cape Blanco--The European Invader

re: Cape Blanco--The European Invader

Swale1984 — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:37:33 GMT

I would LOVE to see some more classic turf pedigrees, but I wonder how marketable Cape Blanco will be. I'm looking at sales results for two new sires, HenrytheNavigator and Raven's Pass, who have more recognizable names in their pedigrees, but aren't exactly lighting up the sales ring. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

re: Cape Blanco--The European Invader

Lizz Kunz — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:34:09 GMT

Vince, I completely agree with your reasoning, there are a vast amount of quality turf races that Americans just don't seem to pay attention to. Gio Ponti and Goldikova and others such as Winter Memories have helped draw eyes off the dirt. However, since the Classics are so vital to American racing I fear that the turf will never get the respect that it does in Europe. Therefore, neither will a lot of their bloodlines.

Like Ann says above, a lot of stallions that stand outside of their homelands gain success because they have qualities that only certain regions desire. I think American bloodlines are missing out on the amazing pedigrees that horses like Galileo or the lines of Danzig have to offer.

re: Cape Blanco--The European Invader

Vince — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:21:24 GMT

I struggle to understand us breeding for the turf. the roles have been totally reversed. us horses' lines back in the day were chock full of euro influence. now the euro lines are full of us influence but it is 3 or 4 generations back down the line. there are so few influential us turf influences now, dynaformer, elusive quality and a few others. they produce good european performers so why not breed from them to produce good us turf performers.

or is turf racing so irrelevant to us breeders that they just don't bother. there are so many high-stakes races in the us over turf and so many euro imports or invaders cleaning up every week. us turf racing for euro invaders has become like a jaunt across the channel to germany or italy to pick up a prize. us turf racing is at its lowest ebb ever. sort it out america. start breeding from european sires and dams to win turf races, or your turf racing will just fall further down.

one final point, I am actualy amazed with the us breeding dirt horses for many decades and euros breeding turf horses that we actually have the same breed. any more years of this and they will be incompatible. we need a strong us turf scene, so someone do something.

regards

re: Cape Blanco--The European Invader

Pedigree Ann — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:17:15 GMT

Sadler's Wells would probably have been a total bust if he had stood in his homeland, the USA; his offspring have shown little liking for dirt tracks. The racing conditions, however, are different across the Atlantic and his offspring were extremely well suited to them. Different racing conditions result in different sorts of horses being those chosen for breeding the next generation.

However it is impossible to know which turf sires will sire good dirt runners. Blenheim II did just fine (Leading sire, 1941, when his Whirlaway won the Triple Crown) but his son Bahram, who was a leading sire in Britain, bombed in the US. We used to import turf-raced and/or turf-blooded stallions all the time and many did just fine - leading sires Star Shoot, Sickle, Sir Gallahad III, Bull Dog, Mahmoud, Nasrullah, Heliopolis, Princequillo, Ambiorix - even the first great North American sire, Diomed, who was the first Derby S. winner. By marginalizing first-class racing stallions who don't fit the current commercial paradigm, like Leroidesanimaux, Redattore, and Prized, we lose the genetic variety that the breed in this country desperately needs.

re: Cape Blanco--The European Invader

Criminal Type — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:46:47 GMT

There is a nice Galileo colt going through the ring tonight at the Saratoga sale. I watched his walking video and he is a real looker. It DOES seem like every stallion on Coolmore's roster, and a lot of Darley Ireland are Danehill/Galileo/Sadlers Wells over Danehill/Galileo/Sadlers Wells with a few varibles thrown in. It's really just another branch of the Northern Dancer and Danzig line isnt it? Are they really so different when they trace back to the same original horses? There have been years where the US too has had many standout horses from the same crop. One thing for sure, there is no arguing that Frankel is the best 3 year old of any sex in training right now. He is amazing. Im sure Bobby is smiling down on him every time he runs.