We talked a bit about German stallion Monsun in a previous post about 3-year-old sensation Kamsin (GER).
Kamsin
Since then, Kamsin has gone on to capture two German group I contests - both at the same 1-1/2 miles as his Deutsches Derby (Ger-I) win in July. He fell short in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) in October -- won by Zarkava (IRE) -- but has generally proved himself exceptional, with graded wins on most of Germany's major tracks. At only 3 years old, his late-maturing bloodlines would point towards even more success in coming years.
Kamsin's lineage incorporates an impressive line of leading German sires - his grandsire is Monsun (German general sires leader in 2002, '04, and '06), his great-grandsire is Konigsstuhl (1988, 1994, 1996), and his great-great-grandsire is Dschingis Khan (1979 and 1981). Further, he's inbred to Surumu (1985-86 and '89-92), the sire of Acatenango (leader in all odd years from 1993 to 2001).
Kamsin has bloodlines that undeniably "click" in German Thoroughbred pedigrees. But I'm still holding out for him in the States - and think the perfect first introduction would be Breeders' Cup 2009. A Classic win would give Kamsin about the best chance for U.S. breeders to give him an opportunity at stud. To Kamsin's owner Stall Blankenese I issue this plea: Please consider the 2009 Breeders' Cup for Kamsin. Remember it will be run again on the turf-like, European-favoring Santa Anita synthetic track. Bring German breeding to an international audience and expose America to a promising young Dschingis Khan-line stallion. Skip the Arc in '09 and head to California instead.
Introducing the sound, stamina-oriented blood of Kamsin would be a great long-term benefit to the American Thoroughbred.
Manduro
Breeders in Ireland and the U.K. have the opportunity to tap into similar lines already, though. Manduro (GER) (SRO) stood his first stud season at Darley's Kildangan Stud in 2008. Manduro is a son of Monsun, while Kamsin is a grandson of the same stallion. Interestingly, both Manduro and Kamsin come from the damsire line of Northern Dancer. (I briefly checked into this nick and noticed that several other stallion sons of Monsun fit the pattern, including Arcadio (GER) and Shirocco (GER), while Speedmaster (GER) hails from Northern Dancer's sire, Nearctic, but through Nasrullah. Worth watching to see how that affinity develops, as Monsun is still an active sire in Germany and should have ample opportunity with Northern Dancer-line mares.)
Manduro raced and won from 2 to 5, though never more than eight times in a year. He racked up 10 wins and 7 additional places from 18 starts to finish just shy of the $2 million earnings mark. Sixteen of those money finishes came in stakes - 15 of them group races - and Manduro claimed group I wins at Royal Ascot, Deauville, and Longchamp racecourses.
Assuming Kamsin runs another couple of years, Manduro's first crop might just hit the tracks in Europe before the Deutches Derby winner retires to stud. If Manduro's first foals impress, I'll be even more eager to see a male-line representative of Monsun come to stand in the U.S.
Here's hoping.
