If you thought Ribot's male-line influence through Cormorant was limited to Go for Gin (SRO) in Maryland, Albert the Great (SRO) in Pennsylvania, and Nobiz Like Shobiz (SRO) in Kentucky, think again!

While working on the AEI features in MarketWatch last month, I noticed the frequent appearance of a New York-based stud (one with a $3,000 fee!) seemingly misplaced in several studies.  In fact, he appeared on the top Average Earnings Index leaders list (highest % above 4.00 AEI) under only A.P. Indy, Exchange Rate, Distorted Humor, Smart Strike, City Zip, Street Cry (IRE), and Storm Cat  That's rather lofty company (and think of all the names that aren't there -- meaning he beat them out!). He also made the Top 50 list of leading sires by 1999-2005 AEI -- he's not a one-shot wonder.

Who is this stallion?, you're wondering.  And when will we get the announcement that he's been moved to Kentucky?

The first answer is easy:  Raffie's Majesty (SRO).   As for the second:  well, probably not soon.

Raffie's Majesty has had relatively little opportunity in his first six crops of racing age. But even a quick glance at the stallion's page reveals a lot to like. Of 98 foals of racing age (crops of 2000 to 2006), Raffie's Majesty has 76 starters (77.6%) with 60 winners (61%) and 12 black type horses (12.2%). His runners win 14% of their starts and are in the money 41% of the time for average earners per starter of over $75,000 (good for a 1.73 AEI). Based on his Comparable Index of 1.12, Raffie's Majesty improves his mares by more than 50%.

As a runner, Raffie's Majesty showed promise but never quite broke through. He had a monstrous maiden romp in his first outing, followed by an allowance win. The remainder of his career at the racetrack would be winless, but consistently impressive nonetheless.  Raffie's Majesty placed in the grade III Flamingo, the grade II Jim Dandy, and the grade I Travers.  He took fourth in the Illinois Derby (gr. II) and fifth in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), and finished his career with five times in the money from eight starts for $249,000.

His solid efforts and intriguing pedigree earned Raffie's Majesty a shot in the breeding shed. The stud record of grade I winner and classic sire Cormorant is well-documented, of course, and his bloodlines have taken root in Northeast U.S. breeding programs. The bottom half of Raffie's Majesty's five-cross pedigree is less familiar, however.  Produced by Raffinierte (IRE), Raffie's Majesty descends from family 4m. His first and second dam were both stakes-placed winners. What's most interesting here, of course, is the German bloodlines in the distaff side of the pedigree.  Raffinierte and her dam Raffinesse (GB) are daughters of two representatives of leading German sire lines:  Surumu (GER) and Dschingis Khan (GER), respectively.

The pattern of Surumu over Dschingis Khan in Raffinierte's lineage is the reverse of what is seen in the German sire Monsun (GER) (pedigree).  (Read some additional comments on German pedigree influences:  Would Kamsin Succeed in America? and German Thoroughbred Pedigrees -- A Worldwide Bloodlines Influence?)

Raffie's Majesty might be showing a few early pedigree preferences in his mates. He has a couple of stakes winners already from Blushing Groom (FR)-line mares. He seems to favor the Fappiano lline of Mr. Prospector. But maybe the most notable pattern is the combination of Bold Ruler and Missy Baba. His top earners thus far are Organizer (pedigree) and Raffie's Dream (pedigree).  Organizer's damsire is the A.P. Indy half-brother Summer Squall, whose dam Weekend Surprise is bred on the cross of the Bold Ruler male line with the Missy Baba female line. The damsire of Raffie's Dream is a son of Raja Baba, who resulted from the direct cross of Bold Ruler with Missy Baba. 

And for those of you who enjoy hypothetical pedigrees:  take a look at Kamsin crossed with daughters of Raffie's Majesty (example) ... or Raffie's Majesty crossed with daughters of Monsun (example).