Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Ann in Lexington — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:00:43 GMT

Stallion-producing damlines like Rough Shoes II's produce really good stallions from modest-looking pedigrees time and time again. Look at Wild Again, from a strong overseas stallion family (leading sires in Japan, New Zealand, etc.); nobody expected much from a son of Icecapade. With his racing class and remarkably good sire family, Blame gets my vote.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Michael D — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:33:55 GMT

Racing ability is my number one criteria for stallion success...

Quality Road is the bomb!

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Dave L — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 02:21:56 GMT

Pedigree, Pedigree, Pedigree. Why is TRAFFIC JUDGE (USA) ch. H, 1952 in so few prominent stallions. I was astonished when I checked back several generations

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Ian Tapp — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:06:31 GMT

sceptre,

Great response. You have a valid point regarding "stallion pedigrees," but whether that concept is real or perceived, if someone's talking about stallions, you'll inevitably hear them say "He's got a stallion's pedigree." Therefore, the definition of "stallion pedigree" is up for debate on this blog.

And I agree, there are plenty of other important factors in determining a stallion prospect apart from pedigree... like you say, racing ability, conformation, etc.

Ian

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

sceptre — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:33:45 GMT

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the reply...I'll play along somewhat, but your premise (the question) essentially begs the question that there are such things as "stallions'" pedigrees. Granted there are certainly better and lesser pedigrees, but to assume there are certain qualities distinct to "stallion" pedigrees is questionable. I do acknowledge that there is some evidence for your assertion, i.e. *Turn-To-line stallions, and Foggy Note female line to name a few, but in general I fail to see much distinction...As far as your five candidates, it is interesting to note that three share Seeking The Gold as a broodmare sire. This should come as no great surprise, since Seeking The Gold has been (since Buckpasser) the world's #1 broodmare sire (forget the charts, some stats, etc.-no other broodmare sire imparts quality like Seeking The Gold)...Battle Plan, hands down, has the best dam of the five, both in performance and pedigree. Quality Road's sire, Elusive Quality, is the most proven + sire of the five, and this sire's pedigree is relatively equal to Empire Maker and Tale Of The Cat. As sires, I'd give a slight nod to Elusive Quality, followed closely by Medaglia D'Oro, and then somewhat distantly by Empire Maker and Tale Of The Cat, with Arch decidedly last. I'm also not all that smitten with Bound (Blame's 2nd dam) seeing her as a rather weak branch of that famed family. These are some of the highlights, and I'll now cut to the chase. 1. Quality Road, 2. Battle Plan, 3. Gio Ponti, 4. Warrior's Reward, 5. Blame. This is purely on pedigree. I've closed my eyes re-racing ability, conformation, etc.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Orpenhill — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:15:31 GMT

I'd say Quality Road...he sport's a solid pedigree of influential sires in all the right places...along with effective genetic patterns which made him the stand-out he is (a true representative of his pedigree). His dam boasts two very good broodmare sires in Strawberry Road and Alydar, while his sire looks to be a decent sire of sires in the making. Finally, his pedigree carries a favorable mix of lines at home on either dirt or turf.

Battle Plan's male-line duplication of Mr. Prospector virtually emliminates him as a worthy mate for the high number of Male-line Mr' P mares out there, so that I think will hinder him.

Blame lacks a solid sire of sire as his daddy, but thats perhaps the only flaw against him.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

ITapp — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:45:49 GMT

sceptre,

You have correctly noted the difference between this poll question and a previous poll question.

The objective here is to analyze which of the above pedigrees is the best "stallion pedigree," not simply which you think will make the better stallion.

The above five horses represent several combinations of pedigree strengths, and each is by a different stallion. Which sire (Empire Maker, Arch, Tale of the Cat, Elusive Quality, Medaglia d'Oro) is the most likely sire of sires? Which pedigree traits are most valuable to you in a stallion's pedigree?

Sceptre, which of the above stallions do you think has the best stallion pedigree? And why?

Ian

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

sceptre — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:21:22 GMT

Who should make the better stallion is a question entirely different from who has the best stallion's pedigree. Same could be said for potential broodmares as well. A, perhaps, more interesting topic would be the comparative of stallion vs broodmare pedigree (should they be evaluated differently?).

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Justine — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:16:09 GMT

Blame has a Kris S sireline and a damline going back to Thong. None of the other older horses boast a stronger female family than that.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Ian Tapp — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:15:15 GMT

Adam,

I wonder if Warrior's Reward would be getting more votes if he'd won the Met Mile?

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

aspradling — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:47:18 GMT

I am surprised Warrior's Reward dosn't have more votes.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

CajunCountry — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:25:10 GMT

I've chosen Blame as well. Can't resist that whole Roberto-Hail to Reason line. Blames dam side is loaded with talent as well. What's not to like?

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Slew — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:38:02 GMT

Blame...Kris S...Alydar...Mr Prospector...Nijinsky II, great.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Zen's Auntie — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:57:04 GMT

Blame is my pick, I love the Kris S close up and the placement of Mr P and Wow I guess Im not alone, He was also very classy in the Stephen Foster just to mention it. I do think horses on this cross are large in general and need time to mature there is a lot of ND in there to make me want to take maintaining soundness very seriously.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

sherpa — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:57:58 GMT

I chose Blame, too, but more because I love his Sire line. It's loaded with stamina via Kris S -> Roberto AND Princequillo closer up (4th gen) than usually seen in a 4yo colt's chart. It was seeing Kris S as the grandsire when I checked his pedigree last year that really piqued my interest in him. Blame is loaded with class wherever you look on his pedigree.

re: Poll Question: Stallion Pedigrees

Pedigree Shelly — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:08:18 GMT

Blame ! With a female line like that ,he should have a good future as a sire !