On the Warpath

re: On the Warpath

Alan Porter — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:57:24 GMT

Hi JAJ,

The breed average starters to foals is about 67%, for top-class stallions more like 75%.

Winners as a percentage of all foals is less than half, for top-class stallions it's more like 60%.

About 30% of all foals start at 2, nearer 40% for the best stallions. Around 10% of all foals win at 2, about 15% of the foals by top stallions.

re: On the Warpath

JAJ — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:13:55 GMT

Thank you so much for answering my question. If you don't mind, I have a couple more along the same lines.

What is the average percentage of starters of horses of racing age?

Winners?

Two-year old starters? Two-year old winners?

Thank you so much.

re: On the Warpath

Alan Porter — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:41:58 GMT

Percentage of stakes winners to foals is calculated by dividing the number of stakes winners by the number of named foals of racing age, and multiplying by 100%.

Stakes winners to starters would substitute number of starters for named foals.

In the U.S. approximately 3% of foals become stakes winners. The rough rule of thumb for a top-class stallion used to be that he would sire 10% stakes winners to foals. However, with the advent of bigger mare books, and the compression of the breed in terms of ability (the smaller gap between the best and the average horse), statistician Bill Oppenheim has suggested that 6% is the new 10%.

So viewed in that light, War Chant's stakes winners to named foals percentage is a very good one.

re: On the Warpath

JAJ — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:24:39 GMT

How are percentage of stakes horses calculated?

Is it calculated on total number of horses of racing age, or of starters?

What is a good percentage number? What is the industry average?

Thank you.