re: A Nick Above the Norm

Alfonso — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:43:38 GMT

I am going to write something that is very unpopular, but true. In that combination, the real improver is Danehill. Wherever he is he incrreases strongly the quality. He is a genetic Giant. I did a deeo study of sadler's Wells and Danehill. Sadler's Wells has the ability of throwing high class runners, but it is also true that he was supported from the beginning with a large book of quality mares. If one follows his championsips, one can see that he always had many more runners than his followers. Sadler's was the first top european stallion to be supported with huge books of mares and that's the reason he won son many sirelists. Just investigate about median earnings every year or the combination AEI/CI of Sadler's.

Danehill started as the typical cheap coolmore stallion, and he gained respect by improving in a astonishing way the mares. Just when he was receiving high quality in Europe he died. But I did a study form 2002 to 2006 of both stallions. Still had Sadler's Wells better mares, but Danehill had incredibly superior results than sadler's. Danehill had 64% winners, Sadler's 50%, Danehill had 17,8 Stakes winners, Salder's 10.9%. Danehill had 11.7% graded stakes winners, Sadler's 5.9. And as I said before the mares covered by Sadler's were better than the ones covered by Danehill.

So in this nick, of course Teofilo has a lot to say (Galileo/Danehill) but don't forget that galileo comes from a extremely successfull female line, that Miswaki is his broadmare sire, and that Danehill does very well with native dancer aditions. Given the top quality of female lines that Sadler's has had, I see a B+ a bit poor.

Sadler's and Storm Cat have been two very good stallions of decade, but I think that they haven't been genetic Giants as Northern Dancer, Mr Prospector or Danehill. Good commercial strategies and covering tactics, have made them be seen as something the haven't reached.

Regards.