Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Ian Tapp — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:36:39 GMT

dan,

Why is it the best match?

One reason no one is suggesting Smart Strike-Zenyatta is because of the Mr. Propector inbreeding. Another reason is because there's no success yet on the cross. Seems like a stretch.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

dan — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:54:39 GMT

why has nobody said breed zenyatta to SMART STRIKE ITS THE BEST MATCH

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Greg R. — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:40:15 GMT

I can only comment on what I have been told, I have never seen Smart Strike in person. However it is interesting to hear how crooked he is, how crooked his foals are, yet look at performance. We own a Smart Strike daughter that lives up to the reputation!

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

DOBLESE — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:59:48 GMT

Thanks to you Mr. Porter!

Yes sir, he has clearly demonstrated the ability to sire top-notch performers.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Ryan — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:33:34 GMT

Hi Alan,

In your comment above to Robert, you stated that the Mr.P/ND over ND/Mr.P works "OK". Can you quantify OK for me or provide an average TrueNick rating. I am also interested in ND/Mr.P over Mr.P/ND.

This may sound overly simplistic but this is exactly what we try to accomplish in our breeding. We try to create as many Native Dancer crosses (in creative patterns) as possible. We just created a breeding that produced seven Native Dancer crosses. In addition to Native Dancer, we also like the In Reality on the sire side crossed with Roberto on the dam side.

Thank you!

P.S. Have you given any additional thought about our discussion of the thoroughbred evolving into a hardier higher endurance breed over time that keeps running faster and faster?

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Alan Porter — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:13:14 GMT

Doblesse: thanks for the interesting comments. I have seen studies relating color and ability - it may be in some cases beneficial genes are in the same haplotype (gene group) as the coat color genes.

What is fascinating is that Smart Strike seems to be a conduit for class, rather than dominating for a particular type of runner ...

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Jim Caper — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:45:28 GMT

Had the exacta and tri with Smart Seattle over the favorites. Will have to see a couple more races to see how good she is.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Alan Porter — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:52:24 GMT

He had another very promising two-year-old win over 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga yesterday (8/13) - Smart Seattle.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

RGGC — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:51:08 GMT

I also loved Smart Stike from the beginning. Yesterday his daughter Smart Seattle won at Saratoga and she overcame a bad trip to do it. I think she has a great future in front of her and maybe a trip to the Breeders Cup Juvinile grass race's winners Circle...just maybe.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Jim — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:53:23 GMT

Smart Strike has worked his way up from a modest beginning to the top and, the best may still be coming. He did not really catch everyone's eye until English Channel and Curlin hit big. Since then his book has improved in numbers and quality of mares. He is possibly the highest ranked sire at improving his mares, so, if he improves the mares he has been bred to the past couple of years he will have some outstanding runners. He is also the up an coming broodmare sire poster child ranking high with very few runners. It does remain to be seen if he will produce any quality sires but I wouldn't bet against him.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

John T. — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:23:15 GMT

Smart Strike truly is an amazing

sire for example one of his sons Tungsten Strike won the important

Sagaro Stakes over 2 miles at Ascot

and as we know he has had many top class sprinters and middle distance runners.If I were the owner of Rachel Alexandra I would,nt even hesitate on mating her with Smart Strike.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

DOBLESE — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:42:12 GMT

A great article indeed!

Both CURLIN and ENGLISH CHANNEL are descendants from bay parents (actually, their grandparents are bay too); but they are chestnut, which means that two recessive genes are responsible for their color coat and these come from chestnut individuals who could have been great runners, champions, or even legends of the past.

Regarding FABULOUS STRIKE and SOARING FREE, a linebred (or more) to a great sprinter might have something to do with their ability to run better the short distance races.

When it comes to ZANZIBARI and LOOKIN AT LUCKY, also the presence of TURN-TO (IRE) on the pedigree of ZIETEN (Blue Note – Habitat – Sir Gaylord – Turn-To) and BELONG TO ME (Belonging – Straight Deal – Hail to Reason – Turn-To) drew my attention because this precocious ancestor is also shown on SMART STRIKE’s pedigree (Classy ‘N Smart – Smarten – Cyane – Turn-To)

Thank you Mr. Porter for giving us the chance to participate.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

Alan Porter — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:48:00 GMT

Hi Robert: Thanks. Actually, the Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer over Northern Dancer/Mr. Prospector (or reverse) works OK (its really four crosses of Nearco/Native Dancer and Native Dancer/Nearco).

With Rachel Alexandra, you also get a double Northern Dancer/Sir Ivor, and a lot of Sir Ivor's family. I suspect it is just fortuitous, but on paper I quite like it.

re: Smart Strike -- Striking Fast and Early

ROBERT — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:58:08 GMT

I have always liked Smart Strike as a sire and broodmare sire, but I am not sold on him as a sire of sires.......Yet. Curlin got a great book of mares, as did English Channel, so they have every chance. Curlin is a little light on his bottom line after his broodmare sire, but Deputy Minister is no averge broodmare sire, and his strength may move Curlin up. My only hope is that Curlin is not "married" to Rachel Alexandra. Since Curlin is Mr P on top of Northern D, and Rachel is Northern D on top of Mr P, the mating might not produce much. Then again it might unlock lightning in a bottle. As usual.......another great article.