Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Cassandra.Says — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:15:58 GMT

Re: 29th century sire lists by winners

If you're running two heats for a blanket, how can you be sure all the blankets won are of equal value?

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Cassandra.Says — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:12:28 GMT

A breeder booking a mare is interested in whether the mating will produce a good horse. Wherever. Would British or European mare-owners be wise to overlook Breeders Cup wins by the get of a stallion?

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Convene — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:58:40 GMT

Congratulations Scat Daddy. I always liked him and, altho I was rooting for Hard Spun, who's always been my man, I'm glad it was Scat Daddy who beat him out. But I'm glad it was that close - kinda like Turalure being just a stride or so short of winning the mile!

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Pedigree Ann — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:52:49 GMT

Anne! I've been trying to get in touch with you but don't have your current e-mail. Please e-mail me at ann.ferland@gmail.com.

Dan - I agree that the stallion lists need a change; gross earnings gives a massive advantage to the mega-book stallions. Quantity can swamp a less heralded quality stallion. Say stallion S's foals average $25K in a year, while stallion T's average $35K the same year - if S has 300 runners and T only has 150, S will sit many places higher than T in the stallion lists. And if half of S's earnings come from a handful of horses...,

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

skyfire — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:12:28 GMT

The Freshman Sire Competition is fun!! Congrats to Scat Daddy!! I had picked Street Sense and Scat Daddy as my two favs...IMO Street Sense will come on strong with the 3 year olds.

Anne and Ann, who do you like for 2012?

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Dan Kelliher — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:39:46 GMT

Leading sire lists based solely on progeny earnings are grossly flawed.

Interesting note from Anne that for a period of time Leading Sires were based on most winners. 100+ years ago.

Perhaps it's time for another leap forward from Leading Progeny Earnings Sire lists to something more comprehensive and meaningful for breeders.

At the Horse Racing Fan Shop we'll begin publishing a new Stallion of the Year (R) ranking that will take numerous criteria into consideration and attempt to offer insight to breeders on the best overall stallion (based upon overall contribution not just numbers game progeny earnings).

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Anne Peters — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:51:47 GMT

The TB Times has now also conceded the victory to Scat Daddy. I was sweating that one out because I had gone public with him last spring in that publication as my leading freshman sire selection, against a panel that was otherwise all for Hard Spun. That was a close one!

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Criminal Type — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:31:34 GMT

Anyone who has read my posts in the past knows, I am a die hard Hard Spun fan. I watched him break his maiden and was hooked. I expected him to do well at stud and love the support he has received from Darley/Godolphin in the way of sending mares to him. I am still hooked and a little irked because It just doesnt seem fair that he should come in second once again. But that's my issue, and I chose to believe that every dollar counts no matter where it is earned. Laugh if you want..I am..lol. I've always said Hard Spun will end up being the best son of Danzig yet and I would like to congratulate Darley and Hard Spun on being number one on the International Freshman sire list. After all, is it better to be known nationally or internationally ?

That being said, I did not expect Scat Daddy to do as well as he did. Congrats to Ashford for another successful stallion on their roster. One thing is certain, Darley and Ashford both have tremendous talent in their stallion barns.

re: Freshman Match Race - By Eric Mitchell

Pedigree Ann — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:17:45 GMT

In the Antipodes, where numerous New Zealand-breds are purchased to race in Australia and some Aus-breds race in New Zealand, they have had a different solution. The NZ sire list included only racing in NZ, while the Aus list included only racing in Aus. However they also recognized an "Australasian" sire list that covered racing in both countries.

Nowadays, Aus and NZ-breds dominate racing in the big-purse locales of Hong Kong and Singapore. Yet both countries maintain a 'country-only' sire list. It is important to local buyers and breeders to know which sires are doing best LOCALLY, in local conditions. A US or North American sire list, based only on racing under the NA conditions, is a tool that many of us would appreciate.

Did you know that until the Civil War, the leading sire in the US was determined by who sired the most winners? This was the era of heat racing, meaning a horse had to win 2 heats in a day to win a 'race.'