2009 Freshman Sires
 

We are 8 days away from Keeneland opening day and the start of 2YO racing. Something I've tried to learn more about in the past few years is freshman sires- for example, anyone who picked up quickly on the precocity of the Lion Hearts and Tapits last year would have made a LOT of money. They were winning early and often, frequently at big prices. Here's the list of freshman sires for 2009. Obviously there are some big names (AA, Ghostzapper, Leroi, RHT)... I'm guessing the early ones will be Bwana Charlie, Limehouse, Consolidator.

Additionally, has there ever been two full brothers entering stud at the same time?

Afleet Alex
Bull Market
Bwana Charlie
Castledale
Closing Argument
Consolidator
Crafty Shaw
Dance With Ravens
Eddington
Eurosilver
Eye of the Tiger
Forest Danger
Ghostzapper
Grand Reward
Kela
Kittens Joy
Leroidesanimaux
Limehouse
Mingun
Minister’s Wild Cat
North Light
Offlee Wild
Oratory
Pollard’s Vision
Powerscourt
Purge
Rock Hard Ten
Roman Ruler
Saint Liam
Southern Image
State City
Taste of Paradise
Unforgettable Max
Value Plus
Wando
Wildcat Heir

Found this guide which could be useful.
http://www.ironmaidensthoroughbreds....%20031209A.pdf

SA has Cal bred 2yo's in the first today. The first baby race of the season.
For success at 2 from your list I'd consider Forest Danger, Eurosilver and maybe Limehouse and Roman Ruler.

Wildcat Heir and Consolidator both have some quick 2yo's. They would be the two most obvious sires that might fly under the bettors radar imo.

Agreed on Wildcat Heir. Probably going to be Calder types though, standing down in Florida.

What have you seen from the Limehouse 2YO's? Probably smallish and quick?

I certainly haven't seen a single Limehouse I'd be that interested in betting if they debuted in an early season MSW race at a fairly major circuit.

I think I've only watched 5 or so of them so far and he has over a hundred in this crop. Still, those would figure to be five of his better ones based on sales placement and that I believe all of them sold over his avg as yearlings.

DrugS, what do you think of Closing Argument?

For what it's worth, here's the freshman sires who had multiple runners sell at OBS March and their averages. From a stud fee/sale price perspective, Closing Argument and Wildcat Heir stick out.

sire avg count
Ghostzapper 175,667 3
Southern Image 175,000 2
Rock Hard Ten 160,000 3
Forest Danger 123,000 4
Value Plus 99,250 4
Closing Argument 93,167 6
Wildcat Heir 70,833 6
Eddington 70,000 2
Grand Reward 67,500 8
Saint Liam 65,000 2
Eurosilver 59,000 3
Purge 51,667 3
Roman Ruler 40,250 4
Afleet Alex 38,333 3

He never ran a single triple digit figure in his career - and he raced for a big time training wiz in Kiaran McLaughlin.

He was actually once sold for just 10K as Jan yearling so he's probably not the most impressive looking horse ever.

I'd be a little skeptical of him. I realize he has a great sprinter pedigree and won his debut at Saratoga going just 5fs - and managed to run as good as anyone when 2nd in a low rated Kentucky Derby.

I haven't been that impressed with his 2yo's I've watched. I know Baffert bought one of them for 240K .. but I wasn't exactly wow'd with that one.

Any thoughts about Purge? Pulpit is doing pretty well as a sire of sires and this guy was precocious and speedy.....pluse, he probably was best as a miler

Will Wando pass on some of his potential that he seldom showed?

I like Purge to do well this year

Very doubtful

Was at March OBS both days - Of the few we went through, the Wildcat Heirs and the Grand Rewards definitely look the part - GZ's, after practically being given away at Adena were a little more appreciated, The Rock Hard Ten's were remarkably on the smallish side, Limehouse's were unimpressive looking.


Spent time out at Niall Brennan's and Bridlewood as well.... the Rockport Harbor yearlings I saw are amazing

Purge was either very good or downright awful in all of his races. Some of his have looked decent.

Hard to expect much from Wando.

I think Midas Eyes has 2yo's this year ... though only 35 of them. Another old Gann/Frankel buy up in Madaglia D' Oro has been very solid at stud.

Midas Eyes won his 3rd career start in the Swale, off a long layoff, in track record time on the old GP track with a 110 Beyer. I think Posse and Whywhywhy were 2nd and 3rd beaten ten and fifteen lengths respectively in a nine or ten horse field. Just a mind-boggling performance.

Both Whywhywhy and Posse have each sired a couple Graded Stakes winners.

All of Midas Eyes yearlings sold like they have cancer last year. Fast, talented, Grade 1 winner by a Belmont Stakes winning sire and he already seems 100% written off before a single horse of his has ever hit the track.

Thx Lauren

Oh know another Fox Hill website for little Rocky's.. Someone get me a vomit bag..

:rolleyes:

That was BEYOND a low blow. I laughed

Very true. Already shipped off to New York. Touch Golds have never sold all that well for that matter, and he's sired some damn nice runners.

Most of the absolutely exceptional class of 1997 has been a bust at stud except for two. One of them has been very good and the other great. Who am I thinking of?

Will Good Reward have his first crop of two year olds this year?

next year