Big Truck - NY bred

[ELA]

Actually, I think a couple of high-quality, more expensive stallions in NY could in fact improve the program. If you had some higher quality stallions in NY, the "breed-back" rule would be more effective, in reality -- more attractive.

A new stallion in NY who I think could be interesting is Patriot Act. He's a son of A.P. Indy and I think he comes from old Fred Hooper family/breeding. He's got strong pedigree and has some incredible support behind him. Will Farish and Lane's End are supporting the horse and syndicated him with some very strong breeders, real breeders. He could be an excellent outcross stallion (I think he is a half to the dam Student Council (who is by Kingmambo).

The dam's side is pretty strong -- I think a sister to Patriot Act, a graded stakes winner is the dam of graded stakes winner Gradepoint (also by A.P. Indy, I think), and is also the dam of Student Council (Kingmambo). I think that's how the pedigree plays out. Another offspring I think is the dam of Stephen Got Even, and maybe Don't Get Mad.

Anyway, I think this horse could get some good mares, and might be attractive to people looking to breed in NY, who might not have before.

Eric

[Linny]

I see that Patriot Act is listed at a $6k fee. I recall hm as a long time G1 placed maiden after he was 2nd or 3rd to a fast Lukas 2yo in a KY G1. If Farish and some of his partners support him with well bred mares, he could be an interesting stallion. His female family appears to be a bit of an outcross for alot of the Farish and partners mares, though being my Indy, he still carries alot of that "Lane's End" blood.

What are the breeders' thoughts about Utopia. I find it intersting that his Northern Dancer is through Northern Taste, a stallion who's blood is unknown in the US. Forty Niner didn't become the sire of sires that alot of people expected but he has a few useful horses.

The other new stallion of interest to me is Defer. At $6500, I think he brings alot of pedigree to the table. Though he never really live up to expectations he was hardly a disaster. He was a pretty good 2yo but was still running well later in his career. Danzig means grass but it also means "mud" which of course we get in abundance in NY racing.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

The problem with stallion prospects like Defer and Patriot Act is that they were both very slow plodding horses...I wouldn't expect a whole lot from either one.

City Zip was the perfect stallion you'd look for in a region like New York.

* He was a brilliantly fast early developing horse

* He was very sound and accomplished (made 23 starts in 2 years of racing, won 6 Graded Stakes, fired on short rest)

* Figued to be the kind of sire who would be above average with turf runners.

City Zip stood in NY and started covering mares in 2002 (before his half brother Ghostzapper ever debuted)

The combonation of him doing a solid job while standing for $7,500 in NY and with Ghostzapper developing into a Horse of the Year and hot stallion prospect - is what got him out of NY and into Ky I would think.

[Linny]

Defer was a pretty good 2yo and Danzig is a speedy sireline. I tend to think that if he'd been with a trainer other than Shug (who I like, don't get me wrong) whose horses rarely have that sharp early speed, he might have had a different trajectory. If he'd been with Assmussen or Pletcher or Jerkens etc. He might have been "sharper" at 2. (I like Shug, but in the quest for a classic 3yo, the Phipps' don't seem to ask for any speed in their 2yos.)
Agreed about PA in terms of plodding sireline but the Copelans have speed.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Linny

Defer was a pretty good 2yo and Danzig is a speedy sireline.

I remember Defer running in just two stakes at age 2 - he got beat by a pole by Rockport Harbor in the Nashua with a 72 Beyer for running 2nd, and he won the slowest LRL Futurity in memory over a horse named Funk.

His pedigree is great and all - but he is a long way away from being the kind of brilliant horse that tends to do best at stud.