Translate

Monday, May 31, 2010

Name Please

Sometime during the night, in a field on PEI, Lucky Hare gave birth to a colt by Hussy Chaser. I am now the proud owner of this very special colt. The dam is a three quarter sister to Camluck that I got from Prince Lee Acres, home of Camluck. She has been a hard luck mare bred to the wrong sires but this one by my old favorite Hussy Chaser just may make up for lost time.

For those of you who have not read the story of Hussy Chaser, he was a $1500 colt that I bought as a yearling that went on to become a $520,000 lifetime winner. When he retired I brought him back to PEI and bred him to four mares. All were pronounced in foal early but for some reason Lucky Hare was the only one to produce a foal.

Now I need a name for this future North American Champion. I have a few choices such as Huch or I Gotcha or Im Gonna Getcha. I'm sure you can come up with something better.

The pedigree is attached

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The Elitlopp

Next Sunday will see The Elitlopp contested in Sweden. Labelled by Dean Hoffman as one of the top four racing "spectacles" in the Northern hemisphere, alongside the Prix D'Ete, the Little Brown Jug and our own Gold Cup And Saucer on PEI, the race features some of the best trotters in Europe and usually one or more from North America. This year there are three entries invited from each of Germany, France, Italy and North America competing against four from Sweden.

I had an email from someone in Sweden who wanted to know why the European horses were not as good as the North American ones - was it due to what he called second class stallions ? I replied that it has as much to do with how the bloodlines were matched as with the quality of the bloodlines. In Europe there is a tendency to outcross to the point of having as few common individuals across the pedigree either paternally or maternally. Historically this has produced some spectacular horses but the percentage of top performers to mares bred is actually quite low. This lack of consistency contrasts with success rates in North America which reflect a higher degree of inbreeding, particularily on the maternal side.

The Elitlopp entries this year, as is usually the case, are a mixed bag with repect to pedigree. Some are strongly influenced by current North American bloodlines, while others, primarily from Sweden and Germany, show maternal families that have developed regionally, albeit from primarily North American ancestors early in the nineteenth century.

Here are the entries in the two eliminations.

Elimination #1

Nu Pagadi (Germany) by the French sire Love You, a son of Coktail Jet. He is inbred to Speedy Crown maternally since his dam is by a son of Speedy Crown. His second dam is German , third dam is Dutch, and the rest of the maternal line is North American.

Copper Beech (Germany) is by Como, a son of the top German sire Diamond Way. His dam is by the Danish sire Dirigenten, second dam by a son of Stars Pride, third dam is German bred, fourth dam is Austrian, There is no Speedy Crown maternally.

Quarcio Du Chene (France) is by Capriccio, a son of the great Italian bred Sharif di Iesolo, has a Speedy Crown line dam through Workaholic, and his maternal line is entirely French.

Lavec Kronos (Italy) also mixes French and North American bloodlines except this time the dam is French bred while the second dam is by Speedy Crown and the rest of the maternal line purely North American. He is inbred maternally to Speedy Crown 3x3.

Ilaria Jet (Italy) is a typical North American style pedigree being by Pine Chip from a Speedy Crown line dam. One of three mares in the race she is inbred to Speedy Somolli 3x3 and her dam is a double to Margaret Parrish.

Nimrod Borealis (France) is by the French sire Arnaqueur and from an entirely French bred mare except for her maternal family of Lancastre, a mare by the Morgan sire Franck Allyson, imported into France in the 1870's. Nimrod Borealis has no Speedy Crown anywhere in his pedigree.

Lucky Jim (North America) is by S Js Photo from a dam who is double to Margaret Parrish and has a Speedy Crown second dam.

Triton Sund (Sweden) is by that country's top sire, Viking Kronos, a son of American Winner. This entry also has no Speedy Crown maternally on the dam side.

Elimination #2

Torvald Palema (Sweden) is by Alf Palema, historically one of the top sires in Sweden,. He is one of only two line breds in the event since he is bred 4x4 to Speedy Scot. He is also inbred maternally to the same sire 4x4 as well as to Stars Pride 4x4. Again there is no Speedy Crown maternally.

Enough Talk (North America) is by Enjoy Lavec, and like Lavec Kronos is inbred maternally to Speedy Crown.

Oyonnax (France) was the longshot winner of this year's Prix d'Amerique. His sire is a son of Coktail Jet and Oyonnax maternal line shows no Speedy Crown but features a third dam by the great broodmare sire Florestan and a maternal family that starts with the North American import Lady Pierce, a daughter of American Clay.

Beanie M M (Sweden) is by another of Swedens past top sires in Super Arnie and from a mare by Tibur, an exceptional broodmare sire born in France. Again there is no Speedy Crown maternally.

Define The World (North America) is the lone Canadian entry but one of the likely favorites. By Duke Of York, a son of Balanced Image, he is inbred maternally to Speedy Crown and is from the maternal line of Margaret Parrish.

Lisa America (Italy) is a mare I know well since she is owned by Lou Guida and I had a hand in selecting the sire for the dam Zagabria Dei that produced this exceptional mare. Varenne was the choice based on the 3x3 maternal inbreeding to Speedy Crown and the double to Margaret Parrish both across the pedigree and in Zagabria Dei. We were hoping for a filly and luck was on Lou's side particularily since it was my feeling that Varenne would be a much better sire of fillies. Another feature of the match that former Pedigree Campers will notice is the "flavour of the day" cross to Speedy Somolli from a son to a daughter as was the case for Zagabria Dei as well.

Brioni (Germany) is by yet another son of Coktail Jet in Timberland. Like Torvald Palema the match is double inbred to Speedy Scot and Stars Pride maternally and in this case there is no Speedy Crown anywhere in the pedigree.

Iceland (Sweden) is by the Hambletonian winner Scarlet Night, a son of Pine Chip. Speedy Crown is doubled maternally 3x3 in this match.

So there are the entries. Trying to pick a winner from such a mixed group based on pedigree is probably a bit foolish since they are all well qualified as racehorses and as Marg Neale used to say " Once they are on the race track the pedigree does not matter". However, being a fan of Speedy Crown in maternal lines I am going to predict that most of the finalists and perhaps all of them will come from horses showing Speedy Crown. So here are my predictions.

1. Define The World

2. Lisa America

3. Lucky Jim

4. Ilaria Jet

5. Lavec Kronos

6. Iceland

7. Enough Talk

8. Quarcio du Chene

9. Nu Pagadi

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Molson Pace

The Molson Pace raced in London at the Western Fair half miler has drawn an impressive list of 22 entries. A quick look at the pedigrees shows that 19 of the entries are outcrossed on sire line. There are three line bred Most Happy Fella entries including Bay Of Sharks, 3x4 to MHF by Cams Card Shark. He does, however, have the requisite maternal line for successful horses by sons of Cam Fella with a second dam by Meadow Skipper and third dam by Bret Hanover. Won The West is another MHF linebred, this time 4x4 but he also has a correct maternal double to both Albatross and Good Time to offset, correct enough to make him the richest earner in the field.

Foiled Again, the winner of the Levy is the likely favorite since he has dominated over half mile ovals. He races in a division that includes Hypnotic Blue Chip, a classic Scenario 3 match to a son of Artsplace and the likely runner up in that division. Chasin Racin, with a maternal double to Albatross is also a factor in here. Also in this division is Wholly Louy, a son of Camluck whose full brother Legal Litigator races in one of the other divisions.

Legal Litigator is in against Southwind Lynx, a winner of over $1.5 million, the likely favourite as well as the well bred Stonebridge Terror who should be second best in here.

Won The West heads the third division but will be hard pressed to beat Bigtime Ball, a son of Presidential Ball, and a millionaire half brother to Invitro who won over $2 million. Third place will likely go to Blueridge Western, a millionaire winner with a very correct pedigree.

A very nice group of pacers that includes six millionaires and seven others with over $500K made. No doubt the cream will rise to the top as usual and the final, based on pedigree, should have Foiled Again, Bigtime Ball, Won The West, Southwind Lynx, Blueridge Western, Stonebridge Terror, Hypnotic Blue Chip and Chasin Racin in the mix. Longshot with a chance is the outmatched Primary Purpose.

Take your pick.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Berrys Creek at The Meadowlands

The Berrys Creek at The Meadowlands is the first big three year old stake in North America each year and usually features some of the top candidates for year end honours. This year's edition, however, sees several colts that were minor players last year among the contenders.

Favorite Rock N Roll Heaven was beaten in his elimination by lightly raced Kyle Major. In addition to these two, both with the kind of pedigrees I like, there are four others to watch out for, based on pedigree, including Fred And Ginger, the full brother to millionaire filly Ginger And Fred, two Peter Pan products Europan Union and Pang Shui, both by No Pan Intended from Matts Scooter mares, and Foreign Officer by Western Ideal from a mare by Artsplace.

Take a look at their pedigrees and see if you can find the winner.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Pedigree Camp

We still have room for you at Pedigree Camp. Im pleased to announce that Paul Spears from Hanover will be back - for his fifth year in a row. We also have Bob Ladouceur of St Lads Farm returning - he was at our first Camp. Among the newbies are the ladies behind Highland Farms in Ontario, and a stockbroker from Alberta, Dr Doug Hutchins is bringing along his partner in owning horses, a veterinarian from New York and there are several other returnees including Betsey Kelley making her third trip from Maine where she has had a successful year with her stallion Musclini.

This will be the last Pedigree Camp on PEI since we seem to have gone through all of our principal local breeders at least once and the PEI Colt Stakes will cease their sponsorship accordingly this year. If you can't make it to Camp this year you can always ask your area breeders organization to consider putting a weekend on locally. Have Camp - Will Travel will be the future M O.

Applications for Pedigree Camp can be found on our website at www.pedigreematching.com

For those of you currently registered, while the formalities don't start till Friday evening, Dr Doug and I will be playing golf at Eagles Glenn on Friday morning. If anyone wants to join us let me know. Perhaps we can have a little two-person Texas scramble competition to whet our appetites for the lobster dinner.