Help!

I need help for choosing a stallion that will cross well (hopefully) with my new broodmare Nightshade (http://www.finalfurlong.org/viewhorse.php?horse=2843) She recently retired after she injured herself racing in December, so now she is looking for a good boy toy :slight_smile:

NCh. Nightshade has proven herself on the track to an amazing extent! She is by GCh. Worth My While out of Fleur de Lis. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!!!

Thank you!
Remedy @ Remedy Ranch

She’s a very nice mare. I don’t know a lot, but a Worth/Rogue crosses seem to work out really well most of the time.

Some studs I would consider breeding to:

FFCh. High Chances (Highland Laird x Second Chances)

ICh Alley Cat (Alydar x Highland Dreamer)

Gimme a Shot (G) (Take a Shot x Gimme a Chance) <–2nd-highest ranked active stud on the game.

But I’m no expert. Those are studs I like that I think would compliment your mare.

Best of Luck!

WCh. Nightfight- Would make a very nice turf baby

FFCh. High Chances

A.P. Indy- always a favorite of mine–proven stud too

WCh. Strider- would again make a nice turf baby.

WCh. All Jazzed Up

WCh. Gotta Go

ICh. Devil His Due

It depends what you’re looking for really

It really depends on what you want to breed for. 

I agree that you can’t go wrong with a Worth/Rogue cross.

Just a quick look at all the sons/grandsons of Rogue (through the sire line), as I’ve always wanted to do this.  I’m trying to keep this rather neutral and sticking to the facts.  I apologize to all stallion owners if my personal biases are showing.

As far as potential Rogue-related sires, everyone has their favorite.  Mine happens to be Highland Laird.  I’ve had some luck with his get, and they’re usually good for a steady, consistent paycheck, if they’re not rockstars.  He’s sired FFCh. High Chances,  ICh. Spectacular Lady, ICh. Eternal Lady.  Unfortunately, in recent history his get haven’t been as spectacular.  He does only have 4 ponies who haven’t won, which is pretty good.  But he’s only sired 1 MSW  (Ch. Evenstar, who looks like she’s going to be NICE as a 3yo this year) since 2005.  I’m not sure if it’s just bad luck, or if my favorite boy has lost his touch.  Though, personally, of the 4 I’ve owned, two are stakes-placed, 1 is a stakes winner, and one is FFCh. High Chances.  So, personally, I’ve been lucky with him–hence the bias…

Highland Bandit has produced a lot of MSWs in his early years, including the legendary FFCh. Can’t Catch Me and NCh. Robin Hood (who is also available for stud for $25k), among others.  The mare I had by him, though talented, was inconsistent, which is something that drives me nuts.  Both of these sires will set you back around $50,000 plus shipping.  Given she’s a very nice mare, you might be able to work something out with the stallion owners, provided it’s not Final Furlong.

On the more affordable, albeit less proven side, are the younger sons of Rogue. 

ICh. Highland Magic can date your mare for $20,000.  He is the sire of recent sensation, NCh. Spock.  NCh. Spock is the only son of his to be a MSW thus far.  However, bear in mind he is a young stallion, with his oldest crop being only 5.  If he can consistently produce horses of Spock’s caliber, then $20k is a steal.  However, there’s no way to know if Spock is going to be the norm, or if he’s just an outlier. 

Ch. Turn 'n Burn has a longer production record (dating back to 2007!), which makes it easier to see how he throws.  He seems to produce winners rather consistently (only six of his foals to race are unplaced), but his multi-stakes winners are few (just 3 in 36 racers), and none have achieved more than Champion status, meaning they’ve probably only won two or three stakes.  He is priced accordingly, though, at $10,000. 

GCh. Must Be Magic is also a rather young stud, with a couple crops of runners on the track to sort of measure him by.  He’s got 1 multi-stakes winner and 3 stakes winners from 24 runners on the track.  He does, however, only have 16 winners, meaning about 1/3rd of those who have hit the track have never entered the winner’s circle.  This could be explained by the fact that the foals may mature late (again, young stud, most of his runners will be 4 this year).  He is priced at $15,000.

GCh. High on Love is, I believe, the only son of Highland Pride standing at stud.  His first crop was a bunch of 2yos last year, so there’s no way to tell how they’ll do.  My concern here is that he is line-bred(?) to Highland Rogue (Highland Rogue was both his sire’s and his dam’s sire), so I would make sure that any mares bred to him were in no-way related to Highland Rogue.  On top of which, I’d make sure that the mare I bred to him was very sound, since Shanthi has mentioned that those ponies that are closely line-bred will most likely be more fragile.  He should be one to watch, though.  Stud fee is: $15,000

And finally, the completely unproven sires, fresh off the track within the past couple years.

WCh. Strider is a direct son of Highland Rogue.  He’s got a stellar pedigree, and kicked butt on the track.  He had a great year as a 3 year old, but had the staying power to run and win until he was 6 years old.  He won 13 stakes over the course of 3 years, and seemed to prefer the dirt and anything over a mile.  He was very carefully campaigned, and it really shows, as 8 of the 13 stakes wins were Grade 1s.    He has no foals on the track, but I really do have high hopes for him as a stallion.  He’s priced at $10,000.

FFCh. High Chances* is the son of Highland Laird and a grandson of Highland Rogue.  I’m not sure how well Worth/grandson of Rogue crosses work.  Like Strider, High Chances had three very successful years, but he matured at 4 rather than at 3.  He racked up almost 30 stakes wins (29, second in lifetime stakes wins to FFCh. Can’t Catch Me), and ran until he was 7.  He seemed to win almost equally on either surface.  He was a really good sprinter, and could win reliably up to just over a mile (8.5 furlongs).  His first foals to hit the track will be next year.  Currently he’s priced at $15,000

[color=red]*Disclaimer: I own High Chances.

NCh. Robin Hood, as noted above is the son of Highland Bandit.  He has two yearlings on the ground and bunch of weanlings due this year.  He won 10 stakes wins and seemed to have a little more success on the turf than the dirt, but ran almost equally well on both.  He looks like he was a really all-around sort of guy, with stakes wins in sprints, classic and even one in endurance.  He matured early, at two years of age.  He’d probably be good if you wanted a shot at the futurities and the 3yo only stakes races (e.g. the Derby).  He’s priced at $25,000.

So, I believe I hit all the sons of Rogue currently standing.  Please correct me if I’m wrong.  I hope I haven’t offended anyone. 

Just an FYI… Turn n’Burn does have his Ch. title… :slight_smile:

Thanks, Dawn!  Sorry about that.  =)

O wow!!! Thank you for all the information, I really appreciate your help!!!

That was really helpful Cat, I’m not the best when it comes to working out statistics and possibilities. Seeing things written down so clearly certainly helps me a lot  ;D