Temptation...it is a terrible thing.

At work about a week ago, we got in a thoroughbred stallion that is standing for 2006 at the Milne’s (Sterlingbrook Farm). His name is Regal Sanction, throughout his career he won almost $500k. He’s got really nice lines, and his stud fee is cheap $1,500 LFG. A nice bonus, all of his stud earnings are going to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, where I ended up getting my horse.

Then there’s my mare, Mintano who has awesome lines, her father was a millionare, and her mother is one of the best producing broodmares in Japan. The Milne’s want another racehorse terribly, and breeding my mare to Regal would give me a 40% share in another horse, but I wouldn’t have to pay for anything, the Milne’s are willing to pay expenses they want another racehorse so much. I’m terribly tempted, but at the same time I don’t want to breed my mare quite yet, I’d rather wait until she’s older.

Though I could get the Milne’s over to the CANTER website and have them find a mare to breed to Regal…so many options. :roll:

I would really love to have a foal out of Regal though, he’s such a neat horse. He is so much like my mare it is scary…I’m terribly tempted.[/url]

How old is your mare?

How old is your mare? What is she used for currently. The thing that would worry me is that if you agree to this breeding what happens if something goes wrong. Are these people good friends of yours that you would breed your mare for them to have a baby. I would think that there is just risk to think about when breeding and do you want to take that risk on your mare for someone else. Does that make sense?

I understand the desire to have many many horsey babies…lol… I’m on the search myself…
I’ll give you an objective answer… I really like your mare, and she is bred pretty well; however, in terms of pedigree, I don’t think these two horses match the best based on one horse: Northern Dancer. If it was another stallion, I might have another opinion. I support line-breeding as much as any other pedigree analyst, but ND is where I draw the line. I think the reason that American thoroughbreds haven’t been getting better and better, and the Europeans are consistently outclassing us is because of our obsession with stallions and ignorance of mares, Northern Dancer, Dirt and our unwillingness to breed much else except that which sells in the auction ring. ( 3 of those topics I’ll publish a book on later instead of boring you here… :stuck_out_tongue:)
Here’s what I see… Your mare is already line-bred to Northern Dancer, as well as horses related to him (besides their occurances in his pedigree): Nearctic, his sire, Nearco, his grand-sire and Native Dancer, his BMS… And so is Regal Sanction… So, the foal would be line-bred to Northern Dancer. He’d appear 3 times in the 4th generation, and do you have any idea how many times Native Dancer would appear in the foals pedigree? Minimum of six times… Yes, there is a nick that suggests that a Northern Dancer/ Native Dancer cross can add speed and stamina, but personally, I think your mare and the stallion are already line bred that way. The costs will more than likely outweigh the benefits. Take Charge Lady is the way many pedigree people think that nick should look, Northern Dancer through Vice Regent and Native Dancer through Mr. Prospector. (however, I think the Secretariat influence in the sire line [i.e. Storm Cat, A.P. Indy & Gone West to name a few…:-D], and the Rubiano/Blushing Groom cross is really what made that mare so successful!)

For breeding your mare for TB racing, I would suggest an outcross away from Northern Dancer, but add stamina or endurance (Rubiano was a sprint champion). Stallions by Blushing Groom or even Seattle Slew would probably be the best, since your mare is by Rubiano. There are several successful sprinters bred Rubiano/Blushing Groom. Wild Risk and Fappiano seem to work well together when the Fappiano/In Reality cross is already present or diluted. The argentine stallion, Forli, would be another interesting family to contemplate as would lines including the stallion Halo. ( The stallion Rahy is actually a perfect example who also crosses well with Northern Dancer influenced families, but his fee $80k)

If you do decide against this novel of better judgement that you want the Northern Dancer X, here’s a better idea than Regal Sanction. If you’re in New Jersey I would take advantage of Defrere. He’s a full brother to Dehere, leading NJ sire for 3 years, and is $75k less than Rahy…:slight_smile: ) He also seems to produce decent earners out of sprint sired mares…
It’s kinda like New Yorker’s and Freud… He’s a full brother to leading juvenile sire Giant’s Causeway, and he’s in New York State!
So! There is some food for thought… I’m pedigree crazy, and outspoken… but hopefully you still all love me… Also, in TBs I feel like cheap stud fees is something to be very wary of… If you want an awesome horse for $1500, find a warmblood stallion. The foal will also have a much higher value when it’s born, since foals from sires w/ low fees (at best) triple the fee.
-Kerry
P.S. SO jealous that you Aussies have access to Dehere…:stuck_out_tongue:

Haha! You really, really, really know your stuff Kerry! :smiley:

And yes, it will be interesting to see how well Dehere goes in Aussie. He already won Leading Australian Active Sire 2002/2003, Australian Champion 2YO Sire 1999/2000 and NZ Champion 2YO Sire 2001/2002. He’s had some nice horses in Belle De Jour and Defier. I’d actually like to see some more Montjeu horses down here… I really want to start buying some TBs to breed… It would be fun! But I can barely handle life as it is at the moment ie. studies! :lol:

oh… so drooling over Montjeu… his son, Motivator was a genius cross, and Hurricane Run is full of European class… Thus far he has the makings to be a superb stallion; he seems to cross well with a variety of lines… although it’s interesting how many successes he’s had w/ Shirley Heights mares… I’d love to see more bms of that stallion in america too… sigh…
I totally hear you on buyiing some mares and breeding… if only!