In continuing with this year's Breeders' Cup theme, the Juvenile Male winner put on quite the impressive show. Street Sense ran away with the race, but in all fairness, he did have that golden rail trip that proved so effective throughout the day on dirt.
Regardless of a track bias, he was supremely impressive and has a pedigree that could make him a force in the upcoming Classics. By the high-class Street Cry and out of a young Dixieland Band mare from an exceptional female family, 10f is within grasp and the class is there, as is a special pedigree pattern, the Rasmussen Factor.
Street Sense traces back to Champion French sprinter Lianga. She was an exceptionally fast daughter of the much maligned Dancer's Image. Lianga produced well in getting two stakes-placed runners and one French stakes-winner, but her real contribution to the breed was through her daughter Long Legend.
Long Legend was sired by Reviewer who will always be remembered (or blamed) as the sire of the ill-fated Ruffian. Long Legend produced stakes-placed Talltalelady, stakes-winner Majestic Legend, and G3 and important sire Mr. Greeley. Mr. Greeley has been consistent in throwing versatile foals on the track, and his foals bring large sums by both domestic and international buyers.
Long Legend's most productive daughter to date is the aforementioned Majestic Legend. Majestic Legend was produced by the exceptional stallion and turf and stamina influence His Majesty. Majestic Legend produced stakes-winner Binalegend, and a score of hard-knocking types, one of which is Bedazzle, the dam of Street Sense.
Fours wins in 22 starts, Bedazzle earned just under 200k competeing in good company. By Dixieland Band, her value as a broodmare was a birth right. Having Dixieland Band over His Majesty and Reviewer, her pedigree showed great versatility and had what is often a good pattern of speed and stamina exchanged over a few generations.
Bred by James Tafel, Street Sense is a result of his dam Bedazzle being sent to the talented Machivellian son, Street Cry. Street Cry was a top-notch runner bred by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and raced under the colors of Godolphin. Out of the top Group 1 winning mare Helen Street, Street Cry was effective winning from 8f to the American Classics' distance of 10f.
His sire, the late Machiavellian, was one of the best-bred stallions that has ever stood stud. A champion 2-year-old colt in France, he hails from possibly the most important sire producing family in the stud book, that of Almahmoud and her daughter Natalma, his 4th and 3rd dams respectively.
Besides Northern Dancer, Natalma's biggest contribution to the breed is through her fellow bluehen daughter Raise the Standard. Raise the Standard and her daughters are responsible for champions Machiavellian, Orpen, Coup de Genie, Denebola, Bago, and of important runners Bluemamba, Coup de Folie, Glia, Snake Mountain, Loving Kindness, Jules, etc.
As if this family needed any more proof that they're capable of producing a top international stallion, El Moxie proves its prowess at such a task. El Moxie was nothing more than a claimer by Conquistador Cielo out of Raise the Standard. Sent to Australia with a sub-par race record but with the genetics of his female family behind him, El Moxie was able to sire one of the most internationally talked about horses in quite some time, Silent Witness.
Bred in Australia, Silent Witness did most his running in Hong Kong where he was named Hong Kong's Horse of the Year and champion sprinter for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons and also broke the modern day record for most consecutive wins with 17 in a row.
But getting back to Street Sense and tying in the importance of Machiavellian's female family's effect on his pedigree, Street Sense carries the Rasmussen Factor to Natalma 5sx4d through bluehen daughter Raise the Standard and to super-sire son Northern Dancer. The Rasmussen Factor is a term used to describe inbreeding to superior female families through different individuals within the first 5 generations. Its a breeding practice that has been used for 100's of years, but was coined after the late Daily Racing Form Bloodlines columnist Leon Rasmussen and Rommy Faversham.
This inbreeding technique is still considered a theory (but isnt everything in breeding???), but there's been too many great examples of the RF seeming to be responsible in an inordinarily amount of excellent runners and producers when compared to the majority of horses who do not carry it.
To further the class of Street Sense's pedigree and the RF to Natalma, Machiavellian's dam, Coup de Folie, also carries the RF to Almahmoud quite close up supplying a 3sx3d to her through daughters Raise the Standard and Cosmah, the latter being through son Halo.
With all the said, Street Sense's devastating performance secured him on the top of most Derby pundits lists for next year, and rightfully so. The soon to be named Champion 2-year-old, has both the pedigree and class to be a threat well into next year and beyond at the very top levels. Mark another for the Rasmussen Factor and to a lesser extent, the absolute class and brilliance of the Natalma/Almahmoud clan.
ASB
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Dreaming of Anna--
This year's running of the Breeders' Cup was both eventful and deeply saddening. Champions, as usual, were crowned and some faltered. Legends were made, while other's stellar reputations were tarnished.
The main track had a supreme bias that was made clear time and time again. The golden rail was truly invaluable. There were whispers about why it was that way, but who really knows? Not I. Was it the cause to the horrific, fatal break-down of Pine Island, and the almost as sad undoing of favored Fleet Indian? I hope not, but many seem certain.
With all the heartache put aside, we can all agree that there were flashes of unforgettable brilliance and a few names are now etched into our collective memories for good.
The Juvenile Fillies started off the championship day with a bang. This field was full of questions, many pointed squarely at post-time favorite, Dreaming of Anna. The classy Rahy filly had already beat the boys on the turf in Canada and proved she was a threat, but could her turf form transfer over to the dirt? The answer was a resounding YES.
Dreaming of Anna's biggest weapons are her high cruising speed and versatility. Both of those qualities can be partly attributed to her high-class sire, Rahy. Rahy is standing at Three Chimney's Farm for a 2007 stud fee of $60,000 live foal. At 60k, Rahy is an absolute steal for a breeder with a flexible budget. He's a top-notch breed to race stallion at the upper level and can also get you a big price in the ring. His daughters are valued like few others and have proven to be successful when crossed with the ubiquitous Storm Cat.
Noted as a "filly sire", Rahy can also supply major colts with such names as Fantastic Light, Grass World, Noverre, Lewis Michael, and T.D. Vance proving this fact.
A son of Blushing Groom, Rahy was out of the incredible champion and producer Glorious Song. A bluehen by any standard, Glorious Song proved her mettle on both the track and in the shed and her results in both have few contemporaries when it comes to the importance her sons have had in the past 25 years. Besides Rahy, she also produced top European stallion Singspiel to the cover of In the Wings.
Dreaming of Anna's dam, the Broad Brush stakes winner Justenuffheart, is a mare that should garner some attention when it comes time to nominate this year's Broodmare of the Year award. Besides Dreaming of Anna, she also produced fellow Breeders' Cup runner Lewis Michael, by yet another cover to Rahy. A stakes winner at 3, Lewis Michael has been competive in graded competition against good foes, which adds lustre to his young dam's ability as a broodmare.
Out of the Lear Fan mare Kitten's First, Justenuffheart is a half-sister to G2 winner Precious Kitten, and to Champion Turf Male and new stallion Kitten's Joy. This family is having somewhat of a revival and I think a case can be made for both Justenuffheart and especially Kitten's First as possible Broodmare of the Year nominees.
Dreaming of Anna has a pedigree that suggests turf, and the talent to ensure top class on any surface. With her resounding win and an Eclipse Championship Title just around the corner, this soon to be 3 year-old filly has what it takes to still be in the headlines next year, unlike the recent Champion 2 year-old fillies of the recent past.
ASB
The main track had a supreme bias that was made clear time and time again. The golden rail was truly invaluable. There were whispers about why it was that way, but who really knows? Not I. Was it the cause to the horrific, fatal break-down of Pine Island, and the almost as sad undoing of favored Fleet Indian? I hope not, but many seem certain.
With all the heartache put aside, we can all agree that there were flashes of unforgettable brilliance and a few names are now etched into our collective memories for good.
The Juvenile Fillies started off the championship day with a bang. This field was full of questions, many pointed squarely at post-time favorite, Dreaming of Anna. The classy Rahy filly had already beat the boys on the turf in Canada and proved she was a threat, but could her turf form transfer over to the dirt? The answer was a resounding YES.
Dreaming of Anna's biggest weapons are her high cruising speed and versatility. Both of those qualities can be partly attributed to her high-class sire, Rahy. Rahy is standing at Three Chimney's Farm for a 2007 stud fee of $60,000 live foal. At 60k, Rahy is an absolute steal for a breeder with a flexible budget. He's a top-notch breed to race stallion at the upper level and can also get you a big price in the ring. His daughters are valued like few others and have proven to be successful when crossed with the ubiquitous Storm Cat.
Noted as a "filly sire", Rahy can also supply major colts with such names as Fantastic Light, Grass World, Noverre, Lewis Michael, and T.D. Vance proving this fact.
A son of Blushing Groom, Rahy was out of the incredible champion and producer Glorious Song. A bluehen by any standard, Glorious Song proved her mettle on both the track and in the shed and her results in both have few contemporaries when it comes to the importance her sons have had in the past 25 years. Besides Rahy, she also produced top European stallion Singspiel to the cover of In the Wings.
Dreaming of Anna's dam, the Broad Brush stakes winner Justenuffheart, is a mare that should garner some attention when it comes time to nominate this year's Broodmare of the Year award. Besides Dreaming of Anna, she also produced fellow Breeders' Cup runner Lewis Michael, by yet another cover to Rahy. A stakes winner at 3, Lewis Michael has been competive in graded competition against good foes, which adds lustre to his young dam's ability as a broodmare.
Out of the Lear Fan mare Kitten's First, Justenuffheart is a half-sister to G2 winner Precious Kitten, and to Champion Turf Male and new stallion Kitten's Joy. This family is having somewhat of a revival and I think a case can be made for both Justenuffheart and especially Kitten's First as possible Broodmare of the Year nominees.
Dreaming of Anna has a pedigree that suggests turf, and the talent to ensure top class on any surface. With her resounding win and an Eclipse Championship Title just around the corner, this soon to be 3 year-old filly has what it takes to still be in the headlines next year, unlike the recent Champion 2 year-old fillies of the recent past.
ASB
Welcome!
First off, i'd like to welcome and thank everyone that has taken the time to visit this blog. This site is focused on pedigrees-- theories, results, breeding advice-- of thoroughbred race horses. I look forward to expressing my feelings on certain runners as well as "discovering" new runners in US racing that hold fascinating pedigrees.
All in all, I hope everyone can find this site both entertaining and informative, and I look forward to hearing opinions on the same topics I discuss here.
ASB
All in all, I hope everyone can find this site both entertaining and informative, and I look forward to hearing opinions on the same topics I discuss here.
ASB
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