Pedigree Insights
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Andrew Caulfield, September 4, 2007–Raven’s Pass P EDIGREE INSIGHTS BY ANDREW CAULFIELD SOLARIO S.-G3, ,37,000, Sandown, 9-1, 2yo, 7f 16ydsT, 1:26.56 (NSR), gd/fm. 1--@RAVEN=S PASS, 126, c, 2, by Elusive Quality 1st Dam: Ascutney (GSW-US, $188,129), by Lord at War (Arg) 2nd Dam: Right Word, by Verbatim 3rd Dam: Oratorio, by Fleet Nasrullah O/B-Stonerside Stable; T-John Gosden; J-Jimmy Fortune; ,21,008. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ,37,385. *1/2 to Gigawatt (Wild Again), GSW-US, $509,908. Click for the Racing Post chart or the brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. According to the latest Thoroughbred Times Stallion Directory, at least 58 stallion sons of Gone West are plying their trade worldwide. Of this sizeable collection, the two highest-priced in 2007--and therefore arguably the most important to the American industry--were Elusive Quality at $100,000 and Mr. Greeley at $75,000 (although the connections of the unproven Speightstown and Johar might want to disagree with that statement, as might those of the distinctly promising Proud Citizen). Of course, Elusive Quality and Mr. Greeley originally made their name at much lower fees, neither of them having won anything more prestigious than Grade III events during their careers as sprinter-milers. Elusive Quality spend his first four seasons at only $10,000 before a strong showing from his first juveniles in 2002 created considerable demand for his 2003 services at $30,000. The exploits of such as Omega Code, Great Notion, Gimmeawink and Chimichurri helped raise Elusive Quality's fee to $50,000 for 2004--with this fee being set before a second-crop two-year-old called Smarty Jones gained his first stakes success. Interest reached fever pitch during the 2004 covering season when Smarty Jones was establishing himself as the champion colt of his generation, and Elusive Quality's fee consequently rose to $100,000 in 2005. RAVEN’S PASS, c, 2005 Raise a Native Mr. Prospector Gold Digger Gone West Secretariat Secrettame Tamerett Elusive Quality Northern Dancer Hero’s Honor Touch of Glowing Tribute Greatness Sir Ivor Ivory Wand Natashka Brigadier Gerard General (Fr) Mercuriale (Fr) Lord At War (Arg) Con Brio (GB) Luna de Miel (Arg) Ascutney Good Will (Arg) GSW, $188,184 Speak John 7Fls, 2GSW Right Word Verbatim 6-0-1-0 Well Kept 13Fls, 1GSW, Oratorio Fleet Nasrullah 2SW 6Fls, 2SW Classicist Mr. Greeley also started out at $10,000 during his I must admit to being disappointed so far with Elusive days at Dixiana Farm. Each of his four seasons spent at Quality's 2004 crop. Not only was it comfortably his that fee yielded at least one Grade I winner--El Corredor biggest crop up to that stage, at 108 foals, but it also in his first, Celtic Melody and Reel Buddy in his second, represents his first step up the price ladder, to $30,000 Nonsuch Bay in his third and Whywhywhy in his fourth-- in 2003. Although it has produced a handful of minor to set his fee rising, but it wasn't until 2003 that his stakes winners and Listed winners, only one of the 108 fee reached $50,000. has so far managed to reach the first three in a group It's natural to expect a steep rise in fee to translate or graded contest. We are still also waiting for the first into a similarly steep rise in the stallion's achievements, graded winner from Elusive Quality's 82-strong 2003 but this doesn't always follow. This can happen crop, despite the consistent efforts of such as G City because a rise in fee inevitably affects the type of mare Gal and Smart N Pretty, but this crop was sired at only sent to a stallion--perhaps switching the emphasis from $10,000. Perhaps some of Elusive Quality's three-year- hard-knocking mares below graded level to less tough olds will make their mark at a later stage, just as his types with classier bloodlines. The emphasis can also six-year-old daughter Maryfield has done this year with switch from speed to a more Classic type. Another her victories in the GII Distaff Breeders' Cup H. and possible factor is that rising nomination fees and GI Ballerina S. escalating prices in the sales ring can put the stallion Although I am disappointed with Elusive Quality's and his progeny beyond the reach the very people who 2004 crop, I appreciate that the pre-Smarty Jones helped make the stallion's name. Elusive Quality was a very different commodity to the It is worth mentioning that Elusive Quality finished post-Smarty Jones stallion. Whereas breeders had third on the international first-crop sires' list of 2002, largely pigeon-holed the son of Gone West as a sire of which was headed by Grand Slam, another son of Gone sprinter-milers, Smarty Jones's victories in the West. Grand Slam's fee rose from $25,000 in 2002 to Kentucky Derby and Preakness opened up a whole new $30,000 in 2003 and then to $75,000 in 2004 before range of possibilities. peaking at $85,000 in 2005. But his fee was on the It is therefore fair to think that Elusive Quality's first slide before his higher-priced $100,000 crop will prove an entirely different crops had had a chance to prove proposition. There are 19 youngsters from this crop in themselves, and he was down to $35,000 this year. Book 1 of next week's September Sale (plus another 19 The question with Grand Slam in Book 2) and among them are sons or daughters of is whether his current the champion fillies Xtra Heat, Countess Diana, Farda two-year-olds, the product of his Amiga and Queen's Logic. $75,000 season, will do well Coincidentally, the 19 in Book 1 also include a colt enough to set his fee climbing from the same Morning Has Broken family as Mr. once again. Judging by his very Greeley's rising star Saoirse Abu. The colt, hip no. talented English filly Laureldean 2005, is bred along very similar lines to Saoirse Abu. Both are by sons of Gone West, and the Elusive Quality Raven’s Pass as a Gale, a recent acquisition by Godolphin, they might just do it. colt's dam Subtle Breeze is by Storm Cat out of a Yearling stonerside.com Elusive Quality's current daughter of Morning Has Broken, whereas Saoirse juveniles (119 of them) were sired Abu's dam Out Too Late is by a son of Storm Cat out at $50,000, and so were Mr. Greeley's. It was of Morning Has Broken. therefore good to see each of them represented by a Incidentally, Out Too Late, a daughter of GIII winner possible champion over the weekend in Europe. Mr. Future Storm, was foaled when Morning Has Broken Greeley's tough daughter Saoirse Abu followed up her was 23 years old. The incentive to continue breeding Phoenix S. success with another Group 1 victory in the from Morning Has Broken was to produce close Moyglare Stud S. The filly's victories mean that Mr. relatives to her remarkable granddaughter Balanchine. Greeley now has the admirable record of having sired This daughter of Storm Bird won classics in Britain and seven Grade I winners from his first nine crops (plus Ireland and went close to winning a third. Although another from his single Australian crop). Balanchine has yet to prove as effective as a Elusive Quality's potential champion is his unbeaten broodmare, her very talented three-parts-sister Red son Raven's Pass, who came home five lengths clear in Slippers is the dam of this year's Prix de Diane winner a Listed race at Ascot in July before stretching seven West Wind. With these Classic-winning relatives, lengths clear in the G3 Solario S. three days ago, when Saoirse Abu could easily follow in the footsteps of he smashed the track record for two-year-olds. This Finsceal Beo, Jim Bolger's other outstanding Mr. exciting Stonerside colorbearer appears to do Greeley filly who went close to a tremendous classic everything easily and it doesn't require too big a stretch treble earlier this year. of the imagination to see him developing into a Group 1 Saoirse Abu's success also raises the question of winner. His dam, the Grade III turf winner Ascutney, whether Balanchine's broodmare career could be turned has already produced the Grade III turf scorer Gigawatt around by her two-year-old--a colt by Gone West bred and her sister Words of War has two very good winners to a similar cross to Speightstown. to her credit in No Matter What (GI Del Mar Oaks) and the talented stallion E Dubai..