Pedigree Insights
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Andrew Caulfield, January 10, 2006–The Superlative Danzig P EDIGREE INSIGHTS While it could be argued that Nijinsky was better in some regards, or that Nureyev might have proved BY ANDREW CAULFIELD superior had he not been compromised by his less-than- perfect fertility, the bottom line is that Danzig was a THE SUPERLATIVE DANZIG sensational stallion. He was the only one since Bold Nothing, sadly, last's forever--not even the long-lived Ruler to achieve three sires' championships in the ultra- members of the remarkably tough Northern Dancer competitive North America industry, his championships male line. Danzig's death last coming in 1991, '92 and '93. And his figure of around week at the age of 29 means 10 percent graded winners to foals is unlikely to be that this magnificent stallion matched in today's industry of super-sized stallion reached the same age as his books. prodigious sire, who also Perhaps the best way to assess Danzig is to look at gave us Be My Guest (30), the legacy he has left. It probably sounds strange to Lyphard (36), Nijinsky (25), say it, but I suspect that many breeders in his home Nureyev (24), Storm Bird country don't fully appreciate how big an impact this (26) and Vice Regent (28). phenomenal stallion has made on the modern Danzig That still leaves us with two Thoroughbred. Dig a little deeply into the information included in www.claibornefarm.com 26-year-olds, Dixieland Band and Night Shift, and the Weatherbys' Return of Mares for 2005 and you'll find 25-year-olds Sadler's Wells and El Gran Senor, though that Danzig is currently the most influential stallion in the latter is retired. Britain and Ireland. In a breeding season which So how does Danzig rate amongst this stellar evidently produced a total of 8,179 foals intended collection? The fact that he sired the winners of over purely for flat racing, roughly 3,000 mares were mated $100,000,000 speaks for itself, as does his Average to stallions from the Danzig male line. Nearly 1,000 Earnings Index of 4.16, which is higher than that of any mares visited sons of Danzig, with grandsons coping stallion currently active in the U.S.A. with another 1,650 and great-grandsons with 360. Caulfield cont. Add in the large number of mares with Danzig's name Yet who could have predicted such a glorious career somewhere in their pedigree and you will begin to for horse who raced only three times, without reaching understand how much his blood permeates the British stakes level? I think it's no exaggeration to say that the and Irish industries. No doubt a similar claim could be structure of today's industry virtually rules out the made about the Australian and New Zealand industries, chance of history repeating itself. following the enormous success of Danehill and his Danzig's versatility as a sire is underlined by the sons. presence of nearly 70 different stallions among the I wish I could say that Danzig's male line is broodmare sires of his hundred-plus graded stakes flourishing to a similar extent in North America. There winners. That total of graded winners hasn't risen isn't a son of Danzig among the 18 stallions which much in recent seasons and even a stallion as brilliant command six-figure fees in Kentucky, but Danzig's as Danzig can fall foul of the downward trends which many admirers will be quick to point out that two of affect so many elderly stallions. the top 12--Distorted Humor and Fusaichi Pegasus--are But who could forget his achievements when he was out of daughters of Danzig. His highest-priced son, the at his peak? Although he never had more than 59 $60,000 War Chant, has made an encouraging start named foals in a single crop, he sired as many as 12 and could still develop into a worthy successor to his graded/group winners in one crop and 11 in another. sire. It's going to be interesting to see what he comes up Perhaps Danzig suffers in his homeland from being with in his last two crops, consisting of 30 perceived primarily as an influence for excellence on two-year-olds conceived when he was 26 and 18 turf (with this theory being fueled by his sons' three yearlings sired when he was 27. The omens are good, successes in the Breeders' Cup Mile). But no turf judging by the records of two of Claiborne's other specialist could sire as many Grade I winners on dirt as all-time greats. Nijinsky sired the Derby and Arc winner Danzig did. His resume includes winners of the Lammtarra in his penultimate crop at the age of 24, Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Preakness S., Belmont S., while Mr. Prospector was 26 when he finally sired a Breeders' Cup Distaff, Travers S., Kentucky Oaks, Kentucky Derby winner, Fusaichi Pegasus. Alabama S., Acorn S. and many more Grade I dirt events. While he never sired a winner of the Kentucky DANZIG, h, 1977 - 2006 Derby (his first-crop sons Stephan's Odyssey and Pharos (GB) Nearco (Ity) Chief's Crown were second and third in 1985), his son Nogara (Ity) Nearctic Polish Navy did. Hyperion (GB) *Lady Angela Danzig's retirement in 2004 came little more than a Sister Sarah (GB) Northern Dancer month after Epsom had staged the Oaks and the Derby. Polynesian Native Dancer The Oaks produced a runaway victory for Ouija Board, Geisha Natalma a filly from the excellent first crop by Danzig's grandson *Mahmoud Almahmoud Cape Cross. Arbitrator Then another grandson, North Light, won the Derby Fighting Fox Crafty Admiral to follow Erhaab and Sinndar as the third member of Admiral's Lady Admiral's Voyage the Danzig male line to win Britain's premier Classic in Pas De Nom Olympia Olympia Lou the space of 11 years. MSW & GSP, Louisiana Lou 42-9-8-10, Although Ouija Board and North Light didn't lack Fair Trial (GB) $121,741 *Petitioner Petition (GB) stamina, it has been Danzig's 11Fls, 4wnrs 10-1-2-0, $4,200 Art Paper (GB) ability to sire top-class sprinters 11Fls, 1SW Steady Aim (GB) Felstead (GB) and milers which has endeared 1SP 14Fls, 2SW Quick Arrow (Fr) him to European breeders. He sired no fewer than six winners of the July Cup--Green Desert, Polish Patriot, Hamas, Anabaa, Elnadim and Agnes World--and his stallion sons have supplied Danehill another three winners. Three of www.coolmore.com Danzig's sons--Green Desert, Danehill and Dayjur--took the Haydock Sprint Cup, which has also fallen to four of his grandsons. Another Group 1 event which highlighted Danzig's ability to pass on speed was the Prix de l'Abbaye, with three winners. Danehill and Green Desert have proved to be Danzig's most influential sons in Britain and Ireland and they look likely to extend his influence still further, as their sons and grandsons covered more than 2,000 mares last year. .