Andrew Caulfield, March 20, 2007–Curlin P EDIGREE INSIGHTS So how come Smart Strike's fee for 2003--set when his oldest runners were nearing the end of their BY ANDREW CAULFIELD four-year-old season--was only $20,000? This represented a $10,000 reduction from the fee he had REBEL S.-GIII, $300,000, OPX, 3-17, 3yo, 1 1/16m, commanded in his six previous years at stud. 1:44 3/5, ft. The explanation for this apparent contradiction is that 1--#@CURLIN, 117, c, 3, by Smart Strike Smart Strike's success had been more of a slow burn 1st Dam: Sherriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister than an instant explosion. Of those 10 first-crop stakes 2nd Dam: Barbarika, by Bates Motel winners, two had gained their first stakes success at 3rd Dam: War Exchange, by Wise Exchange two and another three had done so as sophomores. The ($57,000 yrl '05 KEESEP). O-Stonestreet Stables, other four, which included Tenpins, a Grade II winner in Padua Stables, George Bolton & Midnight Cry 2002, and Fleetstreet Dancer, winner of the G1 Japan Stables; B-Fares Farm Inc (KY); T-S M Asmussen; Cup Dirt in 2003, took longer to reach their prime. At J-Robby Albarado; $180,000. Lifetime Record: the same time, these last four demonstrated Smart 2-2-0-0, $202,800. Strike's ability to sire durable, hard-knocking horses Click for the brisnet.com chart or the free brisnet.com with the ability to build up sizeable earnings. catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Smart Strike himself had taken time to fulfil the Made. potential of his excellent bloodlines. Unraced at two, he didn't tackle stakes company in four starts at three, Take a look at Smart Strike's statistics and you can winning a maiden and two allowances. A torn tendon hardly fail to notice that this Lane's End resident made kept him out of action for a long time, but he returned a seemingly sensational start with his first runners, at four to earn an International Classification rating of born in 1998. From only 56 named foals, he came up 119. He again won three of his four starts, his main with 10 stakes winners, which represented a strike rate success coming in the GI Philip H. Iselin H. over 8.5 of nearly 18 percent. Even his phenomenal sire Mr. furlongs. Prospector would have been proud to achieve such Caulfield cont. excellent figures. www.coolmore.com Smart Strike's larger second crop, numbering 70 T.V. Countess in turn produced Countess Diana, named foals, also took some time to hit full stride. This winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and an no doubt contributed to the fact that his 2002 yearlings Eclipse Award, while Tangled Up In Blue became the averaged less than $57,000, with his median of dam of Exogenous, who completed a Grade I double in $30,000 prompting the reduction in fee for 2003. the Beldame S. and Gazelle H. before suffering such an The drop in fee had the desired effect, with Smart unfortunate accident on Breeders' Cup day. Strike's book rising from 80 mares in 2002 to 119 War Exchange won the Conniver H. for mares in 2003. By the end of 2003 Smart Strike had Maryland-breds, over 1 1/16 miles. It was her mating risen to seventh place on the domestic sires list, with with Bates Motel, 1983's champion handicap horse, 10 stakes winners in the USA or Canada, and it is fair which resulted in Curlin's second dam Barbarika, a to say that he has never looked back. winner at Grade II and Grade III levels over 1 1/16 His fee and his popularity have generally continued to miles. As a winner of the Santa Anita H., Bates Motel climb. His book rose to 134 mares in 2004, when his was suited by 13 miles, which should help Curlin as fee was $25,000, then to 147 mares at a fee of the distances lengthen. $35,000 in 2005. A further rise to $50,000 in 2006 Barbarika was initially given every chance as a put the brakes on only slightly, with 133 mares visiting broodmare, visiting such stallions as Deputy Minister Smart Strike last year, and you can be sure that he is (twice), Storm Cat, Silver Hawk and Woodman, but just as busy at the moment, when his fee is $75,000. bred nothing of note (and was sold, rather regrettably, In other words, we are talking about a stallion who, for as little as $3,000 at the advanced age of 21 at the despite being 15 years old, almost certainly has his best start of 2006). years ahead of him--and he has already given us Curlin's dam Sheriff's Deputy didn't race and is a performers of the calibre of English Channel, Shadow daughter of a disappointing producer. However, she is Cast and Soaring Free. With 35 percent of his progeny also a daughter of a champion sire of broodmares in earnings to the end of last year having come on turf, Deputy Minister, and this appears to be more relevant Smart Strike also holds plenty of appeal to Europeans, than Barbarika's failings. especially as he has enjoyed group success with Deputy Minister mares have produced graded winners Saranac Lake in Ireland and Tungsten Strike in Britain, to several sons and grandsons of Mr. Prospector, from a limited number of runners. including the Grade I winners Jazil and Bob and John to The foals from his 2003 coverings at $20,000 are Seeking The Gold. Smart Strike seems well suited by now three-year-olds. The lower fee certainly isn't being them, siring Curlins, the Grade II winner Tenpins, the reflected in their achievements, either in the sales ring stakes-winning Deputy Strike and Super Freaky from or on the track. Fifty-one of them averaged $92,335 as his first 17 foals out of Deputy Minister mare. yearlings and Smart Strike notched up 20 winners from Smart Strike also sired the Canadian champion Eye of 37 juvenile runners in 2006. Among them were Bel Air the Sphynx from a mare by Deputy Minister's sire, Vice Beauty (GII Alcibiades S., with a 117 rating on the Regent, plus some good winners out of mares by Regal Experimental Free Handicap), Featherbed (a narrow Classic, another son of Vice Regent. second in the GI Matron S., 114 Experimental), Strike a As he's a half-brother to the outstanding Danzig filly Deal (Laurel Futurity on turf, 112 Experimental), Super Dance Smartly, it is hardly surprising that Smart Strike Freaky (109 Experimental) and Twilight Meteor has also been doing well with daughters and (Woodford Reserve Bourbon S., 108 Experimental). grand-daughters of Danzig, siring the likes of Soaring They also included Suzy Smart (Donna Freyer S.), Free, High Strike Zone, Shadow Cast and Bel Air Hope'n'charity (a listed winner at Newmarket) and Beauty. Smart Instinct (stakes placed after winning his first two No doubt there will be plenty more Smart Strike starts in England). winners of a similar calibre emerging over the next few Needless to say, this crop has been keeping up the years. good work in the early months of 2007. Super Freaky became a stakes winner in the La Habra S. on turf, while Twilight Meteor--a Polytrack stakes winner at two--has won the Hallandale Beach S. on turf. But it has been the dirt exploits of Curlin which have really caught the eye. He went some way towards justifying his recent sale price of $3.5 million with a decisive victory in the GIII Rebel S. Although this unbeaten colt had cost only $57,000 from Book 4 at the September Sales, he is a well-connected colt. His third dam, War Exchange, was responsible for the graded winners Barbarika and Lucky Lady Lauren, plus the influential producer Count On Kathy. The stakes-placed Count On Kathy had only three daughters--T. V. Countess, Count On Change and Tangled Up In Blue--but all three did well. CURLIN, c, 2004 Native Dancer Raise a Native Raise You Mr. Prospector Nashua Gold Digger Sequence Smart Strike Cyane Smarten Smartaire Classy ‘n Smart Nodouble No Class Classy Quillo Northern Dancer Vice Regent Victoria Regina Deputy Minister Bunty’s Flight Mint Copy Sherriff’s Deputy Shakney Unraced Sir Ivor 5Fls, 3Wnrs, 1GSW Barbarika Bates Motel MGSW, 16-7-2-3 Sunday Purchase ,$347,253 War Exchange Wise Exchange 11Fls, 4Winrs 11Fls, 2GSW Jungle War.