Knightmare’s Breeding Corner

After a few weeks off, the Breeding Corner is back with another installment of the freshman sires of 2006. This week we take a look at a couple of sires that are difficult to gauge how good they might be in the sim, Preakness and Belmont winner Afleet Alex and Breeder’s Cup Classic winner Saint Liam. Both are by sires that have had suspect production in the sim so it will be interesting to see just how sim players breed them.    

Afleet Alex is by Northern Afleet. His dam sire is Hawkster and his dam’s dam sire is Hawaii. He was a little old school racing six times as a two year old winning four and just missed in the Champagne and the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile. He continued to run well at three winning the Arkansas Derby before finishing a hard luck third in the Kentucky Derby. He then closed out his career with dominating wins in the Preakness and Belmont. Injury cut his career short but he showed great talent in his short career.  

Afleet Alex has had thirty four runners hit the track already with nine winners. He has even produced a couple of turf runners with pretty good speed figures. Since he did so well as a two year old himself I suspect he will have a good year with his two year olds. Simmers and breeding him to top dam sires so he will have every chance to establish himself as a top sire.  

Afleet Alex had good stamina and nice speed with a dosage index of 2.11. His immediate sires are not big time sires but his pedigree has many big names throughout. Inbreeding to Mr. Prospector 4X4 will probably be an interesting angle that is likely to make his off spring more speedy. Northern Dancer will appear in the fifth generation of his offspring so that could also be a desirable inbreeding.    

The Turn-To line is one of those lines with many branches and several would seem to make good choices as dam sires. Saint Ballado has mixed well with Mr. Prospector and I think makes a good fit as a dam sire for Afleet Alex. Halo, Sunday Silence, and Devil’s Bag would also make good choices.    

The Seattle Slew line would also seem a good match as a dam sire. Bold Ruler and his son Secretariat would make good choices as well, Bold Ruler of course in the dam’s dam sire spot. Ribot line sires would seem to mix well with His Majesty, Pleasant Colony, and Key to the Mint. Blushing Groom would make another interesting choice.  

Afleet Alex (16128) X Saint Ballado (5545) X Storm Cat (6275)

Afleet Alex (16128) X Seattle Slew (5660) X Secretariat (5677)

Afleet Alex (16128) X Pleasant Colony (4824) X Bold Ruler (735)

Afleet Alex has the potential to be a good versatile sire. He will likely produce more runners that prefer a route race on the dirt but there does seem to be some hidden turf ability here. It will be no surprise to see him produce a sprinter or two. The key for him will not be this year but will be his sophomore season. Will simmers forget him a little?   

Saint Liam is by Saint Ballado. His dam sire is Quiet American and his dam’s dam sire is Lyphard. It took a while for Saint Liam to start running his best and because of that he stuck around the track for twenty career races, which for an older dirt runner is on the high side now a days. He started to click as a four year old. Early in the season he lost to Peace Rules by a head in the G2 New Orleans Handicap, He won the G2 Clark and at the end of the year gave Ghostzapper all he could handle losing by only a neck in the G1 Woodward. At five he put it all together winning four G1 races ending his career with a Breeder’s Cup Classic win.  

Saint Liam is off to a quick start with thirteen winners already from thirty three starters. He already has one stakes winner and that one won on turf. He is also being used with top notch sim dam sires. That appears to be paying off. He is mainly being bred back to the Mr. Prospector and Northern Dancer sire lines in the early stages.

Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector will be in the fifth generation of Saint Liam’s  offspring. If I were using Mr. Prospector or Northern Dancer line sires I would want them to show up in the fourth and fifth generations. I am not a big fan of 3X5 inbreeding but it does work so do not totally count it out. In the dam sire spot I like Northern Dancer line sires better than Mr. Prospector line sires. Deputy Minister has been used a couple of times already others I like from the Northern Dancer line are Danehill, Summer Squall, El Prado , Polish Numbers and Langfuhr.  

I think his pedigree sets up very well for sires from the Roberto line. Kris S., Lear Fan, and Red Ransom would all create 4×4 inbreeding to Hail to Reason who is just as influential as Mr. Prospector or Northern Dancer. The other Raise a Native line sires not through Mr. Prospector would seem to make nice fits like Affirmed, Alydar, and Majestic Light. Throw in a few of the other usual suspects like Ribot, Seattle Slew, Bold Ruler and Damascus and you have quite a few different ways to go.   

Saint Liam (16082) X Kris S. (3377) X Unbridled (6852)

Saint Liam (16082) X Summer Squall (6327) X Majestic Light (3739)

Saint Liam (16082) X Capote (966) X Deputy Minister (1600)

With as long as it took Saint Liam to develop I am a bit surprised with his two year olds thus far. He may benefit quite a bit from the fact that in recent years Saint Ballado runners have done very well although most of them where also late bloomers. I would imagine his runners excel best on the dirt in routes. Saint Ballado seems to pass quite a bit of speed so Saint Liam is likely to produce some good sprinters. He may well have some turf influence although I bet it will be minimal.   

The Freshman Sires Series will wrap up next week with Ghostzapper and Rock Hard Ten. As always if you have any questions, comments or suggestions feel free to write me at mcbwildcat@aol.com. Good luck and Good Breeding.