Northern Dancer Herd

Hi, Michael Armstrong here, writer of this blog, now saying goodbye and thank you for your faithful readership. For personal reasons, I won't be carrying on after today.

A bit of personal history. I was born on August 4, 1950, and loved horses from my earliest consciousness. By age 10 I was clipping the newspapers for racing news. I was a very young fan of Windfields Farm and got on their mailing list. In September, 1962, I clipped a photo of E.P. Taylor with a yearling he was offering for sale at his annual sale. The colt was by Nearctic from Natalma, by Native Dancer, with a white blaze down his face. I had always been a fan of Native Dancer, especially because he was a grey horse. I always liked the horses who had the white markings, so I set out to track the fate of this yearling who was, of course, Northern Dancer.

At age 20, after a year of university, I was diagnosed as being schizophrenic, a diagnosis which was incorrect, but which would not be corrected for 23 years. It seems I am bipolar. This mood disorder is characterized by psychosis and depression extremes. Although I have been hospitalized ten times for psychosis, the worst part of the condition for me was the depression. I had a particularly difficult time from 1979 to 1984. During that time I felt very suicidal and had a lot of that ideation. But, lucky for me, I had the horses to keep me going, especially the ongoing success of Northern Dancer and his tribe. Every week I made the decision to stay around for the next edition of the Blood Horse and its international results, which were full of Northern Dancer stories.

To show my appreciation for this animal helping get me through my roughest patch, every May 27, which is Northern Dancer's actual birthday, I send a dozen red roses in vase to his gravesite in Oshawa, at Windfields. The farm is now being developed into suburban housing. I hope and pray that the graves of the important horses there will be preserved.

To get to the 2007 racing scene portion of this posting, I will cover Red Giant and New Edition. Red Giant is a 3YO chestnut colt by Giant's Causeway from Beyond the Sun, by Kingmambo from Carnet Solaire, 1983, by Sharpen Up from Windfields bred Konafa, by Damascus from Royal Statute, by Northern Dancer. Red Giant won the $60,000 Restoration Stakes, at 8 furlongs for 3YO, run June 17, 2007 at Monmouth Park. We have visited with Royal Statute, a daughter of the Windfields blue hen mare, Queen's Statute, often over the past year.

New Edition is a chestnut daughter, 3YO, of Stormy Atlantic from Sashay Away, by Farma Way from Speak Halory, a winning daughter of Verbatim from Windfields bred Halory, by Halo from Cold Reply, by Northern Dancer from Respond, by Canadian Champ from Reply. In the last few weeks, I did an extended piece on Reply.

The Windfields connection to contemporary runners thus emerges as alive and well. We can wait and see how both these youngsters fare in the remaining stages of their careers. I wish them well. Let's not fail to mention that their respective sires, Giant's Causeway and Stormy Atlantic, are both from the Storm Cat/Windfields Storm Bird/Northern Dancer line.

As long as there is racing, as I hope I have documented over the past weeks and months, there will always be Northern Dancer. And he will lead the way for the Windfields herd, parts of which I have introduced during my time here. I sincerely hope it has been as fun for you as it has been for me. Cheers!

An addition to the piece on Notnowcato should record that he finished a well-beaten third to German bred Manduro and Dylan Thomas in the Prince of Wales's Stakes GR-1 at Royal Ascot on June 20, 2007, over 10 furlongs. This was his last race before he upset the applecart in the Coral/Eclipse GR-1.

On July 7, 2007, the impressive 2YO colt, Kodiak Kowboy, April 16, 2005, followed up his victory in the $115,000 Victoria Stakes at Woodbine on June 17 over 5 furlongs with a win in the $150,000 Bashford Manor Stakes GR-111 at Churchill Downs over 6 furlongs. Kodiak Kowboy is a bay son of Posse out of Kokadrie, by Coronado's Quest from West Turn, by Cox's Ridge. Posse is a SW son of Silver Deputy. His first 53 foals are 2YO of 2007. Through June 24, 2007, Posse had out 14 runners and 9 winners (which number tops the list of all NA sires) and over $309,000 in earnings, which again puts him in the lead. His 2007 stud fee is $12,500.

Posse won 7 of 18 races and over $660,000. He won the Kentucky Breeders Cup Stakes GR-111 at 2YO, and the Riva Ridge Breeders Cup Stakes GR-11 at 7 furlongs, and the Lafayette Stakes GR-111 at 7 furlongs as a 3YO. He ran third in the Vosburgh GR-1 at 6 and ½ furlongs to Ghostzapper. Posse is a half brother to Green Fee, winner of the Kelso Breeders Cup H GR-11T and over $490,000. His dam, Raska, 1992, by Rahy placed in 8 starts. She was out of Borishka, 1987, who was unplaced in 4 starts and a daughter of Roberto from Queen Maud. Borishka produced Canadian SW, Matter of Courage, by Matter of Honour, and Canadian stakes placed winner, House Call, 1994, by Housebuster

Queen Maud, 1968, a winning daughter of Windfields stallion, Nearctic from Vent Neurf, by Matador, emerges as a bit of a blue hen here on a minor scale. Nearctic's 1968 crop included multiple SW and sire, Cool Moon, SW Coco La Terreur, a three quarters brother to Fanfreluche, top class SW Briartic, the white splashed SW filly, Painted Pony, and SW Arctic Actress. Queen Maud gave us SW Pre Emptive Strike, a Canadian SW of over $330,000, and SW Lady Lonsdale, a daughter of King's Bishop and winner of the Vagrancy H GR-111, the Bed O Roses H GR-111, second in the Shuvee GR-11, the Distaff H GR-111 and the Correction H GR-111 among her stakes placings.

Queen Maud's first foal was the chestnut Hasty Road mare, Princess Matilda, 1973, dam of SW Pink Rice and stakes placed Pasampri, by Crow. Pasampri foaled SW Debit My Account, a chestnut mare, 1992, by Classic Account; she also foaled SW Alke, by Grand Slam, a brown colt, 2000, who won the Deputy Minister H GR-111; Pasampri's final SW was Red ‘N Gold, a chestnut filly, 1998, by Tabasco Cat, who, besides winning stakes was GR-111 placed.

Another daughter of Queen Maud was Redemptive, by Briartic. Redemptive produced SW Miss Molinaro, a chestnut filly, 1992, by Matter of Honour. Miss Molinaro in turn gave us SW Molly's Wisdom, a chestnut colt, 1999, by Whiskey Wisdom. Redemptive was also the dam of Canadian SW Honoured One.

None of these runners are particularly well-known or remembered, but Posse may be about to move things to another level. As mentioned he leads the North American listings in the category of 2YO money won and number of winners. Posse has two crosses of Nearctic, two of Nashua, and two of Hail to Reason in his family tree. His percentage of winners to starters, 9 to 14, is good, especially when it is remembered that a lot of the big name stallions presenting their first year crops have twice the number of potential starters. Perhaps this will hurt his chances to remain number one this year as the season progresses, but right now he emerges as a new bright light from the Northern Dancer male line.

Nashoba's Key, a 4YO bay filly by the Roberto stallion, Silver Hawk from the grey mare, Nashoba, 1996, by Caerleon, a Nijinsky 11 stallion, from Grise Mine, by Crystal Palace from Katie May, by Busted from Cawston's Pride, won the $294,000 Vanity Handicap GR-1 at 9 furlongs on the cushion track at Hollywood Park on July 7, 2007. An opening on the rail at the top of the stretch allowed Nashoba's Key to slip through to victory over SW Balance and SW Hystericalady. It was her fifth straight win in this, her debut season. Her earnings are now over $440,000

Nashoba's Key's dam, Nashoba won half her 6 starts and over $97,000. Nashoba's Key is her first foal. Nashoba's dam, Grise Mine, 1981, a grey mare, won the Prix Saint-Alary GR-1 and ran second in the Prix de Diane Hermes GR-1 and in the Yellow Ribbon Invitational GR-1. Grise Mine's gelding son, Gris Fauve, by Fabulous Dancer, was stakes placed, as was her daughter, Pillars of Society, 1997, a chestnut mare, by Caerleon, group placed and a full sister to Nashoba.

On June 16, 2007, at Churchill Downs over 9 furlongs on turf, the $200,000 Regret Stakes GR-111T was won by Irish bred Good Mood, a bay daughter of Danehill Dancer from the above-mentioned Pillars of Society. It was Good Mood's first stakes win. Her earnings are now over $180,000. The great granddam of these fillies, Katie May, was group placed and a winner. She also savaged her most important offspring, Kostroma, 1986, a brown, blaze faced mare, again by Caerleon. Kostroma bore the scars. At 4YO Kostroma was the champion older female in Ireland. At 5YO the Irish bred won the Yellow Ribbon Invitational GR-1 and the Las Palmas H GR-11T, setting a new world record at Santa Anita with a time of 1:43 and 4/5 for 9 furlongs. At 6YO, Kostroma won the Beverly D Stakes GR-1, the Santa Barbara GR-1T and was second in the Beverley Hills GR-1T and third in the Matriarch S GR-1T

The spotlight is on Caerleon. On June 16, 2007, Karen's Caper, a 5YO bay mare by War Chant (by Danzig) from French bred SW Miss Caerleona, by Caerleon, won the $150,000 Eatontown Stakes GR-111T at 8 and ½ furlongs on turf at Monmouth Park for fillies and mares, 3YO and up. Karen's Caper set a new track record in the race with a time of 1:39.48. At 3YO Karen's Caper had won in England the Shadwell Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes GR-111, and placed second in the Queen Elizabeth 11 Challenge Cup GR-1T, and in the Coronation Stakes GR-1.

Notnowcato's trainer walked the course before the race, found the firmest ground, and sent his charge to it in the running of the Coral-Eclipse Stakes GR-1 on July 7, 2007. Thus did Notnowcato surprise the two "giants", Epsom Derby winner Authorized and the champion returned to racing after infertile stud duty, George Washington. The two big horses finished second and third respectively and, it seems didn't see Notnowcato until it was too late.

Notnowcato is a chestnut horse, March 25, 2002, by the deceased stallion, Inchinor, also a chestnut, 1990 from SW Ramblin Rose, a chestnut, 1995, by Cadeaux Genereux from Blush Rambler, 1988, by Blushing Groom from Nikitina, by Nijinsky 11 from Vela. Notnowcato had come around in a big way as a 4YO, winning the Juddmonte International S GR-1 and finishing second in the Coral-Eclipse GR-1. This year he had won the Tattersalls Gold Cup GR-1 in Ireland, defeating favored Dylan Thomas by a head.

His sire, Inchinor, was by Ahonoora, a chestnut sire, 1975. Inchinor won 5 of 10 starts, including the Gardner Merchant Hungerford Stakes, GR-111, the Singer & Friedlander Greenham Stakes GR-111 and the Van Geest Criterion Stakes GR-111. He ran second in the Dewhurst GR-1 and third in the Sussex GR-1. He was the first foal of his dam, SW Inchmurrin, a bay mare, 1985, by Lomond from On Show, by Welsh Pageant from African Dancer, March 28, 1973, by Nijinsky 11 from Miba, by Ballymoss. Inchmurrin won 6 of 12 starts and over $209,000, and was champion 3YO filly in Italy. She won the Child Stakes GR-11 and finished second in the Coronation S GR-1. Her sire Lomond, a bay, 1980, was a 2000 Guineas winning son of Northern Dancer from My Charmer, 1969, who was also the dam of Seattle Slew. Inchmurrin's dam, On Show, was dam of SW Welney, a gelding by Habitat, and of Guest Artiste, a daughter of the Northern Dancer stallion, Be My Guest, who ran third in the Coronation GR-1 and third in the Child Stakes GR-11. African Dancer won the Park Hill S GR-1 and the Cheshire Oaks, placed in the Yorkshire Oaks, and showed in the Epsom Oaks.

Inchmurrin had two other SW. Ingozi, a bay filly, 1991, by Warning was a SW at 3YO. Incheni, a bay filly, 2001, by Nashwan was a SW who ran second in the Shadwell Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes GR-111.

Northern Dancer appears 3 times in Notnowcato's family tree, twice through Nijinsky 11. He has now knocked off the likes of the male line Northern Dancer stars, Dylan Thomas, Authorized and George Washington.

June 10, 2007 saw the running of the Japanese stakes, the $630,000 Epsom Cup, GR-111 at 9 furlongs for 3YO and up. The winner was Eishin Deputy, a 5YO chestnut horse by French Deputy from Eishin McAllen, by Woodman. The runner up, Bright Tomorrow, a bay, was also a 5YO horse by French Deputy, this time from Poppy Day, by Tony Bin. The show horse was Silent Pride, a 4YO chestnut colt by, you guessed it, French Deputy from Silent Prayer, by Sunday Silence. The margins were a neck, a nose and a neck. There were 18 starters. I had looked before at French Deputy, a son of Deputy Minister from Mitterand, by Hold Your Peace, as an up and coming broodmare sire. The Epsom Cup result points to a competitive place for French Deputy among Japanese based sires. He has sired 34 SW from 629 foals, which is a modest percentage.

Eishin Deputy's dam, Eishin McAllen, 1995, a chestnut, was out of the Green Dancer mare, Ladanum, 1984, a bay. Eishin Deputy was scoring his seventh win from 19 starts, with over $1.3 million. He has the Vice Regent and Nijinsky 11 strain of Northern Dancer in his family, as Green Dancer is by Nijinsky 11, and French Deputy is a great grandson of the Dancer.

Nice to see the Irish bred Embossed back to graded stakes winning form. We saw him last year as a GR-111 SW on turf. The 5YO ridgling took the $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup Handicap GR-111T at Lone Star on May 28, 2007. Embossed is a son of Mark of Esteem, who traces back through his dam, Homage, to English champion sprinter, Ajdal, a son of Northern Dancer. Embossed is out of L-Way First, by Vision (a son of Nijinsky 11) from Lacey Brief, by Roi Dagobert from Windfields bred Mizzen, by New Providence from Reply. This is "the" Reply I spent a lot of time with recently detailing her broodmare exploits. Embossed has now earnings of over $440,000.

Deputy Minister, by Vice Regent, has a good shot at the leading broodmare sire title for 2007, what with Rags to Riches and Curlin among his grandchildren. To these two can be added Bob and John, winner of the $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap GR-111 on May 28, 2007 for 3YO and up at 8 and ½ furlongs. Bob and John is a son of Seeking the Gold from Minister's Melody, by Deputy Minister. This cross, Seeking the Gold on Deputy Minister, is found in 2006 Belmont Stakes winner, Jazil, a half brother to Rags to Riches, who are both out of the Deputy Minister mare, Better than Honor. Bob and John made Kentucky Derby noises last spring, winning the Wood Memorial GR-1. His earnings now stand over $995,000.

A number of weeks ago, Authorized won the Epsom Derby by a dominating 5 lengths. He was by Montjeu, a son of the Northern Dancer stallion, Sadler's Wells; Montjeu himself won the French and Irish Derbies, as well as the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, all GR-1. Second to Authorized that day was Eagle Mountain, a son of Rock of Gibralter, who is a son of Danehill, who is, of course, by the Northern Dancer stallion, Danzig. Rock of Gibralter was out of Offshore Boom, a daughter of the Northern Dancer stallion, Be My Guest. Third in the Epsom Derby was Aqaleem, a son of Sinndar from Dalayil, a daughter of Sadler's Wells. Sinndar was by Grand Lodge, a son of Chief's Crown, who was by Danzig. Sinndar won 7 of 8 starts with 1 second, winning $2.5 million, including the Epsom Derby, the Irish Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The Irish Derby was run a few days ago and the 10 length winner was Soldier of Fortune, a bay colt by Galileo, a son of Sadler's Wells. Galileo won the Epsom and Irish Derbies. The runner-up in the Irish Derby, if I am not mistaken, was Alexander of Hales, a son of Danehill from Legend Maker, a daughter of Sadler's Wells. Running third in the Irish Derby was the favorite, Eagle Mountain, who had run second behind Authorized in the Epsom Derby.

The extent of the dominance demonstrated here by the still thriving Northern Dancer line is extraordinary. A recent comment by an American turf writer left me baffled. He was commenting on the wonderful success of the Mr. Prospector line in the American Triple Crown series. It has been truly notable. But he opined that Mr. Prospector is the more successful line in the States on dirt, while Northern Dancer's forte is grass. Well sorry, but Danzig, Lyphard, Storm Cat, El Prado and Deputy Minister have all led the end of year American earnings ranking at one time or another. Even Palace Music was up there once. The missing acknowledgment as well is of how much Northern Dancer has supported the Mr. Prospector line in the Triple Crown on the dam's side of the equation. In this year's Triple Crown, Dixieland Band and Deputy Minister were the broodmare sires that scored. Who will soon forget the final quarter of the 2007 Belmont Stakes, run under 24 seconds by both battlers, Rags to Riches and Curlin, both from Deputy Minister mares. I saw no mention of that fact in any writing about that race. In Europe, there is no question about Northern Dancer's supremacy. In North America, there is more of a contest, especially apart from the curiosity of the Triple Crown. The competition is exciting, especially with the emergence of A.P. Indy, to revive the Bold Ruler line, and with the fading of Storm Cat as he ages, but "just on grass"? I don't think so.

Explodent, May 12, 1969, was a bay colt out of Venomous, by Mel Hash from Spiteful Sue, by Heather Broom from Saucy Sue, by Black Servant. One of the three speedy sons of Nearctic we are examining, Explodent was a $55,000 Saratoga yearling despite having a sinus condition. A Maryland bred, he had a blaze and 2 white hinds. He had 8 victories from 28 starts, 9 really but was disqualified in one. Explodent won the Prince Georges, the Bay Shore and the Swift Stakes, and had place or shows in 3 others. He earned just over $100,000 when purses were light.

Explodent, to 1996, when he was pensioned, sired 19 crops, 698 foals, 575 runners, 445 winners and 62 SW. These included SW Bex, 1986, champion 3YO filly in Ireland, SW Mi Selecto, 1985, a colt, winner of 3 GR-1's and of $1.4 million; Exchange, 1988, a filly and winner of 3 GR-1's; Exbourne, 1986, a colt, GR-1 SW of over $999,000; Explosive Red, 1990, a GR-1 SW colt, earning over $860,000 and Country Queen, 1975, a GR-1 SW filly, winner of over $580,000.

There were efforts to duplicate Explodent in the breeding shed. His half sister, Turf Princess, by Bull Dandy, was bred to Nearctic. This resulted in SW Just a Dandy, from Nearctic's second last crop, 1973. Just a Dandy was a New Jersey bred with a stripe and 2 white hinds, an $80,000 Keeneland yearling. He won or placed in 5 stakes on turf and dirt and earned just over $100,000 from 2YO to 5YO. Then there was Cooling Trend, a bay colt, 1973, Maryland bred, also by Nearctic out of Holy Terror, by Ambehaving, another half sister to Explodent. Unfortunately, Cooling Trend died in 1977.

Explodent had his 1:33 and change mile during his career, as did the third of our three friends, Icecapade. Another strong willed Nearctic, Icecapade was a grey, almost white, Kentucky bred out of the Native Dancer mare, Shenanigans, who would go on to produce the great Ruffian. Shenanigans was out of Bold Irish, by Fighting Fox from Erin. Icecapade ran the fastest mile of 1972, 1:33 and 3/5 in the Saranac Stakes. He set a new stakes record in the $50,000 Stuyvesant, 1:34. He won the $50,000 William duPont Jr H in 1:42 and 3/5. He won the Nassau County in 1:20 and 2/5. He made 32 starts, with 13 wins, 6 seconds and 1 third. He won, placed or showed in 10 stakes. Icecapade was sent to Ireland in 1973, but was back in Kentucky at stud by 1974.

Regarding his career at stud, Icecapade sired 565 foals and had 73 SW, an excellent percentage, and an AEI of 2.36. His sire, Nearctic's AEI was 2.70. Icecapade's best son by far was Wild Again, winner in a furious battle with Slew O'Gold and Gate Dancer of the first Breeder's Cup Classic. Wild Again won over $2.2 million and was multiple GR-1 placed. His progeny include Wilderness Song, 1988, a GR-1 SW filly, champion older mare in Canada with over $1.4 million; Free at Last, 1989, champion 2YO colt in Canada with over $410,000; Belmont Stakes GR-1 winner, Sarava, 1999, a colt with over $690,000; Milwaukee Brew, 1997, a GR-1 SW colt with $2.8 million; Wild Rush, 1994, a colt with over $1.3 million; Shine Again, 1997, a GR-1 SW filly with $1.2 million and Elmhurst, 1990, a gelding, winner of the Breeders Cup Sprint, GR-1. There were other GR-1 winners among his 81 (9%) SW. Wild Again sired runners who won over $4 million in earnings each year from 1994 through 2003.

The 75,000 Skipat Stakes was run over 6 furlongs for 3YO and up, fillies and mares at Pimlico on June 9,2007. The winner was Silmaril, a 6YO brown mare by Diamond, a Mr. Prospector stallion from the winning mare, Kattebuck, 1988, a grey mare by Spend a Buck from SW Kattegat's Pride, 1979, also grey, by North Sea from Pilgrim's Pride, by First Landing. Silmaril, already a GR-111 SW at 4YO, has 10 stakes wins from 14 wins in all, from 31 starts. Her earnings now stand at over $815,000. Kattegat's Pride was probably the best offspring of SW North Sea. She was a GR-111 SW with multiple graded placings, 19 wins from 54 starts and over $510,000.

North Sea was one of three excellent milers sired by Nearctic in 1969. The other two, Explodent and Icecapade, we will look at next time. North Sea and Icecapade were bred on the "Nearctic out of a Native Dancer mare" pattern that produced Northern Dancer. North Sea, February 4, 1969, a headstrong dapple grey colt, was out of Look Ma, by Native Dancer from Home Made, by Occupy from Plucky Maid, by Ariel from Gooseflesh, from Mad Hatter out of Mother Goose. It is interesting to note that Mother Goose was the dam of Arbitrator, who was the dam of Almahmoud, granddam of Northern Dancer. North Sea was fast, running the quickest mile in America in 1973, 1:33 flat, setting a new stakes record in the $50,000 Westchester. He won the $25,000 Paumonok in 1:09 and 1/5, and the $35,000 Jennings in 1:42 and 3/5. He was beaten a length in third place in the $50,000 Nassau County while running with a broken coffin bone. In all, he won, placed or showed in 11 stakes. From 45 starts, he had 10 wins, 9 seconds and 11 thirds, with over $235,000. North Sea was not as successful a sire as were the other two members of our "three amigos" group. We will look at Explodent and Icecapade next time.

I neglected to mention last time that Halory's daughter, SW Brushed Halory, was a daughter of Broad Brush. Cold Reply, Halory's sister, had a daughter, Antrim Solina, by Country Light who became the dam of the SW filly, Rodeo Springs, by Wekiva Springs. Cold Reply's unplaced daughter, Question d'Argent, by Tentam is dam of SW Croupier Lady, SW Aly's Question, a filly by Alysheba, and SW Premier Question, a filly by Premiership. Question d'Argent is also the granddam of Japanese SW, Genuine, a winner of over $5.4 million. Cold Reply's daughter, Faint Praise, is the dam of SW Chepo Star, a GR-111 SW in Panama.

Deloram, a daughter of Windfields stallion, Lord Durham, also from Cold Reply, is the dam of SW Smart Lord, a gelding by Smarten. Taking a step back from Cold Reply, by Northern Dancer, we have her dam, Respond. Her SW daughter, High Voltage Sport, by High Echelon, has two stakes producing daughters. Shocking Sport, by the Lyphard stallion, Lypheor, has produced SW Shock Value, a colt by Private Terms, and SW Gala Knockout, a colt by Two Punch. High Voltage Sport's daughter, Exploding High, by the Nearctic stallion, Explodent, has given us the SW gelding, Premier Explosion.

Respond's Windfields bred daughter, Devinette, by Secretariat, produced Hey Hazel, a filly by Ascot Knight, a son of Danzig. Hey Hazel was a GR-11 SW of over $870,000. Devinette's daughter, My Sweet Country, by Bold Ruckus, is the dam of Deputy Country, a colt by Silver Deputy and earner of over $360,000, and of SW Patriot Love, with over $350,000, a gelding by With Approval, a Canadian Triple Crown winner. Devinette's placed daughter, Provinette, by Private Account, foaled SW Hazel's Honor, a filly by the Danzig stallion, Honor Grades. Finally, Devinette is the granddam of Secret Ridge, a Brazilian GR-1 SW.

Respond is a daughter of Canadian Champ from Reply. Reply is a Windfields foundation mare we have seen many times. Recently she was in the posting about Takeover Target, the Australian sprinter, and his broodmare sire, Archregent. Reply, 1951, was a daughter of the Canadian stallion, Teddy Wrack, who was by Bull Dog from Decree. Reply is from Alaris, another Canadian, by the legendary Alsab, from Algalla, by Sir Gallahad 111 from Firewater, by Omar Khayyam. If Van Nistelrooy can make an impression at stud, it will mean even more of a presence for Reply than she already enjoys. Alaris was on the local scene back in the early days. To the cover of the Windfields stallion, Menetrier, Alaris produced Menelodie, who was stakes placed, running second in the forerunner to the Canadian Oaks, the Woodbine Oaks, and running second in the Maple Leaf Stakes, then and now an important stakes for Canadian fillies and mares. Also as a matter of interest, Alaris had a son in the first crop of Nearctic, from where came Northern Dancer. His name was Arctic Flight and he would win 5 races. There was nothing in any of this to predict the explosion which would occur with Reply.

I have always loved the chestnut racehorse with lots of white. Belmont Stakes winner, Rags to Riches, is an example with her broad blaze. Van Nistelrooy is another, a $6.4 million yearling purchase and GR-11 SW with a GR-1 placing. He sported a white stripe with 3 white stockings. He has 112 2YO's out in his first crop this year, and already has a minor SW, Maileys Cat, a filly from Miss Malley, by Grindstone. This filly won the $96,000 TTA Sales Futurity at Lone Star on June 9, 2007 at 5 furlongs. Van Nistelrooy has about 6 other winners thus far this year. He is by Storm Cat from Windfields bred Halory, a full sister to Halo Reply, whom we saw last time. Unlike her full sister, who was a SW, Halory could only place at the track, but she has given us 4 other SW besides Van Nistelrooy.

These are Prory, a colt by Procida, a GR-111 SW with 13 wins from 3Yo to 12YO (that's right, 12YO) and over $790,000; Halory Hunter, a colt by Jade Hunter, a GR-11 SW and GR-1 placed with over $760,000; Brushed Halory, a GR-111 SW filly with over $495,000, and Key Lory, a colt by Key to the Mint, a GR-111T SW with 10 wins from 3YO to 8YO and over $415,000.

There is more to the family than I have reported so far. SW Halo Reply foaled SW Favorable Ruling, a colt by Woodman. She foaled Heaven for Bid, a filly by Spectacular Bid, who was graded stakes placed, and dam of SW Talverna, a filly by Gilded Time. Heaven for Bid produced Berries from Heaven, a daughter of Strawberry Road, who in turn gave us 2006 SW Berriestoheaven, a filly by Smoke Glacken.

Halo Reply gave us Prayer Wheel, a stakes placed filly by Conquistador Cielo. Prayer Wheel produced SW Missionary, a colt by Deputy Minister who was GR-111T placed. She produced SW Ashford Castle, a filly by Bates Motel, also GR-111T placed. Prayer Wheel's best offspring is Strategic Maneuver, a filly by Cryptoclearance, who was a GR-1 SW, and who has in her own right produced Cat Fighter, a GR-11 SW by Storm Cat, and Ishiguru, a colt by Danzig, a GR-111 SW in Ireland. To this point, Prayer Wheel has also given us a daughter, Secret Psalm, whose daughter by Devil's Bag, One Twenty One, is the dam of 2006 SW Stole One, a filly by Pembroke. Halo Reply's daughter, Wanda's Dream, has produced Dehere's Dream, by Dehere, who, to the cover of Valid Expectations, gave us 2006 SW filly, Chit Chat Pam. Windfields bred Cold Reply, dam of Halo Reply and Halory, also has a slew of other stakes performers to her credit. We'll see them next time.