Posse, 2007
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.
