Page 76 - July 2017

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A closer look at stallions with first-crop yearlings of 2017
by Michael Compton
Yearling buyers often demonstrate a high-level of interest in first-crop prospects by emerging young sires. The popularity of first-crop yearlings in the commercial marketplace often offers a glimpse into what the future may hold for unproven, freshman stallions seeking to establish a foothold with breeders for upcoming breeding seasons.
While determining which stallions have successfully passed on their best, most desirable characteristics in a way that will resonate with buyers and breeders in the sale ring remains to be seen, this year’s collection of stallions seems to be a strong and representative group.
Speedhorse reached out to the connections of the stallions represented with first-crop yearlings of 2017 to gain insight into how the sale prospects are being received and what expectations they have for the commercial success of the respective stallions. Judging by the remarks, this year’s crop of first yearlings appears to be receiving high marks.
Following are brief snapshots of nine stallions with first-crop yearlings of 2017, as advertised in the 2017 Speedhorse Stallion Register statistical pages.
CONN CREEK
(Dash Ta Fame-Champagne Lane) Stands at RM Racing Stables 2017 Fee: $1,200
A 2010 sorrel
son of multiple
Champion sire/
Grade 1 winner/
New Track Record
setter Dash Ta
Fame, Conn Creek
is a full brother to
multiple Grade 1 winner/2-time New World Record setter Kendall Jackson and a half-brother to Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Alice K White.
Conn Creek finished third in the New Mexican Spring Futurity-G2 at Sunland Park and also won his All American Futurity Trial at Ruidoso Downs. All told, Conn Creek won 3 of 10 career starts, placed in 4 others and earned $54,505.
Ron Moosman of RM Racing Stables in Utah, where Conn Creek stands as the property of Paul Blanchard, is excited about the stallion’s first crop of yearlings.
“We’re really high on them. His babies look super. So far everyone I have heard from has bragged on them, and they are happy to be around them,” Moosman said. “Everything I have heard from breeders is promising. He is very muscled up and has good conformation and a good mind, and those traits are definitely showing in his babies. We really like what we have seen, especially from the four we have on the farm.”
CORONADO CARTEL
(Corona Cartel-First Carolina) Stands at Lazy E Ranch
2017 Fee: $2,500
Winner of the Oklahoma Bred Futurity at Remington Park, and finishing second in the
Mr Jess Perry Stakes
and Mr Master
Bug Handicap at
three, and a finalist
in three Grade 1
events, Coronado
Cartel captured 6 of
12 lifetime starts to
bank $416,178. By Corona Cartel, Coronado Cartel is produced from Grade 1 winner First Carolina. The daughter of Mr Jess Perry won the Heritage Place Futurity-G1 and the Remington Park Derby-G2. She is the dam of Ms First Prize Rose, winner of the Rainbow Futurity-G1, and stakes winner Denver Pass - both full siblings to Coronado Cartel.
“It has been a long time since a first-crop sire has generated this much ‘buzz’ about his initial offerings,” said Butch Wise of Lazy E Ranch. “When Coronado Cartel retired to the breeding shed, he immediately developed a huge following among breeders because of his great looks, tremendous pedigree ,and his superior racing career. He has been booked full every year.
“His draft of ‘short’ yearlings were extremely well received at the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale and we fully expect that the same excitement generated in January will follow through to the yearling sales this fall,” Wise added. “He gets size, correctness, lots of bone and everyone agrees that the balance his foals possess is a great indicator of their future success at the track in 2018.”
DASH MASTER JESS
(Mr Jess Perry-Dash Master Miss) Stands at ESMS On The Brazos 2017 Fee: $2,500
Winner of the Hialeah Derby and the Sam Houston Championship Challenge-G2 and Hialeah Invitational Championship at four, Dash Master Jess was also a finalist in the
AQHA Challenge Championship-G1
and the Remington
Park Invitational Championship-G1.
Dash Master Jess
won 8 of 20 starts,
placed in 4 others,
and amassed earnings of $275,697.
Dash Master Jess is a son of multiple Champion Mr Jess Perry and is out of the Grade 1 winner Dash Master Miss.
“They all have good size and great minds,” said Janessa Muniz of RGV Equine Services Rio Rico Ranch about Dash Master Jess’ yearlings. “He had a few go through the Winter Mixed Sale in January, and he had a nice average there. One sold for $32,000. They looked nice. They all have his body structure, they are easy to train and easy to handle. They are good-minded horses.”
FIVE BAR CARTEL
(Corona Cartel-Five Bar Molly) Stands at Robicheaux Ranch Inc. 2017 Fee: $4,500
A 2011 son of
Corona Cartel, Five
Bar Cartel was the
Champion 2-Year-
Old Colt of 2013
after capturing that
year’s Ed Burke
Million Futurity-G1
at Los Alamitos. The following year at 3, he finished 2nd in the All American Derby-G1 at Ruidoso Downs. He retired to stud a 6-time winner from 10 starts, boasting earnings of $1,068,825, He is out of the Grade 1-winning Dash Ta Fame mare Five Bar Molly and is a half- brother to Grade 2 stakes winner Fly Bar Special.
“We like what we have seen,” said Jude Robicheaux of Robicheaux Ranch about the
74 SPEEDHORSE, July 2017