Page 34 - March 2008 The Game

34 The Game, February 2008 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
W WindfieldsFarm- ContinuingtoBringValuetoCanadianBreeding
ind elds Farm has a strong commitment to meeting the winners were bred at Wind elds before E.P. Taylor retired in 1980. His challenges of improving the quality of thoroughbred racehorses son Charles took the reins and shifted the focus toward breeding and
in this country. A commitment they have had for more than 70 years. The farm’s founder, E.P. Taylor set the stage for success and over the years the racehorses that have been bred and raised at the Oshawa,
selling to the commercial marketplace which was once again a highly successful venture.
Ontario farm have had an overwhelming in uence on thoroughbred racing and breeding worldwide.
Charles passed away in 1997 and his sister Judith Taylor Mappin and his widow Noreen Taylor took the helm.
Although Wind elds Farm will be best remembered as the breeder of Northern Dancer, Canada’s rst Kentucky Derby winner and the most in uential sire of our time, a world record 48 champions and 360 stakes
Wind elds Farm operates today under the same principles that it has followed for decades and the names which grace the stall doors of the historic stallion barn are a representation of their commitment to quality.
“As breeders and horsepeople, we don’t look in our rearview mirror,”
says Bernard McCormack, Wind elds Sales and Marketing Director, “There is a lot to be excited about and some things to be concerned about, but the rst thing is to know your market.”
that Whiskey Wisdom will hold his own because the pedigree on his female side keeps going.
Bernard explains that 80% of the mares that breed to the stallions at Wind elds are Ontario based therefore they have to offer stallions which drive the local market by yielding higher yearling sale averages and producing strong competitors for the Ontario Sire Program and Breeders Awards Program. “Racing is getting tougher at Woodbine with horses shipping in for our higher purses.” says Bernard, “Our breeding industry can respond but it does take time. We have to bring in stallions with strong credentials.”
His dam, Primarily, has produced Champions Poetically and Primaly and is the dam of the talented lly Citronnade.
When we take a look at the stallion barn at Wind elds Farm for 2008, you can see the commitment to offering better quality stallions:
Cat, Weather Warning. “He has obvi- ous credentials and has a proven cross which produces very good racehors- es,” said Bernard about the 4-year-old who retired sound, “He’s a very good looking horse. A physically stunning looking horse.”
MOBiL (Langfuhr - Kinetigal, by Naskra)
Mobil was a new stallion in 2006 and his rst foals arrived last year to much fan fare.
“Mobil is very sound and very versatile.” remarked Bernard, “He is the hallmark of consistency and his sire, Langfuhr, has passed along his mental aptitude for the game.”
Weather Warning is by sire of sires Storm Cat out of a multiple Graded Stakes winning dam.
By the activeness of his foals in the paddock, it appears Mobil has passes his willingness to run and his soundness on to his offspring.
Bernard explained that the Mani- toba Derby winner could have gone back to the track this year however owner Stuart Hyman feels his success will be as a stallion.
“He had a small year last year however he should rebound and do well.” says Bernard.
WeAtHeR WARNiNG (Storm Cat - City Band, by Carson City)
New to the stallion barn at Wind elds this year is a handsome son of Storm
Mobil was a Champion and multiple graded stakes winner of $1,877,136 from 7 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles in his race career. He retired sound after racing from age 2 to 5 on both the dirt and the turf.
Best OF tHe Bests (iRe) (Machiavellian - Sueboog, by Darshaan)
“It is already looking like he will have a tremendous book this year.” says Bernard, “He showed us he knows his way around our test mare. He should have a bright future with us given every chance.”
Best Of The Bests (IRE) arrived at Wind elds from the Darley team in 2007. He bred 88 mares last year which represent his rst crop of North American foals arriving this year.
The Future at Wind elds
“This is a bloodline we didn’t have with Northern Dancer on the top and a mare by Darshaan, the Aga Kahn stallion, on the bottom.” says Bernard, “He will likely give us horses that will like to stretch out. Best Of The Bests showed great miler speed while racing for Godolphin Stables. He broke on top and set the pace and was a good galloper with versatility running on Polytrack in Dubai.”
“The competition is real and we have to face it.” re ects Bernard on the future of racing in Canada, “We have to get better stallions to build up the momentum for strong sales again.”
Best Of The Bests rst foals raced in England in 2006 and in his rst crop he had 19 2-year-old winners (29 winners to date). “His offspring are doing well on turf, dirt and Polytrack in England,” notes Bernard, “If he is blended with speed mares, they can stretch them out beyond the mile and there would be a lot of races they could t into.”
Bernard also touched on the Polytrack at Woodbine and how the surface has changed to decisions of breeders. “Breeding farms have to look at the unknown and decide how are the horses going to compete on Polytrack? Are turf horses going to be more popular because of the easy transition to Poly?
WHisKeY WisDOM (Wild Again - Primarily, by Lord at War (ARG))
A good horse is a good horse. You never know what you are going to get with the young horses. However you can no longer rely on the strategy of what we were producing 5 or 6 years ago. The standard has gone up. The competition is tougher and now only quality will get the job done.”
Now into his teens, Whiskey Wisdom is competing with the younger stallions at Wind elds. Despite his 3-year-old crop being down this year, Bernard thinks
New Stallion WEATHER WARNING
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