Page 6 - The Game March 2006

6 The Game, March 2006 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Youth who love horses, prepare for EquiMania!
EquiMania! Educational booth at Can-Am
Danzig:Amazing Impact on theWorld'sThoroughbred
By Peter Gross
The recent shuffling off this mortal coil by the great stallion Danzig brings an end to one of the branches of the sport's most influential bloodlines. Because of a series of infirmities, Danzig was euthanized on January 3 at the age of 29 after 24 years of spectacular stud service at Claiborne Farms in Kentucky.
Owned by Henry deKwiatkowksi, Danzig was a son of Northern Dancer out of the mare Pas de Nom and from the day of his birth in 1977 he had greatness imposed upon him. Trained by racing legend Woody Stephens, Danzig raced only three times, winning each time, but retiring from the track due to injury with only $32,000 in purse winnings. The greatness would have to come from what he could pass on with his genes.
And boy, could he pass on the racing skills. Before he was pensioned in 2004, Danzig produced 22 crops, which accounted for an astounding 1018 winners. His offspring collected 188 stakes wins. Of those wins, 107 came in graded stakes; Danzig's sons and daughters romped to 45 Grade 1 Stakes victories. Statistically, up to his death, Danzig led all North American-based sires in number of stakes winners and percentage of stakes winners from foals (18.5). That last figure is very significant as it reflects the remark- able influence on the world's thoroughbreds by Canada's Northern Dancer. Second on the all-time list with a mark of 17.5 percentage of stakes from foals is Nureyev (deceased), also a son of Northern Dancer. This is why few ever argue against the Dancer's title as the world's greatest Sire of Sires.
Gus Koch, 59, is the stallion manager at Claiborne and actually has a strong connection to Northern Dancer. Koch worked for E.P. Taylor at Windfields Farm in Oshawa from 1972-1977 and had a very clear thought the first time he laid eyes on Danzig.
"My first impression was he was so much like his daddy," says Koch enthusiastically, "Danzig was very important to Claiborne Farm. He is the sire of champions, who also sired champions. He was very important to the overall success of Claiborne."
And Danzig can thank the policies of Claiborne for the high percentage of stakes winners among his offspring. Although many stallions might service well over 100 mares a year, Danzig was restricted to less than 75. Claiborne has always had a conservative approach to the quality of mare they would accept for a top stallion.
"The hardest thing to do is say no to someone who brings a mare," explains Koch, "Sometimes you have to turn away good mares for a horse like that."
If his work load was on the light side, Danzig sure approached it with relish, says Koch, "He was a very good breeder. He made our job easy. He was very aggressive and business like and absolutely enjoyed what he did. Each covering was an Olympic event."
Unofficially, five of Northern Dancer's sons - Danzig, Lyphard, Nijinsky, Nureyev and Sadler's Wells - are considered the holy pentagon of sires; five phenomenally reliable sires who raised the bar to unmatched levels in the high-stakes game of thor- oughbred breeding. Sadly, of those five, it is now
only the 25 year-old Sadler's Wells who remains alive and actually he's doing
very well, still covering some 100 mares a year at the Coolmore Stud farm in Ireland. Sadler's Wells still commands 125,000 pounds per engagement.
Of the five most productive sons of Northern Dancer, Danzig was the one who most resembled his famous father. Like the Dancer, he was not a huge horse, standing just 15-3 hands and he had the Dancer's stocky physique.
Consistently through his first 22 crops, Danzig produced offspring with racing versatility. A Danzig horse could handle dirt or turf, could sprint or run a classic distance. Small wonder that his fee as a stud rose dramatically from the initial price of $20,000 that he stood for in his first year as a stallion in 1981. By 1985, after his first crop made him the freshman sire champion, a willing mare (or perhaps her owner) gladly paid $250,000 for the pleasure and the privilege of a tryst with Danzig. The first syndication shares for Danzig sold for $80,000 apiece. By his fifth year in the procreation business, the same shares were $1million each.
As a stallion, Danzig fulfilled the promise that he was unable to achieve on the track. From 1991 through 1993, he was the world's champion sire. In his first dozen crops, Danzig produced some spectacular sons and daughters: Chief's Crown was the champion 2-year-old colt of 1984; Lure won the Breeders' Cup Mile twice - in 1992 and 1993; Dance Smartly was Horse of the Year in Canada in 1991 and winner of the Breeders' Cup Distaff; Dayjur was Horse of the Year in England in 1990; Pine Bluff won the 1992 Preakness Stakes, and Danzig Connection captured the 1986 Belmont Stakes.
Adding significantly to Danzig's reputation and world-wide value was the fact that the early '80s were a time when European horse breeders and oil rich Middle Eastern sheikhs were kicking prices up several notches. To all of them, any son of Northern Dancer was good enough to inspire record breaking payments.
Although he stood at Claiborne Farms in Kentucky, Danzig's impact on Canadian racing is profound. His daughter Dance Smartly is the dam of Canadian champion Dancethruthedawn as well as 2000 Queen's Plate winner Scatter the Gold. Daughters of Danzig have been nothing but bling bling with the fruit of their loins: 64 Graded Stakes winners, 34 horses that have each earned at least $1million.
From 800 live foals, Danzig's progeny accumulated $101,667,721 in racing earnings through the end of 2005. Even though Danzig is now running pain-free with his famous father through heavenly fields, his totals are far from finished. Happily he leaves behind 30 two-year-olds and 18 yearlings and if his percentages hold at least 9 of those will be stakes winners.
As lovers of the game, perhaps we effuse too much about the heroism and history of great stallions. After all, it probably wasn't a great imposition on Danzig to meet and greet the 70 odd mares he was
introduced to every year. Still, it's very much about the fundamentally elusive magic that horse people are constantly searching for; the DNA that is passed from one champion to produce another.
EquiMania!’s Education Centre will be off and running at the Can-Am Equine Emporium, Agriplex, London, Ontario, March 16-19, 2006. Horse crazy youth are invited to join us and enjoy the interactive learning resources located between the Agriplex arena and auditorium during regular show hours. Horse crazy adults are not to worry, you are welcome too.
Youth will be able to test their knowledge at EquiMania!’s Quiz Challenge on Saturday, March 18, 2006. Visit www.EquiMania.ca for quiz details.
EquiMania!’s Education Centre will be hitting the road with scheduled stops this summer at Schomberg Fair (May 27), Woodbine Racetrack (Weekends through July and August), and Grand River Raceway (August 7). Visit www.EquiMania.ca for more information on these and other upcoming events.
Through its educational programs, Equine Guelph promotes horse health and well-being.
Youth interested in learning more about horses and their proper care are encouraged to visit the website, www.EquiMania.ca often as new items are added on a regular basis.
Other education programs in place for adults are the multi-award winning Equine Science Certificate Program (www.equinesciencecertificate.com) and the newly launched Industry Skills Program for new grooms (www.equineguelph.ca).
JOHN SIMMS Thoroughbred Trainer
Available for New Clients for 2006 Woodbine & Fort Erie Meet
Join our High Percentage Stable Stakes Winners Canada
Stakes Placed Canada
Stakes Placed U.S.
Call Today 905-658-0341
~ We respect our client’s Investments ~
Cimarron
TRAILER Sales & Service
• 3 Horse Slant with Dressing Room $163/mth+tax
465 Bloor Street West, Oshawa, ON L1J 5Y5 (1/2 hour East of Toronto - just off Hwy. 401)
Call toll free: 1-866-479-1744
www.jensentrailers.com
Boarding • Layups Broodmare Care • Foaling Training
Sales Prep/Representation Bloodstock Consultation
GAIL WOOD
Co-Breeder of Champion Edenwold
P.O.Box164,Hillsburgh,ON N0B1Z0
519-855-4915 Fax:519-855-4514 www.woodlandsfarm.com
Subscribe to
The Game
$32.10 per year in Canada Call 1-866-886-5827
ALL ALUMINUM