Page 22 - March 2005 The Game

22 The Game, March 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Dance to Destiny
Royally bred son of Dance Smartly at Colebrook
By Elena Fenech.
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last- minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.” - Muhammad Ali.
Dance to Destiny has the makings to become the newest and most promising addition to the Canadian Stallion roster. The son of the legendary Mr. Prospector out of Canada’s own Champion mare Dance Smartly,it is likely he has inherited the skill, the will, the stamina and the bloodlines of a Champion. Now the time has come for him to produce and pass on those desirable traits to future generations.
During his career as a race horse he demonstrated a lot of natural speed as well as versatility.
He was competitive in all of his races. He raced on the turf as well as on the dirt at various distances ranging from 7 furlongs to 1 1/2 miles, finishing in the top three in each of his 11 life-time starts.
He had one start as a two-year-old, finishing a good third. The following year he also had one start and again finished third. At age 4 he was able to show his talent, winning three races ( two allowance races at Woodbine and a maiden special weight race at Keeneland) and had three seconds. He also finished third in the Dominion Day Handicap (G3). The following year he only raced twice finishing second and third respectively.
At the end of the 2004 season the decision was made to retire him to stud duties. He was getting too heavy, a natural consequence that plagues most colts as they mature.
“I believe that if he would have lived up to his full potential he would have been better than Scatter the Gold.” said trainer Mark Frostad about Dance to Destiny, “he had a lot of natural speed and versatility, he had more speed than all the other descendants of Dance Smartly. It’s unfortunate that he never got to show everyone his full potential.”
“In a way it might be for the best because I believe that if he would have lived up to his full potential, he would not be standing in Ontario. He has one of the best pedigrees in the stud book making him a great addition to the Canadian stallions.” added Mark.
His exceptional pedigree is shared with his full sister, Champion, millionaire, Dancethruthedawn (who recently had her first foal, a filly by A.P. Indy) as well as full brothers Scatter the Gold (currently standing in Japan) and Dance Brightly (who stands in Kentucky).
Over the years Sam-Son Farms has experienced many changes however their involvement and dedication to the thoroughbred industry has remained the same. They are delighted to be able to offer breeders in Canada an exceptionally well bred stallion
New 2005 Stallion Dance to Destiny
for the Ontario Sired Program.
Sam-Son Farms received several offers by various
farms in the U.S. and ultimately they decided to stand Dance to Destiny in Canada. They wanted to show their commitment to the Canadian breeding program. “We wanted to stand one of our stallions here for the longest time. The opportunity presented itself to keep the Dance Smartly bloodline in Canada. He was the perfect opportunity.” said Tammy Samuel-Balaz.
Sam-Son Farms has a long history of breeding in Canada. Regal Classic, Regal Intention, No Louder and more recently Randy Regent have represented the Sam-Son name and now Dance to Destiny is set to follow the proud tradition.
With a core band of only 28-30 broodmares, Sam- Son Farms is both excited and anxious to breed a number of their broodmares to Dance to Destiny, “Our intention is to support him because we believe in him.” said Tammy.
Trainer Mark Frostad has also decided to breed to him because he was able to see more of his talent than the rest of the world and he believes that Dance to Destiny has what it takes to succeed at stud.
Colebrook Farm Stallion Manager, John Burness, is pleased with the response he has received from breeders thus far and says, “He’s a kind horse with a world class pedigree.” said John, “We are hoping for 70 to 80 mares this year. I’m very pleased that Sam- Son decided to stand Dance to Destiny at Colebrook.”
Dance to Destiny joins the other four stallions already on the Colebrook roster including Foxtrail, a leading sire of two-year-olds; Valid N Bold, a multiple stakes placed winner whose first foals arrive in 2005; Randy Regent, another of Sam-Son’s horses who is a Multiple Graded Stakes Winner; and I Can’t Believe, a proven stakes sire.
Dance to Destiny’s stud fee has been set at $7500 live foal guaranteed however breeders can take advantage of a special introductory fee of $5,000 in 2005, which is an exceptional value.
2005 an ExcitingYear for the Hilliers
Patrol
Son of Storm Cat in Fort Erie
Successful horse owner, Darryl Jackson, has been in the breeding business for a couple of years now, sending the dozen mares he owns to various stallions in Ontario.
He made the decision that he wanted to own a stallion to breed his mares to and began the search a couple of years ago for a line that would benefit not only himself but other breeders in Ontario. Darryl decided on a son of Storm Cat, Cat Ridge, and brought him to Ontario early in 2004. When the decision was made there were no other Storm Cat sons available in Ontario.
Although Cat Ridge himself was lightly raced, Darryl was impressed with his pedigree, especially on the dam’s side.
Cat Ridge is the seventh of nine offspring out of the
dam,JewellRidge,byMelyno(IRE). Ofherninefoals, Jewell Ridge has produced eight starters, 5 winners and one Champion, that being 1996 Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner, Jewel Princess, by Key to the Mint, a multiple Grade 1 stakes winner of more than $1.9 mil- lion.
A half sister to Cat Ridge has already gone on to pro- duce a sale topping yearling and a half brother, Red Cedar, by Woodman, sold for $1.5 million in 2001 to interests in Ireland.
Darryl purchased Cat Ridge from Hector Mesta in Arkansas who had originally purchased the horse pri- vately from John Franks Farm in Kentucky.
Cat Ridge is standing for $750 live foal guaranteed at Darryl’s Kingway Farm in Sherkston, Ontario.
This year is going to be an exciting year for stallion owners John & Marilyn Hillier. Not only are they introducing an exciting new stallion, Patrol, to the breeding scene in Ontario, they are also awaiting the first foals of their stallion, One Way Love, to hit the tracks as two year-olds this season.
Champion One Way Love, by Regal Classic - First Class Gal, by Geiger Counter, entered stud in 2002 and has been very popular in the breeding shed. He has had a full book of mares every year, including 2004 when he covered 74 mares.
Stallion Manager John Carey says that One Way Love has attracted some beautiful mares and is very excited about seeing his offspring on the racetrack.
“I have heard a lot of good things about his foals,” said John.
The Hillier’s new stallion, Patrol, by Lear Fan - Maid for Walking(B), by Prince Sabo, brings with him European blood- lines which John says will cross with just about any
One Way Love
more than $41 million in progeny earnings. He has sired multiple graded stakes millionaire Champion,Windsharp: graded stakes millionaire champion, Ryafan; Champion graded stakes winner Chopinina; and Champion graded stakes winner Sikeston to name a few.
The dam, Maid for
Walking (GB) is a graded stakes mare and has since produced Multiple Graded Stakes winner, Stroll (by Pulpit), who has had 7 wins thus far in his career from age 2 to 4 (2004) with total earnings of $795,071.
Patrol began his racing career making one start as a two-year- old, finishing third.
At age 3 he had 4 wins and a third including 2 Stakes, the Rushing Man Stakes at the Meadowlands (1 1/16 miles on the turf) and the Nick Shuk Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park at the same distance and surface. His other two wins were in an Allowance carrying high weight and a Maiden Special Weight both at 1 1/6 mile on the turf at Belmont Park. He was third in the Gr.2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Handicap at Saratoga where he finished behind Quest Star and Union Place in the a 1 1/8 mile event on the turf.
At age 4 Patrol won the Dallas Turf Cup Handicap at Lone Star Park and had an allowance win at Gulfstream Park. He was third in the Gr.1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs beaten by Honor in War and Requete(GB), while defeating Perfect Drift etc.
Unfortunately Patrol was injured that year and when they brought him back in 2004 he was not the same horse and subsequently retired.
Patrol has already attracted some nice mares to his book including the dam of Champion, Inish Glora, Star Guest, as well as the stakes winning Bold Ruckus mare, Perfectly Delicious.
“He is quickly becoming quite popular.” said John Carey.
It would definitely appear that John & Marilyn Hillier have got a win, win situation when it comes to their two stallions in 2005!
Ontario mare.
The Hillier’s purchased
Patrol privately from Claiborne Stud in Kentucky and were interested in the six-year- old horse because of his pedigree and performance.
Patrol is the son of Lear Fan, who is the sire of 56 black type winners and