Don't Forget Castles Crumble!

[Erin Sanderson]

From just his first 16 runners, Castles Crumble has FIVE first out winners! Three of those have run 88+ SFs and only two of the five are out of a stakes winning or performing mare. The future only gets brighter for these babies as the distances get longer at three.



CASTLES CRUMBLE

16hh b. h. by Through the Ghost out of Sassenach, by Man of Mystery

THE TOTAL PACKAGE with an excellent race record and blue blooded pedigree absolutely loaded with black type in his dam's family (don't believe me, check out his catalogue page, his sire's and those of his first three dams), brilliance to win at first asking at two (with a 96 SF) and place in the Steward's Cup Juvenile and the longevity to run his highest speed figure in grade one company at the age of five. Standing for a bargain fee of $45,000.

CAREER

Record: 22 Starts: 13 Win, 5 Place, 1 Show Earnings: $5,927,500

AT TWO
Record: 3 Starts: 2 Wins, 1 Place, 0 Show Earnings: $522,500
WON California Chrome Stakes (G3) - 1 1/16m, 87 SF - defeating Auston Matthews (MG1W), Vermeer, etc.
WON Maiden - 1 1/16m, 96 SF - defeating Mr. White Socks (MG1W), Return (GSW), etc.
2ND Steward's Cup Juvenile (G1) - 1 1/16m, 83 SF - to The People's Horse (MG1W), defeating Time Honored (G1W), Just You (MGSW), Risking Everything (GSW), Edmonton (MG1W), Auston Matthews (MG1W).

AT THREE
Record: 7 Starts: 3 Wins, 2 Place, 1 Show Earnings: $679,000
WON Clasico Tricolor of Venezuela (G1) - 1 1/4m, 92 SF - defeating Reward of Roses (MGSW), Gearwheel (SW), etc.
WON Southern California Derby (G1) - 1 1/8m, 91 SF - defeating Silver Screen (MGSW), Galleon (MGSW), Dragonstorm (SW).
WON Pacific Coast Highway Stakes (G2) - 1 1/8m, 92 SF - defeating Mr. White Socks (MG1W), Reaper of Mars, etc.
2ND Queen's Derby (G1) - 1 1/4m, 83 SF - to The People's Horse (MG1W), defeating City Ablaze (MGSW), Time Honored (G1W), etc.
2ND Peru Jockey Club (G1) - 1 1/2m, 86 SF - to Vector (MG1W), defeating Canvas (MGSW), etc.
3RD Los Campeones Classic (G1) - 1 1/4m, 81 SF - to Tarasenko (MG1W) and River Lea (MG1W), defeating The Upside Down (MGSW), Don'ttakethemoney (MG1W), Redmayne (MG1W), The Best of It (MGSW).

AT FOUR
Record: 6 Starts: 5 Wins, 0 Place, 0 Show Earnings: $3,496,000
WON Steward's Cup Classic (G1) - 1 1/4m, 95 SF - defeating Follow Your Fate (MG1W), The People's Horse (MG1W), Mr. White Socks (MG1W), Gladiator (MG1W), Fancy Shoes (MG1W), Avada Kedavra (G1W), Phoenix Argyle (G1W), This Is Me (G1W), Indiana Jones (MG1W).
WON American Maturity (G1) - 1 1/4m, 95 SF - defeating Mr. White Socks (MG1W), Some Superhero (MG1W), Just a Moment (MG1W), Noctis (MG1W).
WON Summer Bird Stakes (G2) - 1 1/4m, 90 SF - defeating Farseer (MG1W), Somebody Else (MG1W), Some Superhero (MG1W), River Lea (MG1W), Can't Promise That (G1W), The Upside Down (MGSW).
WON Brooklyn Stakes (G2) - 1 1/8m, 92 SF - defeating Truth Teller (G1W), Cavalier (MGSW), Leave You Laughing (G1W), Risking Everything (GSW).
WON President's Cup (G3) - 1 1/4m, 91 SF - defeating Unexpected Twist (MG1W), Sancho (G1W), Beep Beep (GSW), etc.

AT FIVE
Record: 6 Starts: 3 Wins, 2 Place, 0 Show Earnings: $1,230,000
WON Japan Trophy Dirt (G1) - 1 1/4m, 92 SF - defeating Six Words (MGSW), Don't You Remember (MGSW), Eastern Westside (MG1W), etc.
WON Starting Rumors Stakes (G2) - 1 1/4m, 90 SF - defeating Simulcast (SW), Making a Name (G1W), etc.
WON In Excelsis Stakes (G3) - 1 1/4m, 90 SF - defeating Gateway Arch (MSW), Saint Maker (GSW), Deal Breaker (MGSW), etc.
2ND Long Island Gold Cup (G1) - 1 1/4m, 96 SF - to Hear You Me (MG1W), defeating Fancy Shoes (MG1W), Thanos (MG1W), Pope (MGSW).
2ND Gladiator Stakes (G1) - 1 1/4m, 97 SF - to Fancy Shoes (MG1W), defeating Cover of Night (MGSW), Wizard's Wish (GSW), Locksmith (G1W), etc.

PEDIGREE

SIRE Through the Ghost ($5,301,500) was named the Year 41 North American Champion Older Male and Year 39 North American Champion Two Year Old Male. He was a brilliant juvenile, going undefeated and winning the Steward's Cup Juvenile, a multiple grade one winner at three, and second only to Skyfall at four (he avenged his defeat to Doomsday). A five-time grade one winner overall, he is the fourth highest earning son of the legendary Rambling. He sired earners of $17,374,600, including millionaire One Sweet World and grade one winners and champions City of Dust, Memory Lane, and Nowhere Kid.

DAM Sassenach ($412,300) was a grade one winner at two and continued to win and place in stakes events at three and four. She is a blue hen daughter of the great Man of Mystery and multiple graded stakes winner Fairy Murmur, dam of earners of over $2 million.

The FEMALE FAMILY of a stallion is one of the most important aspects in determining his suitability for stud, and Castles Crumble may not be from the line of Whitney or Wonder, but he is blue blooded, nonetheless. He is inbred 4x4 to Sway, who is the third dam of both of his parents. This family has produced, besides those mentioned above, Steward's Cup and Desert Marathon winner Center of Time ($2,634,000), Long Island Acorn, Midsummer Oaks and Inglewood Gold Cup winner Lady So Divine ($2,381,000), Desert Mile winner Scissorhands ($2,101,000), Steward's Cup Marathon and Long Island Classic winner Broadchurch ($2,067,500), five-time grade one winner Alone in the Light ($1,687,800), grade one winner Sleeping Citizens ($1,394,500), Louisville Oaks winner Fancy Her Kiss ($1,272,500), two-time grade one winner Courage ($2,120,000, still in training), Long Island Acorn winner Little Wanderer ($1,098,000) and numerous other grade one winners and six figure earners.

[Erin Sanderson]

The first crop for Castles Crumble was small, but it was very nice, especially considering the lack of mare power I was able to support him with (seriously, any good filly I ever get is related to him).

He got a first crop graded stakes winner when son Storybehindasmile (The Other Man) won the Louisiana Jackpot in week 15 and daughter Maajida (Mohaymen) has twice been on the board in graded races. He had five other winners from only 20 to run and I expect more next season. If you have SIMperior, check out where he stacks up against his first crop contemporaries; he ranks quite high in every category!

[Erin Sanderson]

So far, another crop that is galloping quite well. His stakes and above percentages have gone up over last season! As with With Us in Spirit, nearly all of my own foals are late bloomers this year, so I expect to see improvement in the next two seasons.

[Erin Sanderson]

I haven't been paying too much attention to recent events, so I missed this, but a couple of weeks ago, Castles Crumble's son Storybehindasmile ran a 100 SF in the Keyboard Courage Stakes! He has 2 wins from 6 starts to his credit, but he has been running in very tough company and posting big speed figures.

"Frank" also has another first crop stakes winner in Maajida, who is also multiple graded stakes placed. I am excited for his late blooming two year olds this season. Historically, this family likes to mature week 9 at two or as they turn three, so things can only get better from here!

[Erin Sanderson]

Copied from another thread, and very much worth noting...

Keep in mind all of the following when evaluating Castles Crumble: This horse has 67 of his 132 galloped foals at allowance or better to date, with quite a few in his first crop improving late at two and at three. He has stakes three-year-olds that aren't named or raced yet. He has a colt that has run a 100 SF in his very first crop. In his first crop he saw ONLY FOUR MARES that have produced MINOR stakes winners. The mare power HAS NOT been there, at all, despite me sending the best of what I can muster up. And his gallop numbers are STILL amongst the best of his peers. Call me biased, but the fact that this horse isn't seeing a nicer book overall every year is incredibly frustrating.

Just had an allowance galloper (galloped allowance week 8, day 6) break her maiden with a 91 SF at first asking. Out of a two-time winning Mint mare that hasn't produced anything but allowance and solid gallops.

[Erin Sanderson]

Maajida, by Castles Crumble and out of a Mohaymen mare, popped another 90 tonight. My guy seems to be striking with both speedy mares (such as this one by Mohaymen and others by Allonsy, etc.) and classic types (see Storybehindasmile, out of a The Other Man mare).

And a fun update for the female family that continues to strike gold. Lady So Divine, half sister to Castles Crumble's sire, now has a stakes producing daughter in Need to Breathe. The latter's first foal, She Still Shines, broke her maiden in graded stakes company last week over a nice looking field. I neglected to mention another millionaire and Steward's Cup winner from the Sway line above, as well, in A Star in Time, who just captured another grade one to add to her illustrious resume.

Castles Crumble also has a grade one winning full sister, Kingdoms Fall, a pair of retired graded stakes winning half sisters Keep Them Guessing and Echo in the Bone, and a graded stakes winning, still late bloomer three year old half brother Fugitive Green. This female family is HOT and it is looking to stay that way for a good, long time, which only makes the stallion prospects for Frank look even better.

[Erin Sanderson]

Some developments since I last posted here:

Castles Crumble now has two new freaks, including yearling Can't Take the Sky that is working like a monster and still has room to mature.

His allowance gallopers (still an allowance/peak) are winning stakes races: When She Falls.

And if you have one of those sub-optimal galloping yearlings, you might want to hang on to them. His foals have a tendency to improve: Indigo Ghost. This one actually went from solid/progressive to stakes: Crisis of Spirit.

His first crop freak keeps winning nice things with big speed figures: Storybehindasmile.

If you have SIMperior, I encourage you to check out the obscene allowance or better gallops percentages for this guy, as well as the third crop sires rankings for dirt routers. He is top five in almost every single relevant category (you know, besides the winners on turf/all weather/steeplechase, etc.)

Oh, and he is three-time Steward approved.

[Erin Sanderson]

Correction to above post: Crisis of Spirit did not start out as an allowance. He was a SOLID galloper with the "progressive" comment. Now a stakes winner.

[Erin Sanderson]

As the foal deadline draws near, don't forget that Castles Crumble has finished Year 56 in the top 10 of his class (third crop DR sires) in nearly every single category. Check out his numbers in the stud book!

This guy was a classic distance machine, and so far, his foals have been the same. They are also later bloomers. Expect them to get better at three and four. Heck, even his "peak" allowance foals can jump up! When She Falls was allowance/peak as a stakes winning two year old that moved up to stakes at three. Crisis of Spirit was solid/progressive and is now a stakes winner after his three year old year. Indigo Ghost was, I believe, a stakes and is now a multiple graded stakes winning freak.

He improves his mares. His top earner Storybehindasmile is out of a two time winning daughter of The Other Man. His wicked fast freak (progressive) yearling Can't Take the Sky is out of a three time winning Prince Louder daughter that barely cracked $50k in earnings.

How can you go wrong for his current fee of $35k? He will be heading back up next season, so get him at this price while you can.

[Erin Sanderson]

Even after the gallops adjustment, Frank is still getting more freaks with every (small) crop! His most recent is this yearling colt out of only a formidable maiden winning Steward bred. He started this year as a stakes/peak and jumped after the week 9 change.

Frank also has 9 stakes winners from only 87 runners, and an overall 53 winners! Check out his rankings in the Stud Book. He is in the top 5 in all but one category among fourth crop DR sires, and creeping up the rankings overall, outcompeting several quality older and more expensive sires in some categories.

[Erin Sanderson]

Rebecca Rose Hepburn's two year old filly Skyrim is the second of a small handful of juvenile runners by Frank to win, and she looks like she'll be a special one! Allowance galloper Lace Castle also won on debut in a $75,000 claimer in Alaska.

Can't Take the Sky will be debuting in graded stakes company on Friday and I simply can't wait.

[Erin Sanderson]

The big horse is here! Hopefully the first of many for Castles Crumble, Can't Take the Sky flew home in 1:43.55 in his debut in the Don't Hesitate Stakes with a blazing 99 SF!

[Erin Sanderson]

New stakes winner alert! Rebecca Rose Hepburn's Skyrim defeated a small but stellar field to take the Les Batons Magique Stakes (G3) last week, despite very much NOT being bred to go 1 1/16 miles! This filly is sure to be a future star.

[Erin Sanderson]

These two-year-olds are on FIRE. Skyrim is an undefeated 3-for-3 with a sparkling win last week in the Louisiana Princess (G2) and Can't Take the Sky is laying his undefeated 2-for-2 record on the line later today in the Steward's Cup Juvenile (G1)!

[Erin Sanderson]

I haven't updated in a long time, but it is definitely time for the yearly bump. This boy is still all class and his three-year-old Can't Take the Sky has made a strong case for North American Champion Three Year Old Colt. He now has 13 stakes winners and is approaching 100 winners overall from only 152 runners. His freak and stakes percentages and the performance of his foals put him above, or right up there with, some of the more expensive stallions of his generation.