Broodmare Sires Part 2

[Paul Heinrich]

I've seen the list of great broodmare sires. I also know there are good stallions who don't have successful broodmares. I've seen a lot of people talk about focusing on the dam side for determining quality, so I'm wondering what happens when you have the daughter of a terrible broodmare sire, and cross her with the son of a very good broodmare sire. Does the daugther of that union have a chance to be a decent broodmare, or would I be better off going for colts out of the mother, gelding them, and cutting the line off as quickly as possible?

Here's the baby in question - <a href='http://www.simhorseracing.com/horse.php?HorseID=45005' target='_blank'>Fair Game</a>

Now let's say, hyptothetically, the father here was actually a higher quality, proven broodmare sire instead of a shot-in-the-dark, unproven son of a broodmare sire, whose progeny has not turned out very well on the track yet. Does this change the equation at all? In other words, is it worth my money to send the mother, <a href='http://www.simhorseracing.com/horse.php?HorseID=29709' target='_blank'>Centre,</a> to expensive, proven sires to try to add some quality to her line? Or is she doomed as the daughter of a bad broodmare sire?

[Paul Heinrich]

I'm going to bump this. I'm really just looking for an answer to the last question - is it worth it to try to do something with a likely rotten broodmare by sending her to expensive sires? Or should I just send her off to greener pastures now?

I'm not looking for trade secrets here, just a little friendly direction! Thanks!

[Carolyn Eaton]

Admittedly, some lines don't run well through their female side, some are great. Some of what may seem to be bad broodmare sire lines now may simply be we haven't hit upon the right nick since the New Sim began.

Sometimes, even lousy runners can produce some winners if you find the right nick. In her lifetime, Centre only managed to beat 5 horses, but then again, she was run all over the place - not to say she would have broken her maiden, but she may have managed to hit the board in a sprint maiden claimer with the right equipment.

The problem with sending her to an expensive stud, is that it's unlikely you'll earn back your stud fee at least with the foal itself. I did a series of "budget breeding" articles last year, highlighting the inexpensive studs who have done well with maiden mares. Of coarse, having a 3 generation plan can be useful - going to a Satelite line stud with the next foal, planning on breeding to a Symbol line stud in the next generation, etc. may be able to work, but takes lots of time and patience. This also gets the less valuable lines further and further back, so less of an influence.

Back to Centre - you may want to look at my stud Pico Central for next year (barring infertility)- stands for $2500, has had good success with Silver Charm line mares, and gets over 50% winners from foals of maiden mares (even counting his 2yo's - he averages over $16,000/starter). (Excuse the shameless plug)

[Paul Heinrich]

Thanks, Carolyn. I will definitely keep Pico Central in mind next year.