Hold Me Back

[Kingspoke]

Anyone get out to Winstar to see this stallion? What are your impressions?

[Jas]

My agent has and he loved him. Big, impressive horse with a fantastic walk. His looks are the reason he's starting off at Winstar instead of a regional market. They absolutely love him there.

[Kingspoke]

Thanks Jas, I'm considering taking a mare to him, and appreciate the input.

[janpal]

Good luck!!

[Kingspoke]

Good luck!!

Thanks! I normally would not go with the unproven sire, but for some reason I was really impressed by his races as he beat some really good horses in the Travers & Bluegrass while running 2nd. I know Giant's Causeway is a big question mark as far as sire of sires as well.

[Hermes]

Thanks! I normally would not go with the unproven sire, but for some reason I was really impressed by his races as he beat some really good horses in the Travers & Bluegrass while running 2nd. I know Giant's Causeway is a big question mark as far as sire of sires as well.

GC is the sire of sensation Shamardal and I think First Samurai is still well regarded young sire?

[Jas]

Giant's Causeway has a really good sire son in Shamardal. I think there's every chance GC's line will carry on in a big way.

[Kingspoke]

GC is the sire of sensation Shamardal and I think First Samurai is still well regarded young sire?

Yeah I know, but that's europe and First Samurai (ci 2.52) is looking a little vunerable at this point. I hope I'm wrong on the 2nd count. I really like Shamardal and I also had a granddaughter of Troy, who unfortunately died.

I'm thinking sons & grandsons of Storm Cat are doing great & Giant's Causeway has gotten the best mares so he should be getting some really good sons on line.

[Hermes]

Yeah I know, but that's europe and First Samurai (ci 2.52) is looking a little vunerable at this point. I hope I'm wrong on the 2nd count. I really like Shamardal and I also had a granddaughter of Troy, who unfortunately died.

I'm thinking sons & grandsons of Storm Cat are doing great & Giant's Causeway has gotten the best mares so he should be getting some really good sons on line.

And Winstar has certainly been doing right by their young sires in terms of making them. They got lucky with DH early on when he came with the farm, but deserve credit for the rest. They book their own mares to these low stud fee stallions in their barn, too, which only helps make them for everyone else to reap the benefit, too.

[Kingspoke]

Thanks Hermes, I like hearing about the farm supporting lower end stallions. I like that they kept Sharp Humor's fee at $7,500. I know he only got 79 mares this year, but everyone was probably waiting to see what the foals do. I think he'll move forward.

[Hermes]

Thanks Hermes, I like hearing about the farm supporting lower end stallions. I like that they kept Sharp Humor's fee at $7,500. I know he only got 79 mares this year, but everyone was probably waiting to see what the foals do. I think he'll move forward.

Yes, he should see quite a few more this year! 79 wasn't bad in this market at that end for the 4th year, either.

[Jas]

As of last week, Sharp Humor already had over 110 booked.

[My Flag]

At $7,500, Neko Bay would get my money. Looks, race record, and a pedigree full of racehorses and sires. http://www.wintergreenstallionstatio...formation&id=8

ETA: sorry, didn't mean to try to hijack the Hold Me Back thread. I always thought he was a really good-looking horse. Anyone seen anything resembling a conformation shot of him?

[Purcocious]

I only saw him in the stall, but he's a beautiful horse. Looked like he didn't have any major faults that I could tell.

From what I was told, WinStar's purchases at the Nov. sale were mainly to support him and Super Saver so I would expect that he'd have some nice foals in his first crop. Him and Super have some very nice mares to share. Over $2 million worth to be exact.

[Jas]

At $7,500, Neko Bay would get my money. Looks, race record, and a pedigree full of racehorses and sires. http://www.wintergreenstallionstatio...formation&id=8

ETA: sorry, didn't mean to try to hijack the Hold Me Back thread. I always thought he was a really good-looking horse. Anyone seen anything resembling a conformation shot of him?

Neko Bay has a lovely pedigree but he didn't win a graded stakes until he was 7, and then it was only the one. That worries me as a breeder.

[My Flag]

Neko Bay has a lovely pedigree but he didn't win a graded stakes until he was 7, and then it was only the one. That worries me as a breeder.

But he was precocious enough to break his maiden first out in March of his 3yo season, and was stakes-placed by May of that year. The talent was there, it just seems he was a bit fragile, and considering that he was trained by Shirreffs, there was no chance he'd be pushed at all.

I guess I look at it more from a breed-to-race perspective. That he could win a G2 and be second by a half-length in a G1 at age 7 are things I consider to be big plusses.

[Jas]

But if you're breeding to race its not really a great idea to breed to an unproven horse. The whole concept of "breeding to race" should dictate that only proven stallions should be considered if your main objective is getting a horse who has every chance to make you a profit on the track. Unproven stallions are huge variables in that equation.

But regardless, we're getting off topic. Again, he does have a lovely pedigree, although I think he's a little overpriced.

[Joltman]

Would like to bump this to see if anyone has further observations on Hold Me Back. He's got yearlings out there now, and babies. I had heard that they tended to be leggy and I was wondering if they filled out or if there were other tendencies. I have a newborn by him that is huge, but has a, hopefully temporary, angular issue.

jm

PS. If you you watch Mine That Bird's Derby, you'll see Desormeaux rush Hold Me Back up the rail on the back side in a move remeniscient of this year's Preakness by Orb, with the same result. HMB was a terrific closer.