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Return to the Sire the Best Blood of His Dam

Return to the Sire the Best Blood of His Dam

The breeding maxim "Return to the sire the best blood of his dam" has been attributed to longtime Darby Dan Farm manager Olin Gentry. Gentry wasn't the first to suggest this breeding theory, indeed there is evidence to suggest that it first came into livestock management via the Bedouins in upgrading Arabian stock centuries ago. The theory is that when mating to a stallion, it is optimal to send him mares that reinforce the best ancestors within his dam. Gentry's coup de grâce, so to speak, was the champion Roberto, who is bred on this stated pattern.

 ROBERTO  HAIL TO REASON TURN-TO
ROYAL CHARGER+
Nearco
 Sun Princess
SOURCE SUCREE
 Admiral Drake*
Lavendula
 NOTHIRDCHANCE  BLUE SWORDS
Blue Larkspur
Flaming Swords
GALLA COLORS
 Sir Gallahad*
 Rouge et Noir
BRAMALEA
 NASHUA

 NASRULLAH+

 Nearco
 Mumtaz Begum
 SEGULA  Johnstown
 Sekmet
 RARELEA  BULL LEA
 Bull Dog*
 Rose Leaves
BLEEBOK
 Blue Larkspur
 Forteresse

In the above pedigree you will note that Royal Charger and Nasrullah are three quarter brothers. Additionally, Bull Dog and Sir Gallahad are brothers and Admiral Drake is a half brother. Thus, Rarelea is bred on a Bull Dog/Blue Larkspur cross, while Nothirdchance is a Blue Larkspur/Sir Gallahad cross. In a somewhat similar fashion our own Alan Porter has been preaching the efficacy of what he terms the "parallel pattern," that is, combining horses that are bred on the same patterns closely within a pedigree. The ill-fated Devil May Care, a Pedigree Consultants mating by Alan for clients Diamond A Farms, is a good representative of this with Macoumba and Musical Minister being bred on the same Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer cross, but in reverse of one another.

 DEVIL MAY CARE
 MALIBU MOON
A.P. INDY
SEATTLE SLEW
Bold Reasoning
 My Charmer
WEEKEND SURPRISE Secretariat
Lassie Dear
 MACOUMBA MR. PROSPECTOR Raise a Native
Gold Digger
MAXIMOVA Green Dancer
 Rouge et Noir
KELLI'S RANSOM
 RED RANSOM
 ROBERTO  Hail to Reason
 Bramaela
 ARABIA Damascus
 Christmas Wind
 MUSICAL MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER
Vice Regent
 Mint Copy
BALLERINA PRINCESS  Mr Prospector
 Alandancer

This past weekend saw two grade/group I winners combining both of these pedigree theories. The first of these was the Spring Champion Stakes (Aus-I) winner Complacent. From the first crop of Epsom Derby (Eng-I) winner Authorized (IRE) (TrueNicks), Complacent is out of a mare by another Epsom Derby winner in Quest for Fame.

 COMPLACENT  AUTHORIZED MONTJEU
SADLER'S WELLS
Northern Dancer
 Fairy Bridge
FLORIPEDES
Top Ville
Tout Cy
 FUNSIE  SAUMAREZ
Rainbow Quest
Festa Fun
VALLE DANSANTE*  Lyphard
 Green Valley
INSOUCIANCE
 QUEST FOR FAME  RAINBOW QUEST
 Blushing Groom
 I Will Follow
 ARYENNE Green Dancer*
 Americaine
 AWARDS CEREMONY  KAORU STAR
Star Kingdom
 Kaoru
PARTY Lunchtime
 Waltz

The mating of Quest for Fame mares to Authorized was a very intentional move by Darley, for whom Complacent races. In Authorized's first Australian crop, Darley Australia bred eight foals on the cross (of 10 total foals that are bred on the cross to date) which are now current spring 3-year-olds. Only two of the eight foals have hit the racetrack so far, but with Complacent now a group I winner and firm favorite for the Victoria Derby (Aus-I) at the end of this month, the potential for the cross is certainly established. The close relationship of Quest for Fame, by Rainbow Quest out of a Green Dancer mare, and Authorized's dam Funsie, by a son of Rainbow Quest out of a three-quarter-sister to Green Dancer, should be noted.

A little over 12 hours later and in another hemisphere, a second example of this pattern of upgrading for class could be found in the Middle Park Stakes (Eng-I) winner Astaire.

 ASTAIRE  INTENSE FOCUS
GIANT'S CAUSEWAY
STORM CAT
Storm Bird
 Terlingua
MARIAH'S STORM Rahy
Immense
DANELETA DANEHILL
Danzig
Razyana
ZAVALETA
 Kahyasi
 La Meilleure
RUNWAY DANCER
 DANSILI  DANEHILL  Danzig
 Razyana
 HASILI  Kahyasi
 Kerali
 SHALL WE RUN
 HOTFOOT
Firestreak
 Pitter Patter
SIRNELTA
 Sir Tor
 Finelta

Astaire is from the first crop of Intense Focus, a son of Giant's Causeway (TrueNicks) who stands in Ireland with his first runners just 2-year-olds. Astaire's broodmare sire is the leading sire Dansili, who is bred on the exact same Danehill/Kahyasi pattern as Intense Focus' dam Daneleta.