Matricentric Stallions

Joe F., offers his opinion regarding what he calls Matricentric Stallions.

More often than not a sire’s best performer is one of his sons. Maven, the Glidemaster mare who gave us another dominant performance in winning her Armbro Flight elimination in :52.4 at Mohawk last night, is an exception to that rule. When her paternal brother, Blue Porsche,  won the Valley Victory at the end of his two-year-old campaign, it looked like he’d be in contention for sophomore leadership, however, aside from a win in the Goodtimes, he never fulfilled his promise. Maven is markedly better than any other son or daughter of her sire: she’s Speedy Rodney’s Green Speed and that one’s Duenna.

Maven is essentially the lone piece of good news for ten-year-old Glidemaster. He is about as trendy as the paper map at this point. In 2009 his 44 yearlings averaged a robust $53,000 at the sales. His top went for $270,000, followed by a 170, 150, 145 and 140. Very nice. In 2010 his average dropped to $24,000; his top went for $90,000, followed by an 87, 65 and 47. Then in 2011 his average fell to less than $19,000, with a top of $50,000. His stud fee has been reduced 78% since 2009; it dropped 48% between 2012 and 2013. He now stands for $4,000 in PA.

Anndrovette, a daughter of the Cams Card Shark stallion, Riverboat King, is also an exception to the rule that a sire’s top performer be male. She is far and away the fastest, richest offspring of that New York based stallion. Miss Easy, a member of the Living HOF, who won the BC twice along with the Countess Adios, Three Diamonds, Shalee and Debutante, is another mare who was clearly the top performer by her sire, French Chef. That sire’s paternal brother, Frugal Gourmet, was also matricentric, although he produced no memorable offspring. (Beach Towel was a different story.)  In both of these cases there is no room for discussion.

Delinquent Account was the only millionaire by the Happy Motoring stallion, On The Road Again. She won the Bluegrass at two and three, and went on to win the BC as an older mare; she won her division in 1991. An as a bonus, DA was the dam of Artiscape as well as Arterra, the dam of Western Terror and If I Can Dream. She also gave us the dams of Strike An Attitude and Authorize. OTRA was a much more prolific stallion—in terms of numbers—than Riverboat King or Amity Chef, but he failed to produce an outstanding son, so as was the case with Anndrovette and Miss Easy, there wasn’t much competition for the crown.

Merger, the Albatross stallion who won the 1982 Jug, was a typical son of that one in that he wasn’t a very productive sire, but his best was L Dees Trish, who won the Lady Maud and the Bronx Filly Pace. Another from the Meadow Skipper line who hasn’t lived up to the hype is Jereme’s Jet. He’s come up especially short in the area of producing exceptional sons. I guess the OSS mare, Apogee Hanover, is his best.

Allamerican Native is another stallion with son issues. The mare, A And Gsconfusion, two-year-old filly pacer of the year in the US and Canada in 2007, and winner of the Great Lady, Bluegrass, Three Diamonds and BC, is probably his best.

How about the Western ideal stallion, American Ideal? Heston Blue Chip won the Dan Patch last year, but so did his paternal sister, American Jewel. The top four performers by American Ideal are those two along with Romantic Moment and Idyllic. The mares have dominated thus far.

Reaching back into the past for another dominant pacing mare, how about Glad Rags. While most sons and daughters of Greentree Adios raced in the fledgling NYSS, Glad Rags took on the best. When True Duane beat Bret in the Classic at Hollywood Park, Glad Rags was in the field, in reign to Joe March Jr, along with Adios Vic, Cardigan Bay and several other heavy hitters.

Check Me Out is easily the best issue of Donato Hanover. His oldest are four and no dominant son has emerged. Figuring out which Dewey is best is a chore; that’s not a good thing.

For all the great sons Speedy Crown produced, is Moni Maker his best? Is Peace Corps Baltic Speed's best performer on the track?

Fresh Yankee was the fastest and richest offspring of Hickory Pride.

Scenic Regal was the best of the Lindys Prides in NA.

Duenna, who was the handy winner of the 1983 Hambletonion for Stanley Dancer and Norman Woolworth, takes top billing for the New York based stallion, Green Speed. She was voted Trotter of the Year in 1983. Green Speed’s son, Wayne Eden, did break new ground when he was the upset winner ($36) of the 1974 Realization for George Sholty. The $141,000 purse was the biggest open payday ever for a New York bred horse. Wayne Eden went on to be very successful in Europe, but his biggest claim to fame in NA was being found wandering on an Italian beach after a ransom was paid to his kidnappers the year after that Realization win. For NA purposes Duenna would have to be considered the dominant offspring of Green Speed.

CR Kay Suzie was Royal Troubador’s best.

Crys Dream was Taurus Dream’s best.

Cash Hall is matricentric: Cowgirl Hall, Evil Urges, Kristen’s Victory.

Speedy Count? Steve Lobell took the Hambletonion and Yonkers Trot and won his division, but no, it’s got to be Delmonica Hanover or Dream Of Glory. Delmonica has a more impressive resume: she won her division at two, three and four and was voted HOY the following year. She won the International twice as well as the Prix d’Amerique. Del Miller guided her career.

Dream Of Glory, who won 33 of 44 at two and three, only earned half as much money and kept a lower profile, but he was very fast and talented. DOG was handicapped by the presence of the owner’s son, Pius Soehnlen, in the bike. Pius was the author of “Life On The Rim.” Late in his career the Armstrong’s syndicated Dream Of Glory for $810,000 and turned him over to Joe O’Brien. It has to be Delmonica, but DOG coulda, shoulda, woulda…..

Most breeders would just as soon not have a mare serve as the standard bearer for their stallion, but it’s preferable to having none at all.