Speedy Crown Leads All Trotting Broodmare Sires

The United States Trotting Association (USTA) recently announced the leading broodmare sire numbers for 1999. It came as no real shock to anyone that Speedy Crown, the leading living trotting sire in the breed, was once again perched atop both the all-age and 2-and-3-year-old performers lists. The remarkable 32-year-old stallion continues to churn his way into the annals of harness racing. He has been atop the trotting broodmare sire list for all of the last decade. Since Speedy Crown had a lead of more than $1 million over his nearest competitor in 1999 on the all-age list, and more than $1.5 million on the 2-and-3-year-old list, it is not likely that he will deposed any time soon as the sport’s leading broodmare sire.

THE LEADING SIRE OF ONE GENERATION BECOMES THE STAR BROODMARE SIRE OF THE NEXT

It is a well-known fact that the leading sire of one generation often ascends to the position of leading broodmare sire of the succeeding generation. The same, wonderful characteristics that led Speedy Crown to become one of our leading sires now serves his prolific band of daughters. Since he was one of the best-gaited racehorses and best-conformed stallions ever, Speedy Crown has done much to improve the quality of the trotter worldwide. His stamp on the breed is as important, or possibly more important, as the other foremost sires in history. It is safe to assume that history will judge him on a par with the most celebrated and heroic names in world trotting--Guy Axworthy, Peter The Great, Volomite, Star’s Pride, Super Bowl, and the current king, Valley Victory.

Speedy Crown led all trotters in North America in 1999 as the get of his daughters amassed nearly $8 million. Overall, there were nearly 400 performers in 1999 out of Speedy Crown mares, and they won more than 700 races. His most prominent performers this year were among the 3-year-old trotting set, as his daughters produced such stakes winners as Canadian Trotting Classic final winner, Starchip Entrprise, the World Trotting Derby winner Enjoy Lavec and many, many others. More than $5 million of the nearly $8 million won by the get of Speedy Crown mares was attributed among the 2-and-3-year-old performers. This is not a new trend for Speedy Crown, as he has always done better with the production of young horses than with aged campaigners. This feature of Speedy Crown’s production is a dazzling statistic when compared with the record of some of his contemporaries. Among the recent champions with Speedy Crown dams are such accomplished horses as Victory Dream, Donerail, Muscles Yankee, Lindy Lane, Fern and Yankee Glide. It is safe to say that in the last five years, Speedy Crown has had a remarkably productive influence on the future shape of North American and world trotting. It should be pointed out here, though, that none of the divisional, trotting champions of the 1999 season are out of Speedy Crown mares.

While Speedy Crown is an easy pick for the leading broodmare sire in North America, most observers would be hard-pressed to come up with the horse who is the second leading broodmare sire. That honor falls to the late Dream Of Glory, a son of Speedy Count. In 1999, the offspring of his females won just over $6 million. His production stands in stark contrast to that of Speedy Crown. While Speedy Crown’s mares produced younger champions, Dream Of Glory’s contribution is largely confined to the production of hard-hitting raceway trotters. Of the $6 million total in all-age earnings in 1999 by Dream Of Glory’s daughters, only $2.6 million was won among 2-and-3-year-old performers. This stands in stark contrast to Speedy Crown’s production. Colt and filly performers produced more than 63 per cent of Speedy Crown’s broodmare numbers. In contrast, only 41 per cent of Dream Of Glory’s 1999 production is among 2-and-3-year-old performers, still good enough for third for third on the combined, juvenile listing. Dream Of Glory’s production in 1999 includes such potent raceway trotters as millionaires Glory’s Comet and Goodtimes, as well as the Classic Oaks champion mare, Kewpie Doll B. Of course, most of Dream Of Glory’s excellent production has come when his daughters were mated with Balanced Image, a horse whose own production is also heavily weighed toward late-developing trotters. The most prominent colt credit for a Dream Of Glory mare in 1999 is the Peter Haughton champion, Smok'n Lantern, who is from the Dream Of Glory mare, Armbro Lantern.

SUPER BOWL WAS RIGHT BEHIND DREAM OF GLORY

Super Bowl continues his heavy influence. The late stallion, who died during 1999, also exceeded the $6 million all-age mark, with more than $3.5 million won by his 2-and-3-year-old performers. The most prominent offspring of a Super Bowl mare in 1999 was the Hambletonian Oaks and Breeders Crown filly champion, Oolong, a daughter of Armbro Goal.

In fourth on the all-age trotting list for broodmare sires in 1999 was Speedy Somolli, whose chief offspring were the 3-year-old star, CR Renegade, a $900,000 winner, and the Breeders Crown champion, Supergrit. Speedy Somolli does not have a high number of his daughters in production in North America, as he was exported relatively early in his stallion life. Still, his mares here are doing very well. These latest champions like CR Renegade and Supergrit add to a glowing number of credits for Speedy Somolli mares, that already included such horses as Pine Chip and American Winner.

Rounding out the top five on the all-age, broodmare list in North America in 1999 is Bonefish, although his numbers have been inflated by the performance of one of the most singularly splendid horses in history—the great Moni Maker! However, another of his daughters, the wonderfully-bred, Victorious Tail, also had a banner year, as three of her offspring were stakes winners in North America, including 4-year-old star, Kick Tail; 3-year-old stakes winner, Comet’s Tail and 2-year-old filly winner, Day For Night. Bonefish’s influence on the breed is also tremendous, since his daughters have previously produced both Valley Victory and Supergill, two of our more important young sires. While Bonefish’s all-age performance was good for fifth spot, he ranks no better than tenth among broodmare sires of 2-and-3-year-olds.

YOUNG BROODMARE SIRES DOMINATE THE SECOND FIVE IN THE ALL-AGE CATEGORY

A very good indication of what sires generally are going to do well as broodmare sires comes in early recognition of strong showings in this department. The second quintet of stallions among the top ten broodmare sires features a youth movement. On this list can be found such young broodmare sires as Joie De Vie, Balanced Image and Crowning Point. The latter horse, just a foal of 1981, is the youngest horse top appear among the top ten, all-age broodmare sires. Crowning Point’s siring career in the US was generally considered a disappointment, although he did produce a Hambletonian winner in Harmonious.

It does appear, however, that Crowning Point has a great deal to offer as a broodmare sire, since such performers as 1998 2-year-old champion, Rum Boogie, 1999 Delvin Miller winner, Lovelytobehold and Dexter Cup champion, Pearsall Hanover are all from Crowning Point mares. Lovelytobehold and Pearsall Hanover’s dams are both well-bred mares from the Speedy Crown’s stallion’s days at Kentuckiana Farms in Lexington, while Rum Boogie’s dam was herself a stakes winner with a 3,1:56 mark. It would not surprise this writer to see a Crowning Point mare produce a thoroughly wonderful champion, as Crowning Point’s brand of speed is a useful foundation for unexpected, breeding shed miracles. The get of Crowning Point mares, less than 100 in number, won nearly $2.5 million in 1999. With less than 70 two-and-three-year-old performers, Crowning Point’s production was good for seventh on that index, an impressive showing for such a young horse.

Balanced Image also appears prominently on the all-age list and this, too, is not a surprise. The now 22-year-old stallion has been our leading money-winning trotting sire for much of the last decade. This outstanding production will no doubt convert to a prominent broodmare, siring career as well. Balanced Image’s numbers are good for eighth on the top ten list for all-ages, and fifth among sires of 2-and-3-year-olds. His all-age number was nearly $2.8 million, with more than $2 million being won by the young offspring of his mares. Balanced Image mares are extremely valuable, given their imposing size and often aggressive attitudes. Their ability to produce good, young horses is a marked difference from Balanced Image’s performance as a sire, where so many of his performers find their best stride late in their racing lives. As with Crowning Point, speed is a valuable franchise in any pedigree, whatever its source. The speed inherent in Balanced Image mares, along with their excellent type, should also find the son of Noble Gesture among our leading broodmare sires for many years to come.

JOIE DE VIE HAS BETTER BROODMARE NUMBERS THAN ANYONE EVER IMAGINED

As one of the sons of Super Bowl whose siring career lacked its expected punch, Joie De Vie is perhaps the most surprising horse to obtain a prominent position among our leading broodmare sires. In fact, Joie De Vie, a foal of 1980, appears ahead of both Balanced Image and Crowning Point on the all-age list. The offspring of Joie De Vie’s daughters won nearly $3 million in 1999, with $1.7 million of that total amassed by the younger set. However, we should be careful to note that Joie De Vie’s best broodmare credit in 1999 was the two-year-old filly star, Dream Of Joy, who won the Merrie Annabelle, Breeders Crown and Goldsmith Maid stakes. Nearly half of Joie De Vie’s juvenile credits were won by Dream Of Joy, so his overall performance needs to be evaluated again in another year. Not many Joie De Vie mares are owned by the sport’s leading breeders. It will be difficult for Joie De Vie to remain high on this list.

SPEED IN ACTION MARES BEGINNING TO SHOW UP----AND NOT JUST IN OHIO!

One of this columnist’s favorite stallions was the Ohio sensation, Speed In Action, a foal of 1974. Standing in the Buckeye state, Speed In Action is not a horse that anyone would predict having a heavy influence on the national trotting scene. Speed In Action was one of the leading sires in Ohio for much of the past two decades, but it is a difficult task for any horse to move beyond a regional base to become a prominent national sire. Yet, there he is on the list of our most prominent broodmare sires in 1999. Speed In Action is by Speedy Scot, and ranks third on the list of Speedy Scot’s most successful sons, behind Speedy Crown and Arnie Almahurst.

Speed In Action was a typical son of Speedy Scot, in that he produced a brand of energetic speed in his offspring that often made them difficult to handle. But, as seen with both Crowning Point and Balanced Image, speed is a precious asset in horse breeding. Speed In Action’s broodmares produced the winners of nearly $2.8 million in 1999, and just not in Ohio.

One of Speed In Action’s daughters is the dam of the 1999 divisional champion, Master Lavec, winner of the Breeders Crown at Mohawk last fall in a stunning display of both quickness and sophistication. Another Speed In Action dam produced the 1999 Grand Circuit stakes winner, Smooth Iliad, a son of Armbro Iliad, and one of the best two-year-old trotting colts ever produced in the state of Ohio. Yet another good Ohio 2-year-old in 1999, also by Armbro Iliad, was Trojan Touch, the Ohio Sires Stakes champion, and he too is from a mare by Speed In Action. It should also be remembered that one of the most gifted young trotters seen in North America in the past couple of years was the American Winner colt, Buzzin Brian 3,Q1:54 3-5. His dam is also by Speed In Action. Although that colt's entire career did not deliver on his amazing potential, his ability should be recognized.

While many dispute the relative importance of broodmare sires in the pedigree of a good horse, it is always extremely interesting to see that the siring stars of one generation continue to follow the historic trends of the past in becoming the leading broodmare sires of the present.