The North American bloodstock industry has largely managed to climb out of the recession that hampered the early part of the decade, but the demand for Maryland-breds has bounced back particularly well.
When Empire Maker was exported to Japan in 2010, the chances of him establishing his own branch of the Fappiano male line looked extremely remote. Seven years later, with a Triple Crown winner, a champion 2-year-old male, and the possible favorite for the 2017 Kentucky Derby among his grandsons, the son of Unbridled is well on his way to living up to his name by building his own sire empire.
Both a veteran campaigner and rising stars delivered for Hard Spun over the weekend as the Darley sire enjoyed a solid run. The stallion was represented by three winners, led by his 7-year-old millionaire Hard Aces, who won the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup going 1 1/2 miles Sunday at Santa Anita.
Kentucky Derby pedigree analysis: Local Hero
Real Steel won the Group 1, $6 million Dubai Turf in 2016, but, days before this year's renewal, was forced to withdraw from consideration for a repeat bid. It was no matter, as Vivlos won to give her sire, Deep Impact, consecutive winners of the rich event.
Unbridled's Song's and Grindstone's branches of the Unbridled line were well represented on the world's richest race card Saturday at Meydan, as Arrogate won the Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup and Second Summer took down the Group 2, $1 million Godolphin Mile.
There is no denying that Kendall Hansen has put in the legwork to help prove out his namesake stallion, the champion juvenile Hansen, in his lone U.S. crop before being sold to Korea in late 2013.
The Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector male lines completely dominate worldwide group and graded stakes results, but the eight races at the Dubai World Cup meeting produced a remarkable variety of winners from relatively rare male lines.
The road to the top of New Mexico's sire list took a long sweep through A & A Ranch in 2016, with the farm's stallions taking up four of the top five spots on the state's general earnings list.
Grade 1 winner Tamarando will enter stud at Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., for the 2017 breeding season and will stand for an advertised fee of $2,500.
