Musique's sire an outsider, too

ARCADIA, Calif. - The second-ranked stallion in the nation is one of the loneliest stallions in the nation.

Musique d'Enfer is an unlikely candidate to be ranked behind In Excess on the national stallion leader list by earnings. Musique d'Enfer is bred to only a few mares a year, and his tenuous position on the list is a result of one race - the upset win by Musique Toujours in the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29.

The victory was worth $550,000 for owners Lloyd DeBruckyer and Richard Glassman. It could lead to at least some interest in Musique d'Enfer, 19, who has had only 25 foals and 12 runners from 9 crops.

Last year, Musique d'Enfer was bred to only five mares - some owned by breeders Jacqiue Takaha and Lorenzo Preciado and a few owned by Paul Schiewe, who owns Schiewe Ranch in Temecula where Musique d'Enfer stands.

Takaha and Preciado, who own Musique d'Enfer, are small breeders who admit to being a bit shocked by the success of Musique Toujours.

"I was watching at Santa Anita," Preciado said. "I went crazy."

Takaha works nights in the money room at Hollywood Park. Preciado is a retired bartender. He worked in the Forum Club at the arena adjacent to Hollywood Park that once hosted Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings game.

The couple bred Musique Toujours but lost him via a claim for $40,000 in November 2003. He finished second that day, a loss that aggravated Preciado more than losing the now 5-year-old gelding.

"I was not too happy because I thought he'd win the race," he said. "Since the stallion was not that famous, we didn't figure he would get claimed. We're not talking about Smokester or In Excess."

In eight starts between that race and the Sunshine Millions, Musique Toujours won twice - an allowance race for California-breds and a $50,000 claimer at Hollywood Park last May.

Trained by John Sadler, Musique Toujours was dismissed at 70-1 in the Sunshine Millions Classic. The front-running victory marked his fifth win in 19 starts. He has earned $726,320, and will be considered for several races, including an allowance race, an overnight stakes or a graded stakes, Sadler said. "We have plenty of options," he said.

Takaha and Preciado breed to race, but keep only a few horses. They have three full brothers to Musique Toujours - an unraced 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a suckling born on Jan. 10, Preciado said.

Even though they no longer own Musique Toujours, Takaha and Preciado stand to be handsomely rewarded through stallion and breeder awards.

The estimated awards for the Sunshine Millions Classic alone is $46,000 - $25,000 for breeder awards and $21,000 for a stallion award.

Musique Toujours is out of Starry Farrari, a 15-year-old mare by Inherent Star, who was a winner. She has produced four starters, all winners.

Musique d'Enfer scored three wins at 3 and 4 in a 36-race career. By Stop the Music, he earned $47,343.

Musique d'Enfer stood at several farms in California before arriving at Schiewe's ranch in 2004. It does not bother Preciado that his stallion has attracted limited attention. Musique Toujours is Musique d'Enfer's first stakes winner.

"We don't really advertise too much," he said. "When we advertised we didn't get that many calls."

An influx of interest could cause problems. Schiewe said his ranch is not built to handle many mares.

"We don't run a breeding farm," he said. "If they got a bunch of calls, we'd have to move him. My place isn't very big."

But the Sunshine Millions Classic has cast attention on a kind stallion, Schiewe said.

"He's like a pony horse," he said. "My kids could probably lead him around."