The fourth and final in a series of articles reviewing full brothers with 20 or more offspring {worldwide} as shown on the Classic Families (CF) database.
The timeframe being reviewed covers the post 1985 period or what can be classified as the modern era.
Three pacing/siring brothers of the late 1980’s/early 1990’s were a result of the mating of Cam Fella with Jefs Magic Trick. Cams Card Shark, was a standout $2.5m/1:50.0US horse with multiple Group 1’s including Adios, Meadowlands Pace, North America Cup, Messenger. An ultra successful sire (Bettors Delight, Four Starzzz Shark, Holborn Hanover, Roll With Joe, Royalflush Hanover, Shark Gesture) Cams Card Shark is a member of USA Hall of Fame Living. His damsire credits include A Rocknroll Dance, Heston Blue Chip, Follow The Stars. Cams Magic Trick won the Battle of Freehold at two and has been successful at stud in USA. Cams Trickster was the first Cam Fella stallion to stand in NZ (164 winners) and from 2000 in Australia where he has sired a further 33 winners.
In the trotting ranks, the three famous Garland Lobell/Amour Angus brothers of Andover Hall/Angus Hall/Conway Hall lead the way. They are possibly the greatest example of three full brother sires in standardbred history. All three were winners of over US$800k, group races and have been leading sires of various categories in North America (33) in recent years. Their dam’s exploits do not finish with them – there are three other brothers/half brothers with winning offspring and three full sisters who are breeding on.
In NZ, one set of locally bred full brother’s stand out. CHRISTIAN CULLEN (1994)/JULIUS CAESAR (2000) – In The Pocket/Pleasant Franco. The Direct Scooter line was provided with another champion racehorse through the deeds of leading colonial bred stallion Christian Cullen ($1.25m, 1:54.1). The In The Pocket son of Bo Scots Blue Chip mare Pleasant Franco (dam also of Kate’s First : AK Cup, NZ/Queensland Oaks, Nevele R Fillies) boasted a race record including Group One features NZSS – 3, AK Cup, NZ Cup/FFA, Miracle Mile, Truer Memorial, NZ 4yo and overall Pacer, Harness Horse and Australian Grand Circuit Horse of the Year in 1999.
His siring record is impressive : five times champion NZ sire (stakes), four times leading NZ sire (winners), leading Australian sire (stakes 2011), leading Jewels/age group, yearling sales sire. He has had a number of sons stand at stud in NZ – Gotta Go Cullen, Gotta Go Cullect, Stunin Cullen, Charles Bronson, Ohoka Arizona, Justa Tiger etc. Christian Cullen has to date sired the winners of in excess of 2,500 races in NZ, over 170 individual winners in Australia and close ot 100 winners in North America (over 1,100 winners worldwide). They include millionaires Gotta Go Cullen (NZSS – 2c, NZ C/S – 2, NSW Derby, AK Cup, Messenger), Stunnin Cullen (NZSS – 3, GN Derby, Ballarat/Hunter Cups), Christen Me (Chariots of Fire, Taylor Mile, Messenger, Jewels – 4, NZFFA, Miracle Mile, Hunter/Victoria/Easter/Auckland Cups), Royal Cee Cee (1:49.3US) as well as Kiwi Ingenuity (NZ Oaks, NZ Breeders, Queen of Hearts), Lauraella (GN/NZ Oaks, Nevele R Fillies), Mainland Banner (NZ Oaks, NZ Cup, Messenger, City of AK FFA, NZ Breeders), Make Mine Cullen (Breeders Crown 3f/4m, Ladyship Mile, Queen of Pacific) to mention but a handful. Broodmare sire credits to date include Chase the Dream (Cardigan Bay Stakes, NZSS -2), Chicago Bull (WA Derby, McInerney Ford Champioonship, Fremantle/WA Pacing Cups), Highview Tommy (Jewels – 2, Ballarat Cup), Lazarus (millionaire, Jewels -2, NZSS -3, GN/NZ/VIC Derbies, NZ Cup/FFA, Victoria Cup/Bonanza), (Ohoka Punter (VIC/GN Derby, Blacks A Fake), Pembrooks Delight (Jewels – 4m), Rocker Band (Jewels – 4m, VIC Ladyship Cup), Shes A Runa (NSW Oaks), Spanish Armada (Caduceus Club Stakes, NZSS – 2/3f), Tact tate (VIC Bonanza)..
Christian Cullen’s non winning brother Julius Caesar initially stood at stud in NZ (130 winners to date) before relocating to Australia in 2010 (42 Aust bred winners to date). His best winners to date have been Gaius Caesar (Bohemia Crystal FFA Mile, Len Smith Mile) and Grand Circuit horse Our Chain of Command (Tasmania Cup).
Siring brothers of note, at least one of whom stood in NZ during the modern era have included :
BEACH TOWEL (1987)/SUN LAMP (1985) – French Chef/Sunburn. By French Chef (refer article for period 1960 – 1985 for details) out of Sunburn who left 14 foals, 13 to race for twelve winners with 5 in 1:55 including brothers Beach Towel and Sunlamp. Beach Towel retired the richest ever standardbred ($2.57m, 1:50.0US) having won 29 of his 36 starts including multiple group ones – Little Brown Jug, Meadowlands Pace, Adios – USA 3yo C&G, Pacer and Harness Horse of Year and a Hall of Fame Immortal. His NA siring credits include the only triple Breeders Crown winner in history in Jennas Beach Boy, the then fastest race winner in history (1:47.3US, 8 wins in 1:50); Paige Nicole Q (Breeders Crown – 2f, Jugette), NZ based stallion Sands A Flyin as well as being damsire of outstanding champion and successful sire Somebeachsomewhere (won 20/21 starts, 10 wins in 1:50/9 in single season, $3.221m/$2.4m in one season, multiple Group 1‘s, WR’s for 3yo colts 1:49.2US on ½ mile track and 1:46.4US on mile track). In NZ Beach Towel left 74 winners and in Australia 70 – these include Copper Beach (NZ/VIC Oaks) and he is damsire of De Lovely (NZ/AUS Oaks, Breeders Crown/Jewels – 3f, Queen of Hearts, Breeders Stakes), Sir Lincoln (NZSS – 3, Jewels – 3, AK Cup). Sun Lamp was another to stand at stud in Australia where he has sired 262 winners including NSW SS – 3f winners in Alitomo and Just Cuddles.
MAGICAL MIKE (1991)/MILES MCCOOL (1990) – Tyler B/Racing Date. Miles McCool and brother Magical Mike were at the time the fastest ever pairing of full brothers. They are bred on the same cross as Dragons Lair – Tyler B over Race Time mare. Miles McCool was a winner of the Fox Stakes (heats 1:54.3US/1:53.3US) at two and Adios in 1:51.2US at three. In 42 starts, he won nine and was race timed in under 1:55 on 17 occasions. Miles McCool stood in both NZ (169 winners) and Australia (31). His progeny included Electric Kiwi (Caduceus Club – 2f, Queen of Hearts) and damsire of Kiwi Ingenuity (1:52.1 NZR F&M, NZ Oaks, Breeders Stakes, Queen of Hearts). Magical Mike is a millionaire performer and successful sire with victories including Woodrow Wilson, USA Breeders Crown – 3c, Oliver Wendell Holmes and Little Brown Jug. His progeny include Gallo Blue Chip with earnings of $4.26m, 9 wins in 1:50 with $2.42m earned in 2000 alone. His profile as a broodmare sire has been enhanced by Hypnotic Blue Chip (millionaire, USA Pacing C/S, WR 4yo on mile track – 1:47.2US) and Idyllic (millionaire, O’Brien 2f of Year – Shes A Great Lady, Three Diamonds, Jugette, Nadia Lobell).
The implementation of semen transportation and the shuttling of stallions between hemispheres in recent years forms part of the background to our final two sets of full brothers to be reviewed.
RED RIVER HANOVER (1999)/RUSTLER HANOVER (1995) – Western Hanover/Rich N Elegant. These two brothers are from, arguably, the leading pacing broodmare of all time in Rich N Elegant. She has left seven 1:54 horses – leading racehorses and sires in Rock N Roll Hanover (three quarter brother to Red River Hanover)/Rustler Hanover as well as Richness Hanover, Righteous Hanover plus $2m gelding Royalflush Hanover and filly BJ‘s Canouan. The brothers sire Western Hanover ($2.5m, 1:50.4US, Cane Pace, Messenger Stakes) and USA 2/3yo C&G Pacer of Year is the leading equine sire of all breeds earnings wise. Among his sons, Badlands Hanover, Barnett Hanover, Union Guy, Totally Western, Western Terror, Western Ideal, Jeremes Jet have all left winners in NZ. Red River Hanover, was the winner of fifteen – 1:48.4US, Nassagaweya – 2, North America Cup – 3. His main Australasian winners have been Garnet River (1:50.0US, TAS Derby) and dual gaited Mister Zion (SA Cup, Aust Trotting C/S). Red River Hanover has left 360 winners worldwide, with 118 of these in NZ and 63 in Australia. Overall rather disappointing in Australasia and subsequently died 2014. Rustler Hanover, the winner of fourteen (1:51.0US, Metro – 2, Nassagaweya – 2, Confederation Cup – 3) has left 551 winners worldwide of which 55 have been in Australia and 13 in NZ. In Australia, his winners include Bonavista Bay (WA Golden Nugget, VSS – 4h) and he is the damsire of NZ bred trotter (Our) Dolly Would (NSW/SA Trotters Oaks).
Our final pair of siring full brothers warrant coverage due to their impact on the NZ and Australian pacing scene. ART MAJOR (1999)/PERFECT ART (1994) – Artsplace/Perfect Profile. These sons of a WR holder (1:51.1US) as a 2c in Artsplace (1992 USA/Canada Horse of Year, $3m, 1:49.2US), winner of countless classic races and sire/damsire of numerous champions, made an immediate impact in Australasia. Art Major, worldwide is proving to be a superior progenitor of early speed as can be seen by his numerous star youngsters. Second leading sire to Bettors Delight (11) of 1:55 2yo pacers in Australasia with 9 performers (Lettucerockthem p2, 1:52.1, APG – 2c, NSW Breeders Challenge – 2/3c/4h ; Sky Major p2, 1:52.8, Jewels 2/3/4, Messenger, Chariots of Fire; Follow The Stars p2, 1:53.8, Cardigan Bay Stakes, APG/Breeders Crown – 2c; Our Golden Goddess p2, 1:54.3, NZSS – 3f; All Eyes On Us p2, 1:54.4; Hazels Girl p2, 1:54.5; Major Pocket p2, 1:53.8; Pacing Major p2, 1:54.6, Alta Maestro 1:54.4, 1700m) having recorded 1:55 on 15 occasions. Art Major is the richest and one of the fastest sons of Artsplace ($2.7m, 1:48.4US). He recorded numerous Group 1 successes including Cane Pace, Breeders Crown -3c/OP, Canadian Derby, US Pacing C/S together with USA/O’Brien [CAN] 3yo C&G and 4yo H&G of Year titles. He is third on the list of horses to have sired 1:48 pacers in NA behind Rocknroll Hanover (9) and Bettors Delight (8) – Art Official, Hypnotic Blue Chip, OK Commander, Art Professor, JK Panache, Odds On Equuleus being Art Major‘s six 1:48 horses. To date, he has left 1,645 winners worldwide, with 659 in Australia and by semen transport 238 in NZ. Apart from the NA speedsters and his Australasian youngsters mentioned above, among his better performed NZ bred progeny have been Fight For Glory (NZ/NSW/QLD Oaks, Queen of Hearts), Field Marshal (Taylor Mile, Messenger, Jewels – 4h), Our Major Mark (Welcome Stakes, NZSS – 2c, Jewels Emerald – 2), Isaiah (Flying Stakes, Pelorus Classic), Onlyforyou (NZSS /Jewels – 2f), Titan Banner (Franklin Cup). Perfect Art has stood at stud in Australia after a stellar racing career in the USA (1:51.0US, Hoosier Cup – 3c), he was leading sire of 2yo’s (2002/3) and 3yo’s (2003/4) in Australia. Among his best performers have been Slipnslide (millionaire, QLD Derby, Chariots of Fire, Treuer Memorial, QLD Pacing C/S twice), Good Lookin Girl (Queen of Pacific/Ladyship Mile), I Am Sam (APG – 3c), Sir Galvinator (Tas Derby, APG – 3c) with broodmare success coming with Barynya (TAS/VIC Oaks), Lombo Navigator ($½m+). He has sired in excess of 350 winners to date in Australia, 24 in NZ and nearly 500 worldwide.
This completes our brief review of successful siring full brothers with 20 or more offspring {worldwide} as shown on the Classic Families (CF) database. There are other full brothers with 20 or more offspring who have stood in NZ, but they haven’t produced the quality of standardbred to meet this reviews criteria.
Peter Craig
15 February 2017
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
