While many very astute buyers spends countless hours researching lots in the APG sales every year. To be frank, at times they have plucked some real gems from almost nowhere.
The $2,229,634 winning Shakamaker is a great example of this . At the time he entered the sales ring his three older siblings hadn’t made it to the track, and they never did . Worst still, his 2nd Dam Miss Teresa had 8 foals that their total race earnings together accumulated just $57,595. His 3rd Dam Monapat had 7 offspring which also failed to impress with just $36,420 total earnings. As strange as this sounds, APG’s 2nd leading all time earning champion wouldn’t get a start in the Melbourne Sale at this time. This just goes to show that old saying, “Good horses come from good families, champions horses can come from anywhere” .
For people that are time poor, inexperienced or just need a better system on how to dramatically improve their odds of finding a horse that can not only win north of $100,000 in career earnings, yet also have the potential to bring them and their family a wonderful experience of racing a horse at the highest level.
In what could be a world first, before a leading sale, you are about to get some very substantial facts that could change your life for ever.
Phase 1.
Is to create a master list of potential lots that can meet your goals (for this opinion piece let’s assume we are targeting a horse that has the capacity to win north of $100,000) .
The group that will give you the maximum chance of this, is the Lots that have full brothers or sisters that have already compiled career earners of $100,000 or more , let’s call these the A+ group.
Warning : Be careful here because successful colts and gelding can have full sister’s that can’t run out of sight at night, while the full sisters can still produce outstanding offspring they at times (depending on the family ) have a lower percentage than a Male/Male or a Female/Female sibling.
With the above said I’m going the split the A+ into two groups, both lists are outstanding prospects.
The highest ranking lots of this principle are
Lots with a remarkable ranking with the siblings as Male / Female
The next group, l would like to call the true A graders and that’s the Dams of the yearlings in the sale that have already produced offspring that have won more than $100,000 on the track. Put frankly these mares walk the talk and they are more likely to have more champions if matched to the correct stallion and those offspring are placed with the appropriate people that have skills to enable the horse to reach its full potential.
The group of yearlings l would like to highlight now are those that have come from Dams who themselves amassed more than $100,000 in career earnings on the track. This A group gets under sold, however please take them very seriously. To be blunt, these mares are the rock stars of the sport. A great example of this, is progeny by the great Somebeachsomewhere.
Of his top ten foals of all time, eight are from mares that won upward of $100,000.
Smolda the $2,407,238 winning and APG’s best performer at this point was out of the mare Under The Mattrest who herself won $105,711 on the track.
So the Lots from Dams in this exceptional and highly rewarding group are
The lots below also have an significant edge over the remaining lots and while we won’t go into why they have a higher chance of success, they are worth a close look
Phase 2
Now that you have a very extended list it’s time to start splitting them into workable numbers
It’s also time to make a call on the gender of yearling you are looking for .
Plus it could help to set a budget. This will also help reduce the numbers of Yearlings to view
Eligibility: this is important to some buyers
Create a list of sires that you believe can deliver the outcome you are after.
Phase 3
Now it’s time to engage the professionals, trainers normally play a big role here and I understand that. People like Veterinarian Virginia Brosnan would be at the top of my list of team members.
Remember, John Coffey is on hand to help out at the sales.
Have fun and buy the one you want
Good luck and see all tomorrow at Oakland’s Junction
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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