THE OTHER HALF OF THE HERD
By John P. Sparkman
Although Arthur B. ‘Bull’ Hancock Jr.’s dictum that ‘the bull is
half the herd’ remains true, maintaining a breeding operation at
the top level depends at least as much on the quality of the
broodmare band as on the quality of the home stallions.
Khalid Abdullah and his Juddmonte Farms began racing in the late
1970s in England, where he stood highly successful Rainbow Quest,
twice ranked among the leading sires in England and leading
broodmare sire there in 2003 and 2004.
Abdullah first stood stallions at Juddmonte’s Kentucky farm in
1988, when he transferred his 1980 2000 Guineas (Eng-G1) winner
Known Fact from England. Known Fact was intermittently successful,
but Juddmonte has not been blessed to date with an American
equivalent of RAINBOW QUEST.
Juddmonte’s broodmares have compensated admirably, contributing
greatly to the farm’s four Eclipse Awards as outstanding breeder
and two as an outstanding owner. Toussaud, Broodmare of the Year in
2002, produced five graded stakes winners, including 2003 Belmonte
Stakes (G1) winner EMPIRE MAKER, now a
Juddmonte freshman sir.
Hasili (Ire) produced five graded stakes winners, including
champions Banks Hill (GB), Intercontinental (GB), and French and
English heavyweight DANSILI (GB), who
now is a top sire at Juddmonte in England. Hasili was voted English
Broodmare of the Year in 2006.
Slightly Dangerous also produced five stakes winners, including
champion Warning (GB) and Ever Ready Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) winner
Commander in Chief; she was accorded Broodmare of the Year honours
in 1997.
Juddmonte now may have another mare on her way to comparable
heights in True Flare, by Capote out of Proflare, by Mr.
Prospector. Abdullah acquired Profalre’s dam, Flare Pass, by
Buckpasser, when he purchased Belair Farm from Brownell Combs II in
the early 1980s. A full sister to leading sire Buckaroo and a half
sister to the good Argentine sire Parade Marshal, Flare Pass failed
to win in 11 starts over three seasons. She placed twice at two and
earned $2,235.
Because her sire Buckpasser led the broodmare sire list four
times and her immediate family included Stop the Music and Hatchet
Man, she obviously retained considerable value as a broodmare.
Proflare was easily her best offspring, winning twice in 11
starts in France and placing in the 1987 Prix Amandine. Proflare
fulfilled the family’s promise, producing six stakes winners from
12 foals, the most talented of whom may have been Apple of Kent, a
Kris S. filly who won the 2001 Shuvee Handicap (G2).
True Flare was not far behind, if at all. Winner of three of
five starts in France, including two listed stakes, she won the
1996 Rare Perfume Breeders Cup Handicap (G2) and San Clemente
Handicap (G2) from six starts in the United States.
Her first foal, Real Trust, by Danzig, placed in a stakes in
France, and her second foal, Art Master, by Royal Academy, captured
both the 2005 Prix du Palais-Royal (Fr-G3) and the ’04 Prix de la
Jonchere (Fr-G3). Indian Flare, by Cherokee Run, True Flare’s third
foal, has won two stakes at Santa Anita Park, including this year’s
Flower Girl Handicap.
True Flare’s fourth foal, Latent Heat, by Maria’s Mon, is her
best so far. Trained by Bobby Frankel, he has won six of ten
starts, highlighted by recent consecutive victories in the Malibu
Stakes (G1) and the San Carlos Handicap (G2).
True Flare’s three-year-old Cherokee Flare, by Cherokee Run, has
not won in four starts. She has a two-year-old colt by Storm Cat,
and a yearling colt by Empire Maker.
With both Seattle Slew and Mr. Prospector in her pedigree, True
Flare is distantly inbred 8 x 6 to the great Myrtlewood, but the
principle concentrations in her pedigree come from four crosses
apiece of Nasrullah and Bull Dog.
True Flare’s pattern of consecutive stakes winners early in her
stud career is very similar to those of Juddmonte’s other top-notch
broodmares. With Juddmonte’s expertise, she may be on her way to
matching their records.
Date: 9 March 2007