where is…Roberto!

16 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by Thoroughbred Research in American Bloodstock, genotype breeding, race horse breeding, Roberto

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Blue Larkspur, Hail to Reason, Mumtaz Begum, Plucky Liege, Roberto, Sardanapale, Teddy

At lock-down – thinking out economics upon breeding, one may contemplate whether the glass is 1/2 full or 1/2 empty?

And should we re-value what mares sold, what is culled?

Which lines are selected and how goes the justification?

Past crisis World Wars which deeply fractured many unknown bloodlines of the breeding population and though it might be history, its recovery & re-growth.

The breed shapers came new. Nasrullah/Bold Ruler/Nashua – Native Dancer/Raise A Native – Northern Dancer/ Nijinsky et al

Yet shooting for the stars, the laissez faire economics morphed the breeding practice to consumption & industrialism. This interfaced greatly to sports gambling influence and governance & racing pattern directives.

A racing pedigree came re-defined to sire $ and stake-win interest. The statistical influencing the market, how-to-select, how-to-breed by ROI, to immediate turn-around.

And here we are…..wondering if its a black swan flying low or a may-day call-out.

MAYBE established studs are patronized well enough. However one might easily assume smaller operations that are market dependent, have investment more exposed.

The core dilemma is always Decision & decisions: fundamental female bloodlines not recently produced or tested, yet nevertheless are classified elite, the ‘classic’ black-type producer. Primarily, they are a backbone of the breeding thoroughbred. They are foundational.

I contemplate the books written by Sir Charles Leicester, Franco Varola, Ross du Bourg, Ken McLean, Leon Rasmussen, Miles Napier – they all help to understand specialized thoughts to degrees of robust breeding & advice is accompanied by diligence.

Their meaningful breeding advisory, went to project well ahead. The Practice principle is about development: an ‘upgrading’ quality to breeding quality stock. Those writers mentioned above are still ahead of our time…..

Today however, is the mainstream exercise – the perpetual attempt to increase specialization to sprint and speed.

I have no intention to debate early colt speed sires, yet I do believe a global change is here and that course is changing before our covid-19 eyes.

Rather than Designing ‘pure’ Speed to the Racehorse, it seems propitious to instigate a TB Conservation agenda. Or at least, assert more of specialized breeding.

What to cull deserves to be seriously considered.

A ‘Conservation’ application leverages Balancing speed nemesis thru to a ‘balanced’ constitutional longevity; widening the sire bloodline pool(s), and strictly sustain prototype progenitors & ensure ecological growth.

And without hesitation, the overdue ending, to a ‘wastage’ landscape productivity.

It is caustic to see early 2,3 year olds discharged without some level of maturity. The natural stayer coerced to a sprinting training and development schedule disproving any talent in less than a season or two.

It’s the crude indifference – mass siring of major lines, to an incessant, bland, and monotonous duplicated ‘numbers’ breeding methodology and notably, increasing deterioration of genetic value once given to classic/solid/rough/professional diversity.

Genotype pedigree analysis might come feeblest to bloodstock business know-how….but my god, how salient it is to see abandoned bloodlines emerge like earthquake, because genetic breeding is one slow innate process of ‘cycles’.

Is it too difficult to envisage ‘future’ Breeding for conservation – further the potential & expand quality via added-Values.

Such to the likes of the great Man O’ War, Blandford, Bahram, Princequillo, Hail to Reason et al. They are seemingly too genetically smothered. Yet somehow, they simply bubble an extraordinary defiant robust potency.

With declining racing opportunity & escalating recession probability, let’s depart from imbalanced equilibriums, within breeding.

The imbalance(s) has claimed a morphological change to the breed, from proven stars to gambling chattel, investment commodity and yes, the horse-meat export trade.

I suppose I can only plead Walk-back up the hill, view, select, upgrade & support the thoroughbred breed. Equine souls are on the line.

For the ‘new’, for the future, It is time to embrace responsibility.

Inflated breeding is gone, gone, gone….

I’ve never run away from my responsibilities – Roberto Braggio

I don’t care about keeping seats of power – Roberto Braggio

Every manager can improve – Roberto Mancini

Young people are our future and I want to help them to grow – Roberto Mancini

Sometimes a player think’s its enough what they did the year before and doesn’t understand that everyday they should improve – Roberto Mancini

******

Roberto – a genetic powerhouse

(Hail to Reason-Bramalea (f.f.12c) by Nashua.

Roberto’s sire, Hail To Reason as a young sire very soon made his mark when he in 1970 ended the great Bold Ruler’s 7 year term, to leading American sire.

Broodmare sire Nashua, was a very sound horse. He sired tough stock.

Roberto’s dam Bramalea was a quality racing type, but moody temperamental which Roberto inherited.

Roberto’s dam, Bramalea descends from the ancestral Blank mare (Blank by Godolphin Arabian from Amorett Grey Whynot, ff 15).

fullsizerender

Roberto was a particularly good mover suited by firm ground, though he was able to act in any conditions – Sir Charles Leicester

The horse (Roberto) was renowned for his strength (tho’ not with the best of knees) toughness, a fiery nature coupled from a very bad temper. Vincent O’Brien

Roberto is line-bred as follows:

**Plucky Leige – 5sx5sx7Dx5d (*foundational elite mare f.f. 16a)**

Mumtaz Begum – 5sx4D (conduit-elite, speed mare f.f. 9c)

Blue Larkspur – 4sx4d (classic chefs f.f.8f)

Teddy – 5sx7Dx5D (stout chefs f.f.2n )

Sardanapale 5dx5d. (professional chefs f.f.16c)

“If two or more ancestors with the Blue Larkspur/Teddy affinity are linked together it would produce enough electricity to light up Paris or New York”! – Ken McLean

“….he (Olin Gentry Sr) deliberately duplicated French champion Sardanapale 5dx5d. Nashua’s grand-dam sire Sardanapale” Ken McLean – Designing Speed in the Racehorse. (n.b Sardanapale, the champion 3yo colt in France and leading broodmare sire (France) and leading sire, 1922, 1927)

Though of American breeding, Roberto won the 1972 title to the English Derby. His hero moment was to defeat the brilliant Brigadier Gerard in the Gold Cup at York.

Further, Roberto is one strain-to-retain, the maternal pedigree is abundantly defined by 27x St Simon. Lining up St Simon ‘layers’ and depth is exemplary breeding (Read depths to St Simon → Waldgeist, the prodigious sire

“The pedigree of Roberto speaks volumes for how to breed a better racehorse.” Leon Rasmussen

as above, so below….Roberto

Roberto – grand-dam sire to Makybe Diva (GB) (Desert King – Tugela) 3x Melbourne Cup winner 2003-2007

Roberto – maternal grand-sire: Zenyatta (Street Cry – Vertigineux → Kris S/Roberto)

Cartier & European champion, Enable – (Nathaniel – Concentric) – Nathaniel’s dam, grand-paternal sire Roberto ENABLE (GB) – supreme

Eclipse champion turf female 2018 – Sistercharlie (IRE) (Myboycharlie – Starlet’s Sister (IRE)

Consistent class performer, and 1-eye blind! She is Hard Not To Love (USA) (Hard Spun – Loving Vindication.

The high-class Kentucky Derby winner but fated Barbaro (USA) (Dynaformer/ Roberto – La Ville Rouge. Barbaro’s pedigree has 4×5 Nashua.

– Giants Causeway (USA) grand-dam sire Roberto. Giants Causeway, grand-sire to ⇒A winged electric – Pinatubo

– International high-class performer Americain (Dynaformer/Roberto sire line)

Darley stallion – Frosted (Tapit – Fast Cookie), maternal 3rd dam sire Roberto

Trapeze Artist (AUS) (Snitzel – Treppes), multiple G.1 winner in Australia.

Eclipse champion older male and he beat Zenyatta…..Blame (by Arch, a Roberto male line) standing at Claiborne stud. Note, sire of THE exciting 3 year rising star Nadal (USA).

– latest filly sensation Daring Tact (JPN) 3year old G1 winner from a Roberto male line via Epiphaneia (JpN). Daring Tact (Epiphaneia JPN – Daring Bird)

Roberto’s racing heart was tough.

Roberto’s encompasses a genotype pedigree of a indefectible conduit factor.

His genetics are world-beaters.

Winx – workin’ them genes

12 Friday Oct 2018

Posted by Thoroughbred Research in Australian Thoroughbreds, classic thoroughbred pedigree, genotype, genus, race horse breeding, racehorse pedigree analyzer, thoroughbred racing pedigree

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Al Akbar, Blue Larkspur, Count Fleet, Eight Thirty, Forli, Hold Your Peace, Kris S., Mossman, Nasrullah, Prince John, Princequillo, Street Cry, Success Express, Sundridge, Vegas Showgirl, Winx, Zenyetta

She teases, she thrills & the mare dapples racing immortality.

We shall never have enough of Winx – the larger than life, legend.

We attempt to fathom more – that pedigree, the progeny of Street Cry (IRE).

Let us repeat…spectacular, superior and the more ‘champion’ of pedigrees are often more soooo deep, than not.

It is through ‘time’ and only ‘time’ we see the greater breeding expanse – sires and broodmares, champions and even with the ordinary, how they breed from a forgotten place.

We shall see Ancestry, is also the future writing.

The electrica Winx propulsion – a supernatural velocity without touching turf, impresses where her sire Street Cry transmitted make em’ tough upon many of his progeny. This trait I attribute to his broodmare sire Troy (GB), Europe’s champion 3 year colt. Further back, notice another phenomena, speed strain, that of Hornbeam.

Troy won the 200th Derby by a remarkable seven lengths.

Hornbeam, of the female family 1-P, as also indexed to Black Caviar’s maternal line. Black Caviar: ‘diamonds’ within a pedigree. Take note Hornbeam, doubles his genetic presence via Al Akbar, Winx’s broodmare sire.

– (Al Akbar (AUS) by Success Express) What has the trait that places an almost obscure stallion, standing his years at Grangewilliam stud, Wanganui, New Zealand & came infused with his bloodlines to a phenomenal star performer.

But just for a mere moment, put the spotlight on Mossman (AUS) – Success Express (USA) from Lichen Lady (AUS), from the familial matron Lady Josephine i.e. FF 9c. Further note where the familial reinforces from double dosage (refer Solario (IRE) & Lady Josephine) by Sundridge **(read on below)

(additionally: if you like Success Express bloodlines, explore sire, Savabeel (AUS) by Zabeel, ex- Savannah Success by SUCCESS EXPRESS.)

A genetic pattern laid….& as they continually do!

*A Gr.1 winner at 2, Mossman placed in two legs of the 2yo Triple Crown. A truly exceptional sire. Tough and genuine, Mossman is the sire of Gr.1 winners PLUCKY BELLE, BUFFERING, MISS MOSSMAN, OFCOURSEICAN and MOSSFUN and was the Champion 2YO Sire in 2013/14. He has so far sired over 35 individual SWer’s, not bad for a stallion with an average foal crop of less than 60. credit source, Vinery Stud

Though its ‘common’ – (contemporary sire lines profusely limited to Northern Dancer, Mr Prospector), I find it personally beyond comprehension to find ‘how’ a precious impacting sire line, which descends ‘direct’ Prince John/Princequillo – a genetic all-time domination so beyond itself. Importantly these traits which find co-affinity, its infinity to that of Nasrullah.

The Nasrullah/Princequillo genetic mix remains a force to be reckoned with in the pedigrees of Group and Graded stakes winners. Ken McLean

****

Before Winx, there was another girl-power machine. She exhibited similar super racing abilities. Let’s see if we can twig-it.

The Eclipse champion older female 2008/09/10 – Zenyatta by Street Cry, ex-Vertigineux (USA) from Kris S.

Yes, different mare lines & yet to seek what must transcend ordinary into extraordinary is to comprehend the soul of superior performers. Again always the puzzle, to not only join genetic traits & dots but find n’ figure the genus where deeper central potential sits and waits.

I am not able to discuss statistics nor sciences, nor shall try – ONLY the very aim, where every pedigree sighted will demonstrate its ‘affinity’ construction, specifically.

Winx highlights a genetic dynamite via maternal ancestry. (Refer my article True Colours to reference an ancestor called **Sundridge.

And profoundly, Zenyatta through broodmare sire Forli also carries Sundridge. Plus, Forli’s sire IS Aristophanes (GB) Lady Josephine as I explain here.

In an instant the comprehension of genetic patterning layering is apparent. The sire ancestry Sundridge classic-genes, his daughter classy Lady Josephine, her daughter Mumtaz Mahal (aka The Flying Filly) formulate those same family roots akin to Nasrullah/Royal Charger.

Talk strains collectively, – Mumtaz Mahal , Mumtaz Begum/Mahmoud/Fair Trial: the female family index 9C.

In genotype/phenotype terms, this is what I define as genus.

It’s aficionado chills, where to collect & recollect Sundridge traits through pedigrees of Count Fleet(the 2nd dam sire to Mr Prospector) Prince John, Blue Larkspur, Eight Thirty. Get them collectively as per, the Success Express sire – Hold Your Peace (USA)….boom!

They are not-so-far-ago predecessors. Like, genetic ‘informants’ and also recycle loud n’ clear through Zenyatta’s broodmare sire Kris S.(USA) – 2nd dams sire Forli (USA) .

The BIG BANG genetics.

Those traits actually seize dominant homozygoisity; they qualify a natural determination of what is naturally integral to displace the heterozygoisity in the breed.
With my research, gratefulness & tribute, to the late and great Australian bloodstock writer & analyst Ross du Bourg who wrote ” The explosion in the world’s breeding population (allied with a much higher turnover of breeding stock and an increased reproduction rate) in the twentieth century has led to a savage and ongoing escalation of heterozygosity in the breed.”

Yet, the personal story is – Winx raises our admiration and an instinctive interest to what remarkable racehorses can be. As did, Zenyatta for her American racing fans.

Will there be another Winx?

Yes – but the oddity is, they will come forth from a non-fashion, not-hot broodmare sire, a non-commercial affordable: its genetics fired slow thereby marginalized statistically to inferiority class.

Impermeable genes, they serve singlehandedly and such sires quietly graze in a paddock just as I drove past Al Akbar, way back then.

Cheers

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