yukichan

GO EMMA! i love this little girl.

I don't know, go Emma! And how about this rafi>>>Remember about how Ascot was pure dremaing?

Smart Strike before Awesome Again

Ghostzapper rates A++ with Zenyatta and there isn't a lot of inbreeding either.

Shores, I think that would be an very good fit, but it would not be my first choice. Animal Kingdom has a fluid stride and a deadly turn of foot. Animal Kingdom was very flexible. He truly could win from 8-10f on all three surfaces. Zenyatta won Graded from 8.5-10f on two surfaces, but there is little doubt that she could win on turf. Zenyatta had soundness issues when she was two- causing her to not start- Animal Kingdom has struggled from injuries on two occasions in his career. I think that is the one thing I'd be against. However, people might falsely think Zenyatta had no speed. She truly didn't, but she had a burst of speed when needed. If you look at her internal fractions of the 2010 Breeder's Cup Classic,after running an opener of 27, she than ran consecutive 23 and change individual, allowing her to make up thhe majority of an 18 length difference which she consumed at the start. Animal Kingdom had that turn of foot. Animal Kingdom is pretty big, but Zenyatta foaled a 140 pounder and it came right out. Their pedigrees are nice together, they match each other well, and both have nice conformation. My only issue is, they were both unsound. Also, they don't compliment each other with opposite characteristics. They had very similar traits and running style. I'd rather see her bred to Awesome Again orr Bodemeister.

Will be amazing to see the babies.

Shores, TrueNicks doesn’t have a profile for Animal Kingdom since he hasn’t yet started breeding in the US, so I can’t speak from that angle; however, AK’s sire Leroidesanimaux rates an “A” with Zenyatta so it’s very possible the two might cross well; though in my opinion, IF the Mosses try Animal Kingdom it will be after his first couple of crops hit the ground and we have a good idea whether he tends to throw milers or routers, precocious babies or late bloomers etc.

I am on the awesome again bandwagon. He is a first class sire who pushing 20, so sooner rather than later would be nice. He is covering progressively smaller books, with 83 in 2012, but his fertility rate in the 2011 covering/2012 foaling season was a remarkable 76% - fingers cross for next season that they connections of zenyatta see the light :P

I think it was Dressage who claimed him to be mediocre.

Nice list, Shores.

AoR, I was actually sort of liking Creative Cause too. Could I read the notes for Creative Cause, please?

I was the one who said that War fronts babies at ballydoyle were Gr2-Gr3 at best. Decleration of war certainly won with a tremendous turn of foot. I can eat crow when I am wrong.

Sorry for submitting so many comments, but my last one got cut off! One more thought-- If I had to pick two horses from the last decade that people seemed to talk about the most for being “muscular”, “chiseled”, “a specimen” and so forth, it would be Animal Kingdom and Zenyatta. If they have a foal it may not ever decide to run worth a darn on the track, but it’s bound to have killers looks for sure!

Good post as always, AoR. As I said, War Front is one of my favorite stallions, but I'm not a huge fan of how him and Zenyatta match. Based on the thorough research and sourced information Truenicks uses, I can obviously infer that their pedigrees historically match well together. However, I'm iffy about how the conformation will come into play and I think Zenyatta would be better suited with a stallion with a better back and neck (perhaps Awesome Again). I don't mind seeing her bred to War Front, but I'd much rather see her with Awesome Again, Bodemeister, Medaglia D'oro or possibly and oversea stallion such as Galileo or Deep Impact. Personally, I really like the matches of Awesome Again and Bodemeitser. Awesome Again, another one of my three favorite stallions (War Front and Speightstown being the other two), is an inconsistent producer, however he throws out some very credible foals (Ghostzapper, 2004 Horse of the Year being an example). I've always shouted with a loud voice, Awesome Again does not get enough good mares, and when he does, credible foals are possible and likely. Awesome Again was a very successful racehorse going 10f, he has good conformation, and he is the worthiest they get for Zenyatta. I also like Bodemeister for a couple reasons. Bodemeister is classic-placed twice (losing by 1 1/2 while running blistering fractions in Derby and losing by a head to I'll Have Another again in Preakness). He shown tremendous speed in the span of a short career, but the ability to thoroughly distribute his energy and carry his speed 10f. I think the speed/stamina ratio between them varies greatly and it is a nice (and risky) move for that rare blend. I love how Bodemeister and Zenyatta's pedigrees mix (anyone would like to bud in about what Truenicks has to say?) so all things a go. Bodemeister was very talented and was only beaten by a very good racehorse in two classic races. Age of Reason, yes, you are definitely one of the more knowledgable Zenbots. I think many mixes for Zenyatta could result in a foal that would dig the grass, JMO.

I didn't say he was a mediocre stallion, I just mentioned two of his babies stabled at AOB's yard.

I don't know how Leroy is doing as a sire of sires

My first choices for her would actually be Giant's Causeway, Medaglia D'Oro, and Awesome Again

ZenZapper sounds good, Horsefan.

Einstein would be great too

i've always said Awesome Again x Zenyatta. they need to get him before he is pensioned.

Hey guys, sorry for not responding sooner; I just got in from push-mowing my yard lol. Anyway, here’s my notes as requested. Apologies in advance for their great length. “(1) Exchange Rate. He’s already sired a winner out of a Street Cry mare (as have 2 other Danzig sons), and his classic Danzig/Seeking the Gold pedigree mixed with a remarkable record as a sire of 2yos gives him the best of both worlds. Rated “A++”, but inbred to Mr. Prospector 4x4 and Mr. P’s sire and dam 5x5. (2) Creative Cause. I’ve said several times I’m not a fan of sending Zenyatta to anything from the Storm Cat line, and I’m not a fan of inbreeding in any case but Creative Cause is my exception. G1 winner at 2 and Classic-placed at 3 by Giant’s Causeway, out of a G1 winning mare; foal would be inbred 4X5 to Roberto. Rated an “A”. (4) Hat Trick. Very interesting inbreeding here, as this hypothetical foal would be inbred 4x5 to Hail To Reason through Halo and Roberto, and 3x5 to Halo through Sunday Silence and Coup De Folie (dam of Machiavellian). Hat Trick combines a tremendous miler’s turn of foot with classic American blood of Sunday Silence, Codex and Damascus. Rates “A++”. (5) Majestic Warrior. Like Exchange Rate, Majestic Warrior combines precociousness and speed with a stamina-laden pedigree (A.P. Indy out of a Seeking The Gold mare)—and he’s already sired Kentucky Oaks winners Princess of Sylmar in his first crop. Rated “A++”, but lots of inbreeding; to Secretariat 4x5, Mr. Prospector 4x4, Buckpasser 5x5, and Raise A Native and Gold Digger 5x5. (6) More Than Ready: Rated “A++”, and the reasons why More Than Ready’s record as a sire fits with Zenyatta are too many to list; lots of inbreeding though, to Halo 3x5 through Southern Halo and Coup De Folie, Hail To Reason 4x5 through Halo and Roberto, Mr. Prospector 4x4 through Machiavellian and Woodman; as well as Raise A Native/Gold Digger 5x5. (7) Parading. This one only gets a “C+”, and I don’t understand why! Parading is by Pulpit, so it’s the old A.P. Indy over Mr. Prospector cross breeders know and love; even better, Parading is out of On Parade, who traces to Personal Ensign through dam Storm Flag Flying and grand-dam My Flag. Inbred to Secretariat 5sX5s through his daughters Weekend Surprise and Terlingua, 4x4 to Mr. Prospector through Preach and Machiavellian, and 5x5 to Raise A Native/Gold Digger. (8) Perfect Soul. Many of Zenyatta’s fans want to see her visit Galileo or Frankel, and this is her only chance of hooking up with that Sadlers’ Wells line in America (outside of Frankel’s half-brother Bullet Train). Perfect Soul had miler’s speed to win the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile at Keeneland while setting a new course record, but is also able to put some of that classy turn of foot in his offspring at longer distances; Golden Soul runner-up in the Derby, Perfect Shirl winner of the BC Filly and Mare Turf. (9) U S Ranger—love the inbreeding to Roberto that a U S Ranger/Zenyatta cross would bring! U S Ranger was an undefeated stakes-winning 2yo and Ireland’s Champion Sprinter at 4, but is also out of a full sister to Dynaformer which makes him a very well-rounded fit. (10) Warrior’s Reward; a Grade 1 winner and Grade 1-placed in consecutive starts at the tough 7-furlong distance, his conformation is what sticks out to me as it seems to fit Zenyatta quite well.”

Medaglia D'Oro ; Hat Trick ; Malibu Moon ; Candy Ride

As much as I want to say "told you", no one called him a mediocre sire, the question was why him and not another more prestigious stallion?

(Stud) beauty is in the eye of the beholder. @cocoa/sullivan: Here is the comment that was made: "Why would they send her to a mediocre stud- again? The best offspring War Front has is Lines of Battle and I contribute his success more to Arch as a broodmare sire. Bernardini was another bad choice. Only a few successful offspring who have proven only to do well in New York. Tapit is the best stud they have sent her to."

What fool proclaimed War Front a medicore stallion? He is one of my favorite stallions, I've said that for a while. Whoever (or group of people) called him mediocre is just mental. Anyway, he is a good stallion, however he would NOT be my choice for Zenyatta. I like Awesome Again for Zenyatta. Who's with me?

Buttery Pancakes

It seems like the pedigrees would be OK, I just don't see them breeding her to a big ol horse like AK. And as much as I love him, I'd rather see her go to proven stallions first.

Yeah those people are idiots because War Front is a top-level sire.

Hello again all! It seems like a lot of us would like to see Zenyatta visit Awesome Again, however TrueNicks has Awesome Again/Zenyatta a very mediocre “D”. I hate to keep invoking the truenicks tool like it’s the word of God or something, but it is a mathematically-based and –verified system with proven methods. That being said, I’ve had one of those rare afternoons of free time, so I headed over to BloodHorse’s Stallion Register and searched the whole list; based on my own “bloodlines handicapping” if you will, as well as the free tools available on my site, here’s my “Big Nine” list of stallions I would love to see Zenyatta bred to. I made personal notes on all 9 but that would be too lengthy to list here; however if any of you would like to see the info I dug up on any of these particular stallions as far as Zenyatta would be concerned, just let me know and I can post what I came up with. So here’s my bucket list! In alphabetical order: (1) Exchange Rate (2) Creative Cause (3) Hat Trick (4) Majestic Warrior (5) More Than Ready (6) Parading (7) Perfect Soul (8) U S Ranger, and (9) Warrior’s Reward.

if only many of the crazed zenyatta-ites who condemned this breeding were informed enough to actually watch royal ascot, then they would be a little more informed. Not directing that at anyone here, but the zenyatta site and fb page are rampant with morons

I would love to see your notes, some are a little peculiar

I'd personally like her 2015 baby to be by Animal Kingdom, but that's just me. Let me know what you all think about that.

As one of the more knowledgeable Zenyatta-ites (I would hope), I have to say that some people who complained about this breeding weren’t as stupid as they might have seemed. Sorry for the left-handed compliment, but they were dissatisfied with War Front because, as Mike Smith said shortly after Zenyatta’s retirement, “There isn’t a stallion around who’s worthy of her.” American breeders currently don’t have a true Superstar-type stallion, the US equivalent of a Galileo or Sunday Silence, so it will only be natural for some to feel unhappy with whichever mate is chosen for Zenyatta because the Mosses will never be able to do with Zenyatta what any other breeder tries to do with any other mare: “move the mare up”, in breeding jargon. However, let’s not forget that TrueNicks has War Front / Zenyatta rated “A++” for a reason; three different Danzig sons (Belong To Me, Exchange Rate, and Hard Spun) have already produced winners out of Street Cry mares! High hopes for Z14, and I’ll go ‘way out on a futuristic limb here by predicting that s/he will make their first start on turf.