Eight Florida Stallions Were Bred to 100 mares or More in 2015

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Bernies Blog

The problem of short fields at too many of the nation's racetracks has a direct connection to the Jockey Club's 'Report of Mares Bred' every year. Thus, the report is important not only to breeders, but racetrack execs as well.

The recent JC report shows that there were 34,627 mares bred in 2015, an increase of 0.3% over last year, although not all the returns are in. Kentucky led the way with 17,448 bred, and Florida was second with 2,890. California checked in third with 2,568 and New York was fourth with 1,554.

There were 105 stallions who were bred to 100 or more mares, most of them in Kentucky, but Florida did have eight of its own. Uncaptured, who stands at Ocala Stud, was the leader with 137 mares bred, and Mike O'Farrell's venerable farm also boasted of Adios Charlie with 128 and Kantharos, Florida's leading second-crop sire, with 112.

Woodford Thoroughbreds was also well-represented, with He's Had Enough bred to 119 and Soldat to 112. Pleasant Acres had Brethren with 113, Treasure Beach with 103 and Handsome Mike with 100.

Among some of the other leaders, Get Away Farm had 93 mares go to Two Step Salsa, who was the leading first and second-crop sire of his generation in Florida, and another 79 to first-year sire Drill.

Bridlewood Farm bred 84 to Big Drama, its leading freshman sire of this year, and Double Diamond Farm had 67 go to First Dude, its leading freshman sire. Solera Farm had 76 go to freshman sire Field Commission, who only had four foals in his first crop.

Northwest Stud Farm's Gone Astray was bred to 56 mares, while Flashstorm went to 29 and Duke of Mischief to 25. Journeyman Stud's J P's Gusto was bred to 57, Exclusive Quality 47, and Winslow Homer 62. Factum, at Stonehedge Farm, bred 44.

Aside from its 100-plus mares, Ocala Stud had 61 go to Prospective and 43 to Overdriven. Hartley-DeRenzo had 71 go to Rattlesnake Bridge.

The top four in the country were Uncle Mo with 221, Scat Daddy with 217, Into Mischief with 210and Shanghai Bobby with 202. Tapit, who went to 150 in 2014 and 175 in 2015, only bred 134 this year, possibly because of his stud fee of $300,000.