They are:
- ALPHABET SOUP — $10,000 (down from $25,000 in 2006)
- AWESOME AGAIN — $125,000
- CONGAREE — $15,000
- EL PRADO — $125,000
- GHOSTZAPPER — $150,000 (down from $200,000 in 2006)
- GIACOMO — $12,500
- GOLDEN MISSILE — $10,000 (down from $25,000 in 2006)
- NORTH LIGHT — $30,000 (down from $50,000 in 2006)
- OLMODAVOR — $7,500 (down from $10,000 in 2006)
- TOUCH GOLD — $30,000 (down from $50,000 in 2006)
Final score: 0 stud fees UP, 6 stud fees DOWN, and 3 stud fees remain the same.
Adena Springs has an amazing track record for making stallions. El Prado started out at $7,500 (while standing at Airdrie Stud his first 4 years before moving to Adena Springs for the 1998 breeding season at $10,000). Airdrie certainly deserves much of the credit, but also Frank Stronach strongly supported El Prado with his own mares during that period. Today, El Prado commands $125,000. Why? From his first 10 crops to race, he’s sired a phenomenal 60 SWs (22 of them graded and 6 G1) including Champion Kitten’s Joy. And, he was North America’s leading sire by progeny earnings in 2001, and ranked 2nd in 2003 and 2004.
Awesome Again retired to stud with a $50,000 stud fee. Today he also commands $125,000. From his first 4 crops to race, he’s sired an amazing 6 G1 winners including Horse of the Year Ghostzapper. He has 5 graded SWs so far in 2006.
If you are breeding to race without a large bankroll, Alphabet Soup is a great value at $10,000. Here is a stallion who sired an astronomical 13 SWs from his first crop of 81 foals and came back with 9 SWs from his second crop of 93 foals. From his first 5 crops, he’s siring 79% starters, 55% winners to foals, and 8% SWs.
You gotta give Adenda Springs credit for “thinking outside the box.” They stood a son of Sadler’s Wells in Kentucky and came up with El Prado. Now they’ve brought over millionnaire North Light, England’s 2004 Champion 3-year-old colt and Derby winner. He is by Danehill, who is rapidly becoming a major sire of sires, and they are standing him for $30,000 in 2007. I like this stallion at this price. You know he’s going to throw turf horses, but with all of the North American purse money available for turf races, what’s wrong with that? And, with the new artificial track surfaces (Polytrack and its competitors) being installed around the country, the timing might be just right for North Light. Plus, he’s got the Adena Springs factor going for him!