The Kentucky Derby is the race every breeder and owner wants to win. For breeders, who start the process of creating future racehorses, planning a mating for their mare is an involved process that takes into account a number of factors, including the pedigree, race record, conformation, dosage, inbreeding, etc., of both the mare and potential stallion involved. In my opinion, it is the single greatest puzzle to solve in this business, and it’s one of the reasons why I have the greatest respect in the world for breeders. They are the people who drive the sport of horse racing, and it’s basically their “opinions” on breeding that create the stars of the sport.
At Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., we offer a number of services to aid breeders, including detailed broodmare analysis reports, but I’m most proud of the services that we have made available to breeders that are free or relatively inexpensive, like eNicks and the pedigree software CompuSire, which I own in partnership with its developer Roger Lyons.
These tools, I’ve found, have enabled breeders to do much of the work that previously they would have had to pay experts significant money to research.
I’m ecstatic that these tools also have helped two breeders come up with two Kentucky Derby starters this year – Derby favorite I Want Revenge and G1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner General Quarters.
Mr. and Mrs. David Randal bred General Quarters (Sky Mesa – Ecology, by Unbridled’s Song) and Mr. David Lanzman bred I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even – Meguial (Arg), by Roy). You will note that both colts are bred along similar lines: A.P. Indy-line stallions over Fappiano-line mares.
The Randals, who reside in California but own Fallbrook Farm in Versailles, Ky., used CompuSire as a tool to aid them in the mating of General Quarters. Mr. Randal recently told Daily Racing Form:
“I also ran a CompuSire report on the [in utero] foal and looked at the Dosage Index on the foal to see if it fits my criteria, which it did,” Randal said. “I try to keep the Dosage Index below 3 and above 2, for a foal that has speed but will also go the distance and won’t be just a straight sprinter.”
Mr. Lanzman told the Blood-Horse in March:
“I’m not in the breeding business; this was my first broodmare. I spent hours on eNicks looking for a mating, and Stephen Got Even is who came up on the screen with the most quality points.”
I am proud that eNicks and CompuSire provided tools for the Randals and Mr. Lanzman to plan the matings of General Quarters and I Want Revenge, and I give both breeders all the credit for actually coming up with what I believe will be a monster nick of the future: A.P Indy/Fappiano, a refinement of A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector. In the specific case of I Want Revenge, he is so far the second G1 winner on the A.P. Indy/Roy cross, following Great Hunter (Aptitude – Zenith, by Roy). In the case of General Quarters, which is A.P. Indy/Unbridled’s Song, note that Dunkirk’s pedigree is the reverse cross: by Unbridled’s Song out of an A.P. Indy mare!
Great minds, as they say, do think alike!
Best of luck in the Derby to these two fine colts.