One of my favorite stallions since he retired to stud in 1990 is the “old man” at Three Chimneys in Midway, Ky., Dynaformer, now 24. He stands for $150,000 live foal because he’s a consistent sire of quality SWs who appeals to breeders in North America and Europe. Often underrated over the years, the old man has been on fire recently: Between May 16 and May 23, he had 4 SWs, 2 in Europe and 2 in the US! And right now, he’s second only to Giant’s Causeway as leading US sire of FTSWs (first-time stakes winners) in 2009 with 5!
As a son of Epsom Derby winner Roberto out of G1 winner Andover Way, by His Majesty (sire of Derby winner Pleasant Colony), Dynaformer was born in 1985 and had a “classic” Darby Dan pedigree of a different era that placed a huge emphasis on class and stamina. The same 1985 crop also had the Roberto colt Brian’s Time, who had a very similar Darby Dan pedigree to Dynaformer. Brian’s Time was out of the Graustark (a full brother to His Majesty) mare Kelley’s Day, who was out of the mare Golden Trail. Dynaformer’s dam Andover Way is out of the mare On the Trail, daughter of Golden Trail! (Click here to see the pedigrees of both stallions).
Brian’s Time was the better racehorse of the two. He won the G1 Florida Derby and G1 Pegasus Handicap, and he was 2nd in the Preakness, and 3rd in the Belmont Stakes and Travers. He earned $1,001,269 and was sold as a stallion prospect to Japan, where he was a huge success and second in stature for years only to Sunday Silence! (The best racing in Japan is on turf, and it’s interesting to ponder that Brian’s Time and Sunday Silence were both Hail to Reason-line stallions who really took to the classic races in Japan.)
Dynaformer was the G2 version of Brian’s Time. He won the G2 Jersey Derby (a $500,000 race!) at a mile and a quarter and the G2 Discovery Handicap at 1 1/8 miles. He earned $671,207, but when he went to stud he didn’t get the kind of reception here that Brian’s Time got in Japan! Brian’s Time was bred to some of the best mares in Japan as soon as he went to stud. Dynaformer had to do it the hard way! That’s right! You may not remember this, but Dynaformer went to stud at Nathan Fox’s Wafare Farm for a fee of only $2,500 live foal. Talk about starting on the ground floor and working your way up!
The Roberto line was a favorite of mine, even back then, and I particularly liked Dynaformer before he was a big name. Once, at my suggestion, I even took a season from Nathan to Dynaformer in lieu of payment for pedigree work – that’s how much I liked him! And I sold the season to my friend and client Joe Friedberg with a huge recommendation.
Over the years I’ve had great satisfaction in seeing Dynaformer succeed, and I’ve come to appreciate the fact that he’s done well here in spite of his progeny’s preference for turf and distance racing! As a son of Roberto with his ability, he might have been even bigger in Europe, where the turf and the distances would suit him much more than in the US. Consider these stats: Of his 80 unrestricted SWs to date, 64 of them have won a stakes on the turf; and the average winning distance of his SWs is 8.9 furlongs!
Take a look at his 4 most recent SWs:
Vacation won the G3 Hanshin Cup on May 23 at Arlington (synthetic) at 1 mile. (Click here to view pedigree)
Alwaary won a Listed Stakes on May 20 at Goodwood in England at 11 furlongs on turf. (Click here to view pedigree)
Americain won the G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier on May 17 at Longchamp in France at 15½ furlongs on turf. (Click here to view pedigree)
Social Queen won the G3 Gallorette Handicap on May 16 at Pimlico at 1 1/16 miles on turf. (Click here to view pedigree)
In fact, if you go back and examine the records of his best runners over the last few years, you’ll note that owners have become well aware of his sire abilities for turf and distance, and they are taking greater care to place them in those types of races.
Just in the month of May, in addition to the above accomplishments, Dynaformer has had: Nicanor win a Delaware maiden on turf by 15 lengths (Nicanor is the full brother to Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, who came to the Derby off wins on turf!); More Fascination win a 3¼-mile turf allowance on soft ground in the US; Rare Bush win a 2-mile steeplechase stakes in the US. And last month some sons and daughters of his won maiden and allowance races at Colonial Downs at 2 1/4miles and races in Europe at more than 1¼ miles!
To date, Dynaformer is the sire of 14 G1 winners and 93 SWs overall, and lately the best of them are coming from Europe. This year he actually had a heavy 1000 Guineas favorite in Rainbow View, who last year was a G1 winner in Europe. In fact, if you can recall it, last year Dynaformer got three G1-winning fillies in the span of a few weeks. Rainbow View at 2 won the G1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile at Ascot on Sept. 27, the same day that Dynaforce won the 1¼-mile G1 Flower Bowl on turf at Belmont. Two weeks earlier, on Sept. 14 at Longchamp, Michita had won the 1½-mile G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille!
Not bad for a horse who entered stud for $2,500 at a small farm in Kentucky!
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