Rahy – Pensioned but going stronger than ever!

It was announced yesterday that Rahy, “the little train that could,” has been pensioned.

Without much fanfare, Rahy entered stud at Three Chimneys Farm in 1991 for $15,000. At 15.1 hands and a turf specialist, Rahy had much to overcome in Kentucky’s commercial environment. Yet, over the years Rahy has proven himself very good sire as well as getting a bit of a reputation as a filly sire. But this actually has had more to do with the exploits of his progeny in the breeding shed than it has with his runners. The reality is that of Rahy’s 72 unrestricted SWs to date, 38 are colts and 34 are fillies. Of his 13 G1 winners, 6 are colts and 7 are fillies.

As a sire of sires, Rahy has been fairly unimpressive to date. His two best offshore sons are Noverre and Fantastic Light, both of whom stood for Darley in Europe before moving to India and Japan, respectively. Both stallions have 2 group winners in Europe this year, including Noverre’s La Havre, winner of the 2009 G1 Prix du Jockey Club. Rahy’s best hope in America is Lewis Michael, who entered stud this year at Three Chimneys.

Where Rahy really shines is as a broodmare sire. To date, his daughters have produced 65 unrestricted SWs, including 7 G1 winners with Giant’s Causeway being his star of stars. (Click here to view pedigrees and stakes wins of these 65 SWs).

Rahy is currently North America’s leading broodmare sire of unrestricted SWs with 12, as well as NA’s leading broodmare sire of first-time SWs with 7. (Click here to view chart). In 2008, daughters of Rahy produced 18 SWs, with 15 of them FTSWs.

Rahy is 24 years old and has quite a few years left as a broodmare sire. I expect this little stallion to continue to be a big player in the pedigrees of top-class runners for years to come.