By Elaine Belval
Samuel Morse, a 2-year-old colt by Danehill Dancer out of champion Eliza, won the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh on May 23rd. It is not surprising he is by Danehill Dancer, one of the leading sires in Europe. He has over 100 SWs, and just over 30% are 2-year-old SWs.
And it isn’t surprising that a SW is out of champion Eliza. Numerous studies have shown that the best indication of a mare’s future production record is her own racing ability, and Eliza was a champion 2-year-old who finished second in the Kentucky Oaks (to Dispute) and third in the Santa Anita Derby (to Personal Hope).
But, what is surprising is that Eliza went to leading sire Danehill Dancer.
Eliza was bred in Kentucky by multiple Eclipse-award-winning owner and breeder Allen E. Paulson. She was by leading sire Mt. Livermore, who had a variety of SWs all over the world. But, Eliza’s female family was decidedly American. Her dam, Daring Bidder by Bold Bidder, was bred in Virginia by George Swift, Jr. Paulson purchased the filly as a yearling for $125,000. Despite being unraced, Daring Bidder produced six black type performers for Paulson led by Eliza and G1 Santa Anita Derby winner Dinard.
Eliza sold at the Keeneland November Sale in 1999 as part of Paulson’s dispersal. In-foal to A.P. Indy, she brought $1.7 million selling to Eaton Sales. Her first foal, a filly by Theatrical, was only 3. But, up until Samuel Morse, Eliza has had 11 foals, and her best performer was the graded stakes-placed Miss Doolittle by Storm Cat. Foals by Storm Cat and A.P. Indy failed to produce at the track. In fact, two of Eliza’s daughters had already produced SWs including Miss Doolittle.
Rather than give up, breeder Strategy Bloodstock decided to go bold, and sent Eliza to Ireland and leading European sire Danehill Dancer. Not many breeders are willing to take a chance on such a dramatic change with a 17-year-old mare. Instead, you see such mares move down the stallion ranks; instead of going to Storm Cat or A.P. Indy, they might go to a Forestry or a Mineshaft, for example. But rather than reduce the stud fee investment, Strategy decided to change the stallion parameters totally, and they were rewarded with a black-type performer. And Eliza has a 2009 filly by leading European sire Galileo to follow.
Samuel Morse is only the second SW from the Danehill/Mt. Livermore cross (the other being Australian GSW Lovemelikearock). With Eliza’s American pedigree, Samuel Morse has no inbreeding within five generations.
The Marble Hill Stakes may be the first in a line of prestigious 2-year-old stakes for the colt, proving that sometimes all a truly great racemare needs to prove herself in the breeding shed is the right type of stallion. Kudos to Strategy Bloodstock for taking that chance.
(Elaine Belval is senior pedigree analyst at WTC.)
Great post Elaine! Hopefully breeders take the same route with fillies like Serena’s Song. There’s a filly with lots of untapped potential.
I don’t think Serena’s Song is comparable. From 9 Racing Age Offspring, Serena’s Song has five black type performers, including three GSWs, one being a Gr.1 winner (Sophisticat in the Coronation S. at Royal Ascot).