By Elaine Belval
It’s not very often that a horse based in the United States that did not earn a least a listed stakes win makes it as a stallion. In fact, going back 100 years of thoroughbred racing history, most pedigree pundits would be hard-pressed to name 10 successful stallions that met that criteria.
And in today’s markets, with most major stallions routinely covering over 70+ mares a year (and the bigger named stallions covering 100+ mares), it’s almost impossible for a small-time stallion, covering a limited book (less than 25 mares a year) to get any type of publicity at all.
These factors haven’t stopped the Florida-based Bring the Heat from making some noise.
Bring the Heat won three of seven starts, his only black type a third-place finish in the Real Good Deal S. at Del Mar. His sire is a leading California sire, In Excess, the sire also of the major Kentucky stallion Indian Charlie. His dam is the stakes-placed One Hot Mama. But trainer Wesley Ward thought enough of Bring the Heat to take the high risk of standing him at stud.
Bring the Heat had eight foals (yes, that’s not a typo) in his first crop, which raced in 2006. But, one of those eight was the brilliant filly One Hot Wish, who set a new world record in winning an April Keeneland maiden race going 4.5 furlongs.
From only 41 foals (not including 2-year-olds of 2010), Bring the Heat has sired 29 starters (70%) and 22 winners (53%). His progeny average over $50,000 in earnings. What is particularly outstanding, he has an average earnings index of 1.45 and a comparable index of 0.88. Yes folks, Bring the Heat improves his mares by 60%.
Bring the Heat sired his first Graded stakes winner (his fourth stakes winner) when Madman Diaries won the six furlong G3 Sapling S. at Monmouth recently. Madman Diaries had earlier set a track record himself at 4.5 furlongs breaking his maiden at Woodbine. He also won the Victoria S. at five furlongs at Woodbine in June. Bring the Heat was bred by Robert Teel and Wesley Ward and is trained by Ward.
Bring the Heat sires 44% 2-year-old starters and 25% 2-year-old winners. All four of his lifetime stakes winners won black type at 2. The average winning distance of his progeny is a quick five furlongs.
Bring the Heat is unlikely to sire a winner of the Belmont Stakes. But, what he is doing is siring very quick, very precocious, very smart runners from very bad mares. Here is a stallion that is working very hard to make a name for himself. And that name is just darn good.
Bring the Heat stands at Ward Ranch in Florida and his 2010 stud fee was a downright cheap $2,000.
(Elaine Belval is senior pedigree analyst at WTC.)