By Elaine Belval
The loss of Overbrook Farm and W. T. Young was a big one for the Thoroughbred industry. And Kentucky lost a promising sire when Jump Start moved to Pennsylvania in 2010.
Over the weekend, San Pablo won the Shots Are Ringing S. at Aqueduct for owner Burning Sands Stable, LLC, breeder Dan Bearden and trainer Todd Pletcher. It was the second consecutive stakes race San Pablo has won at the Aqueduct winter meeting of 2011/12 for his connections. The gelding has now won five of seven starts and been on the board in all seven races. The comment line for the Shots Are Ringing states that San Pablo “…won for fun.” And this same weekend, the Bob Baffert-trained GSW Prayer for Relief finished third in the G2 San Fernando S. at Santa Anita.
Jump Start proved an atypical A.P. Indy. He was out early, in June, and won the G2 Saratoga Special before an injury ended his career in October. He was a son of GSP Steady Cat (by Storm Cat) from the family of leading sire Miswaki. He retired to Overbrook Farm for a very modest $5,000 fee. He proved both popular (with over 70 named foals) and successful (with seven SWs). That first crop included the GSWs Sir Whimsey, Jump On In, Bold Start, and Assessment. His second crop was even larger (almost 100 foals) and included the immensely successful G1 winner Rail Trip. And Jump Start hasn’t slowed down since.
While Jump Start has been much more precocious than the average A.P. Indy, he is siring more like A.P. Indy. Of his 25 SWs, only five have won a stakes at two. And, so far, only a fraction of his earnings has come from turf performers. But his progeny tend to be a bit speedier than A.P. Indy’s – proving most successful at seven-to-nine furlong distances. Overall, Jump Start sires 50% winners and 6% SWs (and 30% of his SWs are GSWs). His progeny average almost $70,000 in earnings.
So, his move was a loss to Kentucky but a major gain for Pennsylvania. Jump Start was the state’s leading sire in 2011 after finishing second in 2010. And with San Pablo and Prayer for Relief continuing their successful ways in 2012, it seems Jump Start will be a major factor in Pennsylvania this year.
Jump Start stands at Northview Pennsylvania for a 2012 fee of $10,000.