By Elaine Belval
Closing Report won the $100,000 Azalea S. at 7.5F at Delta Downs on Feb. 28 for her second stakes victory of 2014 and advertised what a great pick up her sire, Closing Argument, was for the burgeoning Louisiana stallion market. He moved to Louisiana for the 2011 breeding season and was the leading sire with $3.1 million in progeny earnings. He finished third in earnings in both 2012 and 2013 with $3.6 million and $2.99 million, respectively.
Closing Argument is off to a banner year again in 2014. For Louisiana breeders, he is an exceptional breed-back option. And he is a great value for all breeders looking for quality at a very reasonable price. In 2014, Closing Argument stands for $5,000 at Louisiana Stallion Station North.
Closing Report should continue to hawk the merits of her sire. She is owned by Stephen R. Brown, was bred by Brett A. Brinkman and Allen Chiasson, and is trained by Bret Calhoun. To date she has won four of five lifetime starts and has earned over $205,628. Before the Azalea, she’d won the $125,000 LA Bred Premier Night Starlet S. at the same track over the same distance.
Closing Report’s sire won or placed in eight of nine lifetime starts. Closing Argument won a maiden race at Saratoga and the NATC Futurity at two. At three, he won the G3 Holy Bull S. and finished a desperately close second in the G1 Kentucky Derby to Giacomo in 2005. As a two-year-old stakes winner who was put on the classics trail at three and was good enough to place in the Derby and run in the Preakness, his credentials are impeccable.
Closing Argument is one of the better racing sons of the solid sire Successful Appeal, who has 77% starters, 61% winners, and 8% SWs, including G1 winners J P’s gusto and Appealing Zophie, to his credit. This is the sire line of In reality through Valid Appeal.
Closing Argument himself sires 78% starters, 59% winners, and 5% SWs. His progeny have median earnings over $30,000. Aside from dual SW Closing Report, Closing Argument has two additional stakes horses in 2014, the Japanese GSP Little Gerda and Determinato (third in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S.).
Closing Argument’s best runner is GSW and G1-placed Capital Account, an earner of $455,080. While Closing Argument sires mainly dirt runners, he has had winners on the artificial surfaces and turf. He has been successful siring two-year-old performers, and his progeny lean towards speed, with most of his progeny’s best wins coming at less than eight furlongs.