A Chilly Day Of Stallion Viewing On La Route

I've always preferred grey, damp European winters to those in America, where a glaring sun in a cloudless sky is accompanied by bitterly cold temperatures. And so it is ironic that last week's stallion parades in Lexington were held in 45 degree temperatures with a steady rain, and today in Normandy saw a biting cold (7 below on the Celsius scale) and almost too-brilliant sun. The early lack of clouds did little to warm the air. Our car, parked outside overnight in Deauville, was covered with a thick layer of frost, and I can only imagine that whoever made the Ford C-Max for sale in France never expected the heating system would have to melt such a thick coating of ice off the windshield. In fact, it proved unable to do so, even after 20 minutes. Accompanied by TDN Vice President of International operations Gary King, I set off for Haras du Quesnay, our first stop of the day, with only limited visibility through the still-frozen windscreen.

(A side note: after a 30-minute wait at the Hertz counter at Charles de Gaulle which included myriad staff conversations, we were loaned what may be the largest car in all of France, a massive boat of a vehicle which seats seven and has sliding side doors. I can only imagine that I was profiled for the giant car as an American, who must be imagined to like such things.)

Le Quesnay is situated in Vauville about 15 minutes from downtown Deauville. Built in the early 20th century by American William-Kissam Vanderbilt, it was abandoned during World War II, and remains the site of several German reinforced bunkers which were unable to be removed when it was acquired in the 1950s by William Head and his sons Alec and Peter.

While we were the first to arrive, we were soon joined by a half-dozen young racing aficionados from Aux Courses Les Jeunes, a French initiative to get young people interested in the sport. They were clearly happily shocked to be greeted by none other than Criquette Head, who invited them all into the office for a coffee and then brought them outside to see the stallions. Her patience in explaining the merits of each in understandable terms had them all riveted. Within minutes, the crowd had swelled to more than 20, a mix of professional breeders, visitors from other farms and some who were clearly tourists, with young children in tow to see the horses. One of the amazing things about La Route des Etalons, and particularly at farms like Quesnay, is how everyone is welcomed as if they have bought a million-euro yearling from the farm or bred a Group 1 winner–with unabashed enthusiasm and hospitality.

Quesnay's six stallions were all put on display, but the star of the show was clearly Intello (Ger), now in his fourth season and whose first-year yearlings were so well received at the sales last summer and fall.

“It's the start of the season, so we welcome you all here to the `portes ouvertes' today,” said Head, who took a moment to run down the early booking action for the Quesnay squad. “Intello and Anodin (Fr) are going to breed over 110 mares, Motivator (GB) [who suffered last year from a tendon injury to his left hind leg] is getting well, too, and the rest we'll see, but we've got a nice bunch of horses.” Asked whether Intello, who did his first two years at Cheveley Park before covering mares at Quesnay last year and this, would go back to England or stay in France, Head said, “There's nothing yet decided, but I'm hoping that he will stay. I like Intello very much and I've got a few in training. They sold very well, either at Tattersalls or in France at Arqana and they're very nice, very easy horses to train. It's a little early to say they're going to be champions, as they've just turned two, but they've got a very good temperament. He's a horse who really stamps his produce. They all look like him–strong, with a very nice head.”

Anodin, the full-brother to Goldikova who stands again for a very reasonable €7,000 after his first weanlings sold very well in 2016, was also popular with the crowd. “We have a lot of his yearlings here on the farm,” said Head, “and we're very pleased with them. They're going to come into training this year but they're nice physically. He stamps them also. When you see an Anodin, you can see the sire there. They're nicely built, good legs, they're really nice.”

Motivator, whose tendon issue caused him to miss the 2010 breeding season and who was not shown at all last year during La Route des Etalons, was back on parade this year. The sire of Treve “is doing fine,” said Head, who said he would have no problem breeding his mares this year, “and he has some nice horses in training,” she added.

After our first coffee and croissant of the day, it was off to the tiny village of St. Pierre-Azif, home to not one, but two stud farms–Haras du Thenney and Haras de Colleville.

One of the most fun parts of La Route des Etalons each year is navigating the French street address system. While in America, we're used to pinpointing the location of everything, in France, a simple town name and zip code will do. Imagine if the address of Darley at Jonabell were simply, “Lexington, 40504,” and you were left to arrive in the town and then start asking passersby where the farm was. So it is in France.

Despite some reasonable signage, the location of the Thenney stallion complex remained elusive to us once again this year, and required the assistance of some helpful locals to guide the way. After another strong cup of French coffee, an excellent croissant, and a chance to see dual 2000 Guineas winner Cockney Rebel (GB), we headed up the road to the functional but beautiful Colleville where their standard bearer, Kendargent (Fr), was joined last year by listed winner and Group 3-placed Galiway (GB).

Galiway was first up in today's parade, and farm manager Guillaume Vitse apprised the crowd of 15 or so onlookers of his progress. “He covered 41 mares last year, 13 of them owned by [Colleville's owner], Mr. Pariente, and we sent all of our good winners by Kendargent–group winners at two, black-type winners at two–to give him as many chances as possible to get some winners at two. We have one of his first foals here on the farm. She's a nice filly and we're expecting a few more very shortly.”

Galiway has already booked 50 mares for 2017. “Last year, we were very strict on the price (€3,000), but this year, we have been more promotional,” said Vitse, who noted that competition demanded such.

As for Kendargent, said Vitse, “He's filling pretty well, with more than 110 mares booked so far, so it should be another good season. He's very popular.” The grey is being represented by his first son at stud in 2017, the multiple group winner and Group 1-placed Goken, who has taken up residence at Haras de la Huderie in Glanville.

The visit concluded with a look at Galiway's first foal, a filly out the Kendargent mare Kensha, and quite a lovely miss she was.

The longish drive to our next stop, the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval, was a dicey one in the giant Ford, which we had to pull off onto the side of the road more than once to let even a tiny French car pass on the narrow roadways. We arrived unscathed just as their new stallion, Dariyan (Fr), was coming out to show.

There is no more impressive presentation than the one at Bonneval, with a professional announcer narrating the goings-on to a rapt audience. Dariyan is the first foal of Hong Kong Vase winner Daryakana, and his dappled coat literally gleamed in the warming afternoon sun. After Sinndar (Fr) was shown, the crowd came inside where the staff had organized a very clever and professionally presented quiz show–complete with podiums where the participants could buzz in their answers, as if they were on Wheel of Fortune. Several 50-point questions were custom-made for the American-based TDN staff (name the three races in the Triple Crown; who was the last Triple Crown winner), but the game was ultimately won by a clever Frenchman with an amazing recall for the Aga Khan's early breeding successes, and he happily took home a nomination to Sinndar as his prize.

We were treated to a private showing of Siyouni (Fr), not on parade as his book is already full at 130 mares. The leading second-crop sire in France in 2016, he was in good flesh and even more well-muscled than in 2016.

Stud manager Georges Rimaud discussed the decision to set his fee at a reasonable €45,000. “He needs to have a good year again this year. We do attract a lot of mares from Ireland and England, but we had to stay at €45,000. I think it's a good price, and we'll have a little bit of margin to go up next year if he merits it. We have Zarkava in foal to him now. We normally publish a few of our matings later when we're finished with the season. He's a lovely horse and a very nice horse to be around and to look at.”

As for the new kid on the block, “Dariyan is being received very well,” said Rimaud. “We syndicated him just after we announced he was retiring. It took us a week to find the 24 shareholders we were looking for. We syndicated him in 50 shares and we kept 26 and 24 are sold, so he'll have a good support from those breeders. It was exactly the same principal we did with Siyouni, and we're selling nominations and hoping that today would be a good day to expose people to him. I would expect him to cover over 100 mares.”

After a slice of Brie-cheese quiche (okay…maybe it was two slices, but it clearly won the prize for best food of the day in a very good field), we hopped on the A13 and turned west toward Haras d'Etreham, the furthest excursion for us today, but always well worth the visit.

Stud farms always love to have a new stallion to show visitors, and so it was for Nicolas de Chambure, who brought out his Australian import Scissor Kick (Aus) for the crowd to admire. The reverse shuttler is a multiple Group 3 winner who was second in the G1 Golden Rose and who just covered his first book of mares at Arrowfield Stud in Australia alongside his own sire, Redoute's Choice (Aus).

“He arrived Dec. 24, so he has been here almost a month and it's a sire line people understand now,” said de Chambure. “His book is filling well, and hopefully, it will be close to 100 mares. It's a big stallion pedigree, and they're keen to use a son of Redoute's Choice that the French would know. He was a very good racehorse, and with the good physical like he has, he offers a good package to the breeders.”

Unlike Redoute's Choice, who was offered to French breeders for only two years, Scissor Kick will return every year, said de Chambure. “We bought the Northern Hemisphere rights. I wouldn't support a horse if I didn't have the guarantee that he's going to come back. It's not fair for the breeders if he's only there for a short time. So that's the plan. I find him well balanced with a bit of quality. He has some elegance.”

The star of the farm, Wootton Bassett (GB), will cover 130 mares this year, de Chambure said. European champion Almanzor (Fr) was from his first crop of just 17 foals, and he'll be represented by 15 3-year-olds this year. His first foals were such that he covered 45 mares his third year. “He has that small crop of 3-year-olds this year, from his second crop, but luckily both Almanzor and his listed, Group-2 placed daughter Do Re Mi Fa Sol (Fr) are going to run this year, so hopefully they'll fly the flag for him and create some positive news.” King, ever the salesman, told him that, and a few TDN ads, would surely do the trick.

De Chambure said that the Arc, and hopefully summer targets like the Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot and the Juddmonte International would pave the way to another great year.

All in all, it was the best-attended day on La Route we have seen in two years, with breeders and fans alike turning out in a steady stream to see the stallions. The resurgence in French breeding was on display today, with serious interest in new and established stallions alike.

Up tomorrow: Back in the big boat for visits to Bouquetot, Montaigu, Grandcamp, Logis, Mezeray, and La Cauviniere. We'll make sure to turn the car on before breakfast to get started on the defrosting.