By Bill Finley
It was announced during the telecast of the GI Haskell Stakes that Dornoch (Good Magic) will stand at stud at Spendthrift Farm. Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey addresses another big move by his team.
TDN: What is it about Dornoch that makes him a good stallion candidate?
NT: He's obviously got a great pedigree and he's a very talented horse. We always thought he was a really talented horse. They tried to rate him in the Blue Grass and he got wiped out from the one hole in the Derby. The luster went off him a little bit. He's now come back and shown what he truly is. He's a horse that when you put him in a race, he likes to engage other horses. I've always likened him to a kid who just loves to compete. He's out there playing but when you go to compete with him that's when he shows his talent and his toughness and competitiveness. He was a very nice horse as a 2-year-old and as an early 3-year-old. In the last two races he's re-established what he's able to do. He's a big, beautiful, classy-looking animal. With that pedigree and with his looks, that made him a no-brainer as stallion prospect. When he won the Belmont, we felt like it was time to try to get something done on him. This was a good deal for both sides and we're thrilled he's coming to Spendthrift.
TDN: Can you give us a time line on how and when the deal was struck?
NT: It was after the Belmont. Every stud farm is watching all these races. (Spendthrift owner) Eric Gustavson asked the question, if they win the Belmont, who would we go after? We named a few horses and he was one of them.
TDN: He will be one of the first sons of Good Magic to go to stud. How much did you take into account how well-bred he is?
NT: Puca has established herself as a heck of a mare. Curlin is a phenomenal sire. You worry about trying to stand the son of a younger stallion. But we felt that Good Magic has established himself now to a level where it's very appealing to stand a son. The sire line has been so good and Good Magic is establishing himself as a very nice stallion. That he is the sire was certainly a plus.
TDN: Spendthrift has been very aggressive lately and has not been afraid to go after any stallion. What is the mantra at Spendthrift right now?
NT: Early on, if you look at some of our success, it was really shaped by Malibu Moon and, more recently, Into Mischief. These were horses who started at a very low level before rising to the highest levels of the sport. That has shaped a lot of what we've done. We realize a good stallion could come from anywhere, but the reality is, with the way the market has evolved over the last 10 to 15 years, everybody's filter has gotten a little finer, so far as the yearlings they'll buy, the pedigrees they'll buy, the individuals they will buy and then who will they breed to. The commercial market is a huge factor in shaping the decisions we make. We understand that nobody knows where the best stallions are going to come from. But it's safe to say that what a stallion needs to be successful is opportunity. And opportunity comes from breeders being willing to breed to a stallion. What breeders are willing to do and what range they'll play in is what has caused our shift so far as playing at a higher level. Into Mischief was a struggle. So was Malibu Moon, who started as a regional horse. Those are horses that would struggle even more today. People are so discerning now so far as what they'll buy and who they will breed to and that's really what has formed a lot of our thinking. We recognize that there are breeders at all levels of the market and there are good horses that come from all levels of the market. We've always tried to have horses that fit a variety of price points. We'd like the breeding game to work for all breeders at all levels. That is very important to us. It is realities of the market have caused us to shift to a higher end horse.
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