2023 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Paul Manganaro

With the breeding season underway, the TDN staff is continuing the '2023 Mating Plans' series, presented by Spendthrift Farm, to find out what stallions breeders have chosen for their mares this year, and why. This week Paul Manganaro talked us through his plans for the year. Manganaro said that he owns most of his mares in partnership with a group of close friends.

DREAM YOUR DREAMS (m, 10, Tapit – Takesmybreathaway, by Gone West) to be bred to Into Mischief

I have a long history with this mare's family. I owned her dam with my father. She's an elegant, two-turn type of filly who didn't show much on the racetrack, but has a genetic pool that is second to none. Her female line goes back to the great Numbered Account (Buckpasser) and she is a half-sister to Grade I winner Frost Giant (Giant's Causeway).

I was looking to put a little more speed and substance into her and thought that using the old Bull Hancock theory — breed the best to the best and hope for the best – really pertained to this mating.

SMUGNESS (m, 4, Gun Runner – Claire's Song, by Unbridled's Song) to be bred to Street Sense

Smugness is another one that I am very familiar with her family. She's from the family of GISW Hard Not To Love (Hard Spun) and champion Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro). We purchased her third dam Hard Knocker (Raja Baba) as a yearling. We raced her and produced several foals out of her, including Smugness's second dam Chimichurri (Elusive Quality).

This mare will be going to Street Sense. My good friend of 40 years John Williams taught me a lot about the importance of good conformation. Now that I'm doing a lot more racing, I realize that you have to have a sound structure to have a chance, so I place a lot of emphasis on that aspect. This is a wonderful physical match combined with the fact that this is her first foal and I always like to use a proven stallion with a young mare.

Roadrunner's Honor is in foal to Maxfield and will visit Justify this year | courtesy Paul Manganaro

ROADRUNNER'S HONOR (m, 6, Honor Code – Wild Idle, by Seeking the Gold) to be bred to Justify

This Grade III-placed mare is from a strong female family. Her second dam is 1996 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies champion Storm Song (Summer Squall). She has a Munnings yearling filly and is in foal to Maxfield for this year.

This year she will go to Justify. This mating breeds type-to-type on physical and I believe that Justify is one of the future stars of the stallion shed. With a $100,000 stud fee this year, I'm hoping that by the time she drops her foal, he is worth substantially more than that.

ON MY WAY (m, 17, Giant's Causeway – It's Our Time, by Seeking the Gold) to be bred to Jackie's Warrior

This mare comes from a deep Manganaro family. My family purchased her second dam Leo's Lucky Lady (Seattle Slew) as a yearling, raced her and bred everything out of her. We kept a few of her daughters including It's Our Time, the dam of On My Way.

We sold On My Way as a yearling and then I bought her back two years ago. She was in foal to Vino Rosso at the time and she was already the dam of GSW King Zachary (Curlin). We sold the Vino Rosso colt for more than we bought the mare for and now she has a Quality Road yearling and is in foal to Twirling Candy.

We chose Jackie's Warrior for her this year. This is another mating that matches up really well physically. I gave it a five-out-of-five rating. This family tends to need some speed and if Jackie's Warrior can't provide speed, I don't know who can.

ENCHANTED JASMINE (m, 9, War Chant — Sharaiji Blossom, by Saint Ballado) to be bred to Olympiad

We purchased this mare at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton February Sale as a maiden mare. She's a half to Grade II winner Dothraki Queen (Pure Prize) and under the second dam, her pedigree includes a champion in Hong Kong and a champion grass mare in Canada.

We are going to breed her to Olympiad. I bought a share in Olympiad. With his physical presence, durability and consistency, I think he'll be a really good match for this mare.

JANE MAST (m, 4, Distorted Humor – Coming Attraction, by Tapit) to be bred to Bolt d'Oro

Jane Mast had a world of talent. She ran twice, including a very impressive maiden win at Saratoga. Unfortunately an injury forced her to retire early. She's from a superb Phipps family. Her third dam is My Flag (Easy Goer).

We're excited to have the opportunity to breed her to Bolt d'Oro. It's a good match on pedigree and physical. With the start he got off to in his freshman year, we're hoping that he can provide her that early development and class.

RED ROSES TOO (m, 4, Nyquist – Wishful Splendor, by Smart Strike) to be bred to Not This Time

We purchased this mare's second dam Kaylem Ho (Salem) at the end of her career. We bred her to Smart Strike, which produced this mare's dam Wishful Splendor, who was a stakes winner herself and produced Grade II winner Juanita (Mineshaft).

Red Roses Too is currently in foal to Maclean's Music and for this year we are going to go with Not This Time. It's a really good physical match. There's a lot of soundness and consistency in this female family. Wishful Splendor had 14 foals to race and 12 winners, including several stakes winners. Kaylehm Ho had 15 winners from as many to race. We're breeding their soundness and consistency with the quality and class that Not This Time can provide.

SO HONEST (m, 8, To Honor and Serve — French Park, Ecton Park) to be bred to Nashville

So Honest comes from the family of MGISW Palace (City Zip). She's one of our better-looking mares and is the winner of over $64,000. We've had a little bit of bad luck with her. She came up empty in her first year, then she had a City of Light that is now two, and then she was empty the next year. This year she is in foal to Nyquist and will be going back to first-year sire Nashville.

I didn't really plan on considering Nashville for her, but when I was at WinStar and they pulled him out of the stall, I knew I had to make it happen. If he can reproduce himself physically, he will be very popular in the commercial market. I don't think you can train speed into a horse. You have to provide it through the genetic pool and this horse should do that for her.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.