Value Sires: First Yearlings

In this third edition of the TDN's Value Sires series, we examine stallions with their first yearlings in 2020.

One fact that stands out when glancing down this list is that, when these young men actually get a racetrack examination in 2021, 2022 and beyond, Galileo's already lofty status as a sire of sires has a real shot to take off into a different stratosphere. Of the top 10 first-season sires by average at last year's foal sales, five were sons of Galileo, and they are all high-class Group 1 winners with pages to back them up: Churchill (Ire), Decorated Knight (GB), Ulysses (Ire), Mondialiste (Ire) and Highland Reel (Ire).

Gleneagles (Ire) made a strong showing among last year's first-season sires, winding up third by prizemoney and posting three stakes winners, and Churchill and Decorated Knight are bred on the same Galileo over Storm Cat cross. Churchill shared top billing with Caravaggio (Ire) (Scat Daddy) and Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) two years ago when this group retired to stud, starting out at €35,000, and his 14 foals sold last year returned a class-topping average of £97,167/€114,333 (2.8x his opening fee) and a median of £83,548/€98,299 (2.4x).

Churchill was precocious enough to win the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot, good enough to then take the G3 Tyros S., G2 Futurity S., G1 National S. and G1 Dewhurst S., and strong enough to train on at three for victories in the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas. His dam, the G2 Queen Mary second Meow (Ire), is turning into an excellent broodmare, having also left the G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Clemmie (Ire) and the Group 3-winning Blenheim Palace (Ire). Meow is herself out of the speedy Airwave (GB) (Air Express {Ire}), herself also the winner of the G1 Cheveley Park S. and a half-sister to the G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Jwala (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Churchill takes a small fee cut to €30,000 this year.

Breeders who use Decorated Knight at the Irish National Stud in his early years can take comfort in the fact that the triple Group 1 winner's co-breeder Imad Al Sagar has heavily supported the horse with his high-class broodmare band and has pledged to continue to do so.

It is plain to see why Al Sagar is so confident his stallion will succeed. While he didn't hit his best stride until five, he stayed there long enough to win the G1 Jebel Hatta, G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and G1 Irish Champion S. Just as significantly, he is out of Mariah's Storm's daughter Pearling (Storm Cat), which means he has two important sires under his second dam: the champion sire Giant's Causeway and the aforementioned Gleneagles. Available the last two seasons for €15,000 and €12,000, Decorated Knight is down to €9,000-a big package for not a lot of money. And buyers seemed to like his foals this year: his seven sold averaged £54,509/€64,121 (3.6x his opening fee).

Standing alongside Churchill at Coolmore is Highland Reel, who was one of the busier sires at the foal sales last year with 36 offered and 31 sold for an average of £30,416/€35,785 and a median of £21,057/€24,775. The globetrotting Group 1 winner started out at €17,500 and is down to €12,500 this year. Highland Reel is best known for winning seven Group 1s in three countries from the ages of three through five, but commercial breeders will also be delighted to remember that he won two of three starts at two, including the G2 Vintage S. in July. Highland Reel is beautifully bred, being out of the Australian Classic-placed Hveger (Aus) (Danehill) and a full-brother to Group 1 winner Cape of Good Hope (Ire) and triple group winner and Classic-placed Idaho (Ire) as well as a half to Australian Classic-placed Valdemoro (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}). Hveger herself is a sister to sires Elvstroem (Aus) (Danehill) and Haradasun (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus).

Ulysses started out at £30,000 at Cheveley Park Stud, and that initial fee is halved to £15,000 for 2020. Ulysses was at his best at four, winning the G1 Coral-Eclipse and G1 Juddmonte International, and he rounded out his career with a third in the 2017 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and retired with an official rating of 126. Ulysses is bred similarly to successful young sire Camelot (GB), being by a son of Sadler's Wells and out of a Kingmambo mare, and that mare is Light Shift, the 2007 G1 Oaks winner. Hers is a deep family which also includes Group/Grade 1 winners like Shiva (Jpn) (Hector Protector), Main Sequence (Aldebaran) and Cloth of Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Ulysses's third dam is the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix Vermeille winner Northern Trick (Northern Dancer). His 18 foals sold last year averaged £51,722/€60,842.

Topping this group in terms of overall return on investment at the foal sales last year was Galileo's fifth son on the list, the GI Woodbine Mile and GI Arlington Million winner Mondialiste whose foals averaged 5.7x his £6,000 covering fee (£34,027/40,034). His median (£31,524/€37,091) was 5.3x his fee. It is noteworthy that he had just five foals offered and four sold, but all cleared the stud fee and they sold for up to 60,000gns and €50,000. Mondialiste, who stands at Elwick Stud, was a late bloomer, breaking his maiden in May of his 4-year-old season while trained in France by Freddy Head, but he gained momentum when transferred to David O'Meara and in the summer of his 5-year-old campaign he reeled off three straight stakes wins culminating in the Woodbine Mile before finishing second to Tepin (Bernstein) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Mondialiste once again crossed the Atlantic to win the Arlington Million at six. The bay is stoutly bred, being out of the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}), a half-sister to the dam of G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner and promising young sire Intello (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}). The third dam is the excellent producer Elle Seule (Exclusive Native) who, in addition to leaving the likes of G1 1000 Guineas winner Mehthaaf (Nureyev) and G1 July Cup victor Elnadim (Danzig), is out of the great producer Fall Aspen. Mondialiste will struggle against his small numbers-he covered 117 mares combined his first two seasons-but he packs a big punch for a four-figure fee, and foal buyers took notice.

Caravaggio was the busiest of this crop in his debut season in 2018, covering 217 mares at Coolmore, and 142 visited him last year. Caravaggio checked in second to Churchill on average at the foal sales, his 31 sold averaging £95,421/€112,287 (2.7x his fee). Coolmore rolled the dice and put up the fee of another son of Scat Daddy, No Nay Never, just before his first runners hit the track based on his yearling sale popularity, and Caravaggio likewise gets a small fee hike to €40,000 this year; he is the only member of the crop to receive a raise. Caravaggio is, like No Nay Never, an outcross to Galileo and a source of classy speed. An unbeaten winner of the G1 Phoenix S. at two, he beat champion sprinters Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at three.

Almanzor, the 2016 European champion 3-year-old, was a major coup for French breeders when he returned to his birthplace at Haras d'Etreham to stand at stud, and his first foals were highly sought after at Goffs, Tattersalls and Arqana. He wrapped up the year with 14 sold for an average of £88,154/€103,727 (2.5x his €35,000 fee) and a median of £80,770/€95,031 (2.3x his fee). Almanzor won three of his four starts at two and five of six at three, reeling off victories in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Champion S. He retired with an official rating of 129.

Buyers at the foal sales also took notice of the stock of Darley's Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Perhaps helped by the lightning-fast start of another son of Dubawi on the same roster, Night of Thunder (Ire), Postponed's 11 foals sold averaged £63,709/€74,942-3.2x his stud fee and fourth by average among his intake, with colts sold for 280,000gns and 150,000gns at Tattersalls. Postponed won the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at three and, after causing a mild upset to win the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. the following year, justified that performance with wins in the G2 Prix Foy, G2 Dubai City of Gold, G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, G1 Coronation Cup and G1 Juddmonte International and earned ratings of 124 for his final four starts. He gets a boost from his family, being a grandson of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner and stakes producer Bianca Nera (GB) (Salse) and half-brother to Group 1 winner God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Postponed is down to £10,000 at Dalham Hall Stud-half his opening fee-but will admittedly have some work to do even if he gets off to a strong start, having covered just 40 mares last year.

Darley debuted a pair of Group 1 winners at Kildangan Stud in 2018, Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). The former lived up to his name at the foal sales, his 46 selling averaging £32,605/€38,361-2.7x his €12,000 stud fee-with a median of £26,937/€31,693: 2.2x his fee. Profitable is by the right sire in Invincible Spirit, and covered 182 mares in his opening season and 142 last year. Profitable was regarded highly enough to contest the G1 Commonwealth Cup at three, finishing fifth, but it was the following year that he really shone, returning to Royal Ascot to win the G1 King's Stand S.

Ribchester comes from the same family as Mondialiste, his fourth dam being the blue hen Elle Seule, and those potent genes shone through when he broke his maiden in the G2 Mill Reef S. at two and progressed to win four Group 1s going a mile at three and four. Ribchester was both tough and consistent, earning ratings of 125 for his wins in the G1 Queen Anne S. (in which he set a track record) and G1 Sussex S. and for his second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. Ribchester covered 295 mares in his first two seasons and his 32 foals sold last year averaged £48,865/€57,481. He is down to €20,000 this year from an opening fee of €30,000.

Aclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the G1 Prix de la Foret winner from the family of Montjeu (Ire), retired to the National Stud in 2018 for €12,500 and now stands for the second straight year for €9,500. The winner of his lone start at two, Aclaim won the G2 Challenge S. at three and followed up at four with victories in the G2 Park S. and the Foret over seven furlongs. His is the family of not only Montjeu but also the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Goldream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Classic winners Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) and Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). His 26 first-crop foals sold averaged £28,124/€33,088.

Starting out alongside Aclaim at the National Stud was Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a four-time group winner from a mile to 2000 metres. He was similarly popular at the foal sales, his average for 19 sold winding up at £24,269/€28,553 (2.9x his £8,500 fee) and his median £19,585/€23,049 (2.3x his fee). Time Test is out of the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Passage of Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}), herself a half-sister to the G1 Falmouth S. winner Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar) and from the family of champion older horse and sire Twice Over (GB) (Observatory). Time Test stays at £8,500.

National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) joined his sire at the Irish National Stud after clinching French champion 2-year-old honours with a victory in the 2016 G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere. National Defense is out of a Kingmambo mare from a classy female family choc full of stakes winners. He is standing for €8,000 for the second consecutive year after opening at €12,000, and his nine foals sold last year averaged £19,081/€22,450.

Also at €8,000-the fee he has held since being imported by Yeomanstown Stud in 2018-is El Kabeir. The O'Callaghan family looked to ride the wave of popularity of Scat Daddy and that appears to have worked out well, with the multiple graded stakes-winning 2- and 3-year-old having covered 236 mares in his first two years at stud. El Kabeir broke his maiden at Saratoga at two before taking the 1700 metre GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at season's end, and at three he won a pair of GI Kentucky Derby preps over that same trip: the GIII Jerome S. and GIII Gotham S. His 35 foals sold last year averaged £16,610/€19,550; 2.1x his fee.

Tally-Ho Stud's Cotai Glory (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was another that was well received by the market last year, his 34 foals averaging £14,223/€16,739, 2.4x his opening fee of €6,000. He is once again available for €5,000. Cotai Glory won the G3 Molecomb S. at two and added the G3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy S. over five furlongs at four over Group 1 winner Alpha Delphini, and competed consistently in top sprints from two to five. Breeders sent him 180 mares in year one and followed up with 118 last year, and he should be helped by the fact that he's by Exceed and Excel, whose stock only continues to rise, and-like No Nay Never-he is out of an Elusive Quality mare.

Also debuting at Tally-Ho in 2018 was Galileo Gold (Ire) (Paco Boy {Ire}), the G2 Vintage S., G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. winner. Despite not winning again after the Guineas the chestnut would go on to acquit himself well against elders, notching his two highest ratings-123 and 122-in defeat in the G1 Sussex S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. At €7,500, Galileo Gold is down to half his opening fee, and he served 93 mares last year after covering 140 in his debut season. His 27 foals sold averaged £14,096/€16,592.

Ardad (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) remains at £6,500 at Overbury Stud after covering 132 and 77 mares in his first two seasons. Ardad is speed on speed, being by Kodiac out of a half-sister to G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Maarek (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), and that profile transferred to the racecourse, where he won Royal Ascot's Listed Windsor Castle S. and the G2 Flying Childers S. His 24 foals sold last year averaged £9,674/€11,385.

Riding the momentum of its champion French sire, the internationally accomplished Siyouni (Fr), the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval now looks to establish Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), the Group 1-winning son of the great G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Zarkava (Ire). Zarak has maintained his €12,000 fee through his first three years, and his chances are given a major boost by the fact that he has covered some quality mares from his breeder's own broodmare band, like the Group 1-winning Shareta (Ire) and sisters to Charm Spirit (Ire) and Laurens (Fr).

Montfort et Preaux offers a son of Galileo (Ire) in The Queen's G3 Acomb S. winner Recorder (GB), a son of the G2 Cherry Hinton S. and G3 Albany S. winner Memory (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Recorder has quality across his page, being a brother to group/graded winners Call To Mind (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Learn By Heart (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and his second and third dams are by Diesis (GB) and Blushing Groom (Fr). Recorder has covered about 250 mares in his first two seasons, with The Queen sending 10 each year. He is down to €5,000 from €6,000 this year.

Haras de la Huderie's Birchwood (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), winner of the G2 Superlative S. at two and a listed winner at three for Godolphin, had a filly and a colt each sell for €20,000 and €15,000 last year off a €5,000 stud fee. Also in France, Haras du Logis offers the 2015 unbeaten French champion 2-year-old Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) for €7,000. And if you're looking for a lot of racehorse for not a ton of money, Haras du Petit Tellier stands The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for €7,000. The Grey Gatsby was dual group-placed at two, won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and the G1 Irish Champion S. at three and placed in five additional Group 1s through the end of his 4-year-old campaign. He is Mastercraftsman's highest-rated son and on three occasions earned ratings of 126-plus.

Sheikh Joaan's Haras de Bouquetot had a busy time in 2018 debuting four new Group 1-winning sires: Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead), Ectot (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), Zelzal (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Brametot (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}).

Al Wukair was an unbeaten listed winner at two who was third behind Churchill in the G1 2000 Guineas and won the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois later that summer. He is out of the Machiavellian mare Macheera (Ire), who is herself a daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane winner Caerlina (Ire) (Caerleon). Al Wukair's nine foals sold last year averaged £13,879/€16,330.

Zelzal didn't race at two, but the only true blemish on his record at three came in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Otherwise, he won by six lengths at first asking, took the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac and the G1 Prix Jean Prat and was third against older horses in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. Zelzal is out of a Kingmambo mare and is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Ibiza (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}).

Both Al Wukair and Zelzal are down to €7,000 for 2020 after standing their first two seasons for €8,000. Ectot, meanwhile, remains at €5,000. The half-brother to G1 St James's Palace S. winner Most Improved (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) won four of his five starts at two culminating in the G1 Criterium International going a mile. He took the G2 Prix Neil over 2400 metres at three, and when transferring to trainer Todd Pletcher in the U.S. at six, beat Flintshire by five lengths in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. The dual Classic-winning Brametot has moved on to Gestut Ebbesloh in Germany, where he will stand for €6,000.

Value Sires Podium

Gold – Highland Reel (€12,500): a good 2-year-old by Galileo that trained on to win seven Group 1s.

Silver – Postponed (€10,000)): a top-class son of Dubawi down to half his opening fee.

Bronze – Cotai Glory (€5,000): a precocious 2-year-old that trained on from stout genes and the stud that brought you Kodiac.