THE A.P. INDY / MR. PROSPECTOR PARTNERSHIP

A.P. Arrow
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

“THE LETHAL COCKTAIL”

When Summerhill and its fellow investors first got their hands on A.P. Arrow, we knew we had something out of the ordinary. Just how extraordinary though, we didn’t know. The events of the past 12 months have been illuminating, as Andrew Caulfield points out in the Thoroughbred Daily News.

“We have known for a long time now that easily the most prolific source of above-average performers by A.P. Indy has been his partnership with Mr. Prospector’s daughters.

There are now 15 graded winners, plus another five black-type winners, among the 121 foals of racing age from this ultra-popular nick.

These 121 foals represent roughly 11 percent of A.P. Indy’s total output, but their 15 graded winners equate to around 19 percent of his 80 winners at that level.

So is it any surprise that A.P. Indy’s sons from this highly effective Mr. Prospector nick are proving the most effective as stallions? Although this select band accounts for less than 20 percent of A.P. Indy’s graded winners, they have so far supplied two thirds of all then graded winners by A.P. Indy’s sons, including a similar proportion of their Grade 1 winners.

These impressive figures have been compiled largely by Pulpit, Malibu Moon and Mineshaft, with help from Flatter, Accelerator and Indy King, and now the name of Congrats can be added to the list. His daughter Wickedly Perfect has collected the G3 Sorrento Stakes and G1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes, with the latter success marking the start of a profitable weekend for Vinery’s Florida-based freshman stallion.

Congrats also took third place in the Alcibiades, thanks to Jordy Y, and third place in the G1 Champagne Stakes, with his son I’m Steppin’ It Up.

This fine sequence means that Congrats now holds a lead of over $300,000 on the first-crop sires’ table, with earnings in excess of $1million.

His exploits for the Claiborne-Dilschneider partnership included a victory in the G2 San Pasqual Handicap and a good second, dividing Rock Hard Ten and Borrego, in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap. These efforts earned Congrats a trip to Dubai for the 2005 World Cup, in which he finished fifth of 12 to Roses In May (Devil His Due).

Even so, there were a few important shortcomings on his resume. For a start, he hadn’t become a stakes winner until he was four, or a graded winner until he was five, and he failed to achieve that all-important Grade 1 win. To compound these shortcomings, he had nothing better than a Grade 3 placing to show for his final year on the track, in 2006, which never helps launch a stallion career.

There are some striking parallels between Congrats and A.P. Arrow, though the latter was obviously the more accomplished runner of the two. For starters, they were both superior racehorses, both were Grade 2 winners, and both were millionaires with Grade 1 performances. Both stand 16,2 hh, and they have almost parallel pedigree make-ups (…see the boxes below).

Congrats	A.P. Indy (USA)	Seattle Slew	Bold Reasoning
			My Charmer
		Weekend Surprise	Secretariat
			Lassie Dear
	Win Approval (USA)	Mr Prospector	Raise A Native
			Gold Digger
		Wild Applause	Northern Dancer
			Glowing Tribute

A.P. Arrow	A.P. Indy (USA)	Seattle Slew	Bold Reasoning
			My Charmer
		Weekend Surprise	Secretariat
			Lassie Dear
	Garimpeiro (USA)	Mr Prospector	Raise A Native
			Gold Digger
		Far Flying	Far North by Northern Dancer
			Nalees Flying Flag

Although I have pointed out how much A.P. Indy owes his reputation as a sire of sires to his sons out of Mr. Prospector mares, there is no reason why he shouldn’t also make his mark through some of his younger stallion sons. Bernardini, after all, is out of a Mr. Prospector line mare, by Quiet American (who has 20 percent graded winners among his daughters’ foals by A.P. Indy).”

Footnote :

For more on the successful mating patterns of this “tribe”, click on www.summerhill.co.za and go to A.P. Arrow. It seems the opportunities are endless with Danzig, Roberto, Storm Cat and “Mr.P” himself. Think National Assembly, Qui Danzig, National Emblem, Al Mufti, Var, Tiger Ridge, Secret Prospector, Western Winter and Muhtafal. Any other suggestions?

For more information please visit :
www.summerhill.co.za