The Complete Stallion Package – Pedigree, performance and progeny

There are few stallions in Australasia who can boast the combination of pedigree, performance and progeny like  Raging Bull, standing at  South West Slopes Equine  in Cootamundra.

He has become a sire whose results have far outweighed the opportunities afforded to him, and when you look back at his own career and bloodlines, it’s little wonder his foals are making such an impact. 

Trained throughout his short but brilliant career by  Cran Dalgety, Raging Bull was nothing short of outstanding on the racetrack. From just ten starts he won five times and finished second in his other five, never once finishing outside the quinella. 

That kind of consistency, in races where he met the best of his generation, is a rarity. As a three-year-old he ran into the might of Smolda on multiple occasions, finishing second in the Listed Northern Stakes in Auckland and again in the Elsu Classic, both times behind the champion son of Courage Under Fire. He also split the field in the New Zealand Yearling Sales Open Final, running second to Ideal Scott, another colt who would go on to carve out a big reputation. His own race record of 1:56.6 and impeccable strike rate spoke to his quality, but a tendon injury curtailed what was shaping as a top-level career. 

RAGING BULL REPLAY

If his racetrack résumé gives you confidence, his pedigree only strengthens the case. Raging Bull is by Christian Cullen, the sire who transformed New Zealand pacing and became renowned as a sire of sires. His dam San Sophia, by Artsplace, produced five live foals and every one of them a winner. Among them was San Rafaella, who won 10 of 19 starts and took a mile mark of 1:52.3 in Australia, and Santa Catalina, a 13-race winner in 1:55.6. Raging Bull himself was her standout colt, while Red West also earned a mile mark of 1:56.6. That sort of strike rate – five foals, five winners – tells you everything you need to know about the potency of this maternal line. 

Dig one generation deeper and the depth is extraordinary. His second dam, Emory Girl, left eight foals for seven winners, including the champion filly Galleria. A twenty-two-time winner who banked over $1.8 million, Galleria was at one stage the richest and fastest mare in North American history. Undefeated at two and crowned USA Pacing Filly of the Year at three, she stamped herself as one of the great mares of the modern era. It is from this family of speed and class that Raging Bull descends, and he is carrying it forward in his own progeny. 

From limited opportunities in New Zealand, Raging Bull has already left 41 individual winners for just shy of a million dollars in earnings. Horses like Village Rebel (1:56.7s, 8 wins, $114,964), Aint No Angel (1:55.2s, 7 wins, $85,505), Raging Whitebait (1:55.2, 6 wins, $80,005), Katies Princess (1:55.6, 8 wins, $69,956) and Bombay Glacier (1:59.7, 3 wins, $44,433) are flying the flag at home, each showing that same combination of toughness, speed and competitive instinct that defined their sire. 

In Australia his stock have made just as much noise. The headline act is the brilliant  Wildwest, winner of the 2022 WA Pacing Cup and more than $619,000 in stakes.

WILDWEST 2022 PACING CUP REPLAY

Others to shine include Raging Whitebait NZ ($132,340, 12 wins), Give Me A Minute NZ ($106,642, 12 wins, 1:52.0), Our Bare Knuckle NZ ($100,340, 8 wins, 1:51.5) and Mi Furioso Toro NZ ($87,623, 14 wins). They’re not only fast, but durable performers who rack up starts and wins, thriving in the competitive Australian environment. People who have Raging Bull progeny on the ground in Australia have only good things to say.

An owner of a Raging Bull colt reports “having broken in very well, he has just finished his first prep. He has been very well mannered and pacing along very nicely.” A repeat breeder says “Raging Bull’s babies have got a great attitude- forward moving but sensitive and keen to learn. They have a good mix of his temperament plus performance. My previous yearlings have sold for at least three times his service fee.” 

Northern Rivers Equine have already had three seasons of standing Raging Bull, and breeders have responded. His first two Victorian crops numbered 36 and 23 foals respectively, with mares booked again in solid numbers. That kind of support reflects not only his proven pedigree and race record, but the growing regard for his stock on both sides of the Tasman. This year the horse has come to New South Wales.  

For those searching for value, predictability and genuine upside, Raging Bull ticks every box. By a sire of sires, out of an Artsplace mare, and with a maternal family dripping in black-type and historic performers, he continues to upgrade mares and leave foals that race on. In today’s breeding climate, that’s gold dust. For breeders wanting foals bred in the purple, tough enough to race and smart enough to win, Raging Bull remains a must-consider stallion at South West Slopes Equine (SWS) in Cootamundra.

Contact Dr. Lauren Eggins 0400871509 for more information.  

by Harnesslink Media