Art Major’s progeny ticks over $100 million

The Alabar Bloodstock flagship stallion Art Major achieved yet another historic milestone in a brilliant harness racing siring career when Don Hugo emerged successful in the Inter Dominion Grand Final at Menangle recently.

Don Hugo’s winning cheque lifted Art Major’s Australian progeny earnings to beyond $100 million, making him the first stallion ever to reach the magical nine figure mark in this country.

The Artsplace horse was first at the stud at Pepper Tree Farm in NSW in 2005 before shifting to Alabar in 2008. He shuttled between North America and Australia up until 2018 and is now permanently residing in Victoria.

His stock have raced with great distinction from two-year-old classics right through to Grand Circuit class.

Art Major headed the two-year-old sire’s list for the first time in the 2008/09 season, which he repeated during the 2010/11, 11/12, 12/13, 13/14, 16/17, 17/18 and 2023 seasons.

He was also the leading money-winning sire of three-year-olds on five occasions.

Art Major has left 230 Stakes winners in Australia and New Zealand and an amazing 77 Group 1 winners. Eight of his ‘down under’ progeny have earned in excess of $1 million including Don Hugo, My Field Marshal, Major Crocker, It’s Merlin, For A Reason and Sushi Sushi and 30 have taken records of 1:50 or better headed up by My Field Marshal (1:46.9) and Majordan (1:47.6).

And, Art Major’s influence on the breed doesn’t stop here. He is now making an impact as a sire of sires with Vincent, For A Reason and Follow The Stars and as a broodmare sire with Leap To Fame, Swayzee, Spirit Of St Louis, Max Delight, and Soho Tribeca among his credits.

He was the leading Australian broodmare sire for six years on end from 2017 to 2022 and has twice topped the three-year-old broodmare sire’s table.

Art Major’s legacy is poised to shape the future of harness racing and leave an enduring impact for generations to come.

Kvintet Hill’s win in the Vicbred Platinum Homegrown Classic for three-year-old trotting colts proved a triumph for Muckleford’s  Angove family as they not only bred, own and train the gelding but stand his sire Kvintet Avenger at their Truscott Lodge stud

Gippsland breeder-owner Garry Rogers had a late Christmas present when the two-year-old debutant Horatius Speculo (Art Major-Fairest One Youare) saluted at Carrick in Tasmania

Aldebaran Park quinellaed the Vicbred Platinum Homegrown Classic for three-year-old trotting fillies with Aldebaran Eagle siring the winner Winnies Dream and Skyvalley the runner-up Kyvalley Misty

by Peter Wharton, for Harness Racing Victoria