Two exciting brothers – a Rockstar and a Poster Boy

They were born fours years apart and have different dad’s but they are both handsome individuals and have a mum who is by the greatest sire of broodmares in the history of harness racing.

Yankee Rockstar and Poster Boy are their given names, consigned to them by their breeders Bill and Anne Anderson who trade and breed their horses under the moniker of Lauriston Bloodstock.

Aston Villa, an American bred mare by Artsplace, is their dam and herein sits the formula to high probability of success in their careers as stallions.

Artsplace has been one of the greatest stallions of any breed to set foot on this earth and it is his ability to sire females to influence our breed that puts him on a pedestal above all others.

We have already seen the highly successful stallions Always B Miki, Captaintreacherous, Rock N Roll Heaven and Western Terror develop their siring power from having Artsplace dams . . . and that list will escalate with each passing year.

Now the two brothers have something else in common – they have become permanent residents at Kath and Luke McIntosh’s picturesque Llowalong Farms at Kyabram in northern Victoria.

Two brothers – Two ready-made racehorses

Yankee Rockstar is a son of Rocknroll Hanover, the first two-year-old in the history of harness racing to take a sub 1.50 record.

Poster Boy is a son of Somebeachsomewhere, an undefeated two-year-old who became a legend in his own lifetime.

So it is crystal clear that the two-year-old speed of Rocknroll Hanover and Somebeachsomewhere has been inherited by their respective sons.

Yankee Rockstar was undefeated in his three starts as a two-year-old including wins in the Victorian Premiere and Sapling Stakes.

Poster Boy was even more impressive at two with seven wins and two second placings in his 10-start season. Those wins included a VicBred Final, a Tatlow Stakes, a Youthful Stakes and a Heat of the Breeders Crown.

He was unplaced at his very first start in a race, a race that was won in Australian record time . . . and this was the only time that Poster Boy was ever unplaced in a four-season career.

Two-year-old speed though wasn’t the only string to the bows of these two stunning looking stallions.

Yankee Rockstar won at Group 1 level as a five-year-old [Cranbourne Cup] whilst Poster Boy won the Chariots of Fire as a four-year-old and was being set for the 2020 Inter Dominion Series as a six-year-old, prior to it being cancelled because of Covid.

Amazingly the two brothers finished their racing careers with exactly the same number of wins and placings – 22 wins and seven placings.

Brothers at Stud

Pedigree and performance are the two prerequisites to commence a breeding career as a stallion.

Well Yankee Rockstar and Poster Boy certainly get pass marks with distinction on their report cards.

As mentioned earlier, having Artsplace in their pedigree via their dam is definitely giving them an advantage over many other stallions.

Yankee Rockstar is bred on the same cross as the leading Australian based stallion Rock N Roll Heaven whilst Poster Boy’s breeding follows in the footsteps of the North American star Captaintreacherous.

Yankee Rockstar’s first commercial foal crop are current two-year-olds – numbering 32. He is away to a flyer with two impressive two-year-old winners already from that crop – being Rock Artist 1.56.4   – two starts, two wins and Country Rockstar 1.58 – two starts, one win.

Poster Boy is about to commence his third season at stud following on from two century plus seasons. He bred 124 mares in his debut season and followed up last season breeding 141 mares.

So the two brothers – one a Rockstar and one a Poster Boy [ sounds like Bruce and Brad ] have the doors open for another successful Breeding season.

Bookings are now available by calling Llowalong Farms  [ 03 ] 5852 2845  or Dr Kath McIntosh 0427 497 429   / John Coffey   0429 278 279

courtesy of John Coffey