The critics have gone a bit quiet

One of the most difficult things for any harness racing breeder to do is to remain objective when comparing stallions available these days.

Breeders expect instant success and are quick to knock any sires that don't dominate from day one.

One of the problems for new sires attempting to get established in the southern hemisphere is we have access to the very best stallions on the planet.

Art Major and Bettors Delight presently dominate the sire scene down under as they have done in the recent past in North America and it is against that background that new sires attempt to get established down under.

Southern hemisphere breeders keep a very close eye on stallion performance in North America and the elite performers up there tend to get well patronized when available down under.

Of course success in North America is no guarantee of success down under and many stallions fail to fire to the same degree in both hemispheres.

One example that has intrigued us for quite a while is that of Somebeachsomewhere 1:46.8 ($3,221,299).

Widely recognized as the best racehorse of the last twenty years, his performance since going to stud in North America has been amazing.

Right from the time the first of his offspring hit the track, Somebeachsomewhere didn't just challenge the existing elite sires like Bettor's Delight and Art Major, he blew them out of the water.

The statistics from his first crop who have just turned five in North America and have plenty of racing left in front of them are nothing short of amazing.

Foals – 124

Winners – 100

$100,000 Winners – 47

Sub 1:50 – 13

Average per starter – $155,631

Total stakes to date – $17,275,041

His second crop who have just turned four in North America backed up that first crop with another dominant display, winning last years three year old siring premiership  by $2,300,000 over Art Major, Bettor's Delight and American Ideal.

Foals – 118

Winners – 97

$100,000 Winners – 24

Sub 1:50 – 13

Average per starter – $87,882

Total stakes to date – $9, 491,206 

By the time this crop has finished racing it's numbers will be little inferior to crop one.

Then as breeders do they sat back in year three and waited to see how they broke in and as a result  Somebeachsomewhere only had 67 foals in his third crop.

As soon as his first crop hit the tracks those numbers bounced right back up again and foal crops of 112 and 122 followed.

The stud fee hit $30,000 and he was full before the season started which is a good guide to how he is viewed in North America.

Meanwhile his frozen semen had been available to southern hemisphere breeders right from the start .

Australian Stud Record

His first crop via frozen semen numbered just 19 foals and produced one standout in the outstanding filly Whereibylong 1:56.8 ($340,457)

The knockers started almost immediately and Somebeachsomewhere took the full brunt.

I have lost track of the number of Australian breeders and trainers who have slammed his performance to me in the last couple of years and deemed him a flop.

But any objective look at the stats shows that his first crop has done a passable job.

Foals – 19

Starters – 13

Winners – 8 

Sub 2:00 Winners – 7

Total Stakes won – $478,926

Now that crop are only half way through their four year old season and those numbers will continue to improve.

The second crop bred in Australia numbered 49 foals and of course includes this seasons outstanding three year old gelding Menin Gate 1:54.3 ($192,293) who won the Victorian Derby on the weekend.

The overall numbers are really encouraging as well.

Foals – 49

Starters – 30

Winners – 18

Sub 2:00 Winners – 7

Total stakes won – $398,606

Again this crop is only half way through their three year old season and those numbers are healthy already.

Somebeachsomewhere has another small crop of two year olds this season which numbers just 23 and includes Waikiki Beach who has been burning up the trial tracks for Mark Purdon in New Zealand.

And then comes the current crop of yearlings.

This crop is the only crop that was produced via fresh semen when Somebeachsomewhere shuttled to Australia and numbers a large 113 foals.

Now the results stallions achieve with frozen semen verses fresh semen can vary from no difference to a lot depending on the stallion.

We have always been firmly of the view that fresh is best and for that reason are really looking forward to the current yearling crop hitting the tracks next season.

We think Somebeachsomewhere is going to lift the bar with this crop.

New Zealand Stud Career

His first crop in New Zealand numbered just four foals of which three have raced including Someardensomewhere 1:55.9 ($60,083) and Lost In Bangkok 1:57.4 ($20,461)

His second crop also numbered just four and three have qualified to date with the lightly raced Maritime Arden 1:58 the only winner.

He has one two year old born in New Zealand but his yearlings from the season he shuttled to New Zealand number a healthy 56 foals.

Overview

This is the most dominant stallion in North America today. He is head and shoulders above Art Major, Bettor's Delight and American Ideal in the northern hemisphere.

His initial crops in the southern hemisphere have produced a champion filly from crop one and a outstanding gelding from his second crop from small foal numbers.

His present yearling crops in both Australia and New Zealand are his only ones conceived by fresh semen to date down under and are much larger than his initial crops.

We are confident that next years two year olds will produce results more in line with what Somebeachsomewhere has produced in North America due to those factors.

One other thing we have noticed recently.

With the emergence of Menin Gate this season the knockers have definitely gone a bit quiet recently.

We think next year you won't hear them at all.

Harnesslink Media