Hello everybody!
This is my first posting in this forum, any forum!
My questions:
What is your opinion about Secretariat blood in Sporthorse breeding? He had a few sons who did quite well in competition and as sires (e.g. Quantum Leap, Seclusive, National Zenith).
Would a Secretariat son still be used today if he would be of the right kind?
Regards, George
The youngest would be 24 years old, if you could even find one not gelded.
Yes, I realize this. The reason I am asking is, two years ago I came across this Secretariat son here:
http://www.sporthorse-data.com/d?i=10545162&z=V4WZME
while looking for TB-mares in Germany. The more offspring I saw, the more I liked him. So I had a closer look at his pedigree and it was even getting better.
I liked the double Nashrulla via Bold Ruler and Grey Sovereign and I like the Princeaquillo via Somethingroyal but what I was exited about his dam line! Storm the Gates goes in direct line back to Mumtaz Mahal. It seems that this female line did not run out of steam and is consistently producing hard hitting, black type offspring through different branches to this day (e.g 2008 Arc winner Zarkava, or the likes of Albanova, Alborada, Alamshar, Quarter Moon, Aussie Rules, Yesterday, World Cleek etc.). Four sisters ended up Down under and proofed themselves as Black type producers with a variety of sires (e.g. Biscayne Bay, America’s Cup, Coup Bloomsbury). One sister went to England and her daughter produced the Danish Derby Winner Peas and Carrots. A very tough horse.
Storm the Gates brothers were very useful racehorses and/or sires, like Nassipour, Leading sire in Australia, he sired many horses who raced between 50 and 100 times; or Nashipour, the sire of Mouktar; or Nabirpour a very high percentage sire of tough race horses. They sure seem to last. Some of them raced for six years!. As a Eventing breeder within the Trakehner herdbook, this is what I like to see. And with Mumtaz Mahal being the second dam of Nashrulla, CS has three crosses to her.
But time is running out, he just turned twentyfive. There must be something about him; he is generating new interest from Germany, Down Under and South Africa but so far there is no Frozen Semen available. He had six very good foals born this year from six breedings by natural cover. Your opinions are very much appreciated.
IMO you need to find a Secretariat mare - line. A daughter or direct grand daughter through the mare.
Innkeeper is one to add to your list of successful Secretariat sons, both as a performance horse and sire.
http://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/middleburg/sporthorse-breeding/stallions/Innkeeper_1.html
[QUOTE=back in the saddle;7644837]
IMO you need to find a Secretariat mare - line. A daughter or direct grand daughter through the mare.[/QUOTE]
This.
Traditionally, Secretariat’s best descendants have been through his daughters.
Granted, that was mostly for racing (A.P. Indy, Summer Squall, Storm Cat, etc) but that’s still where I’d look for him for sport.
If there’s something else you like about the damline, that’s great-- go with that, and maybe (or maybe not) the Secretariat on top could add something.
@Sheila, yes I knew about Innkeeper. My (quick) research about Secretariats impact on Sporthorse breeding found the following sons:
Quantum Leap XX: Intern. Showjumper
Seclusive XX: Intern. Eventer and sire of Graziella TSF (Intern. Drivinghorse)
National Zenith XX: Successful Stallion in Sweden (Racing,Dressage, Jumping, Eventing)
Canadian Bound XX: Sired Showjumper CASH
Executive Order XX: Sired Intern. Eventer GALVESTON
Innkeeper XX: Eventer and sired Eventers
Lion d’Or XX: Sired many Eventers in Irland
Our best Friend XX: Sired Intern. Showjumper SOULMATE
Seclude XX: Sired Intern. Eventers like PUKKA und CHREDO II
Secret 'n Classy XX: Sired Intern. Eventer BIBA CLASSY
Tete a Tete XX: Sired Intern. Showjumper SECRET ARRANGEMENT
Academy Award XX Sired Show Hunter CAPED CRUSADER
This is only talking about his impact through the sire line and not through his daughters. It seems he had more to offer than just the X-factor 
Add Academy Award, he got several very good show Hunters including Caped Crusader (JC reg as Oscar Time). Stood in Ohio until recently, have friends with an Academy Award daughter who was a nice show Hunter with very promising yearling by leading Holsteiner ( I think) bred back for 2015.
Want to add Class Secret. Sired one of my homebreds who evented through Advanced (and is now in his late teens bringing along my students). I know he sired at least two other mid level eventers and a fair number of hunters. Was also a sire of several very good 'chasers.
He died quite young (8 or so?), fell off the mount and broke his hock as I recall, so had a pretty good breeding record for a horse that didn’t stand for long.
I was always curious about a mare I had at one time - her grandsire was a stallion named Grey Legion, son of Secretariat, and he had this info on his pedigree page http://www.pedigreequery.com/grey+legion
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm
State Bred: KY
According to Equibase foaled in FL and bred by Gilman Paper Co.
Foaled Feb. 22. Sold for $550,000 as a yearling at Saratoga, record price.
Stood in 1983 for $2500 at Spendthrift. Sent to Colorado to become a founding sire for the American Sport Horse.
and not one thing can be found further about this.
French Legionnaire sired our Advanced/*** horse. He was known locally for siring horses with jump.
[QUOTE=pony grandma;7645871]
I was always curious about a mare I had at one time - her grandsire was a stallion named Grey Legion, son of Secretariat, and he had this info on his pedigree page http://www.pedigreequery.com/grey+legion
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm
State Bred: KY
According to Equibase foaled in FL and bred by Gilman Paper Co.
Foaled Feb. 22. Sold for $550,000 as a yearling at Saratoga, record price.
Stood in 1983 for $2500 at Spendthrift. Sent to Colorado to become a founding sire for the American Sport Horse.
and not one thing can be found further about this.[/QUOTE]
Wow, his dam was a full sister to Raise A Native.
There doesn’t seem to be any question that Secretariat sons produced good sport horses, probably better than their race horses–which is probably why many of them ended up producing sport horses. Given that Sir Gaylord is one of the most prolific lines for international sport horses in history, one suspects that Somethingroyal had a great deal to do with the Secretariat jump. I’m not dismissing Bold Ruler by any stretch of the imagination, though.
Since Careless Ruler stood most of his life in Germany, their opinion on his quality and the quality of his foals would mean a great deal.
Would they be willing to use him today?
Circa 1988, Grey Legion stood in California with a veterinarian whose first name was Van… he was of the early adopters of frozen semen and the Grey Legion horse “stood” for many years after his death.
Robert and Laura Hall stood a 1976 son of Secretariat named Secretary of State in Aiken, S.C… He was reportedly a beautiful mover and a good sire of sport horses.
Hydra Z by High Valley Z
Merisa G by Colonial Affair
National Zenith by Secretariat
Secret Singer by Singspiel
Timolino by Monsun
Aip by Kornado
Seclusive by Secretariat
Secretary of State
Was an UL dressage horse and son of Sectetariat.
Owned a mare out of this bloodline. Very athletic
But really wanted to be a first flight field hunter. She
Is showing in ll eventing and jumpers in no va.
UOTE=Elles;7646920]Hydra Z by High Valley Z
Merisa G by Colonial Affair
National Zenith by Secretariat
Secret Singer by Singspiel
Timolino by Monsun
Aip by Kornado
Seclusive by Secretariat[/QUOTE]
Secretariat’s daughter, Weekend Surprise, produced A.P. Indy who is showing up well in sporthorse pedigrees these days.
