Smallwood Farm is now standing the TB stallion Friend or Foe. Does anyone know much about him as he is relatively new off the track? Yes, I did send an email of inquiry to Smallwood, but interested to see what anyone else knows about him as well.
I’ve only seen his pictures on FB, but he looks lovely. I have suggested him to a few people looking for a TB stallion.
I have seen him in person and he’s very nice. Great brain.
A friend of mine has seen him and declared him “Very Nice!”.
I’m sure he is because Smallwood only stands nice stallions!
And video of Friend Or Foe?
Every time I see this guy, I get bummed he’s not closer to me!
I don’t mean this disparagingly… but what are you guys seeing in him other than his track record?
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From the Ad:
Description:
Smallwood Farm Introduces~Friend or Foe~Chestnut Thoroughbred, 2007, 16.3 handsBy Friends Lake - Unbridled Star by UnbridledGood Confirmation, ability and manners.Retired sound after winning $350,000.
IHF & VA Breeders FundIntroductory Fee: $____ Live Foal
*omitted price so it wouldn’t be an ad.
Where is that ad from? That info is not on his page at smallwood farm.org and answers some of the questions I inquired about. The headshot is on his webpage, but not the jumping pic which is more useful to me. I found it odd the webpage didn’t list even the basics of this ad. Just race info.
That is the info I am seeking
[QUOTE=beowulf;7481637]
I don’t mean this disparagingly… but what are you guys seeing in him other than his track record?[/QUOTE]
That is the info I am seeking.
[QUOTE=beowulf;7481637]
I don’t mean this disparagingly… but what are you guys seeing in him other than his track record?[/QUOTE]
The only reason I like him is because he has a track record and a show record (I breed TBs). Neither of his merits alone would be enough for me to be interested. But together, for the right price, I’d be curious to see what he passes along…
There is an add in COTH with slightly more info on him:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/classifieds/stallions/smallwood-farm-introduces-friend-or-foe
Videos and pics on the farm’s FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smallwood-Farm/242496379171180
There are more photos on the Smallwood Farm facebook page, as well as several videos
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smallwood-Farm/242496379171180?ref=br_tf
and a recent article about Mrs. Jones here
http://www.lancasterfarming.com/A-Lifetime-of-Horses-#.UyivJc7aXX-
[QUOTE=Anne;7483028]
There are more photos on the Smallwood Farm facebook page, as well as several videos
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smallwood-Farm/242496379171180?ref=br_tf
and a recent article about Mrs. Jones here
http://www.lancasterfarming.com/A-Lifetime-of-Horses-#.UyivJc7aXX-[/QUOTE]
Actually the Farming News article was where I saw a little piece about him initially. The FB page is enormously more helpful. Even if they just put a note on their farm webpage to look at the FB it would be much better.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;7481981]
The only reason I like him is because he has a track record and a show record (I breed TBs). Neither of his merits alone would be enough for me to be interested. But together, for the right price, I’d be curious to see what he passes along…
There is an add in COTH with slightly more info on him:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/classifieds/stallions/smallwood-farm-introduces-friend-or-foe
Videos and pics on the farm’s FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smallwood-Farm/242496379171180[/QUOTE]
But he has only had 10 starts? Why not breed to another horse who has had over 50? What’s so special about completing ten starts and being sound? I have a gelding with over 75 starts that retired sound… Another with 38. Actually, every OTTB I have ever owned has had more starts than him.
I am truly not trying to be rude, or bash him, but he has an average build, short, upright pasterns, short neck, lowset neck, straight hocks, and what looks to be a slight roach back. He has a beautiful head and very attractive eye – but I feel, if he were say, a WB or any other breed I feel his reception would be different. He is, otherwise, a nice looking horse, but why breed to him when a stallion like Say Florida Sandy has 98 life-time starts and retired sound? Or Reputed Testamony? Both are much better built, with longer track records, and more successful offspring.
1 Like
[QUOTE=beowulf;7483369]
But he has only had 10 starts? Why not breed to another horse who has had over 50? What’s so special about completing ten starts and being sound? I have a gelding with over 75 starts that retired sound… Another with 38. Actually, every OTTB I have ever owned has had more starts than him.
I am truly not trying to be rude, or bash him, but he has an average build, short, upright pasterns, short neck, lowset neck, straight hocks, and what looks to be a slight roach back. He has a beautiful head and very attractive eye – but I feel, if he were say, a WB or any other breed I feel his reception would be different. He is, otherwise, a nice looking horse, but why breed to him when a stallion like Say Florida Sandy has 98 life-time starts and retired sound? Or Reputed Testamony? Both are much better built, with longer track records, and more successful offspring.[/QUOTE]
I’ll venture a short answer, although I wouldn’t want to speak for the poster you’re addressing.
The TB stallion in question is a multiple stakes winner.
No one loves a hard-knocker with a lot of starts more than I do, but high-end runners rarely stay at the track long enough to get 100 starts. (Not never. Just rarely. And increasingly rarely.) The ones that do tend to be geldings.
I don’t know how much you follow the racehorses, so a good point of reference – in my mind – would be asking someone if they’d rather breed to a good soul who carried folks around the Level 1 jumpers for 15 years or a Grand Prix jumper who retired early.
ETA: Rereading, I realize this could be taken as a knock on Reputed Testamony. I was not referring to him in ANY way, more just addressing the objection to Friend or Foe (who I know nothing about except what I’ve read here and seen online.) RT is an interesting horse, but not particularly fashionable for a track-producing stallion.
So, in his case if you’re breeding to sell, not particularly appealing. Also, breeders of racehorses do often look for stallions standing in specific states. There are breeder bonuses.
[QUOTE=Meany;7483610]
I’ll venture a short answer, although I wouldn’t want to speak for the poster you’re addressing.
The TB stallion in question is a multiple stakes winner.
No one loves a hard-knocker with a lot of starts more than I do, but high-end runners rarely stay at the track long enough to get 100 starts. (Not never. Just rarely. And increasingly rarely.) The ones that do tend to be geldings.
I don’t know how much you follow the racehorses, so a good point of reference – in my mind – would be asking someone if they’d rather breed to a good soul who carried folks around the Level 1 jumpers for 15 years or a Grand Prix jumper who retired early.[/QUOTE]
But, from what limited information is out there about him, he is really marketed more to a sport-horse crowd than the racing crowd. Most of the pictures I’ve seen of him are of him O/F or under saddle. So him being a stakes winner is (to the sporthorse market) probably not all that important.
As far as the GP stud to the Level 1 stud and which I’d breed to… the difference there is the fence height. In races, the difference is the purse money and competition. I am not an avid follower of racing, and perhaps that lends to the reason behind why I just don’t see the appeal of this stallion.
In race breeding and buying: performance, speed, and quality of competition trump longevity. 10 starts with stakes wins and graded stakes performances will trump 100 starts in most race buyers eyes. Without starting WWIII on what’s right and wrong with modern TB breeding-- speed sells, longevity not so much. It’s kind of like asking if you would prefer a stallion who competed in only 3 recognized shows or one who’s done 100 walk/trot schooling shows.
His race record and pedigree are not much of race sire material, even with stakes wins and G1 performances-- which is why he’s not standing at a racing farm. But for someone like me breeding homebreds to run and then come home and ride, I find it appealing that he was a decent performer on the track with a good brain over fences. :yes:
Would I consider him if he were 30 minutes down the road from me? Absolutely. Would I ship hundreds of miles to breed to him? Absolutely not.
[QUOTE=VirginiaBred;7481776]
From the Ad:- Unbridled Star by UnbridledGood Confirmation, [/QUOTE]
HEAD–>DESK.
Also, Reputed Testimony died a few years ago.
