this is why so many good stallions end of up overseas and Americans regret it. Look at Empire Maker (who I am sure they paid a handsome sum for to bring back) and Sunday Silence. The only thing these breeding farms care about is the auction prices of the offspring and whether or not they win G1’s to make them look pretty in advertisements. No one is taking the time to look hard at the offspring success over time. If they are not making G1’s in 2 or 3 years or not selling for six figures; the stallion is on the chopping block. No one care if his offspring go on to win non graded or G3 stakes, no one cares if his offspring are incredibly sound and race sound over time for many years. If the auction companies were not running the breeding industry and if more breeders actually cared about improving the breed instead of the $$$ signs on the auction stage, perhaps a lot more stallions would be utilized and well received across the board instead of just the pool of 10 stallions who make the sales page look bright and shiny.
Whether fans like it or not, the Thoroughbred industry is a business. When people have millions of dollars invested, they need to see a return on their money. I, too, mourn the loss (to the U.S. breeders) of stallions like Lion Heart, Take Charge Indy, Tiz Wonderful, and now, Shanghai Bobby, but I can understand why the deals were made.
None of those stallions were “failing” when they left the U.S… Shanghai Bobby, for example, had 100 live foals born this year (from 144 mares bred). Empire Maker’s last year at stud here before he left for Japan, he had a 50k stud fee and bred 139 mares.
Even so, a stud farm in another country was willing to pay enough money to make it worthwhile for the U.S. farm to sell. These horses aren’t being dumped overseas, they’re being well sold.
Fwiw, someone once approached my husband and offered him more for his camper van than he had paid for it three years earlier. He mourned the loss of that van but he did the deal on the spot.
Agreed. But then breeders cry wolf 10 years from now when a good sire ends up overseas and succeeds. Its viewed as a loss for the breed here for the sake of money. We got lucky with Empire Maker coming back. No one can blame overseas buyers for wanting to pay-up and improve their bloodstock. No one can blame breeders here for selling their stock as a business plan. Not like Coolmore is hurting for that paycheck though. They sold him to free up a stall for Justify and bankroll for Justify. Let’s be honest about that one.
Breeders have no choice about whether or not a stallion leaves the country. We’re still breeding to the horses, they get sold anyway (gumtree was talking about that upthread).
As for Coolmore needing to “free up a stall for Justify” my honest response to that is :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
I’m sure they have plenty of room for as many incoming stallions as they care to add.
I don’t think this is a very accurate representation of what is actually happening. :no: There is a lot of implied greed and negativity in your account that aren’t actually part of the cycle at all.
Good stallions are overseas because their ownership receives higher dollar offers to sell them than they would earn staying here.
Breeders are not operating charities. It is a disgustingly expensive business to manage.
I do wish there was a way to delay the process a little, but from a practical standpoint, I don’t know how you could do that and make wise financial decisions. Even the richest of the rich need to break even on the sport somehow. Money can’t just flow like water without any opportunity to recoup.
What good is it to have a string of horses who all make 100 starts in the claiming ranks if you go bankrupt in the process?
I also think the suggestion that breeders aren’t “improving the breed” is a bunch of bologna. The breed itself has not dramatically changed. Regulations and management have changed. The market has changed. But in terms of racing, the horses themselves aren’t a whole lot different than they were 100 years ago.
not in their American barn they don’t. Their stallion barn is actually very small for Kentucky standards
Keep looking. There’s more than one stallion barn at the Coolmore farm in KY. 
still not Winstar…
To add to my previous comments:
You are painting a number of different farms–with differing philosophies–with a very broad brush. Not all KY stud farms are the same, and most of them operate in a way that is nothing like you describe. No one is rushing toward any “chopping blocks”. It’s not a cost effective way to do business and it just isn’t happening.
There are a number of farms–Claiborne, Lanes End and Darley come to mind quickly–who take the long view when adding to their stallion rosters. They all stand stallions who may not be popular with the commercial market but who are known for producing sound, useful racehorses. (think Langfuhr, Holy Bull, City Zip, Midshipman). They take stallions that don’t “hit” right away and build their careers over time (Arch, Flatter, Lemon Drop Kid).
And then there’s Spendthrift. Their business model is to buy stallions with diverse pedigrees and race results that otherwise wouldn’t be able to stand at stud in Kentucky and give them a chance to succeed. Yes, they do move along the ones that don’t make it. But at least they provide an initial opportunity that otherwise wouldn’t exist. (Into Mischief–who stood his first season at stud for $3,000 is the break-out star of that program so far.)
You must live in a rarified space if you think nobody cares about racing beyond the G1s. Down here in the everyday world of racing, many many racehorse owners are happy when they manage to break even–and farms are happy to stand stallions who will help them do that.
As for your assertion that more stallions should be utilized rather than “just the pool of 10 stallions who make the sales page look bright and shiny” last week’s BloodHorse listed the stallions whose September sales average was higher than 100K. There were 35 horses on the list. With regard to racing results, BloodHorse lists the Top 150 U.S. stallions on their website. All currently have more than 1.5M in progeny earnings this year.
Just saw on BH that Into Mischief’s fee for 2019 is $150k 
Breakout star may be a bit of an understatement :lol:
In other news, Tom’s Ready, Liaison, and Warrior’s Reward have all gone missing from the Spendthrift Roster. Tom’s Ready just finished his first season at stud.TR and Liaison have no export paperwork on file. Warrior’s Reward seems to have been exported to Australia to stand at Spendthrift’s farm there
agreed. Sign me up for a Langfuhr offspring any day of the week. Many of the farms that you have listed tend to do business in the old school sense of things. Many of the farms outside of Kentucky take this route also. Maybe not the glitz and glamour of the stallion world, but good, solid stallions who offer good things to their offspring. Spendthrift has an interesting business model but many of the stallions on their roster are overpriced, IMHO, you could get a lot of value elsewhere. With that being said, they have a lot of cheap deals too, very affordable options but their turnover is quick.
They have multiple stallion barns, and many barns that are empty. Technically they have multiple farms. Plenty of room for as many stallions as they care to stand.
Good post.
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General commentary
Last I heard, none of the breeding farms were nonprofits, so they must (eventually) make enough money to break even or turn a profit.
There are many levels of business other than the top. Not everyone wears Prada (not even me ), and not ever mare owner is looking for a six figure stallion. A good business plan will acknowledge not only their target market, but other markets in which they can easily funnel resources and earn income. If they can find a stallion that is attractive to mare owners who have a $50k budget, and/or $15k budget, then they can earn enough money to cover that stallions expenses and probably turn a nice profit.
It’s silly to expect any business to exist in the rarefied atmosphere of improving the breed without allowing them a plan to remain solvent along with their attempt to breed a good horse.
[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/934959472547471360/HHFn0QYN_bigger.jpg) G @LongBallToNoOne 19h19 hours ago
SHANGHAI BOBBY [IMG]https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f1fa-1f1f8.png) has checked into Arrow Stud in Hokkaido #welcome
種牡馬シャンハイボビーがアロースタッドに到着（http://netkeiba.com ） - Yahoo!ニュース https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20181128-00000007-kiba-horse … @YahooNewsTopics pic.twitter.com/Bbfu7W7VsY
[
SHANGHAI BOBBY [IMG]https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f1fa-1f1f8.png) has checked into Arrow Stud in Hokkaido today 28Nov2018. (posted today on Twitter by G)
[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/934959472547471360/HHFn0QYN_bigger.jpg)
Liaison is in Oklahoma at “Mighty Acres”
Tom’s Ready went to Louisiana to Red River Farm
[quote=“Ta
SHANGHAI BOBBY [IMG]https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f1fa-1f1f8.png) has checked into Arrow Stud in Hokkaido today 28Nov2018. (posted today on Twitter by G)
[IMG]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/934959472547471360/HHFn0QYN_bigger.jpg)
[/quote]
He is just so gorgeous.
He is beautiful. I think Coolmore will regret this. Such a loss.
