NEWS
Freshman Sire Blog: Awesome ‘Wells’
Posted: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 3:01 PM
by John Egan
According to Jockey Club statistics through August 17, Galileo (Ire) is atop the world’s leading sires list with a total of $12,067,342. The nearest U.S.-based sire is Giant’s Causeway with $5,540,268.
The weekend of August 13-14 was truly amazing for the most prolific son of Sadler’s Wells at stud. Two Grade 1 wins at Arlington Park on August 13, as Treasure Beach (GB) and Cape Blanco (Ire) took the Secretariat Stakes and Arlington Million Stakes, respectively, followed by Galikova winning the Prix Guillaume D’Ornano (Fr-G2) at Deauville two days later.
Galikova’s older half-sister by Anabaa holds a little bit more superstar status to say the least, although the three-time Breeders Cup Mile (G1) champion Goldikova (Ire) was beat in the very next race at Deauville, the Prix Jacques le Marois (Fr-G1).
As a stallion that is extremely unlikely to have any of his best runners adapt to a dirt surface, another stallion will most likely benefit from the winners’ share of the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) this November, but by that stage someone will need to sprout wings to get to Galileo (thank you Trevor Denman, voice of the Breeders’ Cup).
I thought the progeny of Galileo was certainly the highlight of the racing week.
There was not much on the two-year-old scene last week regarding freshman sires, but certainly the talking horse on the juvenile scene this week was Union Rags.
The Dixie Union colt looks to have the potential to be a very smart performer with a little more time. Coming down the stretch he was very green, as he weaved around when already clear of the field, but still held on well to win the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) by more than seven lengths.
Keeping it brief this week, I would like to drive those of you who enjoy this blog to our The Freshman Facebook page. The page is updated daily with race results, replays and links to articles on everything involving freshman sires on both sides of the Atlantic.
Previous Freshman Sire blogs:
Spring at last
It's a marathon, not a sprint
Alright son, you're nicked!
Remembering Rags to Riches
Is 2011 a safe bet for a Darley double?
What is your name? What is your favorite color?
A change of pace
Small victories
Spin around
The passing of a legend
Zen proves to be good karma
Let's Sheikh on it
I saw him first
Royal Ascot, Part 1
Royal Ascot babies for Thursday, Friday, Saturday
A 'Flash' of brilliance
Spa treatment
Frankly amazing
Dark Angel is the dark horse
A new hope
About John Egan
A native Londoner, John Egan has been a racing enthusiast from a very young age and even owned interests in Thoroughbred racehorses with his parents. After graduating from University with a business degree in 1997, John spent three years working in the London insurance market before pursuing his desire to work in the racing industry. He began work as an assistant to a trainer and was predominately based at Wolverhampton racecourse in England. After a spell in training, John then went to work for Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber's farms of Watership Down in England and Ireland before relocating to Kentucky and Lane's End Farm in 2002. After two years at Lane's End, John decided to combine his experience in the horse and insurance industries and became an equine insurance agent, which he did for three years, before making the transition to underwriter for a large multi-national insurance company. In 2008, he became underwriting manager of the Lexington office of Markel Insurance Company, which was opened in October of that year with the primarily focus of writing Thoroughbred equine mortality insurance.
With the launch of the Lexington office, John has become actively involved in Thoroughbred media to help promote Markel. He appeared on the Horse Racing Radio Network's Saturday morning show in 2009 and 2010 to discuss horses on the Kentucky Derby trail. In 2009, John also began a freshman sire competition and created a newsletter with that competition called The Freshman. That contest caught the eye of THOROUGHBRED TIMES and a partnership was formed to present the Freshman Sire Contest together in 2010. The partnership continues with the 2011 competition also being presented by Markel and THOROUGHBRED TIMES.
John lives in Lexington and is married to Melissa, who is a small animal veterinarian.
