NEWS
Freshman Sire Blog: The calm before the storm
Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2011 1:19 PM
by John Egan
The three month period of September, October and November are the busiest in the equine insurance industry. It is good to be busy, however, so no complaints. My Mother always told me that the devil makes work for idle hands – and your Mother is always right, remember that.
The two to three week period prior to Breeders’ Cup, however, is like the eye of a storm. All the big two-year-old races that will dictate who are leading contenders on November 4 and 5 have likely concluded with the running of the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.
Union Rags was very impressive last weekend. The amazing thing that I find about this horse is that being undefeated in three starts, two of those races in graded stakes company, he does not really fit the model of a typical Michael Matz horse. One would think that with Matz as trainer he should only get better with age – wouldn’t that be a great prospect.
The big two-year-old races of the season in England conclude with the Racing Post Trophy (Eng-G1) at Doncaster next weekend. The race, run over a mile, has typically produced the early favorite for the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) in June. Horses such as High Chaparral, Motivator and Authorized have all completed the Racing Post Trophy and Epsom Derby double in recent years.
The fall meet at Keeneland is underway. As it always seems, it will have the feeling of being gone as soon as it arrives, but I hope to make the most of it being here.
As we get nearer and nearer to Breeders’ Cup the excitement will grow and many of you will be closely following the leading contenders for the juvenile races. One tip I will give you for free – keep a close eye on your monthly stable for November (don’t say I didn’t warn you).
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
Awesome 'Wells'
When one can make a Hat Trick
Generation MMX
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.
Also check The Freshman Facebook page for more freshman sire information.
