NEWS
Freshman Sire Blog: You Shumoos You Win
Posted: Friday, November 04, 2011 1:29 PM
by John Egan
It comes around all too soon, but we are already at the Breeders’ Cup and once more the beginning of the end of another racing season. Champions will be decided on the results of Friday and Saturday and importantly, for this blog, it should ultimately decide the freshman sire champion of 2011.
Hard Spun is relying on a strong showing from three runners on Friday to try and get the edge on Scat Daddy who has three runners on Saturday. However, it is not only a race between these two stallions.
With the first-place prize money in Saturday’s Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in excess of $1-million, Drill could easily send Lawyer Ron to top of the standings. With an equivalent purse in Friday’s Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Miss Netta could well make Street Sense champion. Miss Netta is a 15-to-1 shot on the morning line, but her sire certainly liked running under the Twin Spires.
There is a 15-to-1 shot in one juvenile race that certainly catches my eye, but is not by a freshman sire. This horse is Shumoos.
I think you have to throw out her last run, but I would highly recommend that any handicapper watch a replay of her win at Kempton Park on the start before that. Appearing well beaten inside the final furlong she finds the ability to quicken on the Polytrack surface and find enough to get up on the line.
Shumoos was a short priced favorite for the Queen Mary Stakes (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot in June and was considered by many a certainty, but ran a very close second that day. Inconsistency since then has made people forget this filly and is now a morning line outsider for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint on Friday.
Shumoos is up against progeny by three freshman sires in the race. She is also the only filly in the race and therefore gets a three-pound allowance from all the other runners.
Shumoos also has the pedigree to run on the dirt. Her dam, Wile Cat, is a full sister to Grade 2 winning Cat Fighter and her second dam, Strategic Maneuver, was a multiple Grade 1 winner, including the 1993 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
I will be keeping a close eye on the runners by the freshman sires and will certainly be interested in seeing the freshman sire list on Sunday morning. However, my Breeders’ Cup horse is a daughter by 18-year-old WinStar-based stallion Distorted Humor.
Have a great Breeders’ Cup weekend everyone.
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
The calm before the storm
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.
