Friday
marks the start of a new racing season in Australia and Yarraman Park would like to take
the opportunity to thank all those who have supported our exciting young
stallion I Am Invincible.
Crowned Australia's Champion First Season Sire for 2013/2014 by earnings,
winners and stakes-winners, I Am Invincible has dominated his more expensive
peers in impressive fashion for a sire that stood his debut season at $11,000.
I Am Invincible has produced 17 individual first crop winners – 15 of them in
Australia and two in New Zealand – led by five stakes-winners in Brazen Beau,
Vinnie Eagle, Leeds, Fuld's Bet and Bassilique, plus three stakes place-getters
in Tetsuko, Silent Whisper and Uratta Belle.
His progeny have not only excelled on the track, but also in the sale ring,
where they averaged over $70,000 across the board at all yearling sales and
averaged $240,000 at Magic Millions where his stunning filly from Zelady
fetched $440,000.
So what's in store next for I Am Invincible and how does he stack up with past
champion Australian first season sires?
While some leading first season sires struggle to capitalize on their initial
success due to lack of follow through numbers in subsequent crops. That should
not be the case for I Am Invincible.
The Group III winning son of Invincible Spirit (IRE) has covered a bigger and
slightly better book in each of his four seasons at stud to date as breeders
liked what they saw and rushed to secure more.
With a fee increase this year to $27,500, I Am Invincible will cover mares of a
markedly higher quality this year, so will have every opportunity to excel even
further as time goes on.
As a racehorse, I Am Invincible found his best form as an older horse, as did
his sire Invincible Spirit, who was a stakes-winner at two, but won his career
defining Group I Sprint Cup at Haydock as a five year-old.
A noted sire of two year-olds, Invincible Spirit has many other strings to his
bow as the sire of champion mare Moonlight Cloud (she's the one than nearly
beat Black Caviar at Royal Ascot) and this year's star three year-old miler
Kingman, so to assume I Am Invincible will only get speedy two year-olds might
be a grave mistake.
I Am Invincible has end of season statistics that compare favourably with and
are better than some of the best Champion Australian First Season Sires in
recent times.
His 17 winners (15 in Australia, two in New Zealand) include five
stakes-winners headed by Group I placed Group II winner Brazen Beau, their
progeny earnings in Australia topping $1.1 million.
Last year's ill-fated Champion First Season Sire Northern Meteor finished with
18 Australian winners including three stakes-winners, Stratum had 13 winners
including two stakes-winners, Exceed and Excel had 13 winners including five
stakes-winners, More Than Ready (USA) had 16 winners including six
stakes-winners, Redoute's Choice had five winners including two stakes-winners,
General Nediym had 12 winners including four stakes-winners and Lion Hunter had
16 winners including one stakes-winner.
Leading sires Fastnet Rock and Snitzel both finished runner-up as First Season
Sires in their respective years and neither had the winners or stakes-winners
to match I Am Invincible, despite having a huge advantage in terms of
opportunity.
I Am Invincible has a long way to go to be considered in the same class as the
sires above, but all early indications would lead us to be optimistic that he
has what it takes to make a lasting impression.
News from Yarraman Park