Sharkbite – A Pedigree Analysis
By Alan Porter and Byron Rogers of Pedigree Consultants

Given the testing economic climate many breeders are seeking new alternatives this spring in a bid to get more bang for their buck.

An interesting new stallion for 2009 is Sharkbite (Redoutes Choice/Backpass), a stakeswinning son of Redoutes Choice and former boom 2yo.

A $900,000 Easter yearling, Sharkbite never realised his undoubted Group 1 potential and is standing his first season at Byerley Stud in the Hunter Valley for $7,700.

His owners Jonathan Munz and Debbie and Joe Throsby are supporting their new stallion with some very good mares including stakes-winners, dams of stakes-winners and sisters to stakes-winners, while other breeders are also supporting Sharkbite.

The Throsbys are of course well known for having enjoyed incredible stallion success as the initial major owners of Encosta de Lago which started his stallion career at a bargain fee of $8500.

Who is game to say that history will not repeat itself as Sharkbite has as much chance of being the successor to his illustrious sire as other sons of Redoute’s Choice standing for service fees four or five times greater than Sharkbite’s.

We have seen this repeated over time with sons of breed shaping sires such as Northern Dancer and Mr Prospector. The breeder that picks the right emerging stallion to punt always reaps huge rewards.

MARES ALREADY BOOKED TO SHARKBITE INCLUDE:

AUNT JANE (USA) (Buckaroo x Lillian Russell)
Imported daughter of stakes-winner Lillian Russell, a half-sister to breed shaping sire Mr Prospector.

CLOSE EMBRACE (Zabeel / Rhythm Kingdom)
Half-sister to stakes-winner Volcada from the famed Gypsy Moss (IRE) family of Group One winners Ideal Planet, Our Planet, Innocent King and Unworldly.

DE GROOVE (Dehere (USA) / Tyrises)
Full sister to stakes-winner Super Groove and half-sister to Group Three winner Taikun, again from the Gypsy Moss (IRE) family, but this time from the branch of recent Group Three SAJC South Australian Oaks winner Zapurple.

FIONNAY (Crested Wave (USA) / Aminona)
Proven Group One producer as the dam of VRC Oaks winner Bulla Borghese.

HAVILAND (Rorys Jester / Fleischer)
Half-sister to stakes-winner Roubechon and out of the stakes-winner Fleischer, a half-sister to Group One MRC Oakleigh Plate winner Reactive.

HUAMULAN (Lonhro x Lady Mulan)
Half-sister to stakes-placed Absent Friends from Group Two winner and Group One placed Lady Mulan.

LADY CHIVERO (NZ) (Clay Hero x Inquisit)
Stakes-placed proven producer and half-sister to dual Group One winner Count Chivas and stakes-winner Sea Captain.

MISS KEATON (Rubiton / Mrs Soffel)
Full sister to outstanding sprinter Rubitano, 11 wins and $1.2 million in. VRC Newmarket Handicap, Group One VRC Salinger Stakes, also stakes-winner Rubitoff.

POMERANZ (Danasinga / Benazir)
Half-sister to Kiwi Group One winner Critic, f rom the family of Golden Slipper winner Courtza and her Group One winning champion sire son O’Reilly.

RAZZIA (Scenic / Biscay Bird)
Full sister to Champion Three Year Old and four-time Group One winner Universal Prince and Group One winning filly Universal Queen.

RICH SILK (Rizzi / Silk Lilly)
Half-sister to US stakes-winner Silky Sweep from the family of celebrated producer Fanfreluche, whose descendants include Group One winners and champion sires Encosta de Lago and Flying Spur.

SEE THE ANGELS (Falvelon x Angelic Belle)
Metropolitan winning half-sister to Group Three winner Here de Angels.

THOUSAND VEILS (Zabeel / Forever Dancing)
Stakes-winner of the Listed SAJC St Leger Stakes, from the family of US Group One winners Gold Fever and Bellamy Road.

Sharkbite is of course a stakes winning and talented son of Redoute’s Choice, in turn, the leading stallion son of the dominant breed shaper Danehill.

He hails from one of the most active families in the Stud Book, that of the Champion two year-old filly Sookera.

His family is one of early speed that matures into classic contention at three so there is scope to be very hopeful that with the right pedigrees to him he will prove an outstanding stallion.

With his pedigree structure, Sharkbite is ideally-bred to cross with mares from the Sir Tristram line, including through Zabeel (Octagonal & Lonhro), Kaapstad, Sovereign Red, Military Plume, El Qahira, Marauding, Grosvernor and Dr. Grace.

From the same female line as Sir Tristram, comes Star Way, and Redoute’s Choice has Group One winners out of mares by both that horse and his son, Sky Chase. Quality mares by Star Way’s son Telesto look particularly interesting.

Sharkbite has Northern Dancer 4S x 5S x 6D x 5D. We are seeing more and more horses with multiple Northern Dancer strains (Forensics is one example) and breeding back selected Northern Dancer strains should work well here.

Mares carrying Nijinsky II’s genetic relative Storm Bird should work well, mares by the likes of Bluebird, Hennessy (his son Johannesburg appeals immensely), Catrail, Giant’s Causeway and Tale of the Cat look to have particular appeal.

The Minstrel is a three-parts-brother to Nijinsky II and close genetic relative to Storm Bird, and should work well here. He is represented in Australia by Palace Music and Masterclass with the latter having particular appeal as his dam is a sister to the third dam of Redoute’s Choice.

With his pedigree laden in the blood of Nijinsky II, mares by sons and grandsons of Mr Prospector look well suited. One in particular is Thunder Gulch who is out of a mare by Storm Bird (a close genetic relative of Nijinsky II). Mr. Prospector line stallions which bring in Nijinsky three-parts-brother The Minstrel, such as Zafonic and his son Xaar look to suit well, the latter in particular as he comes from the same female family as Redoute’s Choice. On that Umatilla, a half-brother to the dam of Redoute’s Choice, and out of a Nijinsky II mare, which should be very good here.

Of other Mr. Prospector line stallions which have stood in Australia it is worth considering sons of  Machiavellian (Street Cry and Vettori), Distorted Humor, End Sweep, Secret Savings, Geiger Counter, Real Quiet and Unbridled’s Song.

Outside of the previously mentioned Xaar, Masterclass and Umatilla, there is a good opportunity to inbreed to the high quality Best In Show family.

Redoute’s Choice has sired stakes winners out of mares by Last Tycoon, whose sire, Try My Best, is from the same family as Redoute’s Choice. Mares by Just Awesome appeal as do mares by Nureyev’s son Spinning World (and his son Thorn Park).

Additional broodmare sire lines worth considering include mares by Sharpen Up line horses who might be found include Famous Star, Daggers Drawn (by Diesis), College Chapel (by Sharpo), Keen and Switch in Time.

Halo also has appeal. He can be found in good quantity via Sunday Silence (who is broodmare sire of a Redoute’s Choice graded stakes winner), More Than Ready and Don’t Say Halo (broodmare sire of Redoute’s Choice grade one winner).

Mares by Roberto line stallions Red Ransom, his son Charge Forward and At Talaq would also suit. This would create an inbreeding to Roberto but as Sookera was a Champion at two, it looks to have considerable merit.

Considering other domestic sire lines Redoute’s Choice has stakes winners, one grade one, out of mares by Snippets. With the multiple strains of Nijinsky II in Sharkbite’s pedigree, mares by Snippets and his sons, Pins, Spartacus and Snowland look to appeal greatly.

Mares by Rory’s Jester; Century through Centaine and Rubiton; Zedative and his son Strategic also appeal and may add a little more speed into the pedigree.

In general we would advise against using the currently available strains of Star Kingdom as they have disappointed with Redoute’s Choice and his sons to date although Hurricane Sky (by Star Watch, by Bletchingly) is a three-parts-brother to the dam of Redoute’s Choice and would be interesting to use here.

Alan Porter and Byron Rogers -

Footnote: Sharkbite stands at a fee of $7,700 with a discount for multiple bookings by arrangement with the stud.

For more information contact Martin Hawcroft on 0419 777 663 or Stud Manager Kelvin Williams on 02 6547 4558 or email byerleystud@bigpond.com.au