A “Closer Look” at What Might Have Been and What Is

Tara Madgwick - Monday June 8

Not all stallions get to live long lives and fulfil their true stud potential.

One of those is Northern Meteor, who retired to Widden Stud in 2009 and with just four crops has left a lasting legacy through his top class sire sons Zoustar and Deep Field.

The interesting thing when you look at his statistics below is the comparative disappointment of his fourth crop giving rise to the question of what would have happened in the future if he had gone on.

Northern Meteor (2005 - 2013)

Crop Year (SH)	Mares Covered / Service Fee	Stakes-Winners/ Best Performers
2010	198 / $33,000	12 SW’s / G1 Zoustar, Cosmic Endeavour, Romantic Touch, Amanpour, G2 Deep Field
2011	156 / $33,000	8 SW’s / G1 Shooting to Win
2012	108/ $33,000	3 SW’s / G1 Speak Fondly
2013	160/ $33,000	1 SW/ Listed Guard of Honour

At the time of his death in July 2013, Northern Meteor had only just started to hit his straps with a late season flurry of winners including Romantic Touch, who won the Group I BRC JJ Atkins, propelling him past his Widden Stud barn mate Sebring to be crowned Champion First Season Sire.

Just a few months earlier in April when fees were released, Northern Meteor had been reduced to $27,500, while Sebring had been increased to $38,500…. my what a difference those couple of months made.

Sadly, breeders were never able to take advantage of that bargain basement fifth season fee for Northern Meteor, so we will never know whether he could reproduce those stellar statistics from his first crop.

Northern Meteor continued gathering momentum as his progeny turned three and while Sebring beat him to be Champion Second Crop sire by earnings in 2014, Northern Meteor set a record for second crop winners.

His tally of 80 Australian winners for the 2013/2014 season has not been challenged since, although his son Deep Field is now in hot pursuit with 74 winners and nearly two months of the season to run.

While Northern Meteor checked out early, Sebring has continued a lot longer and flourished to become a serious Group I sire, his death last year coming at the height of his commercial appeal.

Sebring has been a Top 10 sire by earnings in every season since 2014 and his last crop of yearlings will be a highlight at sales of 2021.

Sebring (2005 – 2019)

Crop Year (SH)	Mares Covered / Service Fee	Stakes-Winners/ Best Performers
2010	190/ $49,500	9 SW’s / G1 Dissident, Criterion
2011	149/ $49,500	8 SW’s / G1 Lucky Bubbles
2012	194/ $38,500	8 SW’s / G2 Catch a Fire
2013	203/ $33,000	11 SW’s / G1 Egg Tart, Nettoyer
2014	223/ $38,500	11 SW’s / G2 Gold Standard
2015	191/ $60,500	8 SW’s / G1 Amphitrite
2016	176/ $66,000	4 SW’s / G2 Aethero
2017	185/ $77,000	2YO’s
2018	205/ $66,000	Yearlings
2019	199 / $66,000	Weanlings