Audience response to the first two stories in the Breednet series grouping sires by bloodline would suggest we’re on to something of interest and if you are one of the breeders looking at value options from the great sirelines, then read on because I’m going to tell you a story that will inspire.
Who is the best three year-old in the country?
That would be Giga Kick and he is a great example of why all breeders can and should dream big.
Yes, he is bred by wealthy owner breeder Jonathan Munz, a high profile Victorian who has achieved much success over the years and particularly through his association with Arrowfield Stud, but the arrival of Giga Kick defied the general rules of logic in commercial breeding.
He is the tenth foal of well bred import Rekindled Applause (GB), who spent the early years of her stud career visiting champion sires.
She went to Encosta de Lago, Flying Spur an Exceed and Excel before five consecutive years to Redoute’s Choice and seven of those eight foals raced and five of them won with Rekindled Power and Shuffle Up being Group placed, while the first born filly Lago Ovation (Encosta de Lago) went to stud after just one start and duly produced a Group I winner to Redoute’s Choice in Alabama Express.
Rekindled Applause had two years without foal in 2016 and 2017 and then produced two foals in a row by Arrowfield Stud’s bargain basement Redoute’s Choice son Scissor Kick ($165,00 fee), who was also interestingly bred by Jonathan Munz.
The first foal by Scissor Kick is now four year-old mare Miss Gaga, who has had two unremarkable race starts for Trilogy Racing and the second is Giga Kick, a two time Group I winning Everest hero with earnings just shy of $10million.
Giga Kick is the horse Jonathan Munz was always hoping would come from this family, which is no doubt why he has continued to persist with it, but to have the champion arrive as the tenth foal of an 18 year old mare sired by the worst stallion she had ever been to in terms of performance has to make you wonder.
What it does mean is that if you have faith in a bloodline for a particular mare, maybe stick with it even if her commercial appeal is waning and look further down the food chain to keep the blood, but also make sense of the budget.
Sires by Bloodline - stories so far,
