Christopher Hector analyses the latest stats from the KWPN
It’s no wonder the mare owners take so little notice of them, because ‘boring’ is the only way to describe the annual KWPN stallion lists by breeding value. In the main it is same old/same old, with Jazz (Cocktail / Ulster) at the top of the dressage list for stallions with a predictability of 90% or more, for the umpteenth time. This time his breeding value is 192 (down two points from three years ago). The statistic I find really interesting on the Dutch values (it’s not there on the German ones) is the number of progeny over the age of four, and the number of them that have competed. For Jazz, the figures are 2807 horses over four, with 990 ‘in the sport’ – that’s a percentage of 35.268, which at first glance seems low, but it turns out, is quite a respectable participation rate for a dressage sire.
Jazz
Olivi (Jazz / Aktion) continues to look like the ‘one that got away’. The stallion was sold to France in 2009, and continues to shine in the dressage values stakes, moving from number one spot on the stallions with a reliability of 80 to 89%, three years ago, to second place on the over 90% list, and in the process improving his dressage value from 173 to 183. With 540 progeny over four, he has 170 competitors, 31.481%. Having said that, Olivi doesn’t even make the top 50 current WBFSH dressage sires ranking (which is based on international performances), and none of his Grand Prix ‘stars’ make it to the top 100 on the WBFSH dressage rankings, actually I couldn’t find any in the top 500!
Once again, we wonder just what the values are valuing?
Grand Prix competitor, Painted Black (by Grand Prix competitor, Gribaldi, out of a mare by Grand Prix competitor, Ferro) makes the jump from 5th on the 80-89% standings three years ago, to 3rd on the over 90 list, and with a pretty handy ratio of progeny to competitors, 520 over four, 175 competitors, that’s 33.653%. Painted Black is certainly not the long lined elegant style of horse that has dazzled the KWPN commission of recent years, which is perhaps why he was seven years old and competing Grand Prix before he was given breeding approval. His most famous foal thus far is the approved stallion, Zizi Top.
Painted Black
The rest of the top 20 are names that will be familiar if you have taken a passing interest in Dutch dressage breeding:
In fourth, the late, great, Contango (Contender / Kronprinz xx), 160 (92%), 623 over 4, 215 competitors = 34.510% followed by: Rubiquil (Rubinstein / Roemer), 158 (90%), 618 – 200 = 32.362%; Negro (Ferro / Variant), 154 – up from 147 three years ago (94%), 1198 – 328 = 27.378%; Gribaldi (Kostolany / Ibikus), 153 (98%), 3012 – 999 = 33.167%. Gribaldi is second on the WBFSH standings for 2015, even after the disappearance of his erstwhile star, Totilas, Gribaldi has four genuine frontliners, all earning more than 2000 points: Unee, Siro, Atterupgaards Orthilia and Painted Black; Welt Hit II (Weltmeyer / Hill Hawk xx), 151 (93%), with a wonderful progeny to competitor ratio – 653 – 284 – 43.491(!!!) prompting the question, is Welt Hit II, the most successful stallion son of Weltmeyer? Admittedly it is not a crowded field; Florencio (Florestan / Weltmeyer, yes he has been a handy brood mare sire) is =9th on 149 (93%), 873 – 298 = 34.135%; OO Seven (Rubinstein / Doruto) 149 (93%), 879 – 300 = 34.129; Ferro (Ulft / Farn) 148 (97%) with 2059 progeny over 4, and 684 competitors (= 33.22%); Vivaldi (Krack C / Jazz) was one of the shooting stars of Dutch dressage, even though his own dressage career stalled at Prix St Georges, and three years ago was 2nd on the 80/89 rankings with a breeding value of 158 (82%) – his reliability has increased to 92% so he has moved onto the over 90 table, but his breeding value has plummeted to 146. His participation rate two years ago was a spectacularly meagre, 19.28% – now he has 889 over the age of 4, with 247 competitors, that is 27.784%; Tuschinski (Krack C / Pion), 146 (90%), 729 -183 = 25.102%; Johnson (Jazz / Flemmingh) would seem to have laid claim to the mantle of his sire, Jazz, and indeed is shaping as a better Grand Prix competitor than his dad. He has a breeding value of 144 (94%), 1207 – 356 = 29.494; Democraat (Pion / Silvano), 143 (91%), 812 – 196 = 24.137%.
Orthilia
Krack C
Johnson
In 16th, Rousseau (Ferro / Roemer). Once upon a time Rousseau was hot, with the highest dressage breeding value of them all, 181 on the 2007 rankings. In the 2016 KWPN rankings, Rousseau is now in 16th place with a breeding value of 142 (93%). He has produced 817 progeny over the age of 4, with 247 going on to compete, that’s 30.232%. Then Havidoff (Clavecimbel / Farn), 139 (92%), 682 – 238 = 34.879%; Tango (Jazz / Contango), 137 (90%), 541 – 159 = 29.39 and rounding out the top 20, Krack C (Flemmingh / Beaujolais), 134 (97%), 1487 – 602 = 40.484.
The group of stallions with a reliability 80 to 89% contains more than its share of stallions whose blaze of glory is but a memory. At the top of the list is Sir Sinclair (Lord Sinclair / Flemmingh) whose breeding value has increased from 144, three years ago, to 150 (87%). The stallion was the top dressage stallion in the 2002 performance test at Ermelo, before being exported to the USA in 2004. The stallion was awarded the Keur predicate at the 2015 KWPN stallion show, where he was presented, along with his most successful dressage offspring, Washington DC, who competes in the Intermediaire II with Cindy Heijligers. He has 302 progeny over 4, 134 went on to compete = 44.37%.
Second to Montecristo (El Corona / Clavecimbel) another stallion that didn’t quite make it, with a sire and dam sire that didn’t quite make it. Breeding value 146 (86%), 258 – 102 = 39.534.
Wynton
Equal second to Wynton, once touted as the best son of Jazz (out of a mare by Kyra Kyklund’s Matador) his breeding value three years ago was 183, now it is 146. 482 – 113 = 23.443%. Fourth, Tolando (Krack C / Rubinstein), 145 (83%) 316 – 77 = 24.367; = fourth, UB40 (Olivi / Michelangelo), 145 (83%), 424 – 56 = 28.928%; = fourth, Voice (De Niro / Rohdiamant), 145 (83%), 436 – 83 = 19.036% (!); Seventh – Apache (UB40 / Krack C), 142 (80%), 424 – 56 = 13.207 (!!!); eighth, Santano (Sandro Hit / Silvano N), 135 (85%), 389 – 107 = 27.506%; = eighth, Zhivago (Krack C / Jazz), 135 (82%), 361 – 70 = 19.39 (!); Westpoint (Jazz / Michelangelo), another promising Jazz son fallen by the wayside, 158 three years ago, 134 now, 476 four year olds, for 114 competitors, that’s 23.949%. Ampère (Rousseau / Flemmingh) is another who has fallen from grace, three years ago, his breeding value was 147, now it is 133 (83%). 374 progeny over 4, 76 competitors, that’s 20.212%.
Topping the breeding values of stallions with 10 or more offspring in the dressage sport with a reliability of less than 80 % is the mysterious Vic (Jazz / Flemmingh) with a breeding value of 167 (67%). The horse was born in 2002, and should have shown up on the FEI database by now, in fact I can’t find him anywhere… Vic has sired 16 competitors out of 76 over the age of 4, = 21.052. Vic had 56 progeny over four back on the 2012/2013 rankings, so I guess he is either dead or not wildly popular. I cannot find anything about him on the KWPN stallion base – there is no progeny report, so how on earth does he have such a wonderful breeding value?
In second on this ranking is Son de Niro (De Niro / Balzflug), one of the few in this group to have improved his value, from 155 three years ago, to 160 (67%). He has produced 97 progeny over 4 (not many given that he was born in 1999) and 35 have gone on to compete. That’s an admirable ratio of 36.082. Third to Ziesto (Lancet / Clavicimbel) on 159 (73%), down from 168, three years ago. Thirty out of 105 have gone on to compete = 28.571%. The stallion was sold to the Glock family in 2010 for Hans Peter Minderhoud to ride and the pair had several small tour victories in 2013 but have not made it to the FEI data base since then…
Charmeur
Charmeur (Florencio / Jazz) was a sensation at his stallion licensing before he went on to win the Performance test, but since then his career has been up and down, perhaps more down of late. Spectacularly naughty at the 2013 World Young Horse Champs, he was then withdrawn from competition to prepare for the Small Tour. He made an appearance in 2015, placing third in the Intermediaire I at Mallorca, but seems to have disappeared again. His breeding value has gone from a predicted 175 (!) to a more modest 157 (72%). With 215 progeny over four, he has 16 competitors, a ratio of 7.441% – Ouch.
The top ten is filled out by: Bordeaux (United / Gribaldi), 156 (72%), 124 – 23 = 18.548%; Rubels (Rafurstinels / Amethist), 152 (75%), 107 – 46 = 42.99; Universeel (Olivi / Zuidhorn), 152 (76%), 96 – 13 = 13.541%; Turbo Magic (Cabochon / Cocktail), 150 (76%), 136 – 45 = 33.088%; Winningmood (Prado / Donnerwind), 150 (69%), 131 – 33 = 25.19%; Amazing Star (Flemmingh / Ferro), 150 (66%), 87 – 10 = 11.494%; Riant (Jazz / Julio Mariner), 145 (73%), 133 – 30 = 22.556%.
OCD STATS – THE DRESSAGE STALLIONS
If your aim is to breed to the dressage stallion with the best possible score when it comes to OCD, then you have your choice of two: Ufo (Metall / El Coruna) or Dramatic (Don Frederico / Weltmeyer) both of whom have a positive ranking of 109, although Ufo has a slightly higher reliability factor, 68%, against Dramatic’s 66%. 100 is neutral, above that a positive influence in reducing OCD, below it, a negative influence. But then if you are such a numbers freak you will find your decision hard to square with Dramatic’s breeding value: 125 (54%) or his low participation rate, 10 over fours have actually competed out of 70, that’s 14.285. And Ufo is going to cause some numerical heartburn too, 137 (60%), and 4 out of 33 (12.121).
It’s a little disappointing to find that the only way you get an OCD score for a couple of the top German stallions is in the Dutch stats, but there you are, De Niro (Donnerhall / Akzent II) is on a positive 105 (67%) as is Damon Hill (Donnerhall / Rubinstein), 101 (50%). Other popular stallions with positives, include: Ampère (Rousseau /Flemmingh) – 106 (70%) and Glock’s Toto Jr (Totilas / Desperados) – 103 (40%).
Glamourdale
Sitting on the 100 mark, we find Bordeaux (United / Gribaldi – 70%) and Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale / Negro – 43%).
Down in negative territory: Bretton Woods (Johnson / De Niro – 98, 68%), Wynton (Jazz / Matador – 97, 68%), Totilas (Gribaldi / Glendale – 96, 67%), Apache (UB 40 / Krack C, 96, 66%), Chippendale (Lord Leatherdale / Negro, 96, 65%) and Everdale (Lord Leatherdale / Negro, 94, 66%).
BREEDING VALUES V POPULARITY
So how do these values relate to the number of mares that go to the stallion? Thanks to the KWPN, here is a list of the ten most popular dressage stallions last season:
The most popular, Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale / Negro) has a breeding value of 140 – but this is pretty speculative since he was only born in 2011, and doesn’t have progeny in competition, so the reliability of this value is only assessed at 45%. At least Glamourdale has a neutral OCD score of 100, the other two sons of Lord Leatherdale are both in negative territory: Chippendale – 96 and Everdale – 94, which doesn’t prevent Everdale making the top ten most popular.
In second, Governor (Totilas / Jazz) – this young stallion has a very high breeding value, thanks to his famous relatives, not only his dad, but his mum who is the full sister to Parzival – hence a 178 (with the proviso of a 41% reliability), and he has a positive OCD rating, 101.
Governor
Third to Guardian S by Bodyguard Moorland out of a Trento B mare – okay, I spend a fair bit of time looking at breeding and competition results but these two stallions?? Bodyguard Moorland is sweetly bred for dressage, Gribaldi / Negro / Cocktail, he is ten years old and his best result last year, with British rider, Lara Dyson, was 12th with a 64.875% in the Prix St Georges / Inter 1, at Le Mans, two star. Trento B – by Krack C out of a Ramiro / Amor mare, is described as ‘a Grand Prix competitor’, while the 16 year old, is there on the FEI database, he has no results to his name. Guardian S has a breeding value of 149 (42%) – and a 100 (53%) OCD rating which is better than his sire’s – 96 (68%).
Ferdeaux (Bordeaux / Ferro), born 2010, breeding value 166 (47%), OCD rating – 96 (71%)
Hennessy (De Niro / Jazz), born 2012, no progeny to show yet, but famous relatives make for a great breeding value – 182 (44%), OCD rating – 101 (54%)
Grand Galaxy Win (Apache / Jazz), born 2011, breeding value -165 (45%), OCD rating – 94! (42%)
Glock’s Toto Jr. (Totilas / Desperados), born 2011, breeding value – 153 (35%), OCD rating -103 (40%).
Negro – at last a stallion who has actually produced a dressage star, even if he is ‘ancient’, born in 1995!
George Clooney (De Niro / Wolkentanz), born 2011, breeding value – 156 (39%), OCD rating – 105 (39%)
Everdale (Lord Leatherdale / Negro), born 2009, breeding value – 136 (44%), OCD rating – 94! (66%)
Which means that out of the 20 stallions with the highest breeding values, and the highest level of reliability, only ONE – Negro – is in the ten most popular.
Negro
THE JUMPING STALLIONS
Turning to the jumping rankings, we also find not a lot of movement, but we find many more proven sires with many more stars in the sport. While the dressage number one has a handful of his progeny at the top (two really!), the top twenty jumping stallions have veritable armies of competitors to prove their worth. Heartbreaker (Nimmerdor / Silvano) heads the KWPN breeding values for stallions with a reliability of over 90%, with a breeding value of 177 (96%). If we look at the WBFSH sires rankings, based on international competition, we find Heartbreaker in 6th place with 74 offspring contributing to his total! Heartbreaker is credited with 962 progeny over 4, with 422 competitors, that’s 43.866%.
His son, Padinus (out of a Grannus mare) comes in second, but with a much lower breeding value, 159. He has 489 progeny over 4, with 166 competitors, for a ratio of 33.946%. Padinus’ ranking is one of those statistical anomalies that bedevil ‘breeding by numbers’. While it should be noted that he was killed in an accident in 2005, and therefore did not really get his chance, Padinus’s fame rests solely on one horse from his first crop in the year of his death – Admara (Murano) who had a highly successful career with Emanuel Gaudino, and is now with the Columbian, Carlos Lopez. So successful that Admara ranks second behind Hello Santcos on the final WBFSH standings. Padinus’ next most successful jumper in Sterrehof’s Baccarat in 406th place.
Verdi
Third to Hors La Loi II (Papillon Rouge / Joyau d’Or), another sire whose career is winding down, which is not surprising since he was put down in 2011 after a tendon injury. The stallion himself has a successful competition career with Jeroen Dubbeldam, Rodrigo Pessoa and Hugo Simon, and sired a number of good international performers including Verdi III (Cantus) who took Pius Schwizer to two World Cup finals, and Tiffany Foster to the WEG in Caen, as well as McLain Ward’s Vocas (Voltaire) and Beat Mändli’s Webster (Lux). He no longer appears on the WBFSH top 50. Hors la Loi II has a breeding value of 153 (92%) with 381 over the age of 4, and 170 competitors (44.619%).
Fourth to the Holsteiner, Berlin (Cassini I / Caretino) who was a showjumping star, and is now proving a very interesting sire. Awarding him the Keur predicate, the official KWPN citation notes:
“Under Gerco Schröder, the Cassini I son performed at the Grand Prix level for numerous years. Since then, a number of offspring from his first years at stud have become top competitors in their age groups. Furthermore, Berlin offspring are achieving their first successes in the Grand Prix: consider Zerlin under Jos Lansink. Berlin’s approved son Zurich, another stallion from his first year at stud, was the champion of the KWPN stallion selection. In addition, Berlin is a producer of exceptional mares.”
So far Berlin has 478 progeny over the age of 4, with 194 competitors (40.585%).
Berlin
Rounding out the top 20 we have:
Cantos (Contender / Goodtimes), 151 (95%), 758 -318 = 41.952%; Oklund (Holland / Pilot), 149 (94%), 742 – 321 = 43.261%; Ustinov (Libero H / Nimmerdor), 148 (92%), 583 – 180 = 30.874%; Emilion (Wellington / Farnese), 145 (96%), 1408 – 403 = 28.622%; Guidam (Quidam de Revel / Venutard), 144 (96%), 1031 – 443 = 42.967%; Zirocco Blue VDL (Mr Blue / Voltaire), 144 (92%), 637 – 152 = 23.861%; Tangelo vd Zuudthoeve (Narcos II / Laudanum xx), 143 (95%), 1084 – 413 = 38.099%; Celano (Capitol / Lord), 143 (94%), 663 – 285 = 42.986%); Mr Blue (Couperus / Oldenburg), 143 (93%), 477 – 205 = 47.976%; Namelus R (Concorde / Joost), 142 (95%), 763 – 300 = 39.318%; Numero Uno (Libero H / Lord Calando), 141 (97%), 1908 – 738 = 38.679%;ato (Stakkato / Literat), 140 (92%), 462 – 175 = 37.878%; Van Gogh (Numero Uno / Bernstein), 140 (90%), 386 – 93 = 24.093%; Concorde (Voltaire / Marco Polo), 138 (98%), 2820 – 1140 = 40.425%; Calvados (Uriel / Ibrahim), 138 (97%), 1572 – 596 = 37.913%; Verdi (Quidam de Revel / Landgraf), 138 (95%), 1113 – 330 = 29.649%.
It is worth noting that a fair proportion of this top 20 are dead, with only six born after 2000 – Ustinov, Zirocco Blue, Ukato, Van Gogh and Verdi – so eventually change must come to the line up. At least with this group, there are a couple of younger stallions that look the real deal. Zirocco Blue kicked off 2016 with a win in the 3 star GP at Melsomvik with Jur Vrieling, and Verdi is also a better than handy performer, 11th at the World Cup final in Goteborg, and a super Nations Cup horse for Holland.
The feats of these two were somewhat eclipsed by Van Gogh, who carried Marco Kutscher to Grand Prix victory in the 5 star at Hong Kong, to add to five star victories last year at Los Angeles and Valkenswaard. It is important to remember that the jumping stallions that made Dutch breeding so successful, were almost invariably good showjumping competitors themselves.
The stallions in the 80-89% rankings tend to have their best days behind them. Top of the list is Harley VDL (Heartbreaker / Carthago) whose very modest jumping career with Jessica Kürten came to an end in 2011 when he was ten years old. Breeding value – 165 (88%), 232 over 4, 84 competitors = 36.206%.
The last result for Untouchable (Hors La Loi II / Heartbreaker) is an 8th in a 1.55 class with Christian Schou in 2014. He too was born in 2001. Breeding value 162 (80%), 69 – 36 = 52.173, an excellent ratio.
Third placed Arezzo VDL (Chin Chin / Heartbreaker) was born in 2005. He started 2016 with two 1.40 wins, and a first in the two star Grand Prix at Melsomvik, he may well make the grade. Breeding value 154 (87%), 250 – 59 = 23.599.
Baltic (Quaprice / Jus de Pomme) was born in 2006, but perhaps we might expect a little better than his best result so far this year of a 10th in a 1.45 class. Breeding value 153 (87%) 220 – 48 = 21.818%. Then another from the VDL stallion roster, Zavall (Casall / Emillon), born in 2004, his best last year a 4th in a 1.50 class at Maastricht*****. Breeding value 146 (84%), 243 – 48 = 19.753%.
Quality Time (Quantum / Cantus) is 14 years old, but his career is in decline, a 4th and a 6th in 1.40/45 classes and a 31st in a Grand Prix were his best results last year, although before the ride went to Zoi Snels, the stallion competed at 1.60 level with Jeroen Dubbeldam – the pair won the 5 star GP of San Patrigano in 2012. 145 (82%) 273 – 20 = 7.326%.
Rounding out the top ten in this group we have:
Zambesi (Heartbreaker / Calvaro) 143 (85%), 164 – 32 = 19.512; Eldorado vd Zeshoek (Clinton / Toulon) 140 (86%), 345 – 43 = 12.463; Whistler (Holland / Iroko) 140 (80%), 128 – 17 = 13.281%; Azteca (Indoctro / Marlon) 139 (83%), 171 – 29 = 16.959.
POPULAR JUMPING SIRES
The top ten most popular jumping stallions are: Etoulon VDL, Grand Slam VDL, Grandorado TN, Arezzo VDL, Harley VDL, Glenfiddich VDL, Zirocco Blue VDL, Cohinoor VDL, Cardento, Eldorado Van De Zeshoek.
So what does this list tell us, aside from the fact that the van der Lageweg Stud dominates Dutch jumping breeding?
Once again, the breeding values stars are not hugely popular. There is only one of the top 20 stallions with a reliability of over 90% in the top twenty – Zirocco Blue, although Cardento would be = 14th on that list, were he not banished to the list of ???, I guess because he was sent to Sweden when the KWPN didn’t want him, and only returned to the VDL stud when he was an established competitor and sire. He has a breeding value of 142 (94%) and has produced 804 offspring over the age of 4, with 234 competitors (29.104%)
Etoulon VDL (Toulon / Calvados), born 2009, the most popular stallion, appears on the Verwachtingswaarden van springhengsten op basis van afstamming en eigen prestatie, with an okay breeding value, 143 (59%) and a negative OCD rating of 98 (67%). He was reserve champion of the KWPN licensing, reserve champion of the performance test, placed in some young horse classes and was 7th in the 6-year-old championships…. And then? He has produced the Champion Dutch Foal three times in a row. VDL stud has a wonderful marketing machine but…
It would seem the jumping breeders have become like the dressage breeders, the victims of fashion. Grand Slam VDL is no doubt brilliantly bred: by Cardento out of a Heartbreaker mare, with Mr Blue and Nimmerdor also contributing. He won the KWPN stallion performance test with a record score of 90, and he has some foals that have won ribbons. An ‘expected’ breeding value of 169, and a negative OCD rating – 98 (41%).
Again, Team Nijhof stand some wonderful horses, and perhaps Grandorado TN (Eldorado van de Zeshoek / Carolus II) will be a star, but right now, all he has to offer is his pedigree, and an excellent 85.5 performance test.
So, out of the top ten most popular jumping stallions, there are only two, Cardento and Zirocco Blue, who have proven themselves, the rest are hopes, and glossy stud brouchures… Although it should be noted that when we look at the foals registered last year, we see a couple of ‘foreign’ stallions that are not included in the KWPN list – notably Cornet Obolensky who has the second highest number of foals, and Kannan who had the eighth largest collection of foals.
Zirocco Blue
OCD and the jumping stallions
The jumping stallion with the best OCD rating is Boss (Indoctro / Nimmerdor), with a score of 106 (70%), but then you will have to live with a breeding value of 134 (82%), and a participation rate of 10.849% (23/212). Worth it? I remember when my book, The Making of the Modern Warmblood came out, some of the American readers expressed astonishment verging on horror at the attitude of Dutch jumping breeder (and VET!) Jan Greve, that a couple of chips were nothing to be worried about as long as the horse could jump.
The stallion with the second best OCD rating, Arezzo VDL (Chin Chin / Heartbreaker) with 107 (67%), might be a better proposition. The stallion had already won a Grand Prix with Jessica Kürten before Jur Vrieling took over the ride – with Jur he won 1.50 classes at two five stars in 2015, and kicked off 2016 with a GP win at Melsomnik** and he is also 3rd on the ranking of 80 – 89% stallions, as we have previously noted. There are a couple of half handy ponies tied in 3rd on 106, Kannan (Voltaire / Nimmerdor – 69% reliability) and Bubalu VDL (Baloubet du Rouet / Nimmerdor – 67%) who had some top class wins and placings with Jur Vrieling. Bubalu has only 8 four-year-olds, with one competitor, but he still has a breeding value of 164 (61%).
It’s nice of the Dutch to re-assure us that Cornet Obolensky is not only a super sire, but he has a positive OCD ranking – 101 (53%). Contendro I (Contender / Reichsgraf) is neutral, with a value of 100 (63%), while Zirroco Blue just slips into the negative – 99 (69%). Two super stars sit on 98, Plot Blue (Mr Blue / Pilot – 66%) and Big Star (Quick Star / Nimmerdor – 52%). The popular eventing sire, Jaguar Mail (Hand in Glove xx / Laudanum xx) is also on 98 (30%).
The great Vigo d’Arsouilles (Nabab de Rêve / Fleuri du Manoir) should frighten the hell out of US breeders, he’s on 90 (68%), while Nick Skelton’s lovely Arko III (Argentinus / Beachboy) comes last of all in the OCD stakes, 87 (65%), which hasn’t stopped him siring John Whitaker’s Hong Kong 5 star Grand Prix winner, Argento (Gasper).
This article first appeared in the July 2016 issue of THM.