FollowHaving already looked at stallions I feel are under-priced, in the interests of balance I feel I should shame those studs that are overcharging for their wares. That is the benefit of not being reliant on advertising:) The following stallion fees, for sires that have had more than one crop on the track had me scratching my head:
1. Elusive City (2000 Elusive Quality ex Star of Paris by Dayjur) 2012 fee €15,000
Amazingly Elusive City is the most expensive stallion standing in France for 2012. It indicates the paucity of proven top class flat stallions that remain there and it is also amazing that they can get away charging €15,000 for a sire who has sired a solitary Group 1 winner in Elusive Wave and who has sired a paltry 14 stakes winners (2%) from 855 foals in two hemispheres. Elusive City was a high class two year old winning a Prix Morny and a Richmond Stakes (subsequently disqualified for a prohibited substance), but he was readily defeated by Oasis Dream in the Middle Park and he failed to win at three. He was originally at stud in Ireland before moving to Haras d’Etreham where he stood at 20k before dropping back to 15k for the past two seasons. It made sense to stand him in France as his biggest win was there and his best performer the aforementioned Elusive Wave (ex Multicolour Wave by Rainbow Quest) won the French 1000 Guineas. However there is very little depth of quality amongst his offspring and to me he is double the price his results to date warrant.
2. High Chaparral (1999 Sadler’s Wells ex Kasora by Darshaan) 2012 fee €25,000
It would be hard to quibble with the exploits of High Chaparral as a racehorse, his final record was 13 runs, 10 wins and 3 places. Included in his wins were 6 Group or Grade 1’s including the Racing Post Trophy at 2, the Derby and Irish Derby, a pair of Breeders Cup Turfs and an Irish Champion Stakes. As a sire he has done remarkably won in Australia and New Zealand and is worthy of his supersire status down under. In Europe his record is modest given the very large books he has covered and there are plenty more to come as he covered an incredible 218 mares in Ireland in 2010 at €15000 before his fee was hiked to €25,000 for 2011 and 2012. He has yet to sire a group 1 winner in Europe from his European sired progeny which to me makes him disappointing. So You Think is top class but not quite at the level we were led to believe by some Aussie commentators. Redwood won a relatively soft Grade 1 in Canada, ditto Wigmore Hall and Wrote couldn’t win more than a nursery in Ireland before his Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf victory. Based on his European results he is also double the price that he should be.