HAIL TO REASON LINE = STAMINA?

[Shammy Davis]

The Dubai WC today had two HAIL TO REASON line colts, both through ROBERTO, finish one and two. CHANCE BY CHANCE, now in Japan, by AMERICAN CHANCE also a Dubai 2002 winner. The Japanese and South American industries have taken an interest in HTR line offspring. I've not done a great deal of research on this, but I'm wondering if in the NA market, the HTR line is not becoming a thing of the past, while we're are still seeing some significant HTR line horses winning at big money classic distances. Thoughts? It's no secret that I'm a great admirer of the line.

[bonzer]

It seems to be interesting to note the clear affinity for the turf as far as this line goes especially through Roberto and to a great extent Sunday Silence. Quite a few good racehorses from the line have gone to stud very recently, Saint Liam, Rock Hard Ten and Action This Day to name a few. Another interesting horse whose babies seem to have a bit of zip from this family is Halo's Image. So lets wait and see.

[jagger]

Last year's Dubai Cup winner, Roses In May, is by Devil His Due another HTR line stallion who stands at Margaux Farm in Midway, Ky. Standing for 15K, he is an American Thoroughbred Review "Best Value". DHD won not quite 4 million and ran drug free for >40 races. He has a cardiac index of 160. His foals are not precocious which has hurt him commercially. Definitely a "breed to race" for a patient breeder. Roses in May won the Dubai cup at 4 or 5.

[brogers]

Southern Image would be the most talented Hail To Reason sire to retire to stand this year. But I am biased.

[Shammy Davis]

I am biased and I admit to doing little or no research when I posted this thread. It may be that I've gotten lost in the publicity surrounding other sires along the STORM CAT line in particular. It must be that as our tracks continue to expand the number of shorter distant races, I've lost sight of the contributions of the above mentioned stallions. I'm definitely going back to look at them. Would anyone agree that STORM CAT = SPEED/SPRINT? Is stamina the only true contribution of a HAIL TO REASON line stallion? Certainly, FAIR PLAY AND BLUSHING GROOM stallions are unique by their continuing absense in the majority of pedigrees. In Europe, Northern Dancer line stallions have apparently done little to diminish the success of offspring running at a distance. Stallions like DANZIG, NORTHFIELDS, LYPARD, et al are prominent in pedigrees across their continent. Does the classic distance hold the future of the HTR male line. Would it not be more interesting, if not good business sense, if the TB industry distanced itself from the QH, with distance races or is the direction of the industry assigned to the current path? Another group of threads about jump racing is occurring on the RACING side of this board. Clearly, some unique questions are being asked. Is the industry breeding to meet what the tracks are providing in terms of conditions (I don't particularly care for the term "fashionable") or are there clear divisions of the breeding sector that are meeting the distance requirement of only certain races, ie, KD, BS, Preakness, Breeders Cup Classics and Turf and so on? Pass me the popcorn.

[louis finochio]

HTR is a chef to the max, as his male line will be seen in a prolific amount of GR SW past and present. Hail to HTR a survivor of the breed.

[LaTroienne]

His line has produced some stamina - witness the classic winners in it....but traditionally the Turn-to line is for speed and unsoundness. If you want stamina, go for a Roberto line horse or a longer-distance Halo line (not St. Ballado line...).