REVENUE 2010

Here till he’s not.

In adherence with the original understanding, Revenue is slated to return to Sweden in calendar year 2011. And in adherence to the tried and true axiom of the departing stallion’s final crop being his ultimate best, insightful breeders can take advantage of this 2010 window of opportunity and breed while he’s still here at Perretti Farms.

All the necessary payments have been made. Any Revenue colt or filly conceived in America during the 2010 breeding season and foaled in 2011 will enjoy full eligibility to all existing stakes races including The Breeders Crown, New Jersey Sires, and The International Stallion etc.

Revenue will stand for $4,000 at the farm in 2010

MATT’S SCOOTER
Responding to several inquiries, Matt’s Scooter remains hale and hearty and fully able to breed a few mares in 2010 at private treaty. The former world’s fastest harness horse still “has it” as evidenced by his stellar 2-year-old from 2009 Gota Go Bullville p,2,1:53.4f a winner of nearly $200,000 in Sires Stakes action last season.

McARDLE
McArdle remains in Pennsylvania where he accounted for the Keystone state freshman champion Only When I Laugh p,2,1:49.2f ($594,306) from his initial Pennsylvania bred crop.

In addition, McArdle’s daughter Village Java p,3,1:50.4 was just about the hottest pacing filly in Canada according to our good friends at Standardbred Canada.

McArdle seems noticeably fond of Abercrombie sire line mares with many of his better performers from daughters of Abercrombie, Artsplace, Sportsmaster, Albert Albert etc.
His fee remains at $5,000

RED RIVER HANOVER
Red River Hanover will be on furlough for the 2010 breeding season and remain “down under” for the foreseeable future. His son Mister Zion just won a $100,000 stake race down under and may be invited to the upcoming major free-for-alls.

ROCKNROLL HANOVER
Due to syndicate requirements, the book for Rocknroll Hanover is virtually full and closed from inception. We will try to accommodate some non syndicate owned mares when possible but given the right of syndicate preferences those numbers must be very limited no matter how worthy the mare may seem.

MUSCLES YANKEE
Given the location of super son Muscle Hill to nearby Southwind, it was decided to keep Muscles Yankee’s fee at the $20,000 level despite his siring of arguably the greatest trotting colt of all time.

Muscles Yankee managed back to back divisional and Hambletonian champions in Deweycheatumnhowe and Muscle Hill while his daughters are blending with newer sires to produce the likes of Explosive Matter and Lucky Chucky.

Muscles Yankee is in great shape and ready to handle another full book of mares. Better call fast as his book is almost done.

SIRE OF THE DECADE
Muscles Yankee was named the trotting sire of the decade for the years encompassing 2000-2009 in a recent poll conducted by Standardbred Canada.

The late Western Hanover was named pacing sire of the past decade.

MEDIA MEDIA WHERE ART THOU?
Couldn’t help but notice this abundant verbiage heralding what was so obviously a ceremonial platitude getting printed verbatim by all the websites as if it were breaking news rather than pure publicity fluff.

As it was the “story” itself, was first rate. The author labored mightily to somehow rationalize the accordant tribute though it was painfully obvious that it was indeed ceremonial and not really merited.

But yet it ran as submitted unquestioned by website editors.

Incredulously, the honoree’s name does not appear in the corresponding category on the USTA’s “top” performer listing. However, what does lurk there in plain sight is an accomplishment by one particular outfit of such magnitude that it virtually defies comprehension.

Yet it goes unnoticed just waiting for some self styled Woodward or Bernstein to uncover and have a field day with.

A major 3-year-old prospect was announced as “acquired” by a major breeding concern though no number was announced. While the rationale for non disclosure is obvious, it nonetheless remains news.

Media Media where truly art thou?

BRIDGING THE PURSE GAP
Noticed a Maiden Special weight class carded for $48,000 during the Meadowlands Thoroughbred meet. These are similar to the non winners of one or two classes that proliferate harness tracks everywhere except that the purses offered are but fractions of what our green thoroughbred counterparts get to race for.

This seems like a basic inequity in that these maidens and/or non winners of one or two are essentially recent alumni from the yearling sales that are either soon to be stake horses or lifetime stake horse wannabes that some owner spent more than a pretty penny to acquire.

Therein is the basic inequity. Claimers may race for purses close to or even in excess of their claiming tag while even prohibitively expensive yearlings get to race for a mere pittance if they happen to be less than stakes caliber. Furthermore, stakes horses essentially race for their own money considering the bulk of the actual purses get accrued from nominations sustaining payments and entry fees.

Thus there’s a lessening incentive to acquire these youngsters as has been reflected by the yearling sales averages of late even though so many can and do become productive race horses over time. It’s that interim between yearling sale and eventual raceway placement that needs addressing as the younger horses too often race for proverbial peanuts- if at all.

Since every raceway horse was a yearling and/or a maiden at one point in its life, it is imperative to offer racing opportunities that bridge the gap to overnight life or else there will be no incentive for breeders to manufacture just those horses the raceways will require to card nightly programs..

Bob Marks