CLARIFICATIONS
Due to the early publication of the BREEDERS BOOK, not all of the Perretti stallion placements got accurately recorded.

With the passing of Windsong’s Legacy, we will be standing six stallions in 2009 though not all of them may be at the New Jersey Farm.

Muscles Yankee and Rocknroll Hanover will definitely remain in New Jersey and will stand for $20,000 and $15,000 respectively. Given the performance of the Muscles Yankees on the racetrack and the reception for first crop Rocknroll Hanover yearlings, it is anticipated that both books will fill rapidly.

Venerable Matt’s Scooter still hale and hearty at age 24 will of course remain at the main farm and will again serve a limited number of mares at private treaty. The world champion is in great physical shape and should have no difficulty whatsoever accommodating those mares seeking his services.

McArdle currently in New Zealand will return to Lindwood Farms in Pennsylvania where again all foals will have eligibility to the lucrative slots fueled Pennsylvania breeding program. The initial Pennsylvania sired McArdles were well received in 08 and the stallion will again stand for $6,000.

Plans for Revenue and Red River Hanover have not yet been finalized and for now all inquiries should be directed to us at the main farm.

Overtures have been made in regards to returning Revenue to his native European soil something syndicate members and the syndicate manager are strongly considering. With but limited opportunity from foals sired while still racing, Revenue accounted for some significant 3-year-olds in Sweden and the possibility exists he may return there.

Given the absence of slots in New Jersey at this time, it would seem that pastures might be greener for Red River Hanover elsewhere and there a strong possibility the Western Hanover stallion will relocate to Indiana to take advantage of the slot situation there.
The location and accordant fee is still to be decided and will be announced upon determination.

THE McZARA
MESSAGE

There is an inherent message regarding a $5,500 yearling purchase named SCARLET McZARA. Frankly it’s not so much what she’s done but what she’s come to symbolize in these precarious times.

You see Scarlet McZara a McArdle filly from the Abercrombie mare Zara brought all of $5,500 at the 2007 New Jersey Classic. Given the $6,000 stud fee for the stallion McArdle and the accordant cost to raise stake and consign, the filly it was hardly a financial bonanza for the breeder.

Fortunately the buyer is doing somewhat better as 2-year-old pacing filly has won two of her last three starts with earnings exceeding $14,000..

This week she’s listed in a N/W of 2 or $20,000 life conditional at The Meadowlands that goes for a purse of $16,875. In that the authoritative Dave Brower lists her as 3rd choice in the race is indicative that she not only has some talent but fits the class as well.

Which is the basis of the McZARA MESSAGE.

Seems she is just the kind of overnight horse race secretaries require to fill race programs especially the midweek variety.

The problem is that it is getting increasingly difficult to breed, raise and consign these individuals if the net return is going to be a fraction of the cost in getting there.

At this point, the probabilities are she will indeed emerge as a useful race mare Her sire McArdle is well established as a successful sire of quality colts and fillies. The dam Zara (Abercrombie-Defenseless) earned $49,601 during her career taking a mark of 1:52.2 as a 3-year-old in the year 2000. Thus she’s not exactly chopped liver.

Thus far Zara has produced four foals three of racing age of which two have taken records and earned money. The four foals by Matt’s Scooter, Red River Hanover, McArdle and Red River Hanover respectively have attracted auction prices of $9.500, $3.500, $5,500 and $8,000. Given an expense factor of at least $15,000 over stud fee just to get those foals to market, Zara has proven a distinct red ink proposition.

Basically the Zara story is hardly an isolated scenario but rather increasingly common in these times especially when mares of this caliber get relegated to sell foals at anything other than the select days of the two major sales. Invariably, the farms discover it is no longer cost effective to house them and ultimately they get discarded. Even though there remains a distinct need for their produce at the raceway levels.

Thus the McZARA MESSAGE is advanced warning that filling race cards may become increasingly difficult due to an dwindling of the candidate pool.

SIGNIFICANT NEWCOMERS
Never content to stand pat, Perretti Farms again welcomes significant new arrivals in the categories of yearlings, expected foals and brand new broodmares.

The 09 sales consignments will include newcomers ANDOVER THE PRENUP (Andover Hall-Ucallthisahoneymoon) and TALE SPINNER (Conway Hall-Fairy Tail) joining such muscular incumbents as MEGABARS the first ever Muscles Yankee colt from Mars Bar.

Sales topping broodmare Graceful Touch dam of Muscle Massive the 08 leader at $425,000 and world champion Muscle Mass, the mixed sale leader at $520,000 will offer WINCANDESCENT her first filly and first foal by the late great Windsong’s Legacy.

There will also be first Rocknroll Hanover’s from such heavyweights as Camadian, (Camluck-Grand Lady), Stonebridge Prima (Camluck-Pam Seelster). Lucks Mistress (Camluck- Mystic Mistress) Lovely Shark and (Cam’s Card Shark-Lovely Lady). They include colts ROCK CAMROLLER (Camadian) STONEROLL JACKSON (Stonebridge Prima) and the fillies ROCKJAWS (Lovely Shark) and ROCKER MOM (Lucks Mistress).

The Camadian colt could be of significant interest she being a Camluck sister to the brilliant Glowing Report and Must See. The latter of course is already a major broodmare responsible for Breeders Crown champion Well Said.

Other pacing colts to keep an eye on could be Shark Ingested (Cams Card Shark-Simple Gesture) and Westwood Wizard (Real Desire-Western Wisdom). The former is a full brother to Shark Gesture while the latter is a Real Desire first foal from 1:52 sister to Western Terror.

Among the significant matrons added to the broodmare brigade include CLASSIC STAR (Cams Card Shark-Classic Wish), MONKEYS CAN SING, (Western Ideal-Cathedra) REAL FANFARE (Real Desire-Remember When), CAPTIVA ISLAND (Western Hanover-Sanabelle Island, VALBRUNA (Conway Hall-Myth) and DIVA GODIVA (Angus Hall-Mars Bar)

Of those, Classic Star and Real Fanfare will go to Rocknroll Hanover: Monkeys Can Sing and Captiva Island are booked to Art Major and trotters Valbruna and Diva Godiva are both slated for Muscles Yankee

Classic Star from the great Classic Wish is thus a full sister to Bettors Delight and half sister to No Pan Intended with a 3-year-old mark of 1:52.3 while Monkeys Can Sing p,2,1:56 is a full sister to the noted Cabrini Hanover. Both should prove exciting acquisitions.

RISING STAR
Didn’t get too much publicity in the flood of releases these days but we were extremely gratified that Frank Antonacci Jr. was the runner up in the Rising Star balloting. For what it’s worth the young conditioner of the brilliant Crazed would have had our vote were we ballot eligible.