Stratum’s Crystal turns to gold

In a summary of the Magic Millions Yearling Sale in January, I made a point that yearlings by Stratum were “off the boil” compared to the previous year, when his first crop of impressive youngsters was hot property.

This is an excerpt from that story, “Magic Millions Musings”:

Musing 1. Last year the big hype stallion was the first-season sire Stratum – thanks partly to some pushing by trainer Gai Waterhouse, who declared his yearlings the best she had seen from a new sire in years. The Golden Slipper winner averaged $110,000 (off a $33,000 fee, same in 2007) last year, but this year his average dropped to $85,000. Most people expected the first crop of Stratums to be up and running as 2YOs, but a NSW provincial winner and a Tassie winner from 23 starters aren’t flattering outcomes. The hype was certainly off the Widden Stud-based stallion at the sale despite him again being represented by some impressive yearlings. It’s too early to knock Stratum as, like his sire Redoute’s Choice, his first crop might emerge later in the season and as 3YOs, but at least a Golden Slipper contender in 2010 probably needs to be on his scorecard.

Stratum, like his sire Redoute’s Choice, has mustered some impressive figures as the season progressed – he now has eight individual winners – and of course, he did more than find a Golden Slipper contender, he sired the brilliant winner Crystal Lily (b f 2007, ex-Crystal Snip, by Snippets).

Crystal Lily remains Stratum’s only Stakes winner so far (the Slipper was her third Stakes win), but there are some very impressive youngsters by the stallion – from his 150-foal first crop – lining up to improve that figure. Also on Saturday, his offspring Éclair Mystic and Stratcombe quinella-ed the first race at Caulfield; the very green Stratcombe, on debut, looked a horse with a terrific future.

The Widden Stud-based Stratum, who won his Slipper in 2005, became the eighth previous winner to sire a winner, and the third past winner to produce a Slipper winner with his first crop, joining Todman (won in 1957; sire of Eskimo Prince 1964) and Marauding (won in 1987; sire of Burst 1992).

The list of winners to sire a winner is:

Todman (1957) – sire of Eskimo Prince (1964), Sweet Embrace (1967).

Vain (1969) – Sir Dapper (1983), Inspired (1984).

Baguette (1970) – Dark Eclipse (1980).

Marscay (1982) – Bint Marscay (1993).

Marauding (1987) – Burst (1992), Prowl (1998).

Danzero (1994) – Dance Hero (2004).

Flying Spur (1995) – Forensics (2007).

Part-owner and breeder David Moodie is responsible for two of the hottest winning families in the Stud Book at the moment – the “Crystal” family that produced Crystal Lily and the “River” family founded by Moodie’s wonderful broodmare Ride The Rapids (br m 1988, River Rough-Kilmarie, by Bletchingly).

Crystal Lily’s granddam, Crystal Century (b m 1980, Century–White Flakes, by Vain) is the foundation of a dynasty that also includes Saturday’s impressive Caulfield winner, Amaethon (b g 2006, by Al Maher), a half-brother to Crystal Lily. Other Stakes winners in the family include Crystal Finale, Crystal Hawk and Crystal Wit.

(The “River” family includes Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove, the exciting First Command, Hong Kong star One World and Moodie’s Group 2 Magic Night Stakes winner Willow Creek, who is likely to contest the Group 1 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick on Saturday).

In an interesting sidelight, Crystal Lily is not the first horse of that name that Moodie has bred and owned – Crystal Century’s first foal, a 1986 bay filly by Irish Playboy (USA), also was named Crystal Lily. She died, unraced, in 1995 without producing a foal.

Crystal Finale (by Hurricane Sky) is the only male member of this immediate family at stud; he stands at vet Dr Ian McLeod’s stud, near Hamilton. The Breed featured a story – “The right start for Finale” – on this Victorian-based stallion in December, after he had sired his first promising winner, Crystal Tiger.

A lot was made in the media of Moodie’s previous failed attempts to win the Golden Slipper with Paint (2^nd in 1996 behind Merlene) and Hurricane Sky (5^th behind Danzero in 1994), but Moodie’s wife Jenny was a part-owner of Flying Spur, who won the 1995 Slipper.

Breeding lines:

Stratum (b h 2002, Redoute’s Choice–Bourgeois, by Luskin Star).

Redoute’s Choice (b h 1996, Redoute’s Choice–Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad)

Éclair Mystic (b g 2007, Stratum–Leica Smile, by At Talaq (USA))

Stratcombe (ch c 200, Stratum–Catecombe, by Papal Power (USA))

Crystal Finale (ch h 1997, Hurricane Sky–Crystal Century, by Century).