Industry dynamo Breednet's Tara Madgwick, is one of the most astute thoroughbred breeding judges in Australia. So when she passes an opinion on the relative strengths of a stallion and his influence upon the industry, observers take note. Her recent views about
MORE THAN READY mirror our own and should be shared.
Crowned
Champion Australian First Season Sire is often the first step on the path to greatness for a young sire, but few have succeeded on every single level as this stallion has.
More Than Ready
Vinery Stud's More Than Ready (USA) caught most people by surprise when he took the title in 2005 with 16 first crop Australian winners including six stakes-winners highlighted by Group I AJC Champagne Stakes winner Carry On Cutie.
As a dirt track sprinter from the Halo sireline, More Than Ready did not fit the accepted profile for success, but subsequent events have shown us, he is one of the most influential sires to grace our shores.
Very few shuttle stallions achieve success in both hemispheres and More Than Ready is one of them.
A champion sire of two year-olds, both in Australia and the US, More Than Ready is the sire of
118 stakes-winners worldwide, 14 of them Group 1 winners headed by champion mare More Joyous, Golden Slipper winners Sebring and Phelan Ready, Derby winner Benicio and Oaks winners Dreamaway and More Than Sacred.
His brilliance transmits over all distances which is the hallmark of a genuinely great sire, which explains why Coolmore moved quickly to secure his star US three year-old colt
Verrazano, who has taken all before him this year.
The Todd Pletcher trained colt has won six of his seven starts highlighted by explosive Group 1 victories in the Aqueduct Wood Memorial and Monmouth Haskell Invitational, his lone defeat coming in the Kentucky Derby when ridden too close to a hot pace on a treacherous wet track.
The Group 1 Travers Stakes at the end of the month is next on the agenda for Verrazano, who is making a strong case to be US Horse of the Year for 2013.
Verrazano
A shuttling stud career is the long term goal for Verrazano, who will seek to follow in the footsteps of More Than Ready's brilliant son Sebring, who has achieved overwhelming success this season with his first runners.
The ability to extend your influence beyond your own progeny and sire all important sire sons is a valuable attribute for a champion stallion and not all can do it, but More Than Ready has now ticked that box.
Sebring has left 16 Australian winners this season for Widden Stud, the same number as his sire did back in 2004/2005.
They include Group 2 winning colt Criterion, stakes-winners Dissident and Bring a Ring as well as potential spring contenders such as Pitcrew and Longma.
Another of More Than Ready's sire sons is NZ based Perfectly Ready, who has left plenty of winners and 10 stakes performers, while Ready's Image (USA) has also left a number of promising winners in both hemispheres. His Breeders Cup Turf Juvenile winner Pluck (USA) is also set to make his mark and will have his first foals born in Australia this spring for Vinery Stud.
More Than Ready
More Than Ready is also beginning to extend his influence through his daughters with Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Miracles of Life, his first Group I winner as a broodmare sire.
Two of his best Australian bred daughters in
More Joyous and More Strawberries recently travelled to the UK and will be covered by superstar sire Frankel, so his success in this sphere is only going to increase as time goes on.
At age 16, More Than Ready is still very much at the height of his powers and with a reduced fee this year of
$99,000, he's never been better value.
Ask yourself which other active stallions can match his achievements?
Champion juvenile sire in two hemispheres, sire of over 100 stakes-winners, sire of sires, Group 1 producing broodmare sire.
MORE THAN READY = CHAMPION
Check out our MORE THAN READY filly with PETER MOODY