20.08.09
Western Ideal available down-under
Nevele R Stud are thrilled to announce that one of North America’s most successful and sought after stallions of recent times, Western Ideal will be available to Australasian breeders this season via frozen semen.
By legendary sire Western Hanover and out of the million dollar earning Abercrombie filly Leah Almahurst, Western Ideal dominated the North American Free-For-All scene in 2000, winning 10 of his 14 starts, all in 1:50 or faster. His major victories included the Canadian Pacing Derby, the Breeders Crown Final - in a then world record of 1:48, the Graduate Series and the William Haughton Memorial. He set a new single seasonal earnings record for older pacers of $1,220,000 and was accordingly crowned the Dan Patch and Nova Older Pacer of the Year.
Western Ideal was a stakes winner as a juvenile, taking a record of 1:54.6, but missed his entire 3yo season due to injury.
He retired the winner of 17 races and $1,455,422 in stakes.
The 14 year-old has proven equally as successful at stud with his six crops of racing age winning more than $41 million in stakes to date and including five millionaires, 195 in 1:55 and 12 in 1:50 or better.
This success was reflected in the Hanover Shoe Farms based stallion commanding a service fee as high as US$25,000 in recent years – although this was reduced to US$15,000 in the season just been due to the economic climate.
His best performers to date include the likes of US Horse of the Year Rocknroll Hanover (1:48.6 $2,754,038) - the first standardbred to pace a sub 1:50 time as a 2yo as well as being the first to win three $1,000,000 races and now a promising sire in his own right, Western Ace (1:48.8 $1,675,117), millionaire mare Cabrini Hanover (1:51 $1,303,790), Palone Ranger (1:49.8 $1,231,295), Always A Virgin (1:48.8 $1,135,559) and the super-quick American Ideal (1:47.8 $786,055).
He is also the sire of current season stars’ Vintage Master (1:49.4 $973,002 – winner of the Delvin Miller Adios Final, 2nd in the Meadowlands Pace) and Special Sweetheart (1:50.8 $492,201 winner of the Val Forge Final for 3yo fillies).
Of more than a passing interest to Australasian breeders will be the fact that Western Ideal is also a half-brother to the dam of 2009 Inter-Dominion Championship and Victoria Cup winner Mr Feelgood.
Western Ideal’s fee is set at NZ$17,000 + GST (AU$18,700, incl GST).
Also new in 2009 is the US bred Group 1 winning European trotter Southwind Vernon. A magnificent looking individual Southwind Vernon competed against the best trotters in Europe winning 12 races and taking a career best time of 1:55.6 on a five-eighths of a mile track over the 2100m trip.
The winner of the equivalent of NZ$861,955, Southwind Vernon is bred on the same highly successful Pine Chip – Valley Victory cross as Dream Vacation – the sire of such quality Australasian square-gaiters as Harness Jewels winner Leighton Hest, Victoria Trotters Oaks winner Aldebaran Dream, dual Derby runner-up Dream Machine and Real Deal Yankee.
He is also from the same maternal family as Waikiki Beach, sire of the legendary trotter Varenne, who won a phenomenal 62 of his 73 race-day starts and almost US$6 million in stakes during his wonderful globe trotting career.
Southwind Vernon has just completed his first season at stud, serving a quality book of mares in Italy and is available through frozen semen at a fee of NZ$4,000 + GST and AU$4,400 incl GST.
Last season’s leading North American first season sire, Four Starzzz Shark will also be available in NZ in 2009 at a service fee of $5,000 + GST.
