Welcome back to the third installment of the Stallion Spotlight Series, and this week sees me cross the border from the good ol’ US of A to their neighbours, Canada and in particular the well respected farm of Eureka Racing Stables, run by Lise H.
As I drove up from Winnipeg International Airport, I could see why so many fine horses have been raised and nutured at this farm, which is predominately prairie land but surrounded by rich and fertile agricultural land stretching for as far as an eye can see (and here they can see a long long way!)
On arriving at the farm, I was met by Lise and she quickly showed me around the racing set up (very nice!) and then proceed to take me over to the stud farm operation. Here I was privileged to met her flagship stud, ENSIGN DAY.
Good morning Lise and thank you for inviting me over. Can you give me and our readers a few details as to the breeding of Ensign Day. Hi Nancy and welcome. Well you couldn’t really ask for a more stunning pedigree than this boys, his sire was the European Champion Daylami who also won a Breeders Cup Turf and his dam is the undefeated champion Personal Ensign, whose record of 13 from 13 including a Breeders Cup is pretty stunning. Whilst their son didn’t manage quite a stellar career, he did win 9 from 25 and nearly $2mill.
Wow that’s some impressive breeding! Does all that blue blood make him a bit of a superstar in the barn? You mean does he act like a diva, no far from it Nancy! Ensign Day is the consummate professional around the farm. Each morning he is taken out for a jog around the property. We tried turning him out to pasture, but he is much happier when he feels like he is in use. He shares his stall and pasture with a dwarf goat, Billy. They say the more intelligent the horse is the quicker they get bored, and he is definitely like that. Ensign Day may only be small in size, just managing to get over 15hh (at 15.1 hh!) and he is incredibly laid back. He loves to be taken out for visitors to the farm and you would think he is an old gelding the way he stands to be petted, and he does like to be spoilt with carrots, so watch your fingers!
I am sure I couldn’t mistake him for an old gelding! With his background, he must be commanding a sizeable stud fee? No not all. In fact this year we reducing his fee to get more outside mares and this year can be got for only $15,000, but as a special incentive to new players, as in those who started the game this season, he will be free.
That’s a very generous offer Lise, I am sure many new players will be ringing up to take advantage! Was this decision reached because of lack of outside support? Partly Nancy. In total since he retired to stud in 2005, he has sired 17 foals and all but 5 of them I have bred personally. So I thought it was time to spread his genes around a bit more.
Good thinking Lise and is there any particular type of mare you would recommend to be sent to Ensign Day? To be honest no. When he ran he was primarily a turf miler, but he has thrown distance foals out of sprinter mares.... and sprinter foals out of distance mares. So I'm not quite sure how reliable it is to choose even the most well suited mares. To go strictly by the books though I think breeding a turf distance mare or any surface miler would probably be best suited.
And what levels have his offspring managed to run to? I am very proud to say Nancy that Ensign Day has already sired G1 & G2 winners. Out of 11 racing age foals his progeny’s earnings are (if my calculations are correct!) just shy of $4million combined, with race records overall of 98-15-14-10, which works out roughly to them being in the money 40% of the time, although if his late maturing 2yr olds were a little faster that would be a lot higher! Whilst he hasn't sired a $10 million dollar superstar, his progeny are the type that are lesser known but still picking up paychecks, which is really all you can ask of any racehorse, just to be earning their keep.
Very true Lise very true. Now for a tricky question - if you had to compare your stallion to a real life stallion, who would it be and why? You sneak Nancy, I thought that you were going to be kind to me! MMMM, give me a moment. OK, I think I would compare him best to War Chant. Although War Chant didn't race in what could be called an extended career, he proved himself to be a competitor on the track when it counted and one of his best qualities is his fight down the stretch. Qualities which Ensign Day has and seems to have passed onto his offspring.
And finally, before I have to leave this wonderful place, what do you see the future of your stallion to be?. As one of the first horses to retire to stud in the game, he has a head start on some more lofty achievers but I plan to continue on the Ensign Day lines for as long as possible. He now has 5 crops “on the ground” (Ensign Day was one of my original horses in the game in 2002!) He won't be going to another farm anytime soon!
Lise, may I again say thank you for letting me come in and have a good nose around your set up, which is highly impressive! I hope that Ensign Day get a good if not full book this season and I look forward to watching his offspring on the track.
Until next time readers!
As I drove up from Winnipeg International Airport, I could see why so many fine horses have been raised and nutured at this farm, which is predominately prairie land but surrounded by rich and fertile agricultural land stretching for as far as an eye can see (and here they can see a long long way!)
On arriving at the farm, I was met by Lise and she quickly showed me around the racing set up (very nice!) and then proceed to take me over to the stud farm operation. Here I was privileged to met her flagship stud, ENSIGN DAY.
Good morning Lise and thank you for inviting me over. Can you give me and our readers a few details as to the breeding of Ensign Day. Hi Nancy and welcome. Well you couldn’t really ask for a more stunning pedigree than this boys, his sire was the European Champion Daylami who also won a Breeders Cup Turf and his dam is the undefeated champion Personal Ensign, whose record of 13 from 13 including a Breeders Cup is pretty stunning. Whilst their son didn’t manage quite a stellar career, he did win 9 from 25 and nearly $2mill.
Wow that’s some impressive breeding! Does all that blue blood make him a bit of a superstar in the barn? You mean does he act like a diva, no far from it Nancy! Ensign Day is the consummate professional around the farm. Each morning he is taken out for a jog around the property. We tried turning him out to pasture, but he is much happier when he feels like he is in use. He shares his stall and pasture with a dwarf goat, Billy. They say the more intelligent the horse is the quicker they get bored, and he is definitely like that. Ensign Day may only be small in size, just managing to get over 15hh (at 15.1 hh!) and he is incredibly laid back. He loves to be taken out for visitors to the farm and you would think he is an old gelding the way he stands to be petted, and he does like to be spoilt with carrots, so watch your fingers!
I am sure I couldn’t mistake him for an old gelding! With his background, he must be commanding a sizeable stud fee? No not all. In fact this year we reducing his fee to get more outside mares and this year can be got for only $15,000, but as a special incentive to new players, as in those who started the game this season, he will be free.
That’s a very generous offer Lise, I am sure many new players will be ringing up to take advantage! Was this decision reached because of lack of outside support? Partly Nancy. In total since he retired to stud in 2005, he has sired 17 foals and all but 5 of them I have bred personally. So I thought it was time to spread his genes around a bit more.
Good thinking Lise and is there any particular type of mare you would recommend to be sent to Ensign Day? To be honest no. When he ran he was primarily a turf miler, but he has thrown distance foals out of sprinter mares.... and sprinter foals out of distance mares. So I'm not quite sure how reliable it is to choose even the most well suited mares. To go strictly by the books though I think breeding a turf distance mare or any surface miler would probably be best suited.
And what levels have his offspring managed to run to? I am very proud to say Nancy that Ensign Day has already sired G1 & G2 winners. Out of 11 racing age foals his progeny’s earnings are (if my calculations are correct!) just shy of $4million combined, with race records overall of 98-15-14-10, which works out roughly to them being in the money 40% of the time, although if his late maturing 2yr olds were a little faster that would be a lot higher! Whilst he hasn't sired a $10 million dollar superstar, his progeny are the type that are lesser known but still picking up paychecks, which is really all you can ask of any racehorse, just to be earning their keep.
Very true Lise very true. Now for a tricky question - if you had to compare your stallion to a real life stallion, who would it be and why? You sneak Nancy, I thought that you were going to be kind to me! MMMM, give me a moment. OK, I think I would compare him best to War Chant. Although War Chant didn't race in what could be called an extended career, he proved himself to be a competitor on the track when it counted and one of his best qualities is his fight down the stretch. Qualities which Ensign Day has and seems to have passed onto his offspring.
And finally, before I have to leave this wonderful place, what do you see the future of your stallion to be?. As one of the first horses to retire to stud in the game, he has a head start on some more lofty achievers but I plan to continue on the Ensign Day lines for as long as possible. He now has 5 crops “on the ground” (Ensign Day was one of my original horses in the game in 2002!) He won't be going to another farm anytime soon!
Lise, may I again say thank you for letting me come in and have a good nose around your set up, which is highly impressive! I hope that Ensign Day get a good if not full book this season and I look forward to watching his offspring on the track.
Until next time readers!
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