Can Manhattan Rain emulate his big brother?

Arrowfield’s Bloodstock Manager Jon Freyer answers the question he’s been asked a lot in recent months:

Breeders are asking if Manhattan Rain can match his half-brother Redoute’s Choice and become a champion stallion. After all, how often does lightning strike twice in the same spot?

Well, the answer is: quite often.

One of the Arrowfield’s guiding principles when selecting a stallion is that the prospect be from an identifiable sire-producing family. The reason is that although sire-lines are important, more often successful stallions tend to follow on through female families. This was true 150 years ago and still applies today. The most influential stallions have very often had a full or half brother of major significance as a sire. More often than not, that brother was also, like most successful sires, a highly talented racehorse.

In the mid-nineteenth century the influential and breed-shaping stallions were the half brothers King Tom and Stockwell, both from the wonderful mare Pocahontas, foaled in 1837. Then came the Epsom Derby-winning brothers Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, both of whom were champion sires.

At the turn of the 20th century along came the half-brothers and champion sires Chaucer and Swynford, from the great Canterbury Pilgrim. Chaucer founded the Ribot sire-line and Swynford left the magnificent Blandford, sire of the unbeaten English Triple Crown winner Blenheim, whose blood is perpetuated forever through Northern Dancer.

In the early part of the 20th century came Sir Gallahad III, a French 2000 Guineas winner by Teddy from Plucky Liege, who became champion US sire four times. Seven years after Sir Gallahad III, Plucky Liege produced a full brother, the moderate race performer Bull Dog who also became an influential champion sire in the United States.

Four years after Bull Dog (by which time Sir Gallahad III had sired the US Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox), Plucky Liege produced a half-brother to the first two in Admiral Drake, winner of the Grand Prix de Paris and also a highly successful sire. Finally, at the age of 22, Plucky Liege produced the 1938 Epsom Derby winner Bois Roussel. By this time, Bull Dog and Sir Gallahad III were both well established as leading sires and Bois Roussel retired with the burden of expectation upon him, not unlike Manhattan Rain. He nevertheless proved to be an excellent sire of such notables as Migoli, Tehran and Delville Wood, himself champion sire in Australia for five consecutive seasons.

The great Hyperion, an Epsom Derby winner, champion sire and founder of an international sire-line, was burdened with no fewer than four older, successful sire siblings. His half-brother Sickle, placed in the 2000 Guineas and fifth in the Epsom Derby, was twice champion US sire and founder of the Raise A Native/Mr. Prospector sire-line. Their dam was the wonderful mare Selene, who also left Pharamond, winner of the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes as a two-year-old, but outclassed in the better races at three. Nevertheless, he too was a successful sire, with progeny including Menow, the sire of Tom Fool, himself sire of Buckpasser, and Athenia, the grand-dam of Sir Ivor.

Equally notable were the full brothers Pharos (sire of Nearco – founder of the Northern Dancer line) and Fairway (four-time champion sire in England, and sire of Fair Trial). Pharos was the more influential of the two, but curiously far less talented on the racetrack. The great, unbeaten Nearco had a full brother Nicollo Dell’Arca, who was a top class racehorse and a stallion of note. Grand Lodge, from the Nearco sire-line, has a Niccollo Dell’Arca mare as his third dam.

Other full brothers who both achieved success at stud include Dante and Sayajirao; Noholme and Todman; Diesis and Kris; His Majesty and Graustark; and most recently Sadler’s Wells and Fairy King. While Sadler’s Wells was a very high class racehorse, Fairy King finished last at his only start, although he broke down in the race and was said to have good ability.

Half-brothers that have both made excellent sires are just as numerous and include foundation stallions Persian Gulf and Precipitation; Blenheim and King Salmon; Nimbus and Grey Sovereign; Fair Play and Friar Rock; Alycidon and Agricola; Wilkes and Worden II; and Sir Gaylord and Secretariat.

Crossing brothers in a pedigree can be highly effective. Sir Gaylord with his half brother Secretariat has been a great success, producing many top class horses such as Weekend Surprise, dam of champion sire A.P. Indy. Best of all is the cross of Never Bend with his half brother Bold Reason, both of them sons of the Kentucky Oaks winner Lalun. This seems to be at the heart of the Sadler’s Wells/Darshaan/Mill Reef cross. Sadler’s Wells is from a Bold Reason mare and Darshaan is a grandson of Never Bend through Mill Reef. This duplication is now responsible for more than 100 stakeswinners worldwide.

While there is no question Redoute’s Choice was the better racehorse, Manhattan Rain was nevertheless immensely talented, and in a 2006 foal crop of 18,740 only one horse was rated superior to him as a two-year-old.

It’s also worth noting that as a juvenile he was rated 12 pounds above the subsequent VRC Newmarket H. G1 winner Wanted, and 19 pounds superior to champion sprinter Starspangledbanner. At three on an interrupted preparation Manhattan Rain performed with great credit to run third in the Caulfield Guineas G1, and a very game second in the W.S. Cox Plate G1.

History has shown us that being a high-class half-brother to a champion racehorse and sire is plenty good enough to be a Champion Sire in his own right.

Rest assured we are betting on it – heavily.