Arrowfield Mating Insights #2: Pariah

We’ve had a great response to the first instalment of our Mating Insights series, where Arrowfield’s Bloodstock Manager Jon Freyer & Pedigree Analyst Peter Jenkins discuss 2020 matings for our stallions. 

There’s no doubt that sale-ring results are important to most breeders who need regular commercial returns to fund their operations and justify the substantial investment required to breed and raise thoroughbreds.

However, the best long-term returns are achieved by mares who leave excellent performers. That’s why successful breeders put so much time and effort into researching stallions and analysing matings for physical and genetic compatibility. 

Arrowfield and our breeding partners are sending 35 mares to brilliant Group-winning 2YO & 3YO Pariah this Spring.  Jon & Peter explain the thinking behind four of those prospective matings:

Peter:  PARIAH-LET’S GET LOUD (by Pour Moi) – for the Arrowfield Waltrin Joint Venture
“Many years ago, when I first arrived at Arrowfield, one of the farm’s star graduates was Hussonet’s son Reaan who had recently won the MRC Blue Diamond Stakes G1. His pedigree was an excellent example of breeding back into the damline of a sire by a duplicating a ‘blue hen’ mare.

“Hussonet traces to the great ancestress Maid of Masham via the branch descended from The Apple of which Hussonet’s 5th dam Bourtai could be regarded as a key ‘blue hen’ pivot. Bourtai produced 5 stakeswinners including Grade 1-winning fillies Bayou and Levee (Hussonet’s 4th dam).

“Reaan’s 4th dam Burnap was a daughter of Wharf (by Herbager), a Claiborne Farm-bred stallion imported to New Zealand by Olly Goodwin at Riddlesworth Stud. Wharf’s dam was Delta, a multiple Grade-winning daughter of Bourtai, thus endowing Reaan with a duplication of this great broodmare. Another elite performer with a duplication of Bourtai is Wood Memorial winner and Belmont Stakes runner-up Thirty Six Red.

“Pariah is out of a Hussonet mare so the opportunity to replicate this pedigree pattern presented itself when Let’s Get Loud – a half-sister to Group 1 winner Chenille and Group 2 winner Chintz – joined the Arrowfield broodmare band. This is because Serapahic, Let’s Get Loud’s granddam, is a daughter of arguably Wharf’s best-performed racemare Torquay, who won 3 Group races in New Zealand including the Great Northern Oaks.  

“What I particularly like about this Bourtai duplication in the Pariah-Let’s Get Loud mating is the intricate genetic relationship shared by Hussonet’s 3rd dam Nalee and Delta, the dam of Wharf. Delta is by Nasrullah out of Bourtai herself, while Nalee is by a son of Nasrullah (Nashua) out of a daughter of Bourtai. These relationships often have a very positive effect on the racing ability of horses which feature them in their pedigrees.”
Pedigree: PARIAH-LET’S GET LOUD

Jon: PARIAH-GOLDEN STATUE (by Statue of Liberty) – for Arrowfield
“Golden Statue is a full sister to champion Hay List and carries a 5 x 4 duplication of the great taproot mare Missy Baba, dam of Raja Baba and ancestress of Gay Mecene, AP Indy, Lemon Drop Kid & Havre de Grace among many others. 

“Pariah carries a strain of Missy Baba through his broodmare sire Hussonet whose dam was the champion Sacahuista (by Raja Baba). Reinforcing such a nick can be powerful, particularly in an otherwise outcross pedigree.

“Physically this is a good match as she is a bigger style of mare that might need a little quality which Pariah can certainly add in spades. This is a mating we’re more than happy to repeat.”
Pedigree: PARIAH-GOLDEN STATUE

Peter: PARIAH-SHE LOVES YOU (by Husson) – for Arrowfield
“Duplicating ‘blue hen’ mares when planning matings has been a successful strategy for leading breeders for centuries. We are lucky enough in Australia to have a number of these great mares whose descendants have proven themselves under local conditions, increasing the likelihood of achieving success when doubling up on them.

“Pariah is descended from one of these superb matrons in Summoned who, although unraced herself, produced 13 winners from 16 foals, 5 of them stakeswinners including Champion 3YO and leading sire Zeditave and 2YO stakeswinner Pampas Fire, Pariah’s 3rd dam.

“Zeditave’s most successful sire son was the precocious Strategic (5 wins at 2) and one of the best 3 fillies sired by Strategic is She Will Be Loved ( VRC Edward Manifold S. G2), the dam of She Loves You. That means the result of this match will feature a duplication of Summoned at 5 x 5, including one through the direct distaff line of the sire, Pariah, exactly where you most want it to be.

“The other key feature of this match is the 3 x 3 duplication of Champion Sire Hussonet. Normally 3 x 3 is a little too close for my preference, but knowing there is already a stakeswinner in Chile (Lovely Spirit, winner of 4 races to date, including two at 2), who is actually inbred 3 x 2 to Hussonet, I view this configuration as a positive factor. I am very excited to see the outcome of this mating when it hits the track.”
Pedigree: PARIAH-SHE LOVES YOU

Jon: PARIAH-DIMANCHE (by Denman) – for Arrowfield
“Dimanche is a good style of mare and a sister to Group 1 winner Sonntag, out of the Strategic mare Parfaits, a half-sister to the top class sprinter Flavour. As possibly Zeditave’s best son, Strategic brings the blood of the outstanding brood mare Summoned into play. 

“Pariah has Summoned as his fourth dam and, as Peter has explained,  line-breeding to important mares in this pattern has been highly effective.

“Dimanche’s pedigree also includes  a number of highly precocious elements in Luskin Star, Vain and Marscay which we anticipate will suit Pariah, himself overwhelmingly speed-oriented.”
Pedigree: PARIAH-DIMANCHE