Project #1 – Oscar Performance

It is time to get organized. The goal of buying a real yearling in 2022, or more likely 2023, is a daunting task. I must begin somewhere. My focus will begin with sires, not because I think that is the most important variable, but only because it is a way to get organized.

In fact, my experience at Keeneland has shown me that I need to open my mind to variety of sires. To find a truly overlooked yearling, you have to be able to accept many different ideas. In fact, I would state that I now have a 20 way tie for first in my ranking or sires.

I have to start somewhere, so let’s go with a first year sire that is controversial at best, and maybe already moving toward oblivion. The real question is should any sane person invest in a US based turf sire. The Euro sires are so much better the US sires are almost non-competitive. That is something to worry about, but I will forge ahead anyways.

Oscar Performance is a cheaper version of Kitten’s Joy. He stands for only $15,000 at the low profile Mill Ridge Farm. OP was precocious enough to win the BC Juvenile Turf, yet his female family (by a Theatrical mare) brings stamina. The best looking horse I saw a Keeneland was hip #2094, a son of Oscar Performance. He was a $16,000 RNA because he had an experimental procedure done on his hock, but was a great physical specimen. I did like the Kitten’s Joy offspring I looked at, which made me more interested in OP. OP yearling brought only a $25,000 median, and a $42,000 average. His third crop will only be 80 foals.

Maybe OP is a stretch, or maybe OP is the best of a bad group of affordable turf sires.

The idea of the “project” posts is to take a broad sample of a sire. Most will be in my price range, but I also want to track some of the more expensive ideas. The main focus will be on affordable, or “empty” mare. The focus will be on decent nicks, but others will be included. The focus will be on horses bought by real owners, but some pinhooks will be listed. The eventual goal is too track 200 yearling in preparation for the 2023 yearling season. This is a large project, but I have to start somewhere.

Oscar Performance ideas:

1. Wild Silk – f – by Street Sense – $180,000 Bo Bromagen, A nick, nick of Roaring Lion, 3/4, great AP Indy 2nd dam, first foal struggling at Delta, 2nd foal unnamed
2. Lovely Island – f – by Arch – $80,000 Madaket, D nick, 4/22, Aloha Kitten already claimer in California
3. Eagle Sound – c- by Fusaichi Pegasus – $140,000 Dale Romans, B+ nick, nick of Divisidero, mare a solid producer, not really empty, 3/8
4. Royal Salute – c – Eloquently by Dansili – $130,000 Raroma Stable, D nick, 3/11, mare graded stakes placed
5. Noble Ready – c – by More Than Ready – $130,000 Louie Roussel, B nick, 4/14, mare 2nd in a small stake
6. Proud Performer – Proud Heroine – f – by Proud Citizen – $45,000 Kirk Robison. A++ nick, 1/15, first foal, 3rd dam is dam of Honor AP, very realistic idea
7. Best Performer – f – Kinsley – by Pulpit – $70,000 Wayne Sanders, A+ nick, nick of Real Solution, from Candy Meadows
8. Striking Style – f – by Smart Strike – $45,000 Jason Hall, C+ nick, mare set NCR at 1 1/4 turf mile at Belmont
9. Infanta Branca – f – by Henrythenavigator – $27,000 Richard Perkins, 4/17
10. Tide is High – f – by Broken Vow, $50,000 Sterbenz Racing, D nick, stamina oriented mare
11. Bonita Donita – f – by Fusaichi Pegasus – $10,000 Stud Dozal, B+ nick, 2/24, bargain basement idea
12. Sparkle Factor – c – by Arch – RNA $16,000 with vet issue, D nick, great looking horse in person, 2nd dam by Pivotal
13. Gigahertz – c – by Dynaformer – $35,000 KatieRich Farm, 5/3, A nick, nick of Saldler’s Joy, maybe too much pedigree, my favorite from FTOCT, nice photo
14. Naive Enough – c – by Street Sense – $30,000 Brian Lynch trainer of OP, A nick, 2/28

This is a nice group of horses. Will OP have any success? We will see.

Just for completeness let’s also think about affordable Kitten’s Joy’s:

1. Bengala – f – by Pivotal – $120,000 by DB Stable, A++ nick, nick of OP
2. Cumbria – f – by Distorted Humor – $52,000 DKW Racing, A nick, 1/30, 2nd dam produced Maximova, from Runnymeade
3. Act Now – c – by Street Sense – $70,000 Madras Bloodstock, A nick, 4/10, first foal
4. Summer Vacation – f – by Eskendereya – $100,000 Medallion, C nick, big 2nd dam, 4/9, very interesing, need to call Medallion
5. Smart Mission – f – by Smart Strike – $32,000 Ryan Zabrowki, maybe TGTBT, C nick. 3/31, bought from Sam-Son
6. Isabel’s on It – f – by Dubawi – $110,000 BRS II, A+ nick, big 2nd dam, maybe too much pedigree