Stallion Review - Shadow Play
Shadow Play
With the North American harness racing breeding season in full swing we continue with A stallion review series and today we have produced an in depth review for the Canadian stallion Shadow Play.
All statistics shown are as at the 18th of May 2014.
Enjoy the read.
BREEDING
By a son of the great Western Hanover in The Panderosa who has been long established in North America as an elite sire with his stock having earned over $99,000,000 to date from just the 11 crops old enough to race. Shadow Play (1:47.4m) is his fastest son to date and his second richest behind Ponder ($1,686,134).
The dam of Shadow Play is the speedy Matts Scooter mare Matts Filly p2 1:55.3. From ten foals (3yo and older) she has only left one other winner of note and that is the full brother to Matts Filly in Red Shadow 1:52s ($107,650). A Western Hanover daughter though has produced the talented Eagle Way 1:52.3f ($601,937).
The second dam is the Warm Breeze mare Breezes Girl p3,1:57 who from six foals left two $100,000 winners in Itssilentbutdeadly 1:52h ($155,794) and Matts Got It 1:51m ($143,014).
The third dam is the unraced Oil Burner mare Bit Player who besides Breezes Girl left Play The Dice 1:53 ($213,540). Bit Player is also the great grand-dam of Rock N Roll Star 1:50f ($758,534) and Born To Rockn Roll 1:50f ($237,374) both by The Panderosa.
So there is really very little to recommend Shadow Play in his pedigree as is confirmed by his yearling sale price of just $16,000. This seems to be the new norm these days and breeders should see this as a plus not a minus whenever assessing any new stallion into today’s market.
RACE RECORD
Raced three seasons from two through to four years of age with very contrasting results. His two year old record was not that good and that is being polite for a stallion. He faced the starter 13 times for 3 wins and 6 placings for just $31,151 in stakes. He did compete at the elite level as a two-year-old though. His best winning time was 1:57.2s but he was placed a lot quicker in 1:51.3 in the Metro Final finishing nine and three quarter lengths back in 6th place behind Somebeachsomewhere who went a 2yo world record 1:49.3 in that race.
Shadow Plays three-year-record is completely the opposite of his two year old record with a string of outstanding performances throughout that year. He faced the starter 25 times for 14 wins and 4 placings winning $1,177,421 and taking a record of 1:48.2f in the process.
Among his best wins were The Little Brown Jug, heat and final in a two-heat world record 1:50h and 1:50.1h closely followed by wins in the $400,000 Adios elimination (1:48.4f) and final (1:50.1f), the $300,000 American National in 1:49.3 and the $275,000 Windy City Pace in 1:50.4h while he had close seconds to Somebeachsomewhere in both the Breeders Crown Final and the Messenger Stakes.
As good a season as it was he was widely regarded as only the third best colt of his year behind Somebeachsomewhere 1:46.4 and Art Official 1:47.
He returned to the track at four and was again competitive at the highest level racing eleven times for 3 wins and 4 placings for a further $351,250 in stake money and taking a life mark of 1:47.4 in the $328,750 US Pacing Championship at the Meadowlands. It is interesting to note that Shadow Play started from the outside post of 7 that day and beat some of the greatest pacers of all time. They included Mister Big ($4,143,492), Art Official ($2,085,185), Bettor Sweet ($2,816,687), Won The West ($3,977,956), Shark Gesture ($2,890,594) and Mecedes ($1,162,630). The combined earnings of that field today is a mind blowing $18,636,366
and that is an average of $2,662,238 per horse.
US Pacing Championship
All up Shadow Play faced the starter 49 times for 20 wins and 14 placings for stakes of $1,559,822. His best time at three was 1:48.4 while his lifetime mark of 1:47.4 was taken at four.
NORTH AMERICAN STUD RECORD
Shadow Play has stood at Winbak Farm in Canada since going to stud. He served books of 163 mares in 2010 (109 foals), 152 in 2011 (75 foals), 89 in 2012(54 foals) and 118 in 2013.
His stock were well received at the yearling sales with one Arthur Blue Chip making $135,000. His sales average overall was a modest $16,000 but was dragged down by the large number sold and the state of the Canadian Industry.
They raced in North America as two year olds in the 2013 season and what a statement they made. He was the leading sire of two year olds in Canada and sixth in North America with stake earnings of $1,750,821. His winners were headed by the aforementioned Arthur Blue Chip 1:51.2s ($400,120) who was ably assisted by the likes of Lady Shadow 1:54.4f ($196,700), Performing Art 1:52s ($190,350), Neferiti Bluechip 1:54s ($131,400), Yoselin Seelster 1:54.2s ($109,432) and Alibi Seelster 1:52.3 ($123,250).
Even though he had such a great debut season, his stud fee was kept at $4,000 for the 2014 season which is an accurate account of the state of the Canadian breeding industry at this time.
AUSTRALIAN STUD CAREER
Stood at Alabar and was well received in Australia with his first three crops numbering 91, 76 and 70 which gives him every opportunity to shine. It was a bit surprising to see him get the initial support he did as sons of the The Panderosa already available to Australian breeders such as Metropolitan and Ponder have been very average performers to date. I do not believe he would have got very good mares at Alabar that year as the competition was enormous that year. The good mares would have been sent to Art Major, Courage Under Fire, Mach Three and he also had to compete with Art Official, Mister Big etc.
As a result of his outstanding performance in 2013 in Canada he has bred a staggering 375 mares in the current season. In New Zealand he served 80 and in Australia he served 295.
Shadow Play's oldest are two year olds in the present season and he is currently 14th on the two-year-old sires list in Australia. With the recent running of the two $300,000 APG Finals now is the time for the sires to step up to the plate and show what they can produce.
Compared to his North American record Shadow Play is off to a very slow start as a two year old sire in Australia. To date he has only produced 8 winners from those 91 foals.
NEW ZEALAND STUD CAREER
His biggest problem in the New Zealand market is the poor performance of the only other son of The Panderosa to stand in New Zealand in P Forty Seven. He stood at Nevele R and despite all their help he failed miserably as a sire. Hence Shadow Play only served small books of mares in his initial seasons with his first two foal crops numbering just 19 and 11.
His oldest in New Zealand are two this season and he has had just the three qualifiers to date. Several have been to official trials and workouts and have created a favorable impression. Two of his official qualifiers are from Christian Cullen mares and the other one is from a Presidential Ball mare.
POSITIVES
In North America he has left very mature strong looking individuals and they have performed like they look. Has several fillies amongst his leading stake earners so that is a big plus. Service fee in both hemispheres is $4,000 which is great after the season he has had in North America and means you don't have to rob the bank to pay the stud account. That service fee has allowed him breed a staggering 375 mares in the current season Down Under serving 80 in New Zealand and 295 in Australia. When that crop gets to the race track it should make some real impact.
NEGATIVES
In Australia and New Zealand, he is off to a slow start with only 8 winners to date. It is still too early to make a judgement call. However if they don't front up as early three year olds next season, Shadow Play may struggle for numbers in the 2014/2015 season.
OVERVIEW
The surprise package in North America in 2013. His first crop did exceptionally well especially since they looked physically like time would be their best friend. In the southern hemisphere they are yet to perform as the Canadian progeny have. They will need to start performing soon or at least in the spring as three year olds or breeders are just as likely to desert him as quickly as they flooded to him.
OVERALL RATING
6 out of 10
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