Horse of the Year Azeri remained with present owners and was unsold at $4.4 million at Keeneland earlier this month. In foal and carrying a Ghostzapper filly she remains a beautifull mare. She's the only living female Horse of the Year and three time Eclipse award winner who we loved watching on the track.
Her son Vallenzeri looks to be in April's two year old sale, reportedly looking fabulous after failing to sell at $7.7 million last September. Her second foal, by Giant's Causeway, is slated for sale later this year and looks a spitting image of Azeri. While many critics will point out that's still a lot of money it is. But many have a lot of money. There's only one Azeri. If Vallenzeri runs as he looks and appears to have the talent at this stage he, too, will prove the vote of confidence was warranted.
Mean time pensioned stallion Storm Cat, who has set the Throughbred world afire for years as a leading sire, will reportedly begin breeding Quarter Horses. Following Alydar and, according to some reports, Hennessey, Storm Cat's appendix quarter horse foals can be a good thing as long as he's healthy to breed. Declining fertility on live cover and in artificial insemination is a much different issue. On the other hand, it can also be viewed as the old guy deserves some time. He's made millions for those around him and has earned his keep. That said some horses don't like retirement. The discussion could go far beyond Storm Cat, but admittedly it will be interesting to see those appendix quarter horses eat up the track.
Keywords: Azeri, breeding, Quarter Horse, Storm Cat, Thoroughbred
