Quote:
Originally Posted by Charismatic1
Assuming he is retired after this year, I have to believe the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years will stand for at least $75,000 in 2013. And most importantly, he would get really good mares. Never underestimate the allure of the Derby and Triple Crown. Many breeding decisions are influenced by those dreams. Many will figure: What better place to start than the horse who actually did it?
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I'll Have Another has a career to finish, but in today's stallion market, I have a hard time seeing him above $50,000, even if he were to win the Belmont. He might be somehat comparable to a Big Brown (by Boundary, as opposed to a son of a top sire). Even Big Brown, however, was at an advertised (not actual) $60,000 fee, in a far more favorable bloodstock market.
Right now, the most accomplished and desirable first-year stallions are standing for about $35,000 (see Blame, Quality Road, Uncle Mo). Each of these three horses is by an accomplished, fashionable sire (Arch, Elusive Quality, Indian Charlie), not something you can say about Flower Alley. I also agree with the point made by others that the fact I'll Have Another was an $11,000 yearling and $35,000 2YO is something that will weigh on breeders' minds. Regardless of what price he starts at, he'll probably be standing in the $10,000 - $20,000 range by the time his first crop are 5YOs (if he wins the Triple Crown) and likely lower than that if he fails to win the Belmont.
It will be interesting to see what Three Chimneys does with Flower Alley. He'll probably be back up to $20-25,000 (where he started) for 2013, which is a huge stretch given his production to date, and back to $7,500 by 2016. Kind of like what happened to Our Emblem after War Emblem won the Derby and Preakness.