Scorpion

Scorpion: First Cross, First Clue

by Les Brinsfield ©

The recent Jim Dandy Stakes (G1) winner, Scorpion (by Seattle Slew - Petiteness by Chief's Crown), is beautifully linebred and has license to be a sire after his racing career.

There is a double Bold Ruler, and Glamour sets up a triple to Nasrullah who crosses with traditional running mate, Princequillo in sire and dam. Sisters Striking/Busher are 3X3 in My Charmer and this is a key as they are by War Admiral from Baby League, a daughter of La Troienne. Scorpion is tail female to Big Hurry another daughter of La Troienne. Clearly, the breeder has "returned to the sire the best blood of his dam".

But often, the first cross in a pedigree will point to what might be the key to the entire puzzle. Such is the case with the 4X4 to Hail To Reason in the latest upset winner of the Jim Dandy. The dam of Hail To Reason has two daughters of Man O'War, Flaming Swords and Baton Rouge. Immediately, the double of War Admiral [damsire Sweep], best son of Man O'War is obvious in My Charmer. Perhaps less obvious is a line War Admiral and a double of Pink Domino [dam of Sweep] in the doubled Crafty Admiral.

Miyako, second dam of Native Dancer has Sweep and another Pink Domino. Bold Ruler has a son of Sweep in his dam. Brilliant racemare Chris Evert has no fewer than four male lines of Sweep, including a double to The Porter.

So the clue from the first cross was the foursome of Man O'War's daughters to go with four male lines of Big Red through War Admiral whose damsire Sweep is found in multiples of either gender as is his dam Pink Domino by Domino. This sex balance of Man O'War, Sweep and his dam leads to Domino who is available in multiples throughout the pedigree.

Blue Larkspur is tripled with Black Toney available elsewhere thru Big Hurry and Native Dancer. Disguise, the only other son of Domino to go along with Commando, is crossed in Secretariat and found in Geisha. And the triple La Troienne is a Domino factor as she was never breed to a horse free of Domino - with La Troienne, you get Domino.

Any look at Buckpasser would be like a rerun of the discussion above - War Admiral, Blue Larkspur, Domino, La Troienne. Given the approximately one hundred sires in the world out of Buckpasser mares or out of mares by these horses and the fact that the world's gene pool will be flush with their daughters, this horse is in going to have a real opportunity as a sire. Moreover, these strains are available in a myriad of other ways.