In memory of Ferdinand

[stelladaniella]

https://www.facebook.com/share/TPD2AW7q ... tid=WC7FNe


A ton of photos of Ferdy which I haven’t seen before; I figured I’d share in case anyone else wants to see. He truly was a stunning horse. Shame to end up the way he did.

Did he leave behind any successors that would still appear in modern day pedigrees?

[Flanders]

https://www.facebook.com/share/TPD2AW7q ... tid=WC7FNe


A ton of photos of Ferdy which I haven’t seen before; I figured I’d share in case anyone else wants to see. He truly was a stunning horse. Shame to end up the way he did.

Did he leave behind any successors that would still appear in modern day pedigrees?

It feels a big stretch to call him a successor. But he did have G1 Florida Derby winner Bull Inthe Heather that stood in regional markets, then was pensioned to Old Friends. He had less success than his sire, getting no SWs and only siring 96 foals. His daughters produced 24 foals. Ferdinand himself only had 339 foals. His daughters had 485 foals. The female descendants are going to be where his influence is seen. I feel a lot of conflict typing this because of what happened to him. But the truth is, he wasn't a good sire or broodmare sire. Its going to be a lot of work to find the connections to modern pedigrees even though its only been 30 years since he went to stud. He is going to be in pedigrees somewhere, though probably not a lot.

[Missbeholder]

https://www.facebook.com/share/TPD2AW7q ... tid=WC7FNe


A ton of photos of Ferdy which I haven’t seen before; I figured I’d share in case anyone else wants to see. He truly was a stunning horse. Shame to end up the way he did.

Did he leave behind any successors that would still appear in modern day pedigrees?

It feels a big stretch to call him a successor. But he did have G1 Florida Derby winner Bull Inthe Heather that stood in regional markets, then was pensioned to Old Friends. He had less success than his sire, getting no SWs and only siring 96 foals. His daughters produced 24 foals. Ferdinand himself only had 339 foals. His daughters had 485 foals. The female descendants are going to be where his influence is seen. I feel a lot of conflict typing this because of what happened to him. But the truth is, he wasn't a good sire or broodmare sire. Its going to be a lot of work to find the connections to modern pedigrees even though its only been 30 years since he went to stud. He is going to be in pedigrees somewhere, though probably not a lot.

Flanders, for me, this brings to mind a question about the whole Nijinsky branch of the Northern Dancer "tree". Just what IS the status of Nijinsky's sireline? I looked at the listing of his intact sons on PQ (yeah, I know, I know), and I did see several names that I recognized as very good racehorses, like Ferdinand, and even a few that I have seen turn up in first and second generation pedigrees over the years. But unlike other sons of Northrn Dancer, his male offspring don't seem to be as effective in the shed

Am I missing something? TIA!

[Flanders]

https://www.facebook.com/share/TPD2AW7q ... tid=WC7FNe


A ton of photos of Ferdy which I haven’t seen before; I figured I’d share in case anyone else wants to see. He truly was a stunning horse. Shame to end up the way he did.

Did he leave behind any successors that would still appear in modern day pedigrees?

It feels a big stretch to call him a successor. But he did have G1 Florida Derby winner Bull Inthe Heather that stood in regional markets, then was pensioned to Old Friends. He had less success than his sire, getting no SWs and only siring 96 foals. His daughters produced 24 foals. Ferdinand himself only had 339 foals. His daughters had 485 foals. The female descendants are going to be where his influence is seen. I feel a lot of conflict typing this because of what happened to him. But the truth is, he wasn't a good sire or broodmare sire. Its going to be a lot of work to find the connections to modern pedigrees even though its only been 30 years since he went to stud. He is going to be in pedigrees somewhere, though probably not a lot.

Flanders, for me, this brings to mind a question about the whole Nijinsky branch of the Northern Dancer "tree". Just what IS the status of Nijinsky's sireline? I looked at the listing of his intact sons on PQ (yeah, I know, I know), and I did see several names that I recognized as very good racehorses, like Ferdinand, and even a few that I have seen turn up in first and second generation pedigrees over the years. But unlike other sons of Northrn Dancer, his male offspring don't seem to be as effective in the shed

Am I missing something? TIA!

It just happens sometimes, look how many lines are pretty much gone that were prominent 30 years ago. Maybe it was that he mostly got long distance turf horses? Of course there were the odd one that ran well on dirt.

His male line is definitely still out there, just not as much as other sons of Northern Dancer. His grandson, Lomitas, was a really good stallion in Germany(he sired Danedream). His son Silvano is a top stallion in South Africa with 110 SWs(8%). His son, Vercingetorix, who also stands in South Africa has 8% SWs(his first crop was SH 2016). Silvano also has other sons at stud including Hawwaam, whose first crop is SH 2021, so still 2yos.

It wouldn't surprise me if Royal Academy's line is still going somewhere more than what I can find quickly. I know that I'm exaggerating here but it felt like he stood in about every country so its really hard to pinpoint where they might be. His son, Bel Esprit, sired Black Caviar, though doesn't appear his male line carried on in this case. Royal Academy's son Val Royal has sons at stud in South America at least and a grandson at stud in Louisiana in Costa Rising.

I guarantee there are others out there. This was just what I could come up with fairly quickly.

Just one of his daughters made sure his name is forever there though in Ruby Slippers. Thus being in Tapit and War Front's pedigrees.

Another interesting tidbit is Nijinsky was closely related to The Minstrel, who was a top stallion getting 11% SWs. Both being by Northern Dancer and The Minstrel being out of a half sister to Nijinsky. I think his line is gone. Of course having Cigar be infertile didn't help any.

**anywhere I said SH = Southern Hemisphere

[stelladaniella]

https://www.facebook.com/share/TPD2AW7q ... tid=WC7FNe


A ton of photos of Ferdy which I haven’t seen before; I figured I’d share in case anyone else wants to see. He truly was a stunning horse. Shame to end up the way he did.

Did he leave behind any successors that would still appear in modern day pedigrees?

It feels a big stretch to call him a successor. But he did have G1 Florida Derby winner Bull Inthe Heather that stood in regional markets, then was pensioned to Old Friends. He had less success than his sire, getting no SWs and only siring 96 foals. His daughters produced 24 foals. Ferdinand himself only had 339 foals. His daughters had 485 foals. The female descendants are going to be where his influence is seen. I feel a lot of conflict typing this because of what happened to him. But the truth is, he wasn't a good sire or broodmare sire. Its going to be a lot of work to find the connections to modern pedigrees even though its only been 30 years since he went to stud. He is going to be in pedigrees somewhere, though probably not a lot.

It's a shame. He was pretty cool on the track. Then didn't get a fair breeding career, and a tragic end, leaving behind almost no legacy. Same as Exceller, I don't think he left behind anything major. My friend, who visits Sweden every now and then, actually saw a horse for sale with Exceller a few generations back in its pedigree, almost brought me to tears seeing a little fragment of the greatness that he was. Trying to shake out some alive horse that would have Ferdy in its pedigree now too.