Slewfan2 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 25, 2021 7:48 pmFlanders wrote: ↑Mon Oct 25, 2021 6:00 pmMost farms tend to put their stud fees out after the Keeneland September yearling sale and before the Breeders Cup. They might hold off on some stallions until after the Breeders Cup. I think they wait til most of the prep races have been run and also want to judge how buyers are supporting their stallions.
Like Honor Code got one decent price yearling but when you think the average was 50k and they were bred on a 40k fee, idk. I don't understand the holding his stud fee at 20k. I would think he would be better off being dropped a little further but maybe they have interest or aren't worried.
Recently Bill was on a TDN podcast for a Name that Yearling (which was an Honor Code). They talked about HC for a little, and he did talk about how he was undervalued; he's not only not worried, he seemed confident, optimistic and relaxed. I'm surprised as well at no fee reduction, but I guess he knows something. I think Honor Code means a lot to Bill and his father because he's Indy's last big son. 29 mares is pretty much rock bottom (and some of those mares are probably owned by LE or in partnership with old friends of WF's - or by family); it can't get much worse than that, and I think if they were going to do anything (I guess I mean sell), it would have happened. I feel like they're just going to accept however it is with HC and simply not worry about numbers.
They can afford to take it in stride, but frankly a stallion who gets an AEI of 1.24 from a harem with a CI of 2.21 is simply not a great sire. Even with late developers, that is a baddd sign. Heck that 1.21 apparently takes into account his few good runners.
And I thought American Pharoah's 1.51 off of 2.75 was pretty mediocre. At least you are only out $20K for Honor Code. I would still take Dialed In at $15K or Khozan at $10K over those two. Can we give it up for Grazen holding up the Alydar flame over in California and improving mares quite a bit.
