Anyone putting a case for the tendency of a stallion's success rate to decline as he gets older had better not visit Waikato Stud.
Centaine (Century-Rainbeam by Vain), now twenty-one, has been part of the Chittick family since he arrived at their Thornton Park Stud, Palmerston North, 16 years ago.
His impact on New Zealand breeding and racing was swift and stunning. He was champion New Zealand sire of two-year-olds with his first crop in 1988-89. Eleven years later, in 1999-2000, he won the title again, when his daughter Spring Rain was Mercedes Champion Two-Year-Old.
In 1992-93, with five crops of racing age, Centane won the Dewar Stallion Trophy for the leading New Zealand-based sire by combined Australian & New Zealand earnings, and was second on the Australian General Sires' list that year.
Yet, although he's always been capable of producing a top-flight juvenile, most of his best performers have been three-year-olds and older horses: Kinjite, from his first crop, Slight Chance from his second, Kapchat and Hong Kong Derby winner Super Fit from his third, and from later crops, Stella Cadente, Foxwood, Taupo Retreat and Group 2 winners Arletty, Cheiron, Sequel, Century Kid and Taineberry.
Centaine's starters-to-foals ratio is 73.5%; winners-to-foals, 51.2%; SW-to-foals, 6.5%. Of his 55 stakeswinners, 31 are fillies, yet his winners are split evenly between the sexes and his male progeny have earned on average almost $13,000 more than his fillies.
Sixty Seconds is Centaine's tenth Group One winner, and his sixth Group One-winning daughter. His daughters are doing the job at stud too, leaving 13 stakeswinners to date among them Group One winners Amalfi, Giovana, Cent Home and Star Of Gold. Centaine is currently ninth on this season's Australian Broodmare Sires' table with $A1.8 million in prizemoney and is third on the equivalent New Zealand list behind Sir Tristram and Sound Reason. He's also holding fifth place on the New Zealand General Sires' premiership.
Centaine's stakeswinners this season, apart from Sixty Seconds, are Taupo Retreat, Pernod, Critic, and speedy two-year-old filly La Rumba.
Thanks to Arion Pedigrees, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Bloodstock Computer Services for statistical information.
- Susan Archer
Centaine (Century-Rainbeam by Vain), now twenty-one, has been part of the Chittick family since he arrived at their Thornton Park Stud, Palmerston North, 16 years ago.
His impact on New Zealand breeding and racing was swift and stunning. He was champion New Zealand sire of two-year-olds with his first crop in 1988-89. Eleven years later, in 1999-2000, he won the title again, when his daughter Spring Rain was Mercedes Champion Two-Year-Old.
In 1992-93, with five crops of racing age, Centane won the Dewar Stallion Trophy for the leading New Zealand-based sire by combined Australian & New Zealand earnings, and was second on the Australian General Sires' list that year.
Yet, although he's always been capable of producing a top-flight juvenile, most of his best performers have been three-year-olds and older horses: Kinjite, from his first crop, Slight Chance from his second, Kapchat and Hong Kong Derby winner Super Fit from his third, and from later crops, Stella Cadente, Foxwood, Taupo Retreat and Group 2 winners Arletty, Cheiron, Sequel, Century Kid and Taineberry.
Centaine's starters-to-foals ratio is 73.5%; winners-to-foals, 51.2%; SW-to-foals, 6.5%. Of his 55 stakeswinners, 31 are fillies, yet his winners are split evenly between the sexes and his male progeny have earned on average almost $13,000 more than his fillies.
Sixty Seconds is Centaine's tenth Group One winner, and his sixth Group One-winning daughter. His daughters are doing the job at stud too, leaving 13 stakeswinners to date among them Group One winners Amalfi, Giovana, Cent Home and Star Of Gold. Centaine is currently ninth on this season's Australian Broodmare Sires' table with $A1.8 million in prizemoney and is third on the equivalent New Zealand list behind Sir Tristram and Sound Reason. He's also holding fifth place on the New Zealand General Sires' premiership.
Centaine's stakeswinners this season, apart from Sixty Seconds, are Taupo Retreat, Pernod, Critic, and speedy two-year-old filly La Rumba.
Thanks to Arion Pedigrees, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Bloodstock Computer Services for statistical information.
- Susan Archer
