In this new series we ask agents and others who book a lot of mares for their clients which sires might be flying slightly under the radar in this breeding season. Who might be getting overlooked in the rush for the new, hot thing? Read on.
Kathy Berkey
MIDNIGHT LUTE, Hill 'n' Dale, $15,000
I just think at $15,000 Midnight Lute is very good value. Especially for a stallion that was the 17th leading stallion by earnings in the country last year.
I tend to look at stud fees based on yearling averages, where I like to see 3x stud fee, and medians, where I like to see 2x stud fee. When I look at his yearling average last year at around $75,000 and the median was $60,000, so he's way above those multiples that I like to see from a stallion.
He has consistently proven that he can get a good racehorse. They sprint, they can go long, and they are generally very good looking. I've had a lot of success selling them, racing them, and I like stallions that are flexible that way. Depending on your client, you can breed to race or breed to sell a Midnight Lute.
I probably have five or six mares booked to him this year already. He's a horse that can breed to a lot of different physicals because he's big, he's correct, and he's got some scope to him. He's very straightforward and can help a mare.
I think in that $10,000-$20,000 range it's very difficult to find a proven, solid stallion like Midnight Lute.
Click for Midnight Lute's catalogue-style pedigree or race record.
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