Today we will discuss stallions standing between $20,000 and $49,999 and we will try to identify which stallions offer the best value and which offer the worst value for breeders.

The group is joined by former star Fusaichi Pegasus, a once thriving Coolmore Sire that los 40% of his value and is standing for $45,000. The group has been pretty steady in terms of their fees and offers some very good value in the form of older proven sires and some well placed younger sires.

Best Values

Exchange Rate ($25,000) A fee increase of 150% should not deter anyone from breeding to this stallion, he is a young proven sire with strong numbers and offers a unique opportunity for breeders at this price range. His AEI of 2.26 is extremely strong. He also produces 8.6% stake winners from foals which is huge for modern standards. His yearling median lags a little but his sales numbers should improve dramatically given the performance of his horses at the track.

Cozzene ($35,000) Has been standing now for a couple of seasons for this low fee. He has an Average Earning Index of 2.39 and produces 8.9% stakes winners from foals both figures are easily the highest for any stallion at this price level, these numbers are even attractive at the $50,000-$99,000 bracket. His yearling median is only $60,000 which still make him a commercially viable prospect but his real value will be for those who breed to race. Hard to find a better value in any price range.

Theatrical ($40,000) Another sire with big numbers that seems to be punished because of his age. He has a 2.43 AEI and 7.9% stakes winners from foals. His median yearling median of $70,000 makes him a contender for the commercial breeder but as with Cozzene it is the breeders who breed to race that will find this offer most attractive.

After Market ($30,000) Very well priced sire offers those who want to take a chance on a first year sire very good value. He is an incredible physical specimen who was effective at middle distances on the grass at every level. He is impeccably bred being out of G1 winner Tranquility Lake by Rahy so he has the same cross as Giant’s Causeway. He retired with 8 wins from 13 starts and his yearling should be well sought after at the sales since he will appeal to both domestic and foreign buyers. In addition, if he passes on just a fraction of his looks, his yearlings have the potential of selling well into the six figures.

Worst Values

Aptitude ($20,000) Has not been performing well and this fee just seems too high for a sire with his numbers. He only has a 1.34 AEI and produces a pathetically low 1.8% stakes winners from foals. From a commercial standpoint his $25,500 yearling median does not warrant anything close to his fee.

Sky Messa ($30,000) Danger signs of a major flop are flashing. Sky Messa had a disastrous year with his two-year old runners and although I like to give stallions a couple of crops before judging, his numbers are just too bleak to warrant any breeder taking the plunge at this fee level. AEI of only 0.57, a pitiful 9% winners from foals and no stake winners to speak of make him a really bad gamble at this stage. If you like him, wait a year or two to get a better view of his ability and his fee is almost certain to fall.

Today we will discuss stallions standing between $50,000 and $99,999 and we will try to identify which stallions offer the best value and which offer the worst value for breeders.

This year, overall stud fees are down 12% for the group when compared to 2006. The average decline in yearling average was only 5% compared to last year. This is good news for breeders at this price range.

The group is joined by former six figure all stars Gone West, El Prado and Elusive Quality. The group has been pretty steady in terms of their fees as most horses return for the same fee as last year. They did lose one member in Fusaichi Pegasus whose fee was dropped by a huge 40% to $45,000.

Best Values

El Prado ($75,000) With a 40% fee reduction, El Prado may finally offer value and quality to breeders. He has an Average Earning Index of 2.14, the second highest of the group after Rahy, and has 8.4% stakes winners from foals. His yearling median of $190,000 also makes him very attractive at this price range.

Gone West ($85,000) has also been reduced from $125,000, he is a proven sire of sires and offers a unique opportunity to breeders at this price range. He still has a strong demand at the sale for his yearlings with a median of $210,000. He produces 8.6% stake winners from foals.

Elusive Quality ($75,000) Another sire with a big fee reduction (25%) that screams value for breeders. He has a 2.11 AEI and 6% stakes winners from foals. His median yearling median of $205,000 makes him a strong contender for the commercial breeder.

Worst Values

Johannesburg ($65,000) does produce some useful horses but his numbers are not that good. His AEI of 1.36 is pathetically low for a stallion in this range (it’s lower than for many stallions in the $5,000 range) and his 4.3% stakes winners from foals Is only marginally acceptable. He still has plenty of room for improvement as he has sired some good horses but I would not be surprised to see him in the $30,000 range soon. Especially given the way that Coolmore discounts its stallions. His yearling median of only $95,000 make him hard to swallow on the commercial front.

It is that time of the year when we evaluate the best and worst values in the stallion market. Today we will discuss stallions standing above $100,000 and we will try to identify which of them offer the best and the worst value for breeders.

This year was a tough year for this group; overall stud fees are down 2% for the group when compared to 2006; mostly due to the drastic reduction of Storm Cat’s fee. At the sales this group of sires also saw their yearling average decline for the third straight year; they suffered a 15% drop compared to 2006. This is not good news for breeders trying to breed to the top echelon of horses since stud fees are declining at a slower rate than average prices thus reducing the profitability for breeders.

However, Storm Cat was not the only sire who saw his stud fee reduced. Unbridled’s Song’s fee was reduced by $50,000, Forestry by $25,000 and Giant’s Causeway and Kingmambo previously standing for a private amount are also standing for less than their last advertised fee.

In addition, other stallions that were once members of this selective group have fallen out of this very exclusive club. They include El Prado, Elusive Quality and Gone West. On the other end of the spectrum two more stallions have joined the six figure sires, they are Smart Strike and Street Cry.

Best Values

A.P. Indy ($300,000) A.P. Indy has been an ultra consistent sire; his yearling median of $675,000 make him the most attractive sire in this price range from a commercial standpoint. He has a 3.22 Average Earning Index and produces a great 12.9% stakes winners from foals. Most important of all he is quickly cementing his reputation as an important sire of sires, a most for a stallion in this price range.

Storm Cat ($300,000) Yes his yearling median was off this year for the first time in a while; his median was ‘only’ $350,000. Yet the 40% reduction in stud fee make him very attractive. He has a 3.41 AEI and produces 13.3% stakes winners from foals. He is also the best sire of sires of any active sire.

Worst Values

Mr. Greeley ($125,000) We thought he was a bad value last year when he stood at $75,000. Unbelievably his fee is increased by 67% for this year. His yearling median does not make him attractive at $150,000 although he is very capable of hitting homeruns in the sales ring. At the track, he has been able to sire top runners especially in Europe where he boasts an outstanding filly in Finsceal Beo. Be that as it may, his AEI of 1.53 is what I would expect to see in the $15,000-$25,000 stud fee range and his 5.1% stakes winners from foals is the lowest percentage for any stallion standing for more than six figures. In conclusion he is one of the worst values in any category!