More than ready a foundation stallion for WinStar Farm’s burgeoning stallion operation and one of the most influential international stallions of his time, was slain on the morning of May 26. 8 at the Central Kentucky farm due to the “cumulative effects of old age”.
Southern Halo’s 25-year-old son among the winning Woodman’s Girl daughters is the rare stallion to achieve elite status in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Of the 216 special black bets worldwide, 128 (6% of named ponies of racing age) were successful in the Northern Hemisphere and seven were hailed as champions and 90 (5 %) was successful in the Southern Hemisphere, with six being named champions.
“More Than Ready is a fantastic horse that has moved everyone he comes in contact with,” said Elliott Walden, president, chief executive officer and racing director of WinStar Farm. “He may not be the biggest horse in the stable, but he makes up for it with class, balance and personality. His expression says it all. We will miss him dearly. He’s on the farm.”
His influence will be felt for generations as the most traveled shuttlecock ever, having been to Vinery Stud in Australia for 19 consecutive seasons from 2001-2019.
Peter Orton, general manager of Vinery Stud near Scone, Australia, which owns about 50% of the stallions, described More Than Ready in an earlier interview with BloodHorse as an extraordinary traveler and stallion. the easiest breed around the barn.
“In all the years he’s been traveling, we’ve never had a problem with him. However, we’ve always had a groom who knows he’s traveling with,” he said. “But when he goes to the Vinery every year, he trots out of his truck, takes a glimpse and settles into his stall. Then he walks out onto his lawn as relaxed and as never before. go far.”
Orton added that he believes frequent flying actually contributes to More Than Ready’s longevity.
“The handling is really good for a stallion if they have the right attitude to handle the transport,” he said. “The death of many stallions can occur during breaks. If not carefully monitored, they can be inactive for about eight months, easily becoming overweight, often leading to problems foot problems such as dermatitis and other related problems.”
Tom Simon’s Vinery of Central Kentucky launched More Than Ready’s dark horse career in 2001 with an initial fee of $25,000. When Simon announced he was closing his breeding and training operations in the United States in 2012, he arranged for seven stallions — More Than Ready, Pioneerof the Nile, Kodiak Kowboy , Maimonides Congratulations, Pure Prize and Street hero —Allocated to WinStar.
Walden told BloodHorse in an earlier interview: “We agreed to take all of them to be more prepared. “More Than Ready has been a great steed, and they’re hard to come by. Anytime you can add one to your roster, that’s a bonus.”
Laying the groundwork for the stallion transition was Walden’s earlier connection to Simon through level 1 winner Brahms. Walden trained Danzig’s son, whom Simon later bought to stand at school. When Simon decided to close Vinery, he suggested to the stallion shareholders that WinStar would take over their management.
As a racehorse, More Than Ready demonstrated both agility and toughness as a 2-year-old. Racing for Jim Scatuorchio and coach Todd Pletcher in 1999, he won for the first time claiming 7 1/2 lengths at Keeneland. The foal will win the next four starts, all with black bets including Tremont Stakes (G3) – where he set a record 5 1/2 at 1:02.56 at Belmont Park—And Sanford Stakes (G2). He was half-length in the Futurity Stakes (G1) in Belmont, finishing third behind Bevo and Greenwood Lake, who were just a neck apart.
In third place, More Than Ready finished second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and finished second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) before finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The winner’s closing round remained elusive until King Stakes (G1), in which he cut it down to seven clamps and finally captured a top level event with a length of 1 1/ 2, with Pat Day in the iron for the first time. The pony took the first level 1 win for Pletcher, he retired in the fall of 2000 with a 7-4-1 record in 17 starts and earned $1,026,229.
At stud, he had an equally quick start. He finished out of the top 10 of the 2004 first year sire class by progeny income, and was the second brood co-ranking second by number of stake winners in 2005 with 12 along with top breed Giant’s Causeway. Both are behind Fusaichi Pegasus with 13.
More Than Ready picks out his first group 1 winner in Australia as his daughter Carry On Cutie won the Salinger Champagne Stakes (G1) in Randwick. Later that year, his son Benicio won the AAMI Victoria Derby (G1).
In North America, More Than Ready picked out two Breeders Cup World Championship winners before he saw his first 1st grade winner. More than reality won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2T) and Pluck won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2T) in 2010.
Buster’s Ready became More Than Ready’s first class 1 winner in the Northern Hemisphere when she won Mother Goose Stakes (G1) in 2011. That year will be a big moment for More Than Ready, who won. second grader and his third Breeders’ Cup winner with hybrid house Vinery Ready who acquired a Nearctic (G1T) Share in Honeysuckle and then caught Breeders ‘Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Churchill Downs.
Roy H joins Kent Desormeaux to win Breeders’ Cup 2017 Sprint at Del Mar
More Than Ready is the most successful male in Breeders’ Cup with seven winners, including Roy HOLY who is a two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) champion (2017-18) and a two-time Eclipse champion sprinter; Uni, who won the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile 2019 (G1T); and Autumn rush who won the 2017 Juvenile Lawn Competition.
The career of the male has produced some extraordinary achievements. One of the youngest stallions in history to hit 100 bets and 1,000 winners, More Than Ready was North America’s top 2-year-old stallion in 2010 and Australia’s top 2-year-old stallion in 2007-08 and again in 2008-09. He singled out graded/stakes group winners in 12 countries, seven class/group 1 winners, and had more black type winners than any male in North America in history with 216. Having made over $219 million in worldwide progeny earnings, More than Ready has selected 100 internationally recognized tier/group winners and 26 tier 1/group 1 winners. He will be represented by 12 grade 1 winners in the Northern Hemisphere and 14 group 1 winners in the Southern Hemisphere.
More Than Ready is the only male to have an Eclipse champion each year from 2017 to 2020. Aside from Roy H., Rushing Fall was named the 2020 women’s turf champion and Uni was named the field champion. female grass 2019.
Uni captures Breeders Cup ‘2019 at Santa Anita Park
“I’ve been around him ever since we got the horses from Vinery,” WinStar stall manager Larry McGinnis told BloodHorse in an earlier interview. “You can count on him; he’s the money in the bank. His attitude never changes, and he always looks amazing. He really is unbelievable.”
After the stallion passed away, McGinnis said, “He was more than a great stallion to me, he was a great friend. It was an honor to look after such a great stallion. great. I’ll miss him.”
