Earlier this week we ran a story highlighting those special stallions that consistently deliver two year-old winners and while we’re all awake to Snitzel, I Am Invincible, Not a Single Doubt and Exceed and Excel, there is another name that really should be added to that list.
Lyndhurst Stud’s young More Than Ready (USA) stallion Better Than Ready has quickly made his mark as a serious source of juvenile winners with his first two crops bred from a modest service fee.
He sired 23 winners from his first crop that amassed $2million in prizemoney and finished equal second on the leading two year-old sire by winners list with Snitzel and behind only I Am Invincible.
His 23 winners won 38 races, which was more than both Snitzel and I Am Invincible, and came from just 47 runners bred from a $9,900 fee.
In comparison, Snitzel’s winners came from 65 runners bred from an $88,000 fee and I Am Invincible’s winners came from 67 runners bred from a $55,000 fee.
Leading Australian 2YO Sires by Winners 2018/2019
|
Sire |
2020 Fee |
2YO Runners |
2YO Winners |
Wins |
|
I Am Invincible |
$209,000 |
67 |
27 |
36 |
|
Better Than Ready |
$33,000 |
47 |
23 |
38 |
|
Snitzel |
$165,000 |
65 |
23 |
29 |
|
Deep Field |
$55,000 |
57 |
21 |
26 |
|
Fastnet Rock |
$165,000 |
49 |
17 |
22 |
It’s not uncommon for a young stallion to start their stud career in a blaze of glory and then fail to follow through, but in the case of Better than Ready it’s been more of the same.
In the season just ended, Better Than Ready featured again at the top end of the leading sires by two year-old winners list finishing third to Snitzel and I Am Invincible with 17 winners coming from 45 runners, again from a fee of $9,900.
Leading Australian 2YO Sires by Winners 2019/2020
|
Sire |
2020 Fee |
2YO Runners |
2YO Winners |
Wins |
|
Snitzel |
$165,000 |
60 |
28 |
38 |
|
I Am Invincible |
$209,000 |
61 |
24 |
31 |
|
Better Than Ready |
$33,000 |
45 |
17 |
19 |
|
Written Tycoon |
$77,000 |
61 |
16 |
18 |
|
Deep Field |
$55,000 |
44 |
16 |
22 |
For Better Than Ready to be competitive with the likes of Snitzel and I Am Invincible, who are the two most expensive sires in the country, is a fact that has not gone unnoticed by breeders.
When his service fee was raised to $33,000 last year, Better Than Ready remained as popular ever covering 216 mares following on from 236 the previous year, so has plenty of ammunition in the locker to take him to new heights.
The enormity of what Better Than Ready has achieved so far is illustrated clearly in the table below which shows the number of two year-old winners in the first two crops from some of our leading active sires.
|
YEAR 1 |
CROP 1 |
CROP 2 |
TOTAL |
|
|
BETTER THAN READY |
2019 |
23 |
17 |
40 |
|
DEEP FIELD |
2019 |
21 |
16 |
37 |
|
I AM INVINCIBLE |
2014 |
15 |
20 |
35 |
|
EXCEED AND EXCEL |
2008 |
13 |
19 |
32 |
|
SPIRIT OF BOOM |
2018 |
18 |
12 |
30 |
|
ALL TOO HARD |
2017 |
10 |
13 |
23 |
|
SNITZEL |
2010 |
10 |
12 |
22 |
|
RUBICK |
2019 |
15 |
6 |
21 |
|
FASTNET ROCK |
2009 |
12 |
8 |
20 |
Pedigree analysts will not be surprised by the precocity shown by the progeny of Better Than Ready, who is by a Champion 2YO Sire in More Than Ready and comes from a female family packed with diverse juvenile speed and is importantly free of Danehill blood.
His first four dams all won as two year-olds and his fourth dam Tequila Sunrise, was a three-quarter sister to Rancher, one of the best two year-olds to ever look through a bridle.
Better Than Ready covered his best book of mares last spring attracting good support from many astute NSW breeders.
“The interest in him last year from some of Queensland’s best breeders as well as those from interstate was tremendous,” said Lyndhurst Stud’s Jeff Kruger.
“He covered lovely mares from Newhaven Park, Baramul Stud, Emirates, Yarraman, Tyreel, Torryburn, Edinburgh, Highgrove, Canning Downs, Daandine, Element Hill, Eureka and Lauriston to name a few.
“We see exciting times ahead for Better Than Ready as his better quality stock come through.”
