SONS of the late and much-lamented Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) are in strong demand and they come in two types: the sprinters and the ones who took after their sire.
Scat Daddy had the speed and precocity to beat Teuflesberg in the Grade 2 Sandford Stakes over six furlongs in July of his juvenile year, but he later defeated Nobiz Like Showbiz in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at a mile before, in the spring of his three-year-old season, adding the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes and Grade 1 Florida Derby, both over nine furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
Like their sire, many of his best offspring have excelled at a mile-plus. Ten furlongs tends to be their outer range, although two have won Grade 1s at a mile and a half; US Triple Crown hero Justify was the second one. The latter, an Ashford stallion, has eight stakes winners already chalked up.
No Nay Never and Daddy Long Legs are Scat Daddy’s earliest sire sons, and both have hit the Group/Grade 1 target at stud. The former was a sprinter, and one of the best sires at Coolmore, the latter a Grade 2 winner at eight and nine furlongs.
Sioux Nation made an outstanding start with his first runners in 2022, and Caravaggio is a Group 1 stallion, sire of Tenebrism. Mendelssohn’s first crop has three stakes winners already. Only Sioux Nation, of those mentioned, is available to European breeders, but there are several other Scat Daddy horses standing in Ireland, England and France.
Smooth Daddy is among them, and like Scat Daddy and the dual Grade 1 sire Daddy Long Legs, he got his top win over nine furlongs. Indeed, he pipped the popular young National Stud-based Time Test in that Grade 3 at Belmont Park having been runner-up to now Claiborne Farm resident Ironicus in it the year before, and he showed his talent at the distance from three to six years of age.
Smooth Daddy’s $170,000 yearling price tag is testament to his looks and pedigree, and in addition to being a half-brother to a listed winner and out of a multiple stakes-winner, he comes from the family of four European Group 1 stars.
Third dam Native Loraine (Raise A Native) was a stakes-placed half-sister to the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby winner Caracolero (Graustark) and she is the fourth dam of Sioux Nation. She was also a half-sister to Betty’s Secret (Secretariat), dam of Derby winner Secreto (Northern Dancer) and the great hurdler Istabraq (Sadler’s Wells) and grandam of the Italian Group 1 scorer Close Conflict (High Estate).
Secreto was third to Sadler’s Wells in the Irish 2000 Guineas before his trip to Epsom, and in addition to the classic-winning miler Mystiko, he got talented sprinters through to middle-distance horses and his broodmare daughters feature Rahaam.
Smooth Daddy is off the mark as a sire, with four individual winners already, including a pair trained by Roger Varian and Michael Bell. With more chances he will surely build substantially on this promising start, and is a horse who is likely to get good seven-to-10 furlong horses at three and above. He is attractively priced.
RACE RECORD
SMOOTH DADDY (USA), Bay 2011. Won four races, £326,790, from 1 mile ½ furlongs to 1 mile 2 furlongs, 3 to 6 years including, Fort Marcy Stakes, Belmont Park, Gr.3, also placed second in Fort Marcy Stakes, Belmont Park, Gr.3, Saranac Stakes, Saratoga, Gr.3, and third in Hill Prince Stakes, Belmont Park, Gr.3, Tropical Park Derby, Gulfstream Park, Gr.3.
AT STUD
Retired to Stud in 2019, and sire of the winners of 5 races, and £44,787.
INFORMATION
Stands at: Starfield Stud, Ballynagall, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, N91 K8Y9, Ireland.
Contact: Micheál Orlandi
Telephone: +353 83 8092299
Email: info@compasstallions.com
Web: www.compasstallions.com
Fee: €4,000