March Newsletter

ALOHA WEST and “WHY”

Spring in Kentucky is a special time of year. I probably fall in the category of each season is my favorite, that is until the next season, but the anticipation of spring with the new foals on the ground March Madness, Keeneland, Easter and The Masters around the corner is magical.

With that, ALOHA WEST having his first crop two-year-olds also makes this spring very special. Hard to believe but going to Ocala and the OBS March sale marks the fourth year of nurturing Aloha West, and his potential felt realized with the promise of six on offer. We heard very promising comments with the build up to the sale from horseman we regard and for them to display this early talent two selling for $200k and above was very rewarding. It wasn’t just how fast they breezed but the comments from those who trained them and how they appeared on the shank. No doubt, there is a buzz with Aloha West first crop, and it feels very good.

A reminder what we saw with Aloha West and “WHY” we believed in his potential as a stallion prospect. Bob Baffert had him as a 2yo and thought the best of his group. As Bob said, “he was fast” with six “black type” works between August and October and just before his first start, bucked his shin and missed his start as a 2yo. With a similar pattern from Bob with his return as a 3yo, he injured himself with a condylar fracture knocking him out for his racing at 3.

Now 4, he was moved to Wayne Catalano and breaks his maiden at Oaklawn in first start. With a similar pattern as SPEIGHTSTOWN, Aloha West went on to make eight more starts, culminating at Del Mar and a win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, where he defeated Champion Jackie’s Warrior. Said Wayne Catalano-“this horse has the potential to be a great stallion, as he had two key ingredients, speed and heart, and he is beautiful!!”

Another reason “WHY” for Aloha West is his pedigree blend of DANZIG, GONE WEST and A.P. INDY and going back to FAPPIANO on the dam side. As an individual, Aloha West resembles more the broodmare side of his pedigree led by Speightstown on the physical side and racing/performance side. We believe in the richness of this pedigree when presented with the existing broodmare population.

As we did with OSCAR PERFORMANCE and CASA CREED, another reason “WHY”, we syndicated Aloha West, offering 20 shares on a 40-share basis and have a foundation group of shareholders in the syndicate including: Glen Hill, Sandra Sexton, JAMM Ltd., Scarteen Stud, Maccabee Farm, Beau Lane, Scott Pierce, Amaroo Farm, Machmer Hall and on. This matters for these are top breeders who believe and support the horse through the commercial ebbs and flows.

Consider this, INTO MISCHIEF, TAPIT, CONSTITUTION, NOT THIS TIME, MUNNINGS, TWIRLING CANDY, WAR FRONT and even OSCAR PERFORMANCE are current leading stallions today whose stud fees at one time ranged between $10-15k! And one generation removed, DANZIG, MR.PROSPECTOR, NORTHERN DANCER and STORM CAT the same $10-15k stud fee at one time.

The reality is you never know from where a potential stallion might come, and for us Aloha West has enough going for him that our shareholders, Price and I and our Mill Ridge family believe and support him and another reason “WHY”!!

Headley and Price