Rahy has earned a reputation as one of the most reliable stallions in the business, getting classy offspring who mature early enough to perform well at 2, and mature into better things as they grow older, running short and long, on dirt, turf and synthetics. His average earnings per starter is a remarkable $110,756 with an AEI of 2.41, which is a tribute to the many top class runners he has sired, including 12 millionaires and 14 Grade/Group 1 winners from 81 stakes winners to date.
In 2008, Rahy is having another banner year, with the Grade 1-winning Dancing Forever, the top turf mare Dreaming of Anna (an Eclipse Award and Sovereign Award winner), as well as the classic-placed Group 1-winner Rio De La Plata, racing in France. This is a typical year for Rahy, who always has several outstanding runners in various divisions and countries.
Since his first offspring hit the track in 1993, Rahy has gone from strength to strength as an international sire, winning Group/graded stakes in the U.S., Canada, England, Ireland, France, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Brazil. He admittedly has a slight turf bias. His progeny's turf earnings account for about 60% of his total progeny earnings, but he has sired 4 Grade 1 winners on the dirt - Dreaming of Anna, Serena's Song, Early Pioneer, and Exotic Wood.
Rahy's pedigree is unique among sires today. He's the last good son of Blushing Groom at stud in North America, representing a sireline that has done well in recent years with Runaway Groom and his son Cherokee Run; also Mt. Livermore and his sons Housebuster and Orientate; and in particular, Candy Stripes and his sons Invasor and Leroidesanimaux. Blushing Groom's great Breeders' Cup champion Arazi sired the versatile Grade 1 winner and successful 2008 freshman sire Congaree.
Rahy's own sons Fantastic Light, Noverre and Howbaddouwantit have sired numerous International Group/Graded winners in the last few seasons.
Rahy's dam was the champion racemare Glorious Song, who also produced the Group 1 winner and sire Singspiel. Glorious Song was a full sister to champion Devil's Bag and to Leading Sire Saint Ballado, all 3 sired by Halo out of the mare Ballade by Herbager. This is no lightweight pedigree, and it's also a welcome outcross to the more dominating sirelines of Mr. Prospector, Northern Dancer and Seattle Slew. This may be one of the keys to Rahy's success as a sire - his great outcross opportunities.
Nick with Northern Dancer
Rahy has sired 81 stakes winners as of this writing (August 2008), 43 Group or Graded winners. A scan down the list of broodmare sires of his top earners show a remarkably consistent trend. No less than 36 of his stakes winners are out of mares from the Northern Dancer male line. These include 7 of his millionaires, and 8 of his 14 G1 winners. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we can a bonafide nick.
If we sort out the particular branches of the Northern Dancer line that are involved in this domination, we find the following. From Nijinsky II come 12 of these (2 through Green Dancer); from Danzig come 5; from Vice Regent come 4; from Lyphard come 3; 4 were out of direct daughters of Northern Dancer. Northern Dancer shows up in the second dam of 15 additional Rahy stakes winners, accounting for at least 51 of his 81 stakes winners.
It's interesting that this nick, while it represents an outcross at 4 generations, provides linebreeding to the exceptional broodmare Almahmoud. Almahmoud was the granddam of both Halo and Northern Dancer. This might be further evidence to the value of inbreeding to superior females like Almahmoud.
The Nijinsky II nick is one that has worked well with other sons of Blushing Groom. Rahy runners from this cross include Fantastic Light [G1], Designed For Luck [G1], Hawksley Hill [G2], Perfectperformance [G2], Howbaddouwantit [G3], Dearly [G3], Nacasolo, Dancin Rahy, Myrmidon, Hi Dubai, From Time To Time, and Simoom. Those with Nijinsky II in their second dam include Tates Creek [G1], Dancing Forever [G1], and Equal Opportunity.
The Danzig nick has accounted for Tranquility Lake [G1], T.D. Vance [G2], Right Revved, Racer Forever and Inner Temple. 2008 Grade 3 winner Verdana Bold has Danzig in her second dam.
Another bloodline with good representation in the dams of Rahy's stakes winners is Mr. Prospector, accounting for 15 stakes winners. He has had 4 stakes winners from Fappiano mares (Itasrahytune [G1], Deep Sleep [G3], Bop, Watch The Bird), 2 from Gone West mares (Wild Shout, Equal Opportunity), and another 7 from various other Mr. Prospector son strains including Lycius (Shining Energy [G1]), Machiavellian (Allow [G1]), Seeking the Gold (Dancing Forever [G1]), Diamond Prospect (Super Red [G2]), Kingmambo (Walzertraum [G3]), and Woodman (Military Major). Rahy has 5 stakes winners from other Raise a Native line sires, 3 through Alydar.
Another good nick for Rahy has been Seattle Slew-line mares, getting 7 stakes winners, including Legerete [G2] and Vow from Seattle Slew daughters; 3 from daughters of Slew o' Gold (Early Pioneer [G1], Raw Gold [G2], Miss Ra He Ra [G3]); and 1 each from daughters of A.P. Indy (Verdana Bold [G3]), and Seattle Song (Blushing Irish).
Rahy also has 4 stakes winners from Roberto-line mares, including Mariah's Storm [G2], Rahys' Appeal [G2], Apt To Be [G3] and Classic Campaign [G3]. Roberto's son Lear Fan is the sire of the second dam of the Graded stakes winning full siblings Dreaming of Anna [G1] and Lewis Michael [G2]. The Roberto cross represents doubling up to his sire Hail to Reason, who also sired Rahy's dam's sire Halo.
Sizing up
It's worth noting some phenotypes here. Rahy is without a doubt the smallest top class sire currently active in Kentucky at 15.1 hands. He's typical of his sire in this respect, who was also a small horse, but extremely well made and powerful for his size.
While Rahy's best nick, with Northern Dancer-line mares, would suggest that a ³small² to ³small² scenario is working, both Nijinsky II and Vice Regent were very large, both 16.3 hands at least. As was Fappiano and Slew o' Gold; and the Roberto line is not noted for getting small horses either.
So in a broad sense, Rahy's best nicks might reflect success with mares that add size into the mix. Fantastic Light, out of a mare by Nijinsky II, is 16.0 hands, while Noverre, out of a Northern Dancer daughter is 15.3 hands.
One might try big rangy mares by Roberto's sons Dynaformer and Kris S. here (Kris S. has already worked once). Fappiano's son Unbridled has real prospects, and his son Unbridled's Song. Introducing a new bloodline but possibly the right physical type could come with Pleasant Colony mares (many of the best of these are bred on the Pleasant Colony/Nijinsky II cross).
Leading Broodmare Sire
We can't leave Rahy without talking about his extraordinary influence as a broodmare sire. His daughters have produced the likes of Giant's Causeway, Megahertz, Sophisticat, After Market, Rutherienne, Osceola, Posse, Even the Score, and Jalil to name just a few.
His daughters have a remarkable nick with Storm Cat, a cross that has produced Giant's Causeway [G1], Sophisticat [G1], After Market [G1], Grand Reward [G2], You'resothrilling [G2], Jalil [G2] , Host [G3], Stormy Venus, True Cause, Eldon's Effort, and Stylish Wildcat to name just the unrestricted stakes winners.
Rahy's daughters have also done well with Seattle Slew-line sires including Pulpit and Boston Harbor; Unbridled and his son Unbridled's Song; as well as sons and grandsons of Danzig, Kris S. and Silver Deputy.
Breeding to Rahy can get you any sort of international level performer, male or female, and if you get a filly, you get a jewel beyond price.
By Anne Peters