IT is hard to believe that Scat Daddy (Johannesburg) was only 11 when he died, and his departure came before the start of that season. The Ashford Stud-resident shuttled to South America and left behind 31 top-level winners among 133 blacktype scorers.
Scat Daddy was a classic sire in Chile before Justify swept the US Triple Crown in 2018, he has struck in Australia and Japan, and in addition to major winners in his native USA, he also supplied a string of outstanding performers in Europe.
Many here associate him with speed, and it is stars like Caravaggio (yearlings in 2021), Lady Aurelia, No Nay Never (Group 1 sire), Sioux Nation (yearlings) and Acapulco that have led to that impression.
However, Scat Daddy was a Grade 1 winner over eight and nine furlongs, most of his best have excelled in the seven to 10-furlong range, and Justify was not his first to hit the top over a mile and a half.
This ability to get Group 1 stars from five to 12 furlongs has given him a valuable edge, because even the quickest among his sons has the potential to sire milers or 10-furlong horses too, and that makes them potential classic sires.
Coolmore’s No Nay Never has demonstrated this, his top-level winners featuring the Grade 1 Premio Las Oaks heroine Brooke in Chile. Group 2 scorer Chestnut Honey also stayed beyond a mile; while Alcohol Free and Ten Sovereigns are Group 1 winners over six furlongs.
No Nay Never’s fee is €125,000 – out of reach to most – his Coolmore team-mate Ten Sovereigns stands for €20,000, but breeders can use Arizona for just €7,000.
A full-brother to the Grade 1-placed, Grade 2 winner Nay Lady Nay, Arizona was precocious, an eight-length winner over six furlongs at the Curragh in May of his two-year-old season. He beat Threat in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, finished fourth to Earthlight in the Group 1 Prix Morny, chased home Pinatubo in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes over seven, was third to that champion in the Group 1 National Stakes and was a close fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
This €260,000 Arqana Deauville August Sale graduate is out of a half-sister to an Italian juvenile Group 3 scorer, his grandam won the Group 1 Oaks d’Italia and was second in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, her relations include juvenile champion and blacktype sire Dabirsim (Hat Trick), and it’s a branch of the family of Sea Of Class (Sea The Stars).
Arizona’s fourth dam, Madina (Beau Prince II), won the Prix Morny, and her classic-placed daughter Nonoalca (Nonoalco) produced the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes scorer Great Navigator (Gulch).
Arizona is a fascinating addition to Coolmore’s roster because, depending on the mares he gets, he could sire juvenile stars, sprinters, milers, 10-furlong horses and even classic ones.
ARIZONA (IRE), Bay or Brown 2017. 2nd top rated 2yr old colt in Ireland in 2019. 4th top rated 2yr old colt in Europe in 2019. Won two races, £288,064, over 6 furlongs, at 2 years including, Coventry Stakes, Ascot, Gr.2, also placed second in Darley Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.1, and third in Goffs V. O’Brien National Stakes, Curragh, Gr.1.
Retires to Stud in 2021.
Stands at: Castlehyde Stud, Fermoy, Co Cork, P61 TR29, Ireland.
Contact: Tom Gaffney, Joe Hernon, David Magnier, Paddy Fleming, Cathal Murphy, or David Walsh
Telephone: +353 (0)25 31966
Email: info@castlehyde.com
Web: www.coolmore.com
Fee: €7,000