STALLION
OF THE WEEK
Travers glory for sire Grindstone
by James Scully
Birdstone, who is from the fourth crop of 1996 Kentucky Derby
(G1) winner GRINDSTONE (Unbridled), proved his Belmont S. (G1)
win was no fluke with a stirring 2 1/2-length score in Saturday’s
Travers S. (G1) and now has the opportunity to stake a legitimate
claim for Horse of the Year with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic (G1).
Grindstone’s success didn’t stop with the Travers winner as
Organ Grinder ran to his 4-5 odds when capturing the Canadian
Derby (Can-G3) on Saturday.
Winner of the Louisiana Derby (G2) and second in the Arkansas
Derby (G2), Grindstone’s racing career was cut short following
his classic victory at Churchill Downs. The millionaire was
retired to Overbrook Farm, but there wasn’t much demand at first
for the dark bay.
The 11-year-old stallion is now gaining popularity.
Grindstone covered his largest book to date, 91 mares, in 2004,
and his stud fee was raised during last season from $5,000 to $7,500.
Look for another increase next year.
“We’ve had a lot of interest from other countries to
relocate, but we’ve resisted those efforts because we’re excited
about keeping Grindstone at Overbrook,” Stallion Manager Ric
Waldman said.
Out of 1983 Spinaway S. (G1) queen Buzz My Bell (Drone),
Grindstone’s female family includes 1971 Belmont winner Pass
Catcher. Along with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) hero and fellow
sire Unbridled’s Song, the Kentucky-bred hails from his late
sire’s first crop. Unbridled, who captured the Kentucky Derby and
Breeders’ Cup Classic en route to the champion three-year-old
title in 1990, died too soon but is turning out to be an
excellent sire of sires.
The ingredients were there for Grindstone to be a success at
stud, and he’s had some good runners from his first few crops
with Grade 3 winners Ommadon and Smooth
Maneuvers, as well as stakes winners Ekolu Place, Emery Board and Heirloom Diamond.
However, Birdstone has taken his sire to a new level.
Owned by Marylou Whitney and trained by Nick Zito, Birdstone
won his career debut at Saratoga last year by 12 1/2 lengths and
then hit the gate and lost all chance when fourth in the Hopeful
S. (G1). He rebounded to win the Champagne S. (G1) convincingly.
Birdstone, who has won five of eight overall starts, easily
captured his 2004 bow at Gulfstream and then caught a sealed
track that he didn’t handle in the Lane’s End S. (G2) at Turfway
Park. Following a brief illness, he lost a shoe early in the
Kentucky Derby and settled for eighth over the sloppy going. He
hasn’t lost since then, running past Smarty Jones to capture the
1 1/2-mile Belmont before taking the 10-furlong Midsummer Derby
at the Spa.
That leaves him one-for-two against Smarty Jones, with his
lone setback coming over a monsoon-drenched Churchill Downs track
that his rival relished. Birdstone now needs to win the Breeders’
Cup Classic to make a convincing case for Horse of the Year and
championship three-year-old honors. Given his affinity for longer
distances and Zito’s ability to train the smallish colt up to an optimal
performance, there’s plenty of reason to like Birdstone’s chances at
Lone Star Park.
Grindstone’s profile is also rising. Currently 36th on the
leading sire by earnings list, he figures to get his best book of
mares ever in 2005 and may reward those looking for a hot
stallion.