FEATURE
STALLION
OCTOBER 22
El Prado is one of the best
by Jordan Strickler
Literally named for the grass, EL PRADO (Ire) was preordained
to become a celebrated turf sire. The 15-year-old gray comes from
a celebrated line of turf runners. Sired by French champion miler
and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) winner Sadler’s Wells,
he’s out of Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) heroine Lady
Capulet, whose sire, Sir Ivor, was Horse of the Year in England
and a two-time champion. El Prado has plenty of baking for his
name.
This impeccable pedigree showed as the colt went on to become
a champion two-year-old in Ireland after capturing the National S.
(Ire-G1), Beresford S. (Ire-G2) and Railway S. (G3) as well as
finishing second by a neck in the Anglesey S. (Ire-G3).
It was as a sire that El Prado gained notoriety in the United
States. He is probably best known for Travers S. (G1) winner and
back-to-back Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) runner-up Medaglia d’Oro,
who earned $5,754,720 between 2001 and 2004, and will soon begin
his first year at stud.
This year, Kitten’s Joy crept onto the scene for El Prado,
winning six graded stakes, including the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
Invitational S. (G1) earlier this month as well as the
Secretariat S. (G1).
“It was like he never ran,” trainer Dale Romans
commented on the fitness of Kitten’s Joy after the Hirsch. “He
couldn’t blow out a match and he only drank about a quarter of
his water.”
The sophomore has earned more than $1.2 million this year
alone, and the chestnut colt has thrown in his hat for
championship honors in his division, a title never before earned
by a three-year-old turf runner. He is now headed for the
Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
Another three-year-old son of El Prado, Artie Schiller, has
been impressive on the grass this season, taking the Jamaica H. (G2)
in a rousing 5 1/4-length victory in late September.
“When you see a horse finish like that, it’s really
something,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens stated after Artie
Schiller’s dominant performance. “If you want to have a top
horse for next year, I think it’s important when they’re young
like he is to keep it fun for as long as you can and maybe next
year he might be even better.”
In addition to the Jamaica, Artie Schiller has captured three
other stakes this year, including the National Museum Racing Hall
of Fame H. (G2) and Hill Prince S. (G3). The bay colt will make
his next start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
El Prado’s four-year-old daughter Shaconage earned two graded
scores this year, the Locust Grove H. (G3) and Argent Mortgage S.
(G3). She finished third in the Galaxy S. (G2) in her last outing
and is headed to Lone Star Park for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and
Mare Turf (G1).
Another recent stakes winner for El Prado is Senor Swinger,
who won the Belmont Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) by four lengths in his
last outing. The four-year-old also owns three Grade 3 victories.
“He ran a good race,” jockey Corey Nakatani said
following Senor Swinger’s last win. “When you’re up against
a horse like Senor Swinger, it’s tough.”
Statements like this have probably been said from a number of
jockeys and trainers who fell in the wake of El Prado progeny.
He’s shown an amazing ability to produce talented runners.
In 11 crops, nine of racing age, his foals have earned in
excess of $41 million. This includes 50 black-type winners. He is
one of America’s leading sires by stakes wins, graded wins and
overall winners, and he’s placed near the top of the stallion
charts for the past three years.
El Prado’s average yearling price was $167,300 in 2004, and
the stallion’s popularity led Adena Springs, located near
Versailles, Kentucky, to increase his stud fee to $100,000 for
next season.
One thing can certainly be said about El Prado — el es un
semental muy bueno (he is a very good stallion).