Dual Graded winner Tin Pan Alley is one of a number of prominent runners representing The United States this season (JC Photos)
Dr Bennie van der Merwe of Moutonshoek Stud has been mystified by the illogical lack of support the farm’s resident stallion The United States has been receiving when compared to his ever improving pedigree, which now must surely be the best in the country, and his burgeoning number of top runners.
He reckoned The United States would end up covering 50 mares this season.
The quantity an quality will surely increase next season as it has been hard not to notice The United States’ prominence this season through the like of Tin Pan Alley, Kingdundee, Keukenhof, Rodeo Drive, The US Of A and others.
Meanwhile, his family is one of the hottest in Europe.
The United States is by the iconic Galileo and he is a full brother to both Hydrangea (Gr 1 Matron Stakes and Gr 1 Champions Stakes winner) and Hermosa (Gr 1 1000 Guineas and Gr 1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner) and a half-brother to Gr 3 winner Fire Lily.
However, this season in Europe the family has also been represented by:
Whirl, who is by Wootton Bassett out of full-sister to The United States, Salsa. Whirl’s wins include the Gr 1 Pretty Polly Stakes and the Gr 1 Nassau Stakes;
Hawk Mountain, who is by Wootton Bassett out of full-sister to The United States, Hydrangea. Hawk Mountain’s wins include the Gr 1 Futurity Trophy (for two-year-olds over 1600m at Doncaster) and a Gr 2;
Officer, who is by Dubawi out of Hydrangea. Officer is a dual Listed winner (Officer’s full sister Wing Span is also a Listed winner).
Henri Matisse, who is also by Wootton Bassett and is out of a Pivotal mare who is from the same female line as The United States. Henri Matisse’s wins include the Gr 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf;
Bennie explained that The United States had not had much luck in his stallion career.
The United States ran until he was six years old and to cut a long story short he showed no interest in females when first brought to Moutonshoek.
However, he was slowly taught the ropes and after his first practice cover it suddenly dawned upon him what he had been missing out on and, as Bennie put it, he then wanted to cover every mare on the property that same day.
Shortly after he had started his official covering program he tried to jump out of his paddock one day, obviously to get to the mares, and broke a P2 bone in his foot, pushing it down on to P1 and fracturing it.
Bennie said the only reason he survived was his incredible temperament as he was in a Robert Jones bandage for four-and-a-half months and did not “sour” at all.
However, he had been booked to some very good mares that season and they never came back the following season, so it was a case of what might have been.
The ten foals he did produce in that first crop included the smart Gr 2 SA Nursery winner Sheela.
In his next season his three stakes winner included Billy Bowlegs, who could well have won the Gr 1 SA Derby had it panned out better as he was just left with way too much ground to make up in the straight, and Without Question, who was second favourite for the Hollywoodbets Durban July, but ran inexplicably below par, although he did later finish third in the WSB Met.
Nevertheless, the season he had with his second crop saw him winning some good support from breeders.
Bennie said, “That crop will be sold at next year’s Yearling Sales.”
Bennie said, “The million dollar question with any stallion is can he pass on the superlative genes he has? Only 5% are able to and it is clear The United States can, so it is just a matter of support and getting quality mares.”
The United States apparently comes out high on the statistic of probability of producing a good horse.
He has produced seven stakes winners to date and the signs are there that he will improve that stat this season and could get his first Gr 1 winner.
It would be surprising if he did not win increased support in the next breeding season.
The United States was recommended to Moutonshoek by Australian bloodstock agent Paul Guy, but it was Jehan Malherbe who did the negotiating with former owner Lloyd Williams as there were some complexities with the horse being a former Coolmore-owned horse as the latter usually keep a stake of some sort in any potential stallion they sell.
