Written May 2008
Commands is from the family of OCTAGONAL and KAAPSTAD, who, not being by the same sireline as Commands (Danehill), should work well with him. They are from the SIR TRISTRAM sire line, whose son SOVEREIGN RED has already provided Commands with Group 3 winner Imprisoned and stakes placegetter Patriotism. SW Monet Rules is by a Sir Ivor stallion, GIELGUD.
Commands is working extremely well with the STAR KINGDOM line. This includes Group One winners Paratroopers (SANCTION) and Undue (BLETCHINGLY) as well as stakes winners El Cambio (CANNY LAD), War of the Worlds (STAR WATCH), Posadas (CHRISTMAS TREE) and Calchris (MARSCAY). Stakes place getters out of CANNY LAD and JETBALL mares complete the list to-date.
Commands has also produced Group One winner Marching out of a GRAND LODGE mare. Fellow Danzig line damsire MAGIC RING produced Group 2 placed Voice Commander by Commands. Another Northern Dancer line damsire is present in Group 3 winner Friday Creek, who is out of an AL HAREB mare.
Commands is likely to do well with the SHARPEN UP line, following the example of Rock of Gibraltar, who sired the Gr.1 winner Mount Nelson from a SELKIRK mare and the Gr.3 winner Utrecht from a KRIS mare. Desert King also did well with this line, siring the Gr.1 winner Chelsea Rose from a TREMPOLINO mare. Danehill Dancer is also bred on this cross. This suggests that mares by SWITCH IN TIME, FAMOUS STAR, DIESIS, CREESE, KRIS and KEEN will suit Commands.
The BLUSHING GROOM branch of the NASRULLAH line can hardly fail with Commands – in fact he already has two stakes place getters out of QUEST FOR FAME mares. Flying Spur sired Group winners from daughters of RAHY and NASSIPOUR and this ties in with the Danehill line’s successes with BLUSHING GROOM and RAINBOW QUEST. Daughters of NOVERRE, FANTASTIC LIGHT and SPECTRUM are other sources.
The GREY SOVEREIGN branch is another which merits respect, including mares by such as KENMARE, KENDOR, JON GEORGE, HIGHEST HONOR and NISHAPOUR. Commands’ stakes winner Picket Fence is out of a Jon George mare and Gr. 2 placegetter Under Command from a Kenmare daughter.
Danehill sired a Gr.1 winner from a ROBERTO mare, plus very smart performers from mares by three sons of ROBERTO, including one from a LEAR FAN mare. Mares by RED RANSOM, SRI PEKAN, AT TALAQ and BROCCO are from this sire line.
The MR. PROSPECTOR line warrants serious consideration. His son GEIGER COUNTER has produced Listed winner Cosmic Commander and SP Letter of Intent with Commands. ZOFFANY, from the same sire line as Mr. Prospector, produced Group 2 winner, Court Command. Danehill has sired Gr.1 winners from mares by Mr. Prospector’s sons MISWAKI, MACHIAVELLIAN and CONQUISTADOR CIELO. Sources in Australia include HUSSONET, UMATILLA, EL MOXIE, STREET CRY, BELLOTTO, WOODMAN, THUNDER GULCH, STRAIGHT STRIKE, RHYTHM and GEIGER COUNTER.
THATCHING mares have done very well with the Danehill line. Mares by ARCHWAY, PUISSANCE, RUSTIC AMBER, SEQUALO, TIROL and SHALFORD are other attractive options.
