Updated May 14
A son of top class U.S. sire A.P. Indy, Congrats is a grandson of Seattle Slew. A member of the FRIZETTE family, Seattle Slew is related to Mr. Prospector, who appears in Congrats as his damsire. This is also the family of FORESTRY, SING SING, DJEDDAH, ROY (damsire of HUSSON and HOST), DARSHAAN, ROAN ROCKET (damsire of RORY’S JESTER), GREGORIAN, FERDINAND, and LOMOND (sire of CITIDANCER). Congrats’ three-time Grade One winning daughter TURBULENT DESCENT is strongly line bred to this family, carrying Forestry plus further lines to Mr. Prospector and Seattle Slew through her dam. His multiple Listed and Grade 1 placed son I’M STEPPIN’ IT UP is from a mare by Mr. Prospector’s grandson, THUNDER GULCH.
Sex balancing Mr. Prospector by introducing mares carrying sons is proving successful. Of 96 runners by Congrats bred on this pattern to-date, 75 are winners (78.1%) including 5 stakes winners and 8 stakes place getters.
A tail female line member of the LA TROIENNE family, Congrats also carries fellow family members Poker, Jet Action and Buckpasser through his sire. This creates a very strong representation of this prepotent line. Congrats’ Grade One winner EMMA’S ENCORE carries another line to BUCKPASSER as does TURBULENT DESCENT who, by also duplicating Seattle Slew via her dam, offers duplications of La Troienne family members POKER and JET ACTION. Apart from reinforcing these individuals, others which boost this line include MORE THAN READY, WOODMAN, PRIVATE ACCOUNT, BUPERS, FRANCIS S., HOOK MONEY, CORNISH PRINCE, MR. BUSHER, PARDAL, THE AXE II, ARDAN, BIMELECH, NOBLE BIJOU, BELONG TO ME and RHYTHM.
Congrats’ second dam Wild Applause has much in common with DANEHILL and should work very well with his daughters and granddaughters. Both carry Northern Dancer on their immediate sire lines; they are out of mares by full brothers Graustark and His Majesty respectively; and they both carry LA TROIENNE and War Admiral in their fourth quadrants. This genetic commonality is a powerful tool for upgrade.
Wild Applause is a daughter of Northern Dancer. It is very easy to sex balance this key ancestor by using broodmares carrying sons of NORTHERN DANCER. Similarly, Congrats’ dam Praise is a daughter of MR PROSPECTOR, opening the way for sex balanced duplication with mares from this sire line.
Congrats’ damsire Mr. Prospector also works very well with DANEHILL and his sire DANZIG. Apart from the many mares carrying DANEHILL, broodmares by fellow sons of Danzig such as AD VALOREM, ANABAA, ASTRONOMER ROYAL, BELONG TO ME, BIANCONI, CHIEF’S CROWN, DESERT SUN, GOLDEN SNAKE, HARD SPUN and PERUGINO (and son TESTA ROSSA) are also desirable for Congrats.
A.P. Indy is a descendant of MISSY BABA. To create strong line breeding to this ancestress, use mares carrying BITE THE BULLET, SPECTACULAR SPY, HONOR GRADES, STATUE OF LIBERTY, LEMON DROP KID, DUKE OF MARMALADE, SAUCE BOAT, GAY MECENE, RAJA BABA (damsire of HUSSONET), PLUGGED NICKEL, FOXHOUND, SUMMER SQUALL or EAVESDROPPER.
Two of Congrats’ three Grade One winners, plus a further two stakes winners and three stakes place getters, carry STORM CAT through their dams. Of 36 runners to-date bred on this cross, 30 are winners. Storm Cat can be accessed via broodmare sires such as TALE OF THE CAT, FORESTRY, BLACK MINNALOUSHE, HENNESSY, JOHANNESBURG, STATUE OF LIBERTY, PURREALIST, GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, SHAMARDAL, HIGH YIELD, VAN NISTELROOY and HENNY HUGHES, amongst others.
A.P. Indy’s damsire Secretariat and third damsire Sir Gaylord are half brothers. Contributing a son of Sir Gaylord would be a good way to reinforce this important line. SIR IVOR is a suitable representative. Sources include COCKY GOLFER, TIERCE, GIELGUD, MYOCARD and of course, SIR TRISTRAM via descendants such as KAAPSTAD, LONHRO, MARAUDING, MILITARY PLUME, OCTAGONAL and ZABEEL.
