He may no longer be with us, but Scat Daddy’s impressive shadow still looms large, globally, over the world of Racing. His last crop has been the subject of a lot of interest, which shouldn’t really surprise anyone given the impact the former Coolmore sire has had on racing.
From our own point view his progeny have given us plenty to smile about. So far, we’ve had three of his sons and daughters run for us and all three have tasted success. In the case of two of them (Magic J & Kadar), they have found that victory on their first starts and will now be pointed towards Group One targets, looking to follow in the hoof-prints of their dad’s illustrious children.
The clues were there that the Son of Johannesburg would produce horses that would perform well early in their careers, and then continue that success, given his own race record. It was June 2006 when the Todd Pletcher trained colt took to the Belmont track to win first time up in a performance that has, over the years and among all the success, almost become lost in time. But it was the run that stated the arrival of a serious animal and acted as a spring board for an immediate introduction into graded races.
That step up in class came in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga and although his first quest for Grade One glory, in the run that followed, was narrowly thwarted he was soon a winner at the top-level taking victory in the Champagne Stakes back at the venue of his debut run. Scat Daddy’s juvenile season would end at Churchill Downs in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, finishing fourth behind future Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense. His three-year-old career delivered further success with a Grade two added to the CV before the Grade One Florida Derby also went his way.
Retirement followed a run in the Kentucky Derby that year and his record at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud speaks for itself. Triple Crown winner Justify is his most recent poster boy in a stud career that, although short, has been outstanding. Probably most taking is Scat Daddy’s Royal Ascot record. Going into this year’s meeting his strike rate was well over 50% for five of the most prestigious days of racing anywhere in the world and the roll of honour reads like a who’s who of champions. Lady, Aurelia, Carravaggio, No Nay Never and Acapulco are a few names that trip off the tongue when it comes to the sire’s success at the Royal Meeting.
Since this great horse passed away of a heart-attack in December of 2015 the question is now of the legacy he leaves behind. His Stallion record is inscrutable in pretty much in every area with over a century of black-type (and counting) while we can add a whole host of winners sired while on shuttle duties to South America. 180 two-year-olds from his last crop are either racing or being prepared to start their careers and, given our own experiences, there are sure to be more winners waiting to be added to his record.
We’re only just getting going with our own Scat Daddy’s but we are full of hope that one of them at least can be the next champion sired by this remarkable stallion.