Stallion Spotlight offers stud farm representatives a chance to address breeders and answer questions as they plan their future matings.
In this edition, Sean Feld of Climax Stallions discusses Mr. Monomoy, a Grade 2-winning half-brother to champion Monomoy Girl who stands at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, N.Y., and will see his first foals arrive in 2022.
Mr. Monomoy
B. h., 2017, Palace Malice x Drumette, by Henny Hughes
Race Record: 5-2-1-1; $327,162
Advertised Fee: $5,000
Question: What makes Mr. Monomoy an attractive stallion for potential breeders?
Sean Feld, Climax Stallions: Mr. Monomoy had speed and was precocious, but was also able to use that speed over a route of ground. He also was a dirt horse and during the winter meet at Aqueduct, they only run on the dirt. He is also big, correct, and beautiful.
If I’ve got a mare that needs help from a stallion physically, what can Mr. Monomoy best contribute to that equation?
Feld: Since we don’t have babies on the ground yet it is hard to say but if you are looking to add some size, I would definitely take a good hard look at Mr. Monomoy.
What do you see in Mr. Monomoy that breeders might recognize from the Palace Malice/Curlin sire line?
Feld: His size seems to definitely be a Curlin trait, we have Curlin To Mischief (a son of Curlin standing in California), and they are very similar with their looks.
Mr. Monomoy is out of an excellent producer in the Henny Hughes mare Drumette. What does Mr. Monomoy get from his female family, and what common traits does he share with half-sister Monomoy Girl, if any?
Feld: Mr. Monomoy and Monomoy Girl definitely get their speed from the Henny Hughes line. It was a shame he did not get a good chance in America because he threw good looking and fast horses, and it definitely came through for Mr. Monomoy as well as Monomoy Girl.
What do you think made Mr. Monomoy a good fit for the New York program?
Feld: Mr. Monomoy is a good fit for New York because he won early, had speed and won on dirt. Those are all key elements for success at Saratoga, Belmont and especially at Aqueduct in the winter.
Mr. Monomoy won at 6 1/2 furlongs and 1 1/8 miles. Do you have any predictions as to where the sweet spot might lie for his foals in terms of distance and surface preferences?
Feld: It will depend on the type of mare. We bred a half-sister to Disco Partner to him and she is by Posse. You combine that with Mr. Monomoy, who has the Henny Hughes blood, and we hope that the baby will win the Seeking the Ante or Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga.
Mr. Monomoy was a winner at two and won a Kentucky Derby trail race early in his 3-year-old season. In your experience, how does success in that crucial part of a stallion prospect’s racing career translate into a stud career?
Feld: It is hard to say because if you look at the leading sires now, they all come from different backgrounds and different types. However, most are horses that won going one turn as well as two and were dirt horses, so we have some of that going for us.
What’s something about Mr. Monomoy that you think goes overlooked?
Feld: With COVID-19, we weren’t able to have an open house to showcase how good he looks. We did do a video of him and sent it out to people, but sometimes that isn’t enough to really showcase how a horse looks. I think not being able to show him off to breeders really hurt our chances at more mares.
What makes Mr. Monomoy a value in his price bracket?
Feld: His pedigree is as good as they come. Palace Malice isn’t popular at the moment, but people easily forget how hot he was in his first crop but when you look at his bottom side of the pedigree, there are few, if any, better than his pedigree.
What else should someone considering Mr. Monomoy know before making the call?
Feld: He is very fertile and only had a few come back for a second trip. He only had one mare not get pregnant which is quite remarkable.