Written by Alan Carasso of TDN America
Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Influential shuttle stallion More Than Ready (USA), whose 216 worldwide stakes winners is the fourth-highest total of all time, was euthanised on Friday at WinStar Farm due to the cumulative effects of old age. He was 25 years old.
The son of Southern Halo (USA) shuttled to Vinery Stud in Australia for an extraordinary 19 seasons, beginning his lifetime foray Down Under in 2001 and he covered his final book of mares in the Hunter Valley in 2019.
In Australia, More Than Ready sired 75 stakes winners headed by 11 Group 1 winners including multiple Group 1-winning Champion More Joyous (NZ).
Eight-time Group 1 winner More Joyous (NZ) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
With Australasia's emphasis on speed and precocity, his foals hit the ground running, with six black-type winners among his 17 first-crop winners overall, including G1 Champagne S. heroine Carry On Cutie.
His early Australian crops also featured Benicio, winner of the 2006 G1 Victoria Derby; Sebring and Phelan Ready, victorious in the G1 Golden Slipper S. in 2008 and 2009, respectively; G1 Blue Diamond S. hero Samaready; and G1 Western Australian Derby scorer Dreamaway.
More Than Ready has also proven especially potent with Danehill (USA)-line mares, resulting in the likes of Group 1 winners More Joyous, Prized Icon and More Than Sacred in addition to Benicio, Sebring, Perfectly Ready and Dreamaway.
Vinery's general manager, Peter Orton, with More Than Ready (USA) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
More Than Ready's other Southern Hemisphere Group 1 winners include Gimmethegreenlight and Entisaar in South Africa; and More Than Sacred in New Zealand.
His progeny were brilliant enough in the early parts of their careers to score in races like the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Blue Diamond S., but were equally effective at trips of 2000 metres and beyond in Australian fixtures such as the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., and he accounted for Derby winners in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
In total, More Than Ready has sired Group 1/Grade I winners in seven countries.
More Than Ready (USA) parading at Vinery Stud in 2010 | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
His influence as a broodmare sire in Australia is undeniable, with his daughters producing 53 stakes winners, headed by nine Group 1 winners including exciting Darley stallion Bivouac and three-time Group 1-winning mare Forbidden Love (Shamus Award).
Bred in Kentucky by Woodlynn Farm Inc., More Than Ready was purchased by Edward Rosen, agent for owner Jim Scatuorchio, for US$187,000 (AU$271,300) at the 1998 Keeneland September sale and won his first five starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, including the G3 Tremont S. and G2 Sanford S. before tasting defeat for the first time when stretched to a mile in the GI Champagne S.
A dead-heat winner of the G2 Hutcheson S. in his 3-year-old debut, More Than Ready was second in the G2 Louisiana Derby and was beaten a head when runner-up in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. ahead of a meritorious fourth to Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) in the GI Kentucky Derby.
Focusing on one-turn races for the balance of the season, More Than Ready earned Grade 1 laurels in Saratoga's King's Bishop S. and was second in the GI Vosburgh S.
“More Than Ready was an amazing horse who touched everyone he came in contact with,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. “He may not have been the biggest horse in the barn, but he more than made up for it in class, balance and character. His expressions said it all. We will greatly miss him at the farm.”
“More Than Ready was an amazing horse who touched everyone he came in contact with. He may not have been the biggest horse in the barn, but he more than made up for it in class, balance and character.” - Elliott Walden
Larry McGinnis, longtime stallion manager at WinStar Farm, said of the legend's passing: “To me, he was more than a great stallion, he was a great friend. It was an honour to take care of such a remarkable horse. I will miss him.”
