Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
As a Group 1-winning son of one of the world’s all-time great stallions in Deep Impact (Jpn), Profondo was always going to attract plenty of interest from stallion suitors across Australasia.
The combination of his illustrious pedigree and undeniable talent on the racetrack made him an irresistible prospect according to Schick, whose Windsor Park Stud won the race to secure the G1 Spring Champion S. hero after forming a partnership which includes nearby Mapperley Stud.
“We bought a horse together last year called Armory, he stands at Mapperley and this fella will stand at Windsor Park,” Schick revealed.
Profondo, winner of the G1 Spring Champion S. | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We’ve been following him and obviously early on he was going to be out of our reach, but after his run the other day Simms (Davison of Mapperley Stud) rang me and said, ‘Look, I think we should make a move’.
“We contacted Andy Williams and he put us in touch with John Messara, who was brokering the deal, and the rest is history.
“I flew up and saw him last Saturday at Richard Litt’s and we had the deal done pretty much straight away. We were pretty quick to get him paid for and in the country within a week, so it’s pretty exciting.”
Rodney Schick | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
‘A rockstar type’
In addition to his regal pedigree and Group 1-winning exploits on the track, Profondo has another feather in his cap according to Schick, who was taken aback by the stallion when he saw him in the flesh for the first time last week.
“John Messara said to me when I was doing the deal that there was no point in going up on the plane because I wouldn’t be disappointed, and he was certainly right. He blew me away when I saw him come out of the box,” he said.
“He’s a rockstar type. He made $1.9 million as a yearling and he’s a tremendously handsome horse.
“He’s (Profondo) a rockstar type. He made $1.9 million as a yearling and he’s a tremendously handsome horse.” - Rodney Schick
“His mother was a $720,000 yearling and a Group 3-winning 2-year-old by Redoute’s Choice - you can’t get much sexier than that.
“Obviously, Redoute’s Choice left very good types himself and his dam (Honesty Prevails) is a very good-looking mare. She’s had three foals through the sales ring and I think they’ve averaged well over a million dollars, so it’s a pretty good line of good-looking animals.”
Profondo had the ability to match his good looks, bursting onto the scene as an early 3-year-old to score on debut at Randwick’s Kensington track in the manner of a promising colt.
Profondo as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pitched into Group company on just his second career start, Profondo looked to have the G3 Gloaming S. at his mercy, only for inexperience to cost him late in the day as he suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of talented rival Head Of State (American Pharoah {USA}).
The son of Deep Impact bounced back in no uncertain terms on his next outing, storming to a 2.18l victory in the G1 Spring Champion S. on his first crack at the elite level and third career start overall. Last start Group 1 winner Never Been Kissed (NZ) (Tivaci) and subsequent G1 Victoria Derby runner-up Alegron (Teofilo {Ire}) filled the placings that day, with neither of them able to land a glove on Profondo as he stamped his authority on the 3-year-old staying division.
Profondo returned as a 4-year-old to finish third behind champion racehorse Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) and Group 1 winner Fangirl (Sebring) in the G1 Winx S. at Royal Randwick, before the remainder of his career was blighted by wet tracks.
A number of successful stallions, not least New Zealand’s multiple Champion Sire Savabeel, have used the G1 Spring Champion S. as a springboard for their second careers at stud, and Schick is confident that Profondo possesses the right racetrack credentials to be the latest success in the breeding barn.
“I think it was the highest rated Spring Champion in about six runnings of the race, he rated very highly in it,” Schick recalled.
“It’s becoming a good stallion's race as well. Savabeel won it, Dundeel won it, Proisir, who is doing a tremendous job at stud in New Zealand, ran second in it. We stand Vanbrugh who also won it and is doing a really good job at stud, he has left his first Group 1 winner already.
“You have to be a pretty mature 3-year-old to win that race and he certainly won it well. His run in the Winx Stakes was a very good run against two exceptional horses and had he gone on and won all those races we probably wouldn’t be able to stand him.
“He’s a top-priced yearling and a Group 1 winner which came with a high rating on a good track. We’re bloody happy to have him.”
“He’s (Profondo) a top-priced yearling and a Group 1 winner which came with a high rating on a good track. We’re bloody happy to have him.” - Rodney Schick
Born to be a star
Profondo was making headlines before he ever stepped foot on a racetrack, having topped the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when selling to his racing owner Ottavio Galletta for $1.9 million from the draft of Arrowfield Stud.
He has the pedigree befitting of a stallion, descending from the same family as US Champion Sire A.P. Indy (USA) and his Group 1-winning half-brother Summer Squall (USA), who also carved a successful career of his own at stud.
This is also the family of former Coolmore shuttler Duke Of Marmalade (Ire) and his Group 1-producing half-brother Ruler Of The World (Ire), as well as successful American stallion Lemon Drop Kid (USA).
Such a deep international pedigree is bound to appeal to a vast array of breeders, and with Satono Aladdin (Jpn) already flying the flag for sons of Deep Impact at stud in New Zealand, Schick is optimistic that the Australasian market will provide Profondo with the level of support that his stallion credentials deserve.
Deep Impact (Jpn)
“What a tremendous stallion Deep Impact has been and kudos to John Messara for having the vision to send his mares over there to breed to him,” Shick said.
“That sireline is really starting to fire up with Satono Aladdin doing a great job in New Zealand, he left a Group 1 winner on the weekend.
“You always like to see the sireline working. We’ve never been scared of standing a stallion going against the grain, but it makes the job a lot easier when you’re standing fashionable sirelines.
“He’s such a beautiful type of animal and a bit of an outcross for a lot of mares, so I’d say he’d suit most mares. He was a no-brainer really.”
“He’s (Profondo) such a beautiful type of animal and a bit of an outcross for a lot of mares, so I’d say he’d suit most mares. He was a no-brainer really.” - Rodney Schick
A fee for Profondo will be set in due course.
