The first crop of three-time Grade 3-winning stallion Officiating (USA) have landed this spring, and amongst them is the latest foal from Ahbelle (Old Deuteronomy {USA}), a half-sister to Santos and Japanese Group 3 winner Melagrana (Fastnet Rock). It’s a strong family up close for the September-born colt, who Aquis Director of Sales Jonathan Davies said is typical of the stock the son of Blame (USA) has been producing.
Joining the Aquis Farm roster in 2024, Officiating stands for his second season this year at a fee of $12,500 inc GST, and covered 111 mares at his stud debut.
Officiating (USA) x Ahbelle colt | Born at Aquis Farm
He’s got it all
“He’s a lovely, lovely colt,” Davies said. “He’s a great type - he’s got size, strength and scope, and good muscle definition and bone. It’s a cliche to say it, but honestly Officiating’s first foals have been outstanding and that is evidenced by the support he’s been getting in his second season at stud.
“It’s a cliche to say it, but honestly Officiating’s first foals have been outstanding and that is evidenced by the support he’s been getting in his second season at stud.” - Jonathan Davies
“His (Officiating x Ahbelle '25) half-sister was a debut winner in New Zealand a couple of weeks ago and I believe she is heading to the Karaka Millions.”
As impressed as Aquis have been with the colt, it was an easy decision to send his dam back to Officiating for another round.
“She’s back in foal to him and she went straight back in foal on the first cover,” Davies added. “She’s 35 days back in foal to him now.”
Jonathan Davies | Image courtesy of Aquis Farm
Hand selected
Bred by Emirates Park, Ahbelle was one of a number of mares hand-picked for Officiating in his first season. A dual winner herself on the track, her siblings also include Profound Wisdom (Al Samer), the dam of G3 Chairman’s Stakes winner Sebonack (Capitalist) who was fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes, and Figlmuller (Snitzel), dam of last season’s Listed Woodlands Stakes runner-up Wollzeile (Tassort).
Her own dam is a Secret Savings (USA) daughter of Elated Lady (Vain), making her a half-sister to four stakes winners including Mutawaajid, and the Snaadee (USA)-sired trio of Adeewin, Fatoon, and Jivago.
Ahbelle’s three named foals to hit the track are all winners, with I Am Belle (I Am Invincible) the most impressive. A $200,000 weanling when sold to Woburn Farm, I Am Belle was then a NZ$260,000 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale graduate, sold to the bid of trainer Andrew Carston. She was a strong debut winner over 1000 metres on November 12.
I Am Belle as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“When Officiating retired and we acquired him, we went on the search for some mares that would suit him, both on type and pedigree,” said Davies. “She (Ahbelle) was a mare that we were able to acquire privately.
“He was a horse that we wanted to give our full support to and we bought a lot of mares that were probably a rung or two above what a horse of his service fee would usually see in their first season.”
“We bought a lot of mares that were probably a rung or two above what a horse of his (Officiating) service fee would usually see in their first season.” - Jonathan Davies
While it’s impossible to dodge Northern Dancer (Can) in an American-bred stallion, Officiating’s Danehill (USA) free pedigree offers a complete outcross to the Queensland mare population, which was a strong point in his favour when the Aquis team went about securing him.
A half-brother to USA Champion 2YO Filly Caledonia Road (USA) (Quality Road {USA}), Officiating’s page is one that keeps growing, with this year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Cy Fair (USA) (Not This Time {USA}) appearing under his second dam.
“He brings a point of difference, and Blame is a wonderful stallion,” said Davies. “His statistics are elite, there's no doubt about that, and around the same time as we acquired Officiating, there's only a small number of Blame mares in the country and he's already the damsire of Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland. So that was a good justification for us that the bloodlines were going to serve the local mare population.”
“He (Officiating) brings a point of difference, and Blame is a wonderful stallion.” - Jonathan Davies
Repeat customers
Like Ahbelle, there are plenty of mares returning to Officiating in his second season off the back of their foals by him this spring. Davies anticipates that the stallion’s second book might be even bigger than his first.
“We’ve been getting around the farms and seeing his offspring as they’re born,” he said. “We’re very happy with what we’re seeing, and it’s great to have breeders be extremely happy with their foals. Many are supporting him again this season, which is good. That’s the best measure of a stallion at this stage of his career.”
“Many are supporting him (Officiating) again this season, which is good. That’s the best measure of a stallion at this stage of his career.” - Jonathan Davies
Another member of the Aquis Farm broodmare band that went straight back to Officiating is Cannie Lassie (Canny Lad), who delivered a colt in August.
Officiating (USA) | Standing at Aquis Park
“We also bought another mare for him called Cannie Lassie, she just had another stakes winner in Perth yesterday (Saturday) called Simply,” said Davies. Winner of the Listed AJ Scahill Stakes, Simply (Domesday) is the third stakes winner for his dam - and the second this year after Too Soon (Charge Forward) claimed the Listed Lex Piper Stakes in March.
“She has a nice Officiating colt on her, and she’s back in foal to him now too. We purchased her for $600 on Inglis Digital, so we have had some good luck since we purchased her.
“Her page has certainly improved, and her colt is outstanding.”
