Toronado to Emulate High Chaparral’s Legacy

The premature departure of High Chaparral was a great loss for the thoroughbred breeding industry, but thankfully he will be remembered through his many outstanding gallopers and sire sons.

His son, Toronado will undeniably come to the fore, highly regarded already as a first-class producer among an exceptional group, he could emulate his sire and continue the legacy for future generations.

High Chaparral was a son of the legendary Sadler’s Wells, a six-time Group 1 winner at 2, 3 & 4 claiming the 2002 Epsom-Irish Derby double and consecutive wins in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

A champion sire, his progeny are still achieving notable black type racetrack successes with 18 individual Group 1’s and over 100 stakes winners.

Group 1 gallopers from his southern hemisphere crops include So You Think, It’s A Dundeel, Monaco Consul, Tivaci, Shoot Out, Contributor, Montoya’s Secret and Descarado. Stars of his Irish stud career include Toronado, Wigmore Hall, Redwood, Wrote, and High Jinx.

With the oldest progeny by High Chaparral's Australasian sire sons now five, there are highly encouraging statistics, with two Group 1 winners and four additional stakes winners.

This is thanks to 10-time Group 1 winner So You Think, who won five Australian Group 1 races including the 2009 and 2010 Cox Plates in the care of Bart Cummings and another five at the highest level in Europe for Aidan O’Brien.

So You Think’s progeny include the Group 1 NZ 1,000 Guineas winner La Bella Diosa and Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner Inference. Standing at Coolmore Australia, he commands the pricey sum of $60,500, an indication of how popular and revered the High Chaparral lineage is by Australian breeders.

Toronado, the fastest son of High Chaparral is now patiently waiting for his opportunity to produce his own Group 1 winners and black-type success stories.

With the combination of his blue blood pedigree, his powerful physique and his high-class performances, his first crop weanlings were exceptionally well received selling for up to $140,000 at the Magic Millions and averaging over $70,000 through the ring at the recent top-quality Inglis Broodmare & Weanling sale.

Toronado’s progeny are high demand, as there is an exciting buzz about how good they are and how he has significantly stamped his first two crops. With experienced bloodstock agents recognising the quality, many youngsters are being cleverly bought out of the paddock before they even arrived at the sales.

Swettenham General Manager, Brian Gorman said both crops are a lovely example of what Toronado can produce. They show substance, quality and correctness.

Musk Creek Farm’s David Kobritz was thrilled with his Toronado purchase at the Inglis Great Southern Sale.

“He is by a very exciting Victorian stallion, and I can see the potential in him to be a very nice yearling in nine to 12 months time,” Kobritz said.

Good judge James Bester snapped up the smart colt from the James O’Brien’s Lauriston draft for $140,000.

“An impressive type. I have heard all the great reports about the Toronado’s, but this colt is a truly a standout.” O’Brien said.

But it is not just in Australia where his progeny are in the spotlight.

Toronado’s first crop yearlings have demanded the attention of astute judges in Ireland and the UK. They are strong, correct and precocious and he is serving exceptionally good books of mares in both hemispheres.

Recent sales results from the Goffs Premier sale in the UK are seeing Toronado yearlings sell up to £42,000, and currently yearlings are under the hammer at the Goffs Orby Sale in Ireland.

The first day of selling has seen the Toronado’s selling for €48,000 to good judge Blandford Bloodstock and €58,000 to BBA Ireland. With three more Toronado’s to go under the hammer tonight, the results will speak for themselves.

Swettenham principal Adam Sangster said Toronado, who shuttles to Australia under a partnership with owner Al Shaqab, was exceeding expectations.

“The Toronado yearlings will show off the quality that as a sire, he is producing in the northern and southern hemisphere. With 174 mares covered in his first and 142 in his second season, enquires are very strong off a positive market.”

“His foals are throwing very much to himself. Toronado was a speed son of High Chaparral, and he performed in Europe’s Group One stallion-making mile races.”

Following on the Swettenham tradition of providing breeders with highly sort after and proven international and Australian pedigrees at an affordable price for mare owners, Toronado is competitive at $22,000 Inc. GST.

For breeders who have supported Toronado in his first two seasons, the quality of his progeny provide great confidence, and there is no doubt that with his talent and precociousness, the son of High Chaparral is incredible value.

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