There have been limited options for quality trotting stallions in the flesh in recent times, so the announcement today that Nevele R Stud has secured the southern hemisphere breeding rights to shuttle sire Creatine (1.51.2, $2.1 million) will be welcomed.
A seven-year-old brown horse by Andover Hall standing 16 hands, Creatine has been priced at $4500 plus GST and will come under the stud’s discount umbrella.
Since the passing of Sundon, trotting breeders have been left only with the likes of Majestic Son, Monarchy and Pegasus Spur for fresh semen. There’s been plenty of choices for other quality stallions from around the world, but frozen semen comes at a cost and is an expensive add-on to the stud fees.
Creatine was a major stakes winner every season he raced from age two until retiring at the end of his five-year-old season with a win in the Breeders’ Crown Open Trot at Woodbine.
He won a Bluegrass Stakes in a light juvenile campaign and returned to win over US$800,000 at three with wins in the Kentucky Futurity and a heat of the Hambletonian while taking a record of 1.52.2f.
Creatine then made a successful transition to the open class ranks as a four-year-old, highlighted by a defeat of Sebastian K in the Allerage Farms Open Trot at The Red Mile.
From post eight that day, Creatine blazed to the lead with a 26.8 opening quarter and then trailed three back as Sebastian K skipped clear on the turn. Creatine was hampered by the galloping trailer and was spotting the world champion four lengths at that point, but picked him up in a career-best 1.51.2.
A week later he won the American National in a track-record 1.51.3 at Balmoral Park.
Creatine mostly raced in Europe as a five-year-old and was a Group One winner in Sweden as well as finishing second in the prestigious Gr. 1 UET Trotting Masters.
Taken back to America for the US$1 million International Trot at Yonkers, he was a brave third behind Papagayo and Timoko and on the strength of that, his connections made the US$62,500 late payment for the Breeders’ Crown a fortnight later.
Creatine stood at Diamond Creek Farm in Pennyslvania last year at a fee of US$6000 and covered a book of around 80 mares.
He is a good example of an outcross, with Andover Hall being a son of Garland Lobell and the broodmare gem Amour Angus and a brother to Angus Hall, Conway Hall, Adams Hall and Emilie Cas El, the dam of Trixton.
Creatine’s dam Berry Nice Muscles was line-bred 2x3 to Valley Victory, being by Muscles Yankee from a Donerail mare, and she had no fewer than five crosses to Speedy Crown.
Creatine will be the fastest and richest trotter to stand Down Under when he arrives at Nevele R next month.
