Stallion acceptance in a very conservative marketplace is a hard thing, it is even harder when your pedigree is a just a bit different to what harness racing breeders have come to expect, so the tale of Sweet Lou down under begins.
Despite banking over USD$3.4 million and starting his career as 2yo pacer of the year and book ending his racing life as USTA horse of the year, Australasian breeders where icy cold, apart from Woodlands Stud and some hardcore breeders who knew Sweet Lou’s racetrack deeds but researched his pedigree a bit deeper than most.
So, the long road began to make a stallion book commenced on limited numbers and a variety of mares from all walks of life. A push through weanling sales and then a $100,000 yearling sale in his first crop in New Zealand plus a stunning start to his first USA crop saw Sweet Lou gain acceptance on a large scale.
Sweet Lou was the leading first season sire in Australia and New Zealand with his first crop and then suddenly there was little room on the bandwagon when Sweet Lou returned to stallion duties ‘down under’.
In the New Zealand standardbred national yearling sale to be conducted from February 13th – 17th, Sweet Lou carries into the sale over 70 lots, amongst them some stunning progeny from some elite maternal pedigrees.
In the Auckland sale his moniker is carried via 30 lots and in Christchurch via a catalogue of over 40 lots. At the recent Australian sales, Sweet Lou’s progeny have been well sought and his racetrack deeds continue to evolve, to a level where he now has a son at stud and many pedigree pundits are saying Sweet Lou, just might be the saviour of the Adios line.
Lot 20 by Sweet Lou – Sea Of Gold – Bettors Delight
Lot 20 by Sweet Lou – Sea Of Gold – Bettors Delight
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Lot 35 Sweet Lou – Walk Of Fame – Bettors Delight
Lot 35 Sweet Lou – Walk Of Fame – Bettors Delight
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Lot 76 Sweet Lou – Dream Offer – Dream Away
Lot 76 Sweet Lou – Dream Offer – Dream Away
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Lot 113 Sweet Lou – Lady Smack – Bettors Delight
Lot 113 Sweet Lou – Lady Smack – Bettors Delight
Sweet Lou has paved the way down under, now for acceptance of first season sires and pedigrees that remain a bit different, you can thank those willing to take a chance and be different when the breeding industry needed it the most!
Woodlands Stud wishes all vendors the best of luck in the upcoming New Zealand Standardbred yearling sales with their ‘Great White Blaze’ progeny.