Congrats (USA) was a Champion freshman sire in North America in 2010, his first crop of Kentucky 2yo’s has hit the ground running this year and Vinery is confident he will make the same impact with his first two year-olds in Australia in the 2014/15 season.
Congrats won the 2010 USA premiership with 25 individual winners and among them were the Group 1 winners Turbulent Storm and Wickedly Perfect.
Vinery immediately transferred Congrats from Florida to its home base in Kentucky and then commenced shuttling him to Australia the following year.
Congrats (A P Indy) has gone right on with the job since defeating Bluegrass Cat, Bernardini and War Front for the USA first-season title. He has sired over 40 stakes performers and his winners-to-runners strike-rate is a phenomenal 75%.
His first foals bred at Vinery Kentucky are now two year-olds with 3 winners from 9 runners already. They include Stakes performed 2yo’s Flying Frank and the speedy Tulira’s Star who was an unlucky third in the G3 Schuylerville Stakes (1200m) at Saratoga last week.
Tulira’s Star (2f Congrats – Tulira by General Assembly) was purchased by Team Valor owner Barry Irwin after an impressive debut victory at Arlington. “She got creamed at the start of the Schuylerville,” Irwin said. “She went back to last before making her run. (Jockey) Joe Bravo advised us to try her on turf in future.”
Congrats has 107 foals in his first southern book that turn two on Friday.
“He’s siring powerful foals with plenty of bone and strong hind-quarters,” Vinery general manager Peter Orton said. “Congrats was the Champion freshman sire in North America and we’re confident they will get up and go early here, too.”
Vinery will stand Congrats for a $22,000 (inc gst) fee this year.
