August 23, 2005
Grade 1 Millionaire Southern Image Purchased by Taylor Made/WinStar
Three time Grade 1 winner, Southern Image, earner of over $1.8 million has been purchased by the Taylor Made / WinStar Venture.
“Looking at all the horses that have retired to stud in recent history few can match Southern Image’s race record,” said Taylor Made Stallions Vice President Ben Taylor. “He was never off the board in his entire career and he is the only horse to retire to stud for 2006 to have won more than one $1 million race. He won three Grade 1 events from 7 to 10 furlongs, won 5 consecutive races and showed absolutely brilliant speed,” Taylor added.
A winner of his only start at two, where he carved out a blazing 6 furlong split in 1:08 3/5, Southern Image returned at three to win the Malibu Stakes G1 over 7 furlongs and then at four won the Pimlico Special G1 and Santa Anita Handicap G1 over 9 and 10 furlongs respectively. He retired with 6 wins from 8 starts and earnings just over $1.8 million.
A $300,000 two year old in training, the second highest price of the March OBS Sale, Southern Image was purchased by trainer Mike Machowsky with agent Buzz Chace as the immediate underbidder after a pre-sale work of 10 2/5ths. “When I first laid eyes on him at the Ocala two year old sale I knew he was the horse that I wanted. He was as good a looking horse that you would want to see and had one of the most fluid actions I have ever seen. He was all racehorse,” said Machowsky.
“Southern Image was one of the most talented racehorses California has seen in a long time. He was one of those rare individuals who could display world class sprinter/miler speed, winning a Grade 1 at 7 furlongs and then carry that speed the American Classic distance of 1 1/4 miles. Horses just don¹t do that these days. He faced all comers, dancing every dance, and in the process defeated over 20 stakes winners,” Machowsky added.
A grandson of Halo, a sire line which also provided the likes of Saint Ballado, Sunday Silence, Southern Halo, Devil His Due and More Than Ready, Southern Image is out of Pleasant Dixie, a daughter of Leading broodmare sire Dixieland Band, and hails from the same female family as the breed shaping sires Mr. Prospector and Seattle Slew.
“Both Taylor Made and WinStar have success stories with the Hail to Reason sire line with Saint Ballado and Kris S. and it is worth noting that the first two stallions on the general sires list at the moment are Hail To Reason sire line stallions,” said Doug Cauthen, President of WinStar. “With his sire line and female pedigree, this horse is also a very good horse to use for the Mr. Prospector and Northern Dancer line mares so prevalent in our breeding population today,” Cauthen added.
Southern Image will be available for inspection during the September yearling sales at Taylor Made Farm, however, it has not yet been determined at which farm the horse will stand for stud duty. “Taylor Made and WinStar will be setting fees for our stallions the first week of November, but clients are more than welcome to come out to the farm during the sales to inspect the stallions,” added Taylor.