Mating Recommendations
Southern Image hails from the female line of the breed changing stallions Mr. Prospector and Seattle Slew and mares that carry those either or both of those influences are especially desirable.
The female family of Southern Image also holds a pair of ancestors bred on the prolific Nasrullah-Princequillo cross. Secretariat is the most prominent runner bred Nasrullah over Princequillo, and is perhaps the best ancestor to use in terms of quality and quantity of opportunity to reinforce the pattern. This makes mares by stallions out of Secretariat mares (as well as their sons) particularly promising. That group includes Storm Cat, Gone West, Dehere, Chief’s Crown, A. P. Indy and Summer Squall.
Given the above two points mares by A. P. Indy (Seattle Slew over Secretariat) and Gone West (Mr. Prospector over Secretariat), and their sons, should be especially potent. Sons of A. P. Indy include Pulpit and Malibu Moon, both of whom are out of Mr. Prospector mares, as well as Stephen Got Even, Old Trieste, Golden Missile and Aptitude.
Besides reinforcing the Myrtlewood family, other strains of Seattle Slew provide the opportunity to capitalize on the good success that Slew has had with Southern Image’s damsire Dixieland Band. The good young stallion Dixie Union is by Dixieland Band out of Capote mare and other Slew strains that should be considered are Williamstown, Fast Play, Evansville Slew, General Meeting, Matty G, Slew O’ Gold, as well as Cape Town, Cape Canaveral and Mutakddim all three of whom are bred on the Mr. Prospector-Seattle Slew cross.
Mares by Gone West his sons also look particularly compelling as he has nicked well with not only Halo, but also the In Reality, Dixieland Band and Pleasant Colony influences in Southern Image’s pedigree. Therefore, Grand Slam, Elusive Quality, Mr. Greeley and his son El Corredor should be considered.
It’s worth keeping in mind that mares that carry Secretariat also provide the opportunity to create linebreeding to Somethingroyal, dam of not only Secretariat but of the good sire Sir Gaylord.
Fappiano is another potentially powerful Mr. Prospector strain as it plays to the Valid Appeal/In Reality found in the pedigree of Southern Image’s sire Halo’s Image. Fappiano over In Reality has been prolific in recent years with the likes Champion Rubiano, Unbridled Elaine and the Classic winners Unbridled, Real Quiet, and Empire Maker.
Southern Image also promises to go well with a return of In Reality. Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Unbridled Elaine and Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker are also examples of the many quality runners inbred to In Reality. This pattern has also worked with Halo’s Image, sire of Southern Image. Halo’s Image has produced a pair of stakes winners and an additional stakes horse that are inbred to In Reality. One of those stakes winners, Sir Oscar, is the second leading earner for his sire behind Southern Image.