BY AVALYN HUNTER
There are several horses in the Florida stallion market whose pedigrees pack a punch, but none that promise more pedigree power than Journeyman Stud’s St Patrick’s Day.
A full brother to 2015 Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah, he got his opportunity at stud largely on the strength of his brother’s sensational performances, but he is making headway in proving that he can succeed on his own merits—enough that, according to BloodHorse, he is currently the top second-crop sire standing outside Kentucky.
Bred by Summer Wind Farm, St Patrick’s Day was owned by Coolmore associate Susan Magnier, a fact that had a bearing on his race record. After breaking his maiden at second asking over future Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap-winner Instilled Regard on Del Mar’s main track, he was sent to Ireland for the remainder of his racing career. While there are no guarantees that he would have been a top two-turn dirt horse in the United States, he certainly never fulfilled his early promise on European turf, turning in much his best performance when second by a half-length in the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes going six furlongs at Naas.
On pedigree, distance and dirt would have been more to St Patrick’s Day’s liking.
Sired by 2009 Santa Anita Derby (G1)-winner Pioneerof the Nile, a son of 2003 Belmont [G1]-winner Empire Maker, St Patrick’s Day is out of 2015 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Littleprincessemma, who was given her laurels on the basis of American Pharoah’s achievements but afterward produced 2018 Starlet Stakes (G1)-winner Chasing Yesterday with Tapit and 2016 Del Mar Debutante (G1) runner-up American Cleopatra, a daughter of Pioneerof the Nile. Sired by the stakes-winning Storm Cat horse Yankee Gentleman and a half-sister to 2005 Lazaro Barrera Memorial (G2)-winner Storm Wolf, by Stormin Fever, and 2006 Old Hat (G3)-winner Misty Rosette, also by Stormin Fever, Littleprincessemma descends from a female line rich in the bloodlines developed by Fred Hooper. This should be an area worth mining in considering mates for St Patrick’s Day and inbreeding to Storm Cat could be worth exploring so long as the mare has good knees.
With his eldest foals having just turned 3-years-old, St Patrick’s Day has been represented by 11 winners including the promising Fiona’s Magic, who is out of Mollie’s Magic, by the Storm Cat horse Factum. Second to the very quick R Harper Rose in the Grade 3 Forward Gal on Feb. 3, she has 10 points toward the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks and should be better as the distances stretch out.
“St Patrick’s Day is as pretty a horse as I’ve ever been around,” Journeyman Stud owner Brent Fernung said. “He’s just a picture—16.1 hands and dead correct. He has an excellent mind and temperament, too; you could use him as a stable pony. He gets foals that are bigger and more attractive than their dams, often even a little bigger than he is. Just a lovely, lovely horse.”
St Patrick’s Day is standing the 2024 season for $3,500 stands and nurses.
