Big Drama Pedigree Analysis by Alan Porter

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Alan Porter - "Big Drama is an outcross for both Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector line mares. Montbrook and his sons have enjoyed considerable success with Northern Dancer line mares. From the Danzig branch of Northern Dancer, Montbrook is sire of 2011 multiple graded stakes winner Tackleberry out of a mare by Concerto (by Chief’s Crown), who in turn is sire of Bellamy Road. There is also a stakes winner bred on this cross out of a mare by Boundary (sire of Pomeroy). The Danzig strain could also be introduced through Belong to Me, Langfuhr, Polish Numbers, Honor Grades, Pine Bluff, Dayjur, Exchange Rate, War Chant and War Front. Montbrook is sire of a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Deputy Minister, and there also Montbrook line stakes winners out of mares descending from Deputy Minister through Silver Deputy (sire of Posse) and Defrere (brother to Dehere). Other Deputy Minister sources include Awesome Again, Touch Gold, French Deputy, Forest Camp (who could be particularly interesting here) and Salt Lake.

Montbrook’s excellent daughter, Ms. Brookski, is out of a mare by Baldski, a son of Nijinsky II, and this is a strain that should do well here, and could be introduce through Royal Academy, Sword Dance, Seattle Dancer and Shadeed. There is a Montbrook stakes winner out of a mare by Storm Creek, a Storm Cat son bred on the same cross as Tale of the Cat, Storm Boot and Sea of Secrets. Storm Cat might also do particularly well here through Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir and D’Wildcat), Forestry, Tabasco Cat, Mountain Cat, and High Yield. Although it is not found as frequently as some branches of Northern Dancer, we can note that Montbrook has worked well with mares carrying Lyphard (sire a grade one winner out of a mare by that horse’s son, Dahar). There is also a stakes winner by a son of Montbrook out of a mare by Nureyev (sire of Theatrical, Atticus and Stravinksy). We would also expect Big Drama to do well with mares by El Prado, or his sons Medaglia d’Oro, Kitten’s Joy and Artie Schiller.

Montbrook and his sons have also enjoyed success under certain branches of Mr Prospector. Montbrook has two stakes winners out of a mares by Fappiano, and Big Drama is half-sister to two stakes winners by Burning Roma, who is by the Fappiano stallion, Rubiano. There are numerous other sources of Fappiano that could be brought in here including Unbridled

Fappiano (including Quiet American, Unbridled, Pentelicus, Cahill Road, Unbridled’s Song, Songandaprayer, Unbridled Time, Grindstone and Birdstone – who look particularly interest –

Broken Vow, Cryptoclearance, Victory Gallop, Candy Ride and Empire Maker). There are also Montbrook line stakes winners out of mares descending from Mr. Prospector through Miswaki (sire of Black Tie Affair, and bred on the same cross as Woodman, and Seeking the Gold, the sire of Petionville, Mutakddim, and Cape Town) and Silver Ghost.

Montbrook and the Buckparoo line has enjoyed tremendous success with mares from the Bold Ruler line mares. Big Drama is a product of this cross, through the Raja Baba branch, but there are several other branches that could be considered here. From the Bold Reasoning branch there are graded stakes winners descending through Concorde Bound/Concorde’s Tune and Seattle Slew, as well as Top Command (through his son Spanish Drums, who would be excellent here), What a Pleasure and On to Glory. Seattle Slew could be brought in through Doneraile Court (extremely interesting here), A.P. Indy (sire of Pulpit – himself broodmare sire of a Montbrook line stakes winner, and sire of Sky Mesa and Tapit – Malibu Moon, Mineshaft, Aptitude, Golden Missile, Old Trieste, Steven Got Even, Congrats and Flatter), Slew o’Gold, Capote (broodmare sire of a Montbrook line stakes winner, and sire of Boston Harbor and Matty G), Seattle Song, Septieme Ciel, Slew City Slew, Metfield, and Vindication. Sources of What a Pleasure are Exuberant, Foolish Pleasure (and sons Marfa, Maudlin, and grandson Farma Way, himself sire of a stakes winner out of the dam of Big Drama), For the Moment, Honest Pleasure and Honest Moment.

Montbrook and his sons have enjoyed success with mares from the Roberto and Halo branches of Hail to Reason. The talented Monterey Jazz is by a son of Montbrook out of a mare by Dynaformer (who should work well here), and there is also a stakes winner by Montbrook out of a mare by Kris S. (sire of Prized, Arch, Rock Hard Ten, You and I, and Kissin Kris), and other Roberto sources include Lear Fan, Red Ransom and Silver Hawk. Montbrook has a stakes winners by Twilight Agenda, a son of Halo, whose line could also be brought in throug Saint Ballado (sire of Yankee Victor, Captain Bodgit, Straight Man, Sweetsouthernsaint and Flame Thrower), and his brother, Devil’s Bag (sire of Devil His Due and Diablo), Jolie’s Halo, Halo’s Image and More Than Ready.

The cross of Montbrook and his sons with mares descending from In Reality through Valid Appeal has produced several stakes winners, including graded stakes winning two-year-olds Beacon Shine and Jardin. Kipper Kelly and World Appeal are two sons of Valid Appeal that have sired the dams of Montbrook line stakes winners, and other sons of Valid Appeal to consider are Successful Appeal, Valid Wager, Valid Expectations, and Mister Jolie.