Scenic Lodge has continued its complete dominance of Western Australia’s stallion ranks with Blackfriars winning his 12th sires’ title in a row on Sunday.
Making it all the more remarkable, Blackfriars (Danehill) won without a 2yo division in 2021-22. He died in December 2017 and was represented by 71 individual winners of 111 races for earnings of $4,577,210.
Heading that roll-call were his final-crop 3yo Stakes winners Black Fantasy and Constant Dreaming.
It was also the 21st season a row that a Scenic Lodge stallion has won the WA sires’ premiership. The Muchea stud’s foundation sire Scenic (Ire) won 9 local titles in a row between 2002 and 2010 and, in a seamless transition, Blackfriars took command and has added another dozen.
“When the decision was made in 1998 to get directly involved in the breeding industry by purchasing Scenic – I certainly did not expect him to become WA’s Champion Stallion,” Scenic Lodge founder David Smith recalled. “And never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate Scenic Lodge winning the title for 21 consecutive years with Scenic and Blackfriars.
“It’s very humbling to think that the progeny and bloodlines of these two stallions, will continue to have a major impact on the WA breeding industry for many years to come!”
David’s son Jeremy Smith considers it a privilege to have guided the stud careers of the two champion stallions. “Without doubt they will be remembered as two of the greatest stallions to have stood in WA. And we are now seeing the dominance of their sons at stud in Universal Ruler (Scenic) and Playing God (Blackfriars).
Demerit won the WA 2YO premiership with the help of 11th-hour bonuses courtesy of Westspeed Platinum. His juvenile winners at Belmont last Wednesday – Revitup and Mia Gusto – collected combined bonuses of $59,950 to help him overhaul Playing God.
Playing God sired 7 individual 2yo winners last season which was the most since Oratorio (8) in 2012-13.
Gold Front Thoroughbreds stallion Awesome Rock won the WA Second-Season premiership ($1,773,185) from runner-up Rommel and the WA 3YO premiership ($1,712,325) over Blackfriars.
Jeremy & David Smith pictured with a portrait of Blackfriars
