Universal Ruler heads the table for Westspeed-bred 3yo winners this season and his promising filly Rusty Dreams is poised to improve her strike-rate at Belmont on Saturday.
Rusty Dreams has opened an even-money favourite in the Glenroy Chaff Plate (1400m) for trainer Michael Lane and jockey Willie Pike. She is one of 14 individual 3yo winners by the Scenic Lodge stallion giving him a margin among active sires over Playing God (12) and Maschino (10).
In the lead-up to the start of the Belmont winter season, Scenic Lodge general manager Jeremy Smith has announced Universal Ruler will stand for a value-plus $7,500 fee this year alongside Dash For Cash at $2,000. Both fees (plus GST).
“Universal Ruler (pictured) has cemented his position as a proven sire and he’s a no-brainer for broodmare owners who breed to race or breed to sell,” Smith said. “He’s one of WA’s most successful commercial sires and his current 3yo crop was followed by a book of 117 mares which was the largest in WA that season.”
At the Perth Magic Millions in February, Universal Ruler had a 100% clearance-rate in Book 1 at an average of $73,000. His Swan Valley yearlings were purchased by Justin Warwick ($110k), Jim Taylor ($100k), Ryan Hill ($80k), John Chalmers ($80k) and Noel Carter ($80k).
Rusty Dreams (3f Universal Ruler – She Done Him Wrong by Oratorio) completed a hat-trick at Ascot last month prior to losing her unbeaten record as an odds-on favourite behind Catch These Hands (Rommel). She is raced in partnership by her breeder Peter Capararo.
This Saturday also marks the anniversary of Universal Ruler’s G3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) victory in 2009. He sired The Velvet King to win the 2021 Belmont Sprint and his younger full-sister The Velvet Queen is a $6 second-favourite in this year’s edition for their trainer Darren McAuliffe.
Universal Ruler is the only son of Champion sire Scenic (Sadler’s Wells) at stud in Australia and his Scenic Lodge colleague Dash For Cash (Secret Savings) is great value for a stallion with career-stats of 411 individual winners at an amazing 66% strike-rate.
In other Scenic Lodge news this week, Stakes-winning mare Sniparoochy (Snippetson) changed hands for $155,000 at the Inglis May (Early) Online Sale. She was purchased by Belmont Bloodstock (as agent) for Cathy Hains who operates Burnewang North Pastoral in Victoria.
