The Cherokee Run-Empire Maker Cross

The return of Empire Maker   to the U.S. and the rise of his sons and grandsons at stud have the potential to improve the value and success of the late Cherokee Run's daughters.

Darley's son of Runaway Groom was euthanized recently due to the infirmities of old age.

Through July 8, 28 black-type stakes winners and 37 black-type-placed runners represent Cherokee Run as a broodmare sire. Five of those won graded/group stakes.

Among his 28 stakes winners, 15 are sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons of Mr. Prospector with a particular strong affinity for pedigrees that include Mr. Prospector's son Fappiano.

The most successful cross with Cherokee Run daughters so far has been with sons of Kingmambo, who have produced five black-type stakes winners, including Cherokee Run's most successful runner as a broodmare sire to date: Hokko Tarumae, Japan's 2014 champion dirt horse. Hokko Tarumae is by King Kamehameha. The other four stakes winners are by Lane's End stallion Lemon Drop Kid  .

The cross with Kingmambo has been particularly effective with mares that concentrate the influence of Mr. Prospector through their dams. Hokko Tarume's dam, Madam Cherokee, is a daughter of Unfoiled, by Unbridled, a Mr. Prospector grandson through Fappiano.

Stakes winner and grade III-placed runner Donoharm is also out of a mare whose female family adds Mr. Prospector; Donoharm's dam is Tasso Run, whose dam Tasso Bee is by Fappiano's son Tasso.

The influence of Fappiano can also be found on the sire side of the equation. Grade II winner Fioretti, out of the Cherokee Run daughter Move Clickly, is by Bernardini  , whose dam Cara Rafaela is by Fappiano’s son Quiet American. A similar scenario exists with Rattlesnake Bridge, whose sire Tapit   is out of Unbridled’s daughter Tap Your Heels.

Another pattern found among stakes winners with Cherokee Run as a broodmare sire is inbreeding to Turn-To. Cherokee Run traces back to Turn-To through his broodmare sire, Silver Saber, who is a grandson of Turn-To’s son Sir Gaylord.

Stakes winner and grade II-placed Kid Kate's pedigree combines the line of Turn-To in Cherokee Run with three additional lines through her female family. Her second dam, Latch, is by Broad Brush, who was inbred 3x3 to Turn-To. Kid Kate gets the third line of Turn-To through Latch's broodmare sire, Cox's Ridge.

A Turn-To connection resides with Lemon Drop Kid as well. His dam Charming Lassie is inbred 5x4 to Turn-To.

Empire Maker returned to stud in the U.S. this year at Gainesway. His sons at stud include WinStar Farm's Pioneerof the Nile   and Bodemeister  , Darby Dan's Sky Kingdom  , Lovacre Ranch's Empire Way  , and Rockridge Stud's Soaring Empire  . Empire Maker's highest-profiled grandsons at stud include Ashford Stud's American Pharoah   and Airdrie Stud's Cairo Prince  .