Orb Combines Quality and Value

The entering year stud fee for Claiborne Farm's Orb   didn't rattle any breeders.

With an industry still recovering from recession, new stallions at the time eased into their breeding careers without much pricing fanfare. Animal Kingdom had the highest entering-year fee of 2014 at $35,000. Following close behind were three sires at $25,000—Orb, Paynter  , and Point of Entry  .

Breeders were still being cautious with young sires, but many were lured to Orb because the handsome 2013 Kentucky Derby and Florida Derby (both gr. I) winner presented an attractive alternative to his sire, Malibu Moon  , who stood for $95,000.

Those breeders who followed their instincts on Orb's quality and value have been rewarded and are likely to reap more rewards this week at Keeneland. 

From a commercial standpoint, Orb's first crop has been exceptionally well received. As weanlings, Orb leads his sire class with a 2015 weanling median of $120,000 for 16 sold. The momentum has carried over to the yearling season, with eight of his progeny producing a class-leading median of $150,000.

Ten horses will represent Orb during Book 1 of the Keeneland September yearling sale, starting with the sale's second session Sept. 13.

Several consignors with Orb yearlings in their barns are optimistic the strong reception seen earlier in the year will continue.

"I don't normally breed to first-crop sires, but Orb impressed me," said Jack Jones Jr., owner of Mineola Farm. "He has the quality I was looking for, and I bred him to a mare who produces a very attractive foal." The result is Hip 244, the first Orb foal born, a well-balanced, leggy, dark bay or brown filly that drew a steady stream of lookers throughout the weekend.

"When Claiborne saw this foal, they knew they were going to be all right with Orb," Jones said.

The filly is out of Chatique, Jones' homebred daughter of Deputy Minister, who has produced stakes-placed winner Latique and two other six-figure earners. She is out of the family of Henbit, who Jones bred. Henbit became the 1980 Epsom Derby (Eng-I) winner and English champion 3-year-old.

A few hips later, Dromoland Farm will offer an Orb colt (Hip 247) out of stakes-placed Cherryblossommiss (Langfuhr  ), a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Imperialism. Right on the heels of this colt is Hip 249, a filly offered by Lane's End Farm as agent for Kinsman Stud. This dark bay or brown Orb daughter is out of the stakes-producing Deputy Minister mare Chief Secretary, whose dam is graded stakes winner Sterling Pound, the dam of sires and graded stakes winners Exchange Rate   and Sabre D'Argent.

Select Sales has a chestnut Orb colt (Hip 421) that sells Sept. 14, who is out of stakes winner and stakes producer Jaramar Rain.

"The Orbs come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have great walks," said Carrie Brogden, who bred the colt under her Machmer Hall banner. "He was a good value when he went to stud, and he's producing quality."