Noble Tune’s dual Gr1 winning half-brother Honor Code, from the last crop of the great AP Indy, has had his first foal born at Cobra Farm which Lane’s End announced early this morning. Honor Code’s service fee for 2016 and 2017 has been set at $40 000.

Honor Code’s quality book of 144 mares he covered in his first season included the likes of Lady Liberty – the dam of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, Flock Of Doves – whose half-sister has produced sire Pathfork, as well as Night And Day – a three parts sister to Noble Tune and the dam of a Gr2 winner.

Noble Tune and Honor Code’s dam is Serena’s Cat, and with the outstanding Gr1 performances by her first two colts – her weanling progeny by America’s Champion sires have been snapped up for record figures at sales with the leading racing and breeding establishments, the world over, competing to secure the precious bloodlines.

Noble Tune is a phenomenal acquisition for breeders in South Africa, and the first son of Unbridled’s Song to go to stud on the African continent. Unbridled’s Song passed away three years ago, however his influence is still making the headlines with the likes of the blistering fast grey colt Arrogate and Liam’s Map previously amongst others, and his daughters surpassing a million US Dollars in foal frequently in the Keeneland Mare sales ring.

Just yesterday Siren Serenade sold for $1,025 000 in foal to Tapit, and in November 2016 an in foal Unrivaled Belle sold for $3,800 000.

However, whilst his sire Unbridled’s Song is a leading sire and broodmare sire in America, Noble Tune and Honor Code’s dam line is what excites breeders the world over and Noble Tune could hold his own at any leading breeding establishment in the world. Their third dam Serena’s Song was not only a champion race mare and multiple Gr1 winner in her day, but she has established a dynasty of her own with several champions yielded from her brilliance.

They include the likes of Gr1 Coronation Stakes winners Sophisticat and Rizeena, sires Grand Reward and Australian resident Puissance De Lune who had his first crop of foals born in 2016, Producer and Doubles Partner. Another colt and a Gr2 and Gr3 winner, Made You Look, is a son of More Than Ready is out of a three parts sister to Noble Tune named Night And Day.

A handsome dark bay that is truly breathtaking to behold in the flesh, Noble Tune is a true reflection of his blue blooded breeding with oodles of quality, a big cat like walk and a handsome head, a balanced horse with plenty of bone and substance and sporting a powerful hindquarter. A Gr2 and Gr3 winner in his native America, he also placed second in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Juvenile on Turf.

Noble Tune’s foals were everything to be expected and more, and his first yearlings will be offered at the National Yearling Sale in May 2017.

Rathmor Stud head hunted and acquired several choicely-bred and performed mares to bolster Noble Tune’s books during his first three seasons at stud, which saw him attract several mares from leading farms outside of KZN each season – a compliment in itself to his quality.

Amongst the yearlings being prepped for inspections and aimed at Nationals from Rathmor, are progeny out of mares Gr2 winner (and Gr1 placed) Hidden Beauty, Victory Garden (half-sister to International champions Imbongi and Mahubo and the dam of a winner from first foal), Approach Me (Stakes Placed 4-time winner), Summer Angel (dam of Graded Stakes winners Exit Here and Eventual Angel), Summer To Remember (half-sister to Royal Champ by Dynasty), Gr3 placed Awesome Beauty and Mia Joshua (Gr3 placed 4-time winner).

For more information contact Rathmor Stud on 033 266 6853 or email rathmor@bundunet.com.

A Tapit  colt that is a half brother to champion and Lane’s End stallion Honor Code and Rathmor’s Noble Tune sold to Chris Baccari for $1.05 million during the 9 November session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, the highest-priced weanling at the time of his selling.

Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, the dark bay colt is out of the top-producing Storm Cat mare, Serena’s Cat, whose offspring have been extemely popular in recent years.

A half sibling to the Tapit colt sold for $2.6 million at last year’s Keeneland November sale with a full sibling bringing a then-North American record weanling price of $3 million at the 2014 exercise.

Given those prior levels, Baccari felt he got one of the steals of the sales in the colt he purchased in the name of his Baccari Bloodstock on behalf of a partnership.

“That’s a very very hard pedigree to get into,” said Baccari, who said the partnership could race the colt or resell him. “I happened to see the colt on the farm ahead of time so I had the ability to see what I was going to get into. He’s just a very special horse. Very hard to find that kind of pedigree with that kind of sire power.

“I just felt like he could have brought a lot of money here,” Baccari continued. “But it’s like anything, he’s a younger foal and he’s been here for several days. When I first saw him he was very sharp and the last two days he was probably a little sluggish for some people. But I remembered what he looked like. That’s why I thought if I have the ability to get him, I’m going to try.”

In addition to Honor Code, the Tapit colt is also a half brother to multiple Graded Stakes winner and Gr1 Breeders Cup placed Noble Tune.

“I think the horse was a great value to the buyer,” said Hill ‘n’ Dale’s John Sikura.

Mares due to foal this year include Gypsy Queen, the dam of American and South African Gr1 winner, Gypsy’s Warning.

– extract bloodhorse.com

Lane’s End, who are standing Noble Tune’s dual Gr1 winning half brother Honor Code at stud for his first season, have purchased Lot 538 from Denali Stud at the September Keeneland Yearling Sale.

The colt is by Speightstown out of a three part-sister to Noble Tune named Night And Day – she recently produced Gr2 With Anticipation winner, Made You Look (by More Than Ready), her first foal to race from two produced.

Speightstown is himself by Gone West out of a Storm Cat mare – Lot 538 is bred on similar lines to that of Noble Tune (out of Storm Cat mare Serena’s Cat), a cross that has produced the likes of American Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Forever Unbridled, Bodemeister, Shared Belief, Carpe Diem and Close Hatches, to named but a few.

Night And Day is by Unbridled’s Song out of Serena’s Song – the sire of Noble Tune and his mighty third dam.

Another close relative on the sale is a filly as Lot 625, consigned by Hill ‘n Dale as agent. The filly by Violence (by Medaglia ‘d Ora out of  Gone West mare) out of the appropriately named Serena’s Sister by Rahy should attract significant attention at the sale, with Noble Tune’s dam line in demand the world over due to its significant multiple successes at the highest level the world over.

Rizeena is a dual Gr1 winner including the Coronation Cup in England, whilst Puissance De Lune has retired to stud in Australia and not forgetting Noble Tune’s great half-brother by AP Indy, Honor Code – named America’s  in 2015 after winning the Gr1 Whitney, Gr1 Metropolitan Stakes and finishing a courageous third to American Pharoah after coming from last, in the Breeders Cup Classic.

Noble Tune is covering his third season at Rathmor Stud and his second crop of outstanding foals are arriving on farms across KZN, once again showing their outstanding quality and size. Noble Tune’s book this year reflects his outstanding quality in every regard and has repeated the significant support received from outside of the province this year.  In 2015 Noble Tune received 22 mares from the likes of Klawervlei, Mauritzfontein, Gary Player, Lammerskraal and Ascot Stud.

Noble Tune as a racehorse placed second in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Juvenile on Turf, and won the Gr2 American Turf Stakes and Gr3 Pilgrim Stakes.  His weanling half-sister set a world record when she sold for $3million at Keeneland, and a year later their War Front half-brother sold for $2,6million to Coolmore.

Lynton Ryan had reiterated to the guests present at the Rathmor Stallion Day held in July, that “the cream” of the world’s Thoroughbred breeding establishments had all rallied to secure progeny from dam of Noble Tune and grand-daughter of the great Serena’s Song – including the likes of Lane’s End and Coolmore – to which Lynton added “Rathmor Stud is in good company!”

Contact Mike McHardy on 083 447 5315 for further information.

Noble Tune’s half-brother by A.P. Indy, Honor Code earned his Eclipse Award the old-fashioned way. He campaigned from late winter until the spring, didn’t duck the competition, and won prestigious and historic Grade 1 events in New York.

He began with a marvelous pedigree, being from the last crop of 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy out of the stakes-winning Storm Cat mare Serena’s Cat, a granddaughter of champion and Hall of Fame member Serena’s Song. Dell Ridge Farm bred Honor Code in Kentucky, and Lane’s End Racing bought a majority interest in him as a yearling, with Teresa Viola Racing ultimately joining the ownership group.

Before trainer Shug McGaughey’s string left its winter Florida home, Honor Code made his 2015 debut in the Gulfstream Park Handicap Gr2 at a mile. He defeated multiple Gr1 winner Private Zone by a half-length.

Honor Code tackled a mile once again in the June Metropolitan Handicap Gr1 at Belmont Park against horses who had won at diverse distances. Favored Tonalist  had succeeded at 1 1/2 miles in the 2014 Belmont Stakes Gr1 but was coming off a mile stakes victory. Despite racing wide, Honor Code defeated Tonalist, who encountered trouble of his own during the race.

When the circuit moved to Saratoga Race Course, Honor Code again came home victorious, this time in the Whitney Stakes Gr1. Liam’s Map (who shares a sire with Noble Tune – Unbridled’s Song) led through most of the race and appeared to have victory well in hand. But Honor Code, last early, refused to give up, closing what looked like an insurmountable gap to wrest the lead away in the final stride by a neck.

That gave Honor Code wins over Tonalist and Liam’s Map, the other two finalists in his division. At the Breeders’ Cup, Liam’s Map opted for the Las Vegas Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Gr1 while Honor Code finished ahead of Tonalist again when third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Gr1.

Honor Code takes a championship and lifetime earnings of $2,518,260, $2,075,660 of that earned during 2015, to stud at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky for the second highest stud fee of freshman sires in the USA behind American Pharoah. Liam’s Map and Tonalist have joined him at Lane’s End Farm for their first covering season in 2016.

Noble Tune’s first foals have arrived at Rathmor Stud in 2015, Gr1 Breeders Cup Juvenile placed Noble Tune stood for a fee of R25 000.

Voting in the older dirt male division: Honor Code, 126; Liam’s Map, 95; Tonalist, 14; Effinex, 12; Shared Belief, 9; California Chrome  , 3. voter abstentions, 2.

– extract bloodhorse.com

Rathmor Stud’s Noble Tune has both his maternal and paternal half-brothers, Honor Code and Liam’s Map respectively and both standing their first seasons at Lanes End – both nominated for the prestigious Eclipse Awards category of Older Dirt Male.

The Eclipse Awards will take place on 16 January at Gulfstream Park.

The first son of Unbridled’s Song to stand at stud in South Africa, as well as being a Gr2 and Gr3 winner who also placed second in the exclusive Gr1 Breeders Cup Juvenile on turf, Noble Tune had his first impressive crop of foals born in 2015.

Both Honor Code and Liam’s Map closed their racing careers on a high at the Breeders Cup carnival, with Honor Code running the fastest finish to come from stone last and place third behind the great American Pharoah, whilst Liam’s Map, a son of Unbridled Song (out of a Trippi mare) won the Gr1 Woodward Stakes in a record time (since 2004) as well as the Gr1 Breeders Cup Mile on dirt.

Liam’s Map will stand his first season for $25 000, whilst dual Gr1 winning Honor Code will stand for $40 000.

The 2015 Eclipse Awards finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
Horse of the Year: American Pharoah, Beholder, Runhappy
2-year-old male: Airoforce, Mohaymen, Nyquist
2-year-old filly: Catch a Glimpse, Rachel’s Valentina, Songbird
3-year-old male: American Pharoah, Dortmund, Runhappy
3-year-old filly: Found, I’m a Chatterbox, Stellar Wind
Older dirt male: Honor Code  , Liam’s Map  , Tonalist  
Older dirt female: Beholder, Sheer Drama, Stopchargingmaria
Male sprinter: Private Zone, Rock Fall, Runhappy
Female sprinter: La Verdad, Lady Shipman, Wavell Avenue
Male turf horse: Big Blue Kitten, Golden Horn, The Pizza Man
Female turf horse: Found (IRE), Stephanie’s Kitten, Tepin
Steeplechase horse: Bob Le Beau, Dawalan, Demonstrative
Owner: Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, Zayat Stables
Breeder: Darley, Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Zayat Stables
Trainer: Bob Baffert, Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Javier Castellano, Victor Espinoza, Irad Ortiz Jr.
Apprentice jockey: Eric Cancel, Angel Cruz, Tyler Gaffalione

Lane’s End have announced that Noble Tune’s half-brother and dual Gr1 winner Honor Code will be standing for $40 000 in the 2016 breeding season. This is on a par with Lemon Drop Kid and City Zip, both standing at Lane’s End.

Liam’s Map, who shares a sire with Noble Tune and also a dual Gr1 winner, will be standing for $25 000, the same as Noble Mission(GB), a full brother to Frankel.

Noble Tune with his gentlemanly demeanor is looking an absolute picture after covering nearly all of his full book of mares this year, his service fee set at an accessible R25 000 for 2015. He has attracted a top drawer book of mares and his first foals are on the ground.

Its easy to spot his foals in the paddocks, all totally stamped by their blue-blooded sire with stars on their foreheads, an outstanding regal quality about them and stamped in conformation, with good size and bone.

Additional news is that Noble Tune and Honor Code’s younger War Front weanling brother sold for $2,6 million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale earlier this week.

Last year their Tapit half-sister set a record at $3 million at the same sale.

Serena’s Cat looks to be continuing in Champion race and broodmare Serena’s Song’s footsteps at stud, as Noble Tune is her first foal and she has produced two Group winning stallion prospects from the first two foals.

Serena’s Cat also has a colt by Tapit coming through in training named Morse Code, whilst Lady Serena by Bernardini should begin to feature prominently in the coming season after breaking her maiden by seven lengths.

Honor Code raced in the $5 million Classic Gr1 and closed late for third behind scintillating winner American Pharoah as the son of pensioned Lane’s End stallion A.P. Indy completed his career with six wins, two seconds, and two thirds from 11 starts, with earnings of $2,518,260.

Honor Code, a traditional closer racing in a Classic devoid of early speed to test Triple Crown winner American Pharoah after Beholder and Smooth Roller scratched, was the only closer, Bill Farish of Lane’s End said.

“I don’t know if American Pharoah would have been hampered by speed even if there was any speed in there,” Farish said, “but it definitely changed the complexion of the race. Honor Code was the only horse to make up any ground in the Breeders Classic.”

– extract bloodhorse.com

Rathmor Stud’s Noble Tune and his half-brother Honor Code had their weanling half-brother by War Front, Lot423 sell for $2,6million to MV Magnier of Coolmore Stud at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale.

Noble Tune’s first foals are on the ground this season and dual Gr1 winner Honor Code, who came from stone last – two lengths off the pack in the Breeders Cup Classic – to finish a courageous third behind American Pharoah.

Honor Code made up the most amount of ground in the fastest time of any other horse in the race, and retired to Lane’s End Farm on Sunday to replace his great sire who is pensioned, A.P. Indy.

The weanling colt’s half-sister by Tapit set a record last year when she sold for $3million.

Noble Tune’s book is full this season. Touted as one of the best stallion prospects to come to South Africa, he has received mares countrywide this season.

His fee was set at R25 000 for a service this season.

Rathmor’s exciting young stallion, billed as one of the best stallion prospects to ever come to South Africa was well represented at the Breeders Cup over the weekend, all with top results.

Beginning with Liam’s Map, who shares the same sire Unbridled’s Song as Noble Tune – winning the Gr1 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile, filly Wavell Avenue by Harlington (Unbridled – Serena’s Song) was victorious in the Gr1 Fillies And Mares Sprint, whilst Noble Tune’s half-brother Honor Code wasn’t disgraced to finish third behind the great American Pharoah in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Classic.

Both Liam’s Map and Honor Code will be welcomed at Lane’s End Farm on Sunday morning following the Breeders Cup, to retire to stud in Kentucky.

The Breeders Cup Classic field for a stake of $5million read like a World Championship, with the likes of Keen Ice, Tonalist, Frosted and Britain’s great Gleneagles all getting a run and finishing behind Honor Code,  who once again made up phenomenal ground after lying lengths off the rest of the field, coming from stone last to race past the bulk of the field and finish third.

Interestingly, American Pharoah is bred on the same pedigree cross as Noble Tune, with Unbridled on the male side and Storm Cat on the female, a cross once again that is showing its dominance in America and has produced the likes of Close Hatches, Bodemeister, Will Take Charge, Unbridled Forever and Rizeena – the latter a Gr1 Coronation Cup winner who also features in Noble Tune’s immaculate damline of Gr1 winners.

Canadian-bred filly Wavell Avenue is a daughter of Harlington, who entered stud in 2009 at Hill ‘n Dale Farm in Kentucky and has subsequently been sold to stand in Saudi Arabia.

He is a son of Unbridled (sire of Unbridled’s Song) out of the great Serena’s Song, the third dam of Noble Tune. Harlington was Unbridled’s most expensive yearling ever sold – for $2,8million, after a brilliant debut win he won six races, including the Gr2 Gulfstream Park where he beat Funny Cide.

The last best colt of the great stallion A.P. Indy, it was Honor Code’s final race before retiring to stud.

Owned in partnership by Dell Ridge and Lane’s End, the dual Gr1 winner of the Metropolitan Mile and the Whitney Stakes will be standing alongside the likes of Frankel’s full-brother Noble Mission, Lemon Drop Kid, Union Rags, Langfuhr, Candy Ride and Mineshaft. His service fee has yet to be announced.

Noble Tune is welcoming his first exciting crop of foals at Rathmor Stud this season, all displaying their sire’s quality, good size and great bone. Noble Tune has covered a full book of mares this season including some outstanding broodmares, both locally and countrywide.

His fee for the current breeding season is R25 000.