BASIN

A 6 ½-length winner of the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at two, Basin was also a stakes winner and grade one performer campaigning at three and four. He is by the exciting young sire, Liam’s Map, a son of Unbridled’s Song, and his dam, by the same sire as Scat Daddy, is also dam of juvenile graded stakes-winning millionaire, Rise Up.

Basin is out of a mare by Johannesburg, a grandson of Storm Cat, and the cross of Unbridled’s Song-line stallions over mares from the Storm Cat branch of Northern Dancer has provided more than 80 stakes winners, so it should be well worth trying Basin back over mares from that line. In addition to Storm Cat himself, Unbridled’s Song and his sons have sired stakes winners out of mares by Tale of the Cat (a close relative to Johannesburg, the broodmare sire of Basin, himself sire of Lion Heart and Gio Ponti, and grandsire of Kantharos and Uncaptured), Forestry (sire of Discreet Cat and Shackleford, who would give inbreeding to Unbridled), Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir, who is out of a mare by Pentelicus, a three-quarters brother to Unbridled, the sire of Unbridled’s Song), Tabasco Cat, Giant’s Causeway (a brother to Freud, and sire of Not This Time, who appeals here, First Samurai, Eskendereya and Creative Cause), Stormy Atlantic (including a stakes winner by Liam’s Map, the sire of Basin), Bernstein, Vision and Verse, Van Nistelroy, Catienus, Tribal Rule and Storm Creek. The Storm Cat strain might also be brought in through Harlan’s Holiday (whose son, Into Mischief is broodmare sire of a Liam’s Map stakes winner), Stormin Fever, Pure Prize, Storm Boot, Yankee Gentleman and Sea of Secrets. Unbridled’s Song also has a grade one winner out of a mare by Summer Squall (a Storm Bird son bred on the same cross as Storm Cat), and a grade one winner out of a mare by Storm Bird son, Ocean Storm.

From the Deputy Minister branch of Northern Dancer, there are four Unbridled’s Song line grade one winners, including Eclipse Award winner Will Take Charge (out of a mare by Dehere, sire of Graeme Hall, and a brother to Defrere). Other Deputy Minister-line stallions to work well here include Touch Gold, Awesome Again (sire of Ghostzapper), Salt Lake, French Deputy, Silver Deputy (sire of Posse, Spring At Last and Badge of Silver), Service Stripe, Forest Camp and Deputy Commander.

From the Danzig branch of Northern Dancer, Liam’s Map has stakes winners out of mares by Langfuhr and War Chant, and there are Unbridled’s Song-line stakes winners out of mares by Danzig line stallions. Exchange Rate (broodmare sire of an Unbridled’s Song line grade one winner) Dayjur, Hard Spun, Pine Bluff, Polish Numbers, Boundary (sire of Big Brown), Belong to Me and Danehill, which also suggests introducing Chief’s Crown (sire of Concerto; grandsire of Bellamy Road, another who is broodmare sire of an Unbridled’s Song line grade one winner) and War Front, who should work very well here.

Liam’s Map has done very well over A.P. Indy-line mares with three stakes winners, including grade one winners Colonel Liam and Wicked Whisper out of mares by Bernardini (sire of To Honor and Serve and Stay Thirsty), a stakes winner out of a mare by A.P. Indy himself, grade one winner Juju’s Map out of a mare by Flatter and a stakes winner out of a mare by that horse’s brother, Congrats. There are also Unbridled’s Song-line stakes winners out of mares descending from A.P. Indy through Malibu Moon, Mineshaft (sire of Discreetly Mine and Dialed In), Aptitude, Full Mandate and Pulpit (who is from the immediate family of Johannesburg, the broodmare sire of Basin), as well as Pulpit sons Sky Mesa and Tapit (sire of Constitution, Frosted, Tapizar, Tonalist, Tapiture, Cupid and Trappe Shot).

Unbridled enjoyed a strong affinity with mares by Caro, Unbridled’s Song being an example of that cross. On an extended version, Liam’s Map has graded winner Crazy Beautiful out of a mare by Indian Charlie. A son of In Excess, also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat, and Indian Charlie is represented by Uncle Mo (himself sire of Nyquist, Outwork and Laoban), Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie.

Liam’s Map has sired the grade two-winning Churn N Burn out of mare by Leroidesanimaux (sire of Animal Kingdom), from the Candy Stripes branch of Blushing Groom, which is also represented by Invasor. From other branches of Blushing Groom, Unbridled’s Song son, Cross Traffic, has sired Champion Jaywalk from a mare by Orientate, whose sire Mt. Livermore has worked well under Unbridled’s Song, and who is also sire of Orientate, Peaks and Valleys and Lucky Lionel. Unbridled and Unbridled’s Song have also worked over Blushing Groom through Rahy and through Runaway Groom and his son, Cherokee Run (sire of Kafwain and Yonaguska).

Liam’s Map has grade two winner Rushie out of a mare by Colonel John, a son of Tiznow, from the Relaunch branch of the In Reality line. Tiznow is also sire of Gemologist, Tizway, Tiz Wonderful, Morning Line, Strong Mandate and Tourist. From the Valid Appeal branch, there is a stakes winner out of a mare by Successful Appeal, and Valid Expectations and Valid Wager could also be considered.

Unbridled’s Song and his sons have also begun to find success when bred back over mares from their own Mr. Prospector sire line. Particularly notable is the cross with mares from the Gone West branch, including a grade one winner out of a mare by Mr. Greeley – sire of El Corredor – and stakes winners out of mares by Elusive Quality and his son, Smarty Jones. Gone West is also represented by Speightstown (sire of Munnings), Proud Citizen (broodmare sire of a Liam’s Map stakes winner) and Grand Slam.  Other branches of Mr. Prospector that have produced Unbridled’s Song-line stakes winners include Forty Niner through Distorted Humor (the broodmare sire of Unbridled’s Song’s world-champion, Arrogate, and who can be found through Flower Alley, Any Given Saturday and Sharp Humor), Trippi (broodmare sire of an Unbridled’s Song grade one winner), Tactical Advantage, Luhuk and Gold Case; Lemon Drop Kid (broodmare sire of two Unbridled’s Song grade one winners);  Smart Strike (broodmare sire of a grade one winner by a son of Unbridled’s Song and sire of Curlin, Lookin At Lucky and English Channel); Machiavellian (sire of Street Cry and grandsire of Street Sense); Miswaki (sire of Black Tie Affair and grandsire of Formal Gold); Seeking the Gold (including a stakes winner out of a mare by Mutakddim, and also available through Petionville and Cape Town); Not For Love; and Fusaichi Pegasus.