A sizeable investment in top quality stock is beginning to pay off in a big way for Alberta breeder, Norm McAllister.
by Dan Kenny
Alberta oilman Norman McAllister sold a petroleum services company in 1997 and decided to purchase a band of 30 Kentucky mares to bring home to his 160 acre ranch south of Calgary.
He has already hit a couple of gushers. One of his mares purchased at the Keeneland
Sales at Lexington turned out to be the dam of the current undefeated two-year-old sensation Chilukki. Another is the dam of Grade II winner Comeonmom who was purchased by the Maktoum family for $3 million last fall with the Kentucky Derby as his goal.
McAllister turned his good luck into instant profit when he sold a half-sister to Chilukki privately last month to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Lukas bought the French Deputy-Song of Syria filly on behalf of principal client Satish Sanan's Padua Stable.
Song of Syria foaled a filly by Honour and Glory in May and has been bred back to Cherokee Run, sire of Chilukki. Song of Syria was a $72,000 purchase while in foal to French Deputy.
Single Blade, the dam of Comeonmom, is a Grade I winner by Hatchet Man. She was purchased for $50,000 at Keeneland while in foal to Skip Trial. That foal sold for $50,000 as a weanling at Keeneland last November. Single Blade foaled a Silver Ghost filly this year and is back in foal to Saint Ballado.
"Single Blade is a remarkable mare in that she has had 10 January foals in a row,"
said McAllister. "This year she foaled on February 2 and got back in foal again on onecover. That was part of the attraction when we bought her." McAllister's business plan is to operate as a market breeder in both his home province and larger markets in the US and Ontario. "My goal was to buy 30 mares at an average price of $30,000 as my initial investment," he said. "So far we've sold 11 foals from that crop that have grossed almost $800,000 so you might say we're ahead of schedule. The French Deputy filly certainly played a big part. We got a very good price for her so it was not a difficult decision to sell, especially knowing that she would be going to a top outfit."
McAllister's rolling pastures near Millarville, south of Calgary, have enabled him to raise rugged stock which has already caught the eye of horsemen worldwide.
"We sold a Known Fact weanling last fall to Japan in a private sale for a nice price," he said. "She was out of a Roberto mare which is a half-sister to Bates Motel. And I'm told that Lukas was very complimentary about the condition of the French Deputy filly when he came to inspect her. She was Kentucky-foaled but brought home and raised in Alberta after weaning."
McAllister is convinced that Alberta has the environment to raise thoroughbreds which can compete on the open market. "We've got good grass, and pristine air and water.
Hot dry summers and cold, snowy winters are ideal for raising tough horses with proper
respiratory systems. All we have been lacking is the bloodlines"
McAllister has certainly provided the proper bloodlines to make his point. He'll offer
yearlings by Silver Deputy, Belong To Me, Saint Ballado, Brocco, Star de Naskra,
Trempolino and others at Keeneland in September. The Edmonton Sale consignment will include foals by Cozzene, Cryptoclearance, Wallenda, Numerous, Explosive Red, Lit De Justice and Friendly Lover. A filly by Maria's Mon will be sold at Woodbine.
The McAllister operation has been inspired by the prospect of a new racetrack in the
Calgary area. Alberta horsemen have long decried their poor relationship with the
Stampede Park management. Proposals for a mile track have generated a bit of muted
excitement out West.
"If it comes to pass, the Raceport would be a boon to Alberta racing and breeding.
McAllister Thoroughbreds would certainly be positioned to take advantage of an
increase in purses and auction sales prices." McAllister has been active around thoroughbreds for three decades, primarily with show horses purchased for his four children. He raced a modest string of homebreds in Alberta before deciding to make a dramatic investment in imported stock.
"In oilfield terms we used the inexpensive stock to 'debug' the operation. My goal is
to become one of the top Canadian farms. I want to eventually breed a Queen's Plate
winner. My ultimate dream would be to breed a Kentucky Derby winner." McAliister Thoroughbreds stands Grade 1 performer Rokeby and has purchased a major
interest in King's Nest and the recently purchased Magic Prospect, a son of Mr.
Prospector who will be moved to Alberta from Virginia for the 2000 season. He also
has shares in Western stallions Rebmec (Miswaki) and Alfaari (Danzig).
"I plan to be active in Canadian markets because this is where I live and I think our
land and staff are capable of producing a top runner. Donna Cousins manages the ranch
and I could not be more pleased with the results we have obtained to this point. "In the long run I will be keeping an eye on the bigger market in Kentucky. It seems
to me that the big profits are at the higher end of the market. I've been lucky with
a couple of my mares and it's given me a taste of it. I think our next broodmare
purchases will be a touch higher up the scale."
Foals of this year are by El Prado, Thunder Gulch, Jade Hunter, Supremo, Silver Ghost,
Honour and Glory, and Lil E. Tee. McAllister has continued to seek quality breeding in 1999 to Tale of the Cat, Southern Halo, Dance Brightly, Maria's Mon, Roy, Lost Code, Mr. Greeley, Pembroke, Whiskey Wisdom, Dr. Adagio and Eastem Echo. He has also patronized Western stalwarts Regal Remark, Bold Laddie, Vying Victor,
Katahaula County and Vilzak.
Not since the days of Max Bell and Frank McMahon three decades ago has an Alberta
outfit set up shop with such an ambitious world view. The first McAllister
Thoroughbreds from Kentucky mares race in 2000. Stay tuned.
Canadian Thoroughbred August 1999