Newcomers Series: Bullet Train



Bullet Train (Melissa Bauer-Herzog)

From late 2010 to the end of 2012, England’s racing scene was taken over by the unbeaten Frankel (GB). With a record of 14-for-14, including 10 Grade 1s, Frankel was one of the most watched horses in the world. During the last year of his career, Frankel was joined on the track by his pacemaker and 3/4 brother Bullet Train (GB).

Both brothers retired in October 2012 and while Frankel is standing in England, Bullet Train has relocated to Kentucky. Before spending the last six races of his career as Frankel’s pacesetter, Bullet Train won two races, including the Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III). Bullet Train’s career before racing with Frankel included a record of 8-2-1-0. As a pace setter, the horse was in the top five eight times during his career, with three of those coming during his time with Frankel. Overall, he had a record of 14-2-1-0 for $177,737 in earnings.

Bullet Train is by sire-of-sires Sadler’s Wells, who was a multiple Group 1 winner in addition to a sire of many champions on the track. As a sire-of-sires, Sadler’s Wells is the sire of Galileo, Montjeu and closer to home, El Prado among others. Sadler’s Wells has six other sons standing in North America (according to the Blood-Horse Stallion Register) with two more notable stallions in Slingo Bay (IRE) and Perfect Soul (IRE). Sadler’s Wells grandson Cape Blanco (Galileo), who stands at Ashford Stud bred the most mares of any stallion in North America in 2012.

Bullet Train’s dam Kind (IRE) (Danehill) won six of 13 starts for $132,320 in earnings. She was the winner of the Totesport Fillies’ Stakes and Flower of Scotland Stakes in addition to placing in two others. Kind was bred to Sadler’s Wells for her first foal to produce Bullet Train with Frankel as her next foal. Kind did not venture far from the Sadler’s Wells line during her first three years in the shed, going to Galileo for her 2009 foal, producing Noble Mission (GB). While Noble Mission has not run as well as his full brother, he has won two stakes and placed in three others for a record of three wins and four seconds in eight starts.  Kind’s 2010 foal by Oasis Dream (GB) has only raced once, finishing seventh. She produced her first filly, another foal by Oasis Dream (GB) in 2011 and is currently carrying another full sibling to Frankel.

Kind's dam Rainbow Lake (GB) (Rainbow Quest) was a winner of three of her six races, including the Lancashire Oaks (gr. III) and Ballymacoll Stud Stakes for $51,622. But like her daughter, she proved to be valuable in the shed.  She produced 14 foals with 10 appearing on Equibase. Of those 10, nine made it to the track with seven breaking their maidens.

Rainbow Lake produced one graded stakes winner in 2005 Arlington Million (gr. I) winner Powerscourt (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), who defeated Kitten’s Joy by three lengths. In addition to Powerscourt’s graded/group wins he was also the Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in Ireland. Rainbow Lake’s 2009 colt by Rail Link (GB) named Last Train is group one placed with a second in the Juddmonte Grand Prix De Paris (gr. I). Outside of Kind, Rainbow Lake has had no winners on the track from her daughters with only four others to race from her daughters appearing on Equibase.

(Melissa Bauer-Herzog)
Bullet Train has the closest doubling of names in his pedigree of any of the stallions covered so far in the Newcomers Series with Northern Dancer in both his second and fourth generations through Sadler’s Wells and Danzig. The Northern Dancer line also brings in two crosses of the mare Natalma (3 x 5) with a third added through Danzig’s dam Razyana, who is by a daughter of Natalma.

Bullet Train is comparably priced with Slingo Bay (IRE) at $6,000Can and Perfect Soul (IRE) at $7,500. Slingo Bay (IRE) entered stud in 2004 while Perfect Soul (IRE) entered in 2005.  Of the other four Sadler’s Wells sons standing in North America, two have fees set as private and two are standing for $1,000.

Bullet Train is standing the 2013 season for $7,500 at Wintergreen Stallion Station in Midway, Kentucky.

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