It was only an off-season handicap at Randwick but the win of All Time Legend suggests he will be the first stakes performer in Australia out of a daughter of Kendargent.
It is standard practice that by the time a stallion shows his effectiveness as a broodmare sire, said horse is either dead or at the end of his stud career.
Fortunately that is not the case with the still very active Kendargent.
Now the winner of five of his seven starts, the Woodside Park-bred All Time Legend is by Zoustar (Northern Meteor) out of Snow Bell, who became the sixth stakes winner in the first two crops to race for Kendargent winning the 2013 Prix des Lilas at Chantilly and one of only three daughters of her sire at stud in Australia.
Kendargent’s stud career is in stark contrast to his racing career.
He had six races at two and three before breaking his maiden over 1600m at Maisons-Laffite in April, 2006 with subsequent Gr1 winner Champs Elysees in third. He showed improved form through the summer, taking second in the Gr3 Prix Paul de Moussac (1600m) and fourth to Stormy River in the Gr1 Prix Jean Prat (1600m).
Following a unplaced efforts in Gr1 Prix Jacques le Marois and the Gr3 Prix du Pin, Kendargent was sent to North America where took an allowance over one mile at Hollywood Park, then on his final outing finished second in an allowance/optional claimer at Del Mar.
Luckily for European breeders, Guy Pariente returned Kendargent to his Haras de Colleville where he started his stud career at just €1,000 and only 19 registered foals in his first crop, has now sired 62 stakes performers, headed by Gr2 winners Skalleti and Jimmy Two Times, the latter now at stud in France, while his Gr3 winning son Goken has started his stud career alongside his sire at Colleville with distinct promise.
So far his daughters have left seven stakes winners, notably the Gr1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Sealiway (Galiway), whose dam Kensea is 3×4 to Kenmare, and the Japanese Gr2 winner Pourville (Le Havre).
That Kendargent has started so well as a broodmare sire should perhaps come as no surprise with his pedigree littered with successful stallions.
From the Kenmare/Kalamoun branch of the Grey Sovereign line that has done so well in France, he is by Kendor, champion at two and Classic winner of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at three.
While Kendor sired Gr1 winners like Keltos, Charge d’Affaires and Literato, as a broodmare sire he got 12 Gr1 winners including Derby winner Wings Of Eagles and his Gr1 performer City Light (Siyouni) now at stud in France.
Kendor’s champion sire Kenmare got 11 Gr1 winners including Highest Honor and bettered that as a broodmare sire with 12 winners at the highest level including Jukebox Jury (Montjeu).
Kendor is out of a mare by the high-class middle-distance runner Gay Mecene (Vaguely Noble), whose stud career in France and Japan could be described as disappointing however, there are more and more examples of winners inbred to Gay Mecene, indeed, one example is Kendargent’s Listed winning daughter Kenzadargent, the dam of French Gr3 winner Brad The Brief (Dutch Art).
This duplication of Gay Mecene is seen in Kendargent’s Gr2 winner Jimmy Two Times and is also seen in Kendargent stakes winners Ken Colt and Tokyo Gold and last year’s French Listed winner Styledargent is a grandson of Anabaa out of a daughter of Kendargent.
Literato’s Gr1 winning daughter Alterite has a duplication of Gay Mecene while Gr2 Prix d’Harcourt winner Ana Marie is by Anabaa out of a Kendor mare.
Kendargent’s dam Pax Bella is by the Champion French stallion Linamix (Mendez) and he is 3×4 to Kalamoun (Zeddaan). Goken has Gr3 winner Go Athletico with a duplication of Linamix and his Gr3-placed Axdavali is 5×5 Gay Mecene.
Sadly for European breeders Kalamoun died young but from his five crops showed his worth with Prix Jockey-Club winner Bikala, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Kalaglow, Persepolis, Shakapour and Kampala.
Throughout his stud career Kendargent has shown an affinity for mares carrying Rough Shod in their pedigree and this brings us back to All Time Legend, whose grandsire Northern Meteor (Encosta de Lago) is inbred to Rough Shod, his fourth dam.