Music
In the misty morning air, heavy droplets of dew glisten as the sun peers through a crisp autumn day in the Barossa ranges at Springton.
The mares graze peacefully in this resplendent setting of sun-dappled pastures interspersed with the rich textures of majestic red gums.
Music
Tarona Park Start is a thoroughbred nursery encompassing 450 acres of spacious well-fence paddocks, quality facilities and where attention to detail and an enthusiastic approach from staff is apparent from the outset.
The opening chapter of Tarona Park as a commercial entity began two seasons ago with Bill, the first son of Maskay to stand in South Australia.
Bill is without doubt one of the most passionately bred young stallions standing anywhere.
He is a son of the former champion two-year-old and current Australian champion, Sire Maskay, himself a grandson of the legendary Star Kingdom.
Maskay has sired no less than 25 individual stakes winners including the multiple group one winner, Triskay, the flying filly, Joanne and the exciting young stallion, Mays Kay.
Additionally, current champions such as Skalachi, Superimposed, Rough Havett, Burst, Tis and Clannagh Sullivan all carry the blood of the great Star Kingdom.
Already the sire of over 180 individual winners, Maskay's progeny have won nearly $12 million.
Bill is a magnificent individual with a superb temperament, purchased as a yearling and prepared throughout his career by leading Sydney trainer Dr. Jeff Chapman.
Bill was successful at his first two-year-old appearance at Rose Hill and was placed in the prestigious group races, the Royal Sovereign Stakes and the San Domenico Stakes.
The remarkable first season achievement by Boom Sire Marauding has centered much attention on Bill whose dam is a half sister to Biskalawi, the dam of Marauding.
A golden slipper winner himself, Marauding is the first stallion since World War II to sire two group one winners in his first crop.
His initial group one success was King Marauding.
And who could forget the emotion and excitement of outstanding Philly Burst winning the $2 million Golden Slipper Stakes.
Burst became the first Philly in history to complete the first quarter of the season.
Burst became the first Philly in history to complete the two-year-old Triple Crown, the Golden Slipper Stakes, the AJC Sire's produce and the Champagne Stakes.
The statistics of Marauding are awesome.
Bill is champion first season sire and champion two-year-old sire with record earnings of almost $2.5 million. His progeny one or replaced in over 60% of the two-year-old group races run in Melbourne and Sydney in the 1991-92 racing year.
Bill is second-in-the-class in the world to win the $2 million Golden Slipper Stakes standing at a fee of $60,000 and Marauding commanding $65,000 doesn't bill represent outstanding value.
Last season the brilliant performer Key Dancer truly enhanced the studs profile and proved most popular with breeders.
He has all the race track credentials to become an outstanding sire.
The wraps on the Tommy Smith train Colt were massive leading up to his first two-year-old start over 1,000 metres at Randwick.
He was followed by Ocom Castle but Ditman said go and Key Dancer shot clear. Key Dancer booted away two lengths or more in second place boxing on strongly as Music Way followed by reassuring and Mean Mower but Key Dancer well clear he's going to bolt in Key Dancer and Key Dancer wins easily over Music Way.
Third reassuring fourth as Mean Mower and then into nice action horse got that real daisy cutting style there's Mick having a peep over the shoulder he sees that he's got Music Way covered and he eases up in the last little bit and Key Dancer gives Tommy Smith yet another two-year-old winner for the season.
Oh he's on fire the older little corporal Music Way number five will get second to pay two dollars even and I think gee look at that freeze frame what a great shot.
Key Dancer's next start over 1,100 metres at Rose Hill was to prove that he had both brilliant speed and great courage.
They come to the 300 mark and Mack Wind is making a race of it in fact he's making more than a race of it Mack Wind he's charged up now to join Key Dancer they're going to fight it out Key Dancer's got plenty of heart though he's kicking again and it's Key Dancer and Mack Wind in a ding-dong duel with Key Dancer kicking and Key Dancer wins at a half head to Mack Wind.
Venturing to Perth Key Dancer landed the group three millionaire size stakes prior to contesting the group one Australian derby.
Two lengths away to Sir Ryan Appraise and Williams Goat at the 200 is Key Dancer on the outside, Dittman's pulled the whip, Hard Act on the inside, Barnett hands and heels, Hard Act ahead, Key Dancer levels up, it's Hard Act and Key Dancer, here's Appraise, Hard Act Key Dancer from Appraise above the head, maybe Key Dancer knows from Hard Act ahead.
Returning to Sydney Key Dancer was freshened before contesting the group two Apollo stakes where despite being checked and forced to travel wide throughout he easily defeated a top class feud of group performance.
Approaching the 200 Groucho tackled on the outside by Key Dancer, Flotilla the first beaten, Key Dancer went to the lead, Groucho won't surrender, it's Key Dancer running about a half length in front of Groucho Shalaya coming home late but Key Dancer's going to the line to take out the Coca-Cola Apollo.
Key Dancer gets in from Groucho and Shalaya, cracking back and interstellar rock.
In total Key Dancer won five races from only 15 lifetime starts, he won from 1000 metres to 2400 metres and with career earnings of over $470,000.
Key Dancer is a magnificently conformed son of the Irish champion two year old Don Zatorre and he possesses all of the masculine qualities of the world's most recognised and applauded sire line, a sire line that produced the 91 champion USA sire Danzig, the 91 champion sire of Great Britain, Caerleon and the 91 champion sire of France, Green Dancer.
In addition, nine of the top ten stallions listed on the 1991 two year old sire's list for Great Britain came from this very sire line, that of Northern Dancer.
Key Dancer is a grandson of the immortal Northern Dancer, just like Caerleon, Green Dancer, El Zao, Bluebird, Last Tycoon and Palace Music.
In 1991 sons or grandsons of Northern Dancer sired the winners of such races as the English Derby, English 2000 Guineas, Irish Derby, Irish 2000 Guineas, the Irish Oaks, the English 1000 Guineas, the Irish 1000 Guineas and also the Middle Park Stakes.
Key Dancer certainly has all of the credentials to become an outstanding sire.
So this is the continuing chapter of Tarona Park, a fresh progressive stud providing quality care and professional service.
Tarona Park offers thoroughbred breeders today's most pre-potent sire lines, that of Star Kingdom through Bill.
And that of Northern Dancer through Key Dancer and both offered at very realistic prices.
Please consider Tarona Park stud for your breeding requirements this season.