Jack Christopher
When a stallion’s fee keeps rising, you know he is doing something right. And when his fee increases five fold in the space of five years – as Munnings’ did - you know his progeny have far exceeded expectations. His son Jack Christopher can take much of the credit, as he established himself as arguably the fastest colt of his generation. From five starts around one turn, he posted five decisive victories.
Named a TDN Rising Star after striding nearly nine lengths clear on his debut over six furlongs at Saratoga, he then graduated to Gr.1 company in the Champagne Stakes over a mile at Belmont, this time having nearly three lengths to spare. Although a stress fracture put him on the side lines for several months, Jack Christopher returned better than ever at three. A clear-cut victory in the Gr.2 Pat Day Mile Stakes acted as an ideal prep for the Gr.1 Woody Stephens Stakes over seven furlongs at Belmont, in which Jack Christopher strolled home ten lengths clear of Gr.2 winner Pappacap. The H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga proved a second Gr.1 victory over seven furlongs, with Jack Christopher accounting for Gr.1 Hopeful Stakes winner Gunite. Sandwiched between these Gr.1 successes was an honorable third in the Gr.1 Haskell Stakes, when Jack Christopher struggled with the final furlong.
Coincidentally, Munnings also won the Woody Stephens and finished third in the Haskell Invitational, but he never won beyond seven furlongs. Neither did Jack Christopher’s sire, the Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Speightstown. Yet both have sired a wide range of Graded winners during their distinguished stallion careers, and Jack Christopher can again be expected to follow their example. The fact that his dam is a half-sister to the Gr.1-winning sprinter Street Boss also advertises Jack Christopher’s potential as a stallion. A multiple sire of Gr.1 winners in the U.S., including Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia, Street Boss has also excelled in Australia, where his son Anamoe ranks as an all-time great, with nine Gr.1 wins to his name.
Jack Christopher is inbred 4x4 to two-time Champion Sire STORM CAT, who was also Champion Sire of juveniles on six occasions. Further lines of STORM CAT are an option, as Speightstown has Gr.2 and Gr.3 winners inbred 3x3 to STORM CAT and a Gr.1 winner inbred 3x4. Munnings also has Graded winners out of grand-daughters of STORM CAT, sired by FORESTRY, TABASCO CAT, FREUD, GIANT’S CAUSEWAY and AFTER MARKET. SCAT DADDY mares should help reinforce Jack Christopher’s 2yo ability and daughters of JUSTIFY also appeal.
There is also no obstacle to adding another line of UNBRIDLED, who will be back in the fifth generation of Jack Christopher’s foals.
Munnings also has black-type winners from the GONE WEST, SMART STRIKE, FORTY NINER and KINGMAMBO branches of the MR PROSPECTOR line. Munnings’ 2yo Gr.1 winner Eda has a dam by LEMON DROP KID, while he has a Gr.2 winner, Venetian Harbor, out of a mare by STREET CRY and a Gr.2-placed filly with a dam by STREET SENSE.
Munnings has two Gr.2 winners out of daughters of champion sire TAPIT. Munnings also has a Gr.3 winner from only 4 foals out of A.P. INDY mares and is building some impressive statistics with mares by sons of A.P. INDY. In addition to having 35% BTWs among his nine foals out of mares by FLATTER and 15% BTWs from mares by CONGRATS, his runners out of mares by BERNARDINI include Gr.2 winner Scaramouche. Speightstown’s seven BTWs out of daughters of A.P. INDY include four Graded winners, headed by Gr.1 winner Flagstaff, so Jack Christopher is well worth trying with mares from the A.P. INDY line.
Munnings sired I’m A Chatterbox from a grand-daughter of DANZIG. He also has Graded winners out of daughters of HARD SPUN and BELONG TO ME, while Speightstown sired the Gr.1 winners Jersey Town and Seek Again from mares by BELONG TO ME and DANEHILL.
Munnings has a Gr.2 winner with a dam by EL PRADO and he also has four BTWs with mares by MEDAGLIA D’ORO. Speightstown has an outstanding record with MEDAGLIA D’ORO mares, with the Gr.1 winners Prince of Monaco, Rock Fall, Olympiad and Competitionofideas among his 11 BTWs (15%).
MUNNINGS’ latest Gr.1 winner, Howard Wolowitz, is out of a mare by UNCLE MO.