THE HEIR TO AMERICAN IDEAL
AMERICAN IDEAL a breed-shaper in both hemispheres for more than a decade
For breeders, Copy That is the dream heir apparent to the Cups King of Western Australia.
When American Ideal passed away in January, 2024, he left behind a real void, the go-to stallion having left the winners of five of the last 10 winners of the state’s biggest race, the WA Pacing Cup.
Magnificent Sorm (2023), Mighty Conqueror (2020), Soho Tribeca (2018) and My Hard Copy (2015 and 2016) did for American Ideal what no other sire had achieved in more than a century of racing in Perth.
But now, in a real coup for the state, American Ideal’s most successful son Copy That is to take up residence this breeding season.
Out of the thousands of winners the stallion sired in Australia, New Zealand and North America, and his 18 millionaire performers, Western Australia gets the only one to have topped $2 million.
And you don’t have to look any further than the numbers to realise what a big deal that actually is. While he never toppled Bettor’s Delight from his champion sire perch, American Ideal was a breed- shaper in both hemispheres for more than a decade.
His progeny won a total of $230 million worldwide and with earnings of more than US$182 million in North America he was in the top 10 stallions on money won for all ages for 13 years straight. He had 527 winners of more than US$100,000 with 806 in 1:55 or faster and 88 in the 1:50 list.
And he was in the top four in each year from 2017 to 2024 with a string of age group standouts and open class performers in the States and Canada.
In Australia, American Ideal ranked in the top six sires in each of the last nine seasons and his record in Western Australia is even better.
In the last eight years he has finished second on the sires’ table four times and fourth four times.
American Ideal’s list of headliners in Western Australia reads like a Who’s Who of harness racing but he was also revered for leaving all-round good racehorses with natures as kind as his own.
He topped the sires’ list on average earnings per starter, a prized stat for breeders. In Australia, he had a career total of 479 winners from 595 starters, with average earnings of A$52,694, a great strike rate of 80.5%.
Four NZ Cup winners in his pedigree
Delve deeply enough into Copy That’s maternal pedigree and you’ll discover he is not the only New Zealand Trotting Cup winner in the family – there are three others.
Copy That’s dam Lively Nights has left four winners from as many to the races so far from the leading New Zealand nursery of Woodlands Stud and grand dam White Nights’ three foals to race were all winners.
And there’s a long list of headline performers further back in his pedigree to help explain why Copy That had both explosive speed and rare stamina.
Leading Kiwi trainers Roy and Barry Purdon produced two NZ Cup winners from the family in champions Luxury Liner (1988) and Christopher Vance (1991). Both horses also won Auckland Cups, Luxury Liner twice, and Christopher Vance put paid to Defoe and Westburn Grant in the 1991 Miracle Mile.
The fourth NZ Cup winner was Luxury Liner’s fifth dam, Lady Clare, who became the second mare to win in 1911.
The Purdons also won one of Australia’s most prestigious races, the 1997 A. G. Hunter Cup, with another member of Copy That’s family in Surprise Package.
Two Western Australian speedsters also feature in the pedigree, 2017 WA Oaks winner Maczaffair and 2010 Pinjarra Cup hero Precious Dylan.
Mr Hasani, who won 51 races and paced 1:49.8 in the States, also hails from Copy That’s maternal family.
WORLD’S RICHEST SON OF AMERICAN IDEAL
| Copy That | NZ$2,019,937 |
| Bling It On * | A$1,882,957 |
| American Jewel | US$1,840,565 |
| Heston Blue Chip * | US$1,781,881 |
| American History * | US$1,688,082 |
| Sunfire Blue Chip * | US$1,626,773 |
| Youaremycandygirl | US$1,566,292 |
| Great Vintage | US$1,510,226 |
| Covered Bridge | US$1,400,803 |
| Idyllic | US$1,296,967 |
| My Hard Copy (dec) * | A$1,271,592 |
| He’s Watching * | US$1,116,450 |
| Magnificent Storm | A$1,112,062 |
| Funknwaffles | US$1,110,600 |
| Soho Tribeca * | A$1,103,854 |
* Successful proven siring sons of American Ideal in the United States and Australia.
