Bob Peters: Part II - Development of homebred families - an exercise in patience, persistence, satisfaction and reward.

In this second chapter of the Bob Peters story we will look at the development of the families of what is considered his "six foundation families" along with some newly emerging families also being developed as well as briefly identifying some successful male horses Peters has raced with success over the years.
But firstly and in chronological order we will explore each of his "foundation mares".
First cab off the rank is So Stunning ( by Shirley Heights ) born in 1984.
Old Nick ( by Old Spice ) was out of this mare and gave Bob and Sandra Peters their first Gr 1 Kingston Town Classic winner as well as winning for them also in 1998 their first Gr 2 WA Guineas.
Two of So Stunning's daughters, Bonus ( Haulpak ) 1989 and Lady Belvedere ( Royal Academy ) 1997 continued to front breedings for the Peters.
Bonus is the dam of Mississippi Belle ( Marooned ) 1997 who in turn is the dam of both Peters 2014 Gr 1 Railway Stakes winner Elite Belle ( Canny Lad ) 2008 and their 2020 Gr 2 Perth Cup winner Mississippi Delta ( High Chaparral ) 2013.
Pure Devotion ( So You Think ) 2017 is a great granddaughter of Lady Belvedere via Senora ( Fusaichi Pegasus ) 2005 and Paris Romance ( Redoute's Choice ) 2012, the latter also the dam of Fine Romance ( So You Think ) 2018 thus a full-sister to Pure Devotion.
Next we look at Miss Margaret ( Marscay ) born in 1992.
Miss Margaret was a Gr 1 winner for the Peters winning the South Australian Oaks ( 2500m ) and the Chrysler Stakes ( now the Cantala Stakes Gr 1, 1600m ).
From Miss Margaret's daughter the Listed winner Celebrity Miss ( More Than Ready ) 2008 came one of the Peters pinup girls in Celebrity Queen ( Redoute's Choice ) 2016 who won 7 of her 13 starts $728,940 including the Gr 1 Neds Oakleigh Plate ensuring her value as a broodmare. So much so that even Bob Peters could not resist entering her in the Inglis Chairmans Sale ( May 2021 ) where she was knocked down to the bid of a young Tom Magnier ( Coolmore Stud Australia ) for a whopping A$2.5 million.
Interestingly, Celebrity Queen's first four dams ( Celebrity Miss, Miss Margaret, Fancy Miss and Radiant Ann ) were all Stakes winners.
It has been previously stated that if one was writing a book on the history of breeding then Celebrity Queen could be used as a worthy example.
Looking at her pedigree page reflects considerable work having gone into her male line presences as well. There is her sire Redoute's Choice which brings in Danehill, there's Sir Tristram, Marscay, More Than Ready, all of them champions just as she was. A Gr 1 winner to be found at every level of her pedigree.
Little wonder Miss Margaret has remained a sentimental favourite of the Peters.
The third mare we look at is Flaming Heart ( Salieri ) 1993.
This mare had four daughters in Suspicion ( Mukddaam ) 1998, Heartbeat ( Rory's Jester ) 1999, Morning Mist ( Anabaa ) 2006 and Real Love ( Desert King ) 2010, the latter the winner of the 2015 Gr 2 Perth Cup for the Peters.
Breedings from Flaming Heart have primarily focussed on the latter pair with Morning Mist having produced the promising filly Devoted ( Xtravagant ) 2018 whilst it is early days as yet in the breeding shed for Real Love.
More to come from this family for sure.
The fourth of the Peters "foundation mares" is Reflected Image ( Bluebird ) 1996.
A winner of 4 of her 10 starts for $153,495 included in her wins was the Gr 3 WA Oaks of 1999.
This Northern Dancer-line mare ( via Storm Bird ) is one to keep an eye on through her three daughters the full-sisters New Image 2006, Ideal Image 2011 and Perfect Reflection 2012, all three by one of Peters favoured stallion's in More Than Ready ( who carries a key female balancing line of Northern Dancer, something that is always likely to be a big assist with the numerous male lines that abound in today's stallion pedigrees ).
Watch in particular the branch that evolves through Peters 2015 Gr 1 Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection.
By far the two greatest "foundation families" that Bob Peters has developed have come through Antique and Lady Ashford.
And when Bob Peters expresses his belief in a family he sure does follow through.
Antique ( Metal Storm ) 1999 has a hybrid ( outcrossed ) pedigree with no duplications within her first 5-generations and descends paternally from Peters favoured Nasrullah-line via Grey Sovereign.
Three of her visits to Redoute's Choice have produced fillies; the full-sisters Arcadia 2004, Broadway Belle 2005 and Antique Belle 2009.
And at this stage, from the first two Peters has struck gold.
Broadway Belle's successive matings ( a common practice identified with Peters breeding ventures ) to Pierro have left the highly successful colts Action 2014, a Gr 2 WATC Derby winner $486,700 and Regal Power 2015 who has a Gr 2 WATC Derby as well as two Gr 1's the Railway Stakes and the 2021 Kingston Town Classic to add to his burgeoning list of accomplishments.
If ever there was an example of breeding a horse for all distances then Regal Power epitomises it with career earnings to date of A$4,571,385 ( 9 wins from 27 starts ).
For all the promise that Broadway Belle has shown to date, she has however been outshone by her older full-sister Arcadia who has founded a much larger branch of this family for Peters.
Arcadia's six foals to race have all been winners.
Her son Arcadia Prince ( Pierro ) 2014 won 7 of his 13 starts earning $400,275 but even he was to be eclipsed by her numerous daughters which included the Listed winner Arcadia Rose ( Kheleyf ) 2010, Gr 2 WATC Derby winner Arcadia Dream ( Domesday ) 2012 and darling princess Arcadia Queen ( Pierro ) 2015, the latter a full-sister to Arcadia Prince.
Whilst Arcadia Rose was only lightly raced winning 3 of her 5 starts for $87,300, Arcadia Dream won 5 of her 12 starts for a very respectable $529,350.
But Arcadia Queen was to take things to a new plane, her 16 starts netting 8 wins including the 2018 Gr 2 WA Guineas and the 2018 Kingston Town Classic.
A move to the Eastern seaboard saw her capturethe 2019 Gr 2 Theo Marks Stakes and the Gr 1 MacKinnon Stakes whilst in 2020 she added a further Gr 1 with success in the Caulfield Stakes taking her life earnings to A$3,966,035 winning at distances ranging from 1300-2000m.
Arcadia Queen, like Celebrity Queen before her, was to be sold by Peters at the 2021 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale for A$3.3 million to the successful bid of Arrowfield Stud.
Arcadia Queen's 3rd dam Bonny Guest ( What Guest ) was also a formidable producer  with 8 individual winners including the Gr 2 winner Kalatiara ( Metal Storm ), the dam of WATC Farley Stakes winner Kalahaar ( Choisir ) and the Listed winner Kentiara ( Metal Storm ), the latter a full-sister to Kalatiara.
One to keep an eye on moving forward may be Arcadia Grace ( Hinchinbrook ) 2018, a daughter of Arcadia Dream but we are sure most breeders eyes will be firmly on Arcadia Queen from Arcadia's branch of the Antique family.
The last, but by no means least of thesix Bob Peters "foundation families" focuses on Lady Ashford ( Royal Academy ) coincidentally also born in 1999, the same year as Antique.
Lady Ashford traces direct maternally ( tail female line ) to the much lauded matriarch La Troienne who she carries as her 8th dam via the latter's daughter Baby League so it is fair to say she was destined to commence a broodmare career on the front foot.
Being by Royal Academy, she is another Northern Dancer-line mare this time via Nijinsky II.
Her dam Springfire is sex-balance linebred to the female gems Mumtaz Begum ( via son Nasrullah and daughter Malindi ) and Striking ( via son Hitting Away and daughter Batter Up ) with Batter Up also being the 4th dam of Springfire.
The Peters have bred from four daughters of Lady Ashford; these being Star Encounter ( Jeune ) 2004, Galaxy Queen ( Jeune ) 2005, Sentimental Star ( More Than Ready ) 2006 and Favourite Star ( More Than Ready )2007.
Already we can see a breeding pattern beginning to emerge with repeat matings at least in part adhering to Mendel's Laws of Probability.
Bob Peters sent Star Encounter, winner of 8 of her 30 starts bankrolling $420,390 including success in the Listed Pinjarra Cup 2300m and a 2nd in the 2008 WA Oaks and a 3rd in the WA Derby the same year, to Redoute's Choice to produce Perfect Jewel 2014 ( winner of the 2017 WA Guineas as well as the La Trice Classic - both Gr 2's ).
Star Encounter's first foal Star Exhibit ( Statue Of Liberty ) 2011 won two Perth Cup's ( 2017 and 2019 ) whilst Perfect Jewel's full-sister Royal Star 2013 won a Listed Natasha Stakes.
Star Encounter also produced the filly Spritely Star ( Statue Of Liberty ) 2017 and has others to follow including a foal by Dundeel so more to come here.
Rather sadly, the same will not be the case for Galaxy Queen, winner of 5 of her 13 starts for $133,400 who died in 2013 having left just the two foals, both winners, the best being Galaxy Star ( Redoute's Choice ) 2012 who won the 2018 Gr 1 Railway Stakes, her 13 wins from 19 starts having amassed $1,541,000. Perhaps she can rekindle the Galaxy Queen arm of Lady Ashford in the years to come.
And just as Lady Ashford's daughters Star Encounter and Galaxy Queen are full-sisters by Jeune, another set of lesser racetrack performed daughters in Sentimental Star 2006 ( 1 win from 11 starts for a modest $17,705 ) and Favourite Star 2007 are also full-sisters by More Than Ready.
Sentimental Star has left the full-sister and brother Sentimental Queen 2016 ( 5 wins from 15 starts, $128,000 ) and Sentimental Hero 2017 ( 3 wins from 6 starts, $111,000 to date ) both by Al Maher, as well as another brother Sentimental Friend 2014 ( 2 wins to date $88,000 ).
Sentimental Star's full-sister Favourite Star ( 2 wins from 6 starts $25,050 ) has to date left the Listed winner Enticing Star ( Testa Rossa ) 2013 ( 8 wins from 10 starts $480,200 ) and a younger half-sister Devoted Star ( Al Maher ) the latter being a full-sister in blood to Sentimental Queen and Sentimental Hero.
Whilst Peters has continued to breed from and develop these "six foundation families" the extent of his homebred breeding endeavours does not stop just with them.
There are a number of fillies he has raced and then bred from , occasionally also purchasing a filly that catches his attention.
From the mare Reigning Belle ( Military Plume, by Sir Tristram ) 1994 ( 5 wins from 10 starts ) he bred Truly Special ( Jeune ) 2006 ( 3 wins from 4 starts ) who in turn is the dam of Truly Great ( Dundeel ) 2015, a winner of 8 of his 14 starts reaping $997,475 including the Gr 1 Kingston Town Classic of 2020.
Truly Special has also left Special Alert ( Not A Single Doubt ) 2014 whose 2 wins from 11 starts $177,990 have included the 2018 WA Oaks Gr 3. 
Another family potentially on the rise.
Dark Amber ( Marscay ) 1997 produced Cohort ( Scenic ) 2004 ( 6 wins from 14 starts, $216,925 , winner of both the Belmont Guineas and Belmont Classic in 2008 ) but his half-sister Dark Miss ( More Than Ready ) 2008 ( 5 wins from 25 starts, $167,410 ) has left three fillies; Dark Choice ( Redoute's Choice ) 2015 ( 1 win from 4 starts being the Gr 3 WA Oaks , $156,800 ), Dark Lass ( Redoute's Choice ) 2017 and the promising Mrs America  ( American Pharoah ) 2018 ( 2 wins to date from 3 starts, $26,350 ) hence leaving Peters with plenty of scope to nuture this family to greater achievements.
Another good Peters mare Magical Miss descends directly from Lyphard's maternal family featuring Goofed close up in her damline.
Magical Miss ( Danehill ) 1998 had 4 wins from 16 starts for $1,039, 750 including the Gr 2 Memsie Stakes where she lowered the colours of the great Fields Of Omagh. Also included in her wins were the Gr 1 VATC One Thousand Guineas defeating Ha Ha and the Gr 1 VRC Oaks for trainer Bart Cummings winning at distances ranging from 1410-2500m.
From Magical Miss Peters has bred Mystical Miss ( More Than Ready ) 2010 ( 3 wins from 12 starts $49,710 ) who in turn has left Mystical View ( Canford Hills ) 2017 ( 2 wins from 6 starts to date $60,910 ).
From the mare Purfect Size ( Catbird ) 2003, who traces direct maternally to the great matriarch Chelandry, Peters has bred the filly Real Charm ( Reset ) 2010 ( 5 wins from 13 starts $249,710 ) and her full-brother Picture Perfect 2015 not forgetting her other son of Reset in Mystic Prince who landed success in the 2013 WATC Derby Gr 2.
Peters early liking for the stallion Metal Storm has also yielded rewarding success with his daughters Storm Alert  2001 having produced Windstorm ( Redoute's Choice ) 2016 ( 7 wins from 10 starts, $345,470 including the Weekend Hussler Stakes ) and Stormy Nova ( also a 2001 model ) having produced Superstorm ( Sebring ) 2016 ( 4 wins from 18 starts, $2,929,050 including the Gr 1 VRC Cantala Stakes defeating Icebath and Cascadian and the Gr 2 MVRC Feehan Stakes ).
And if this was not enough, Peters also has another mare by Metal Storm on the boil and a potential favourite( as he raced her ) in Avenida Madero 1998.
This mare won 13 races for Peters  from 40 starts amassing $594,335 including the Gr 2 ( Sir ) Lee Steere Stakes, the Gr 3 Roma Cup , the Gr 3 A.J.Scahill Stakes and finishing runner-up to top class Eastern raider Miss Andretti in the 2005 Winterbottom Stakes.
Avenida Madero is the dam of Respondent ( Haradasun ) 2010 ( 5 wins from 46 starts, $709,040 including victory in the 2014 Gr 2 WA Derby ) and his full-brother State Attorney 2014.
But this mare's greatest accomplishment at Stud has been leaving the filly Graceful Girl ( by Nature Strip's sire Nicconi ), a half-sister to Respondent and State Attorney.
Graceful Girl was part of Peters clean sweep of the West Australian Triple Crown of Group 1's in 2021 and for that reason will always have a special place in Peters heart, her Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes ( 1200m ) win being centre stage of her 6 wins to date for lifetime earnings of $798,700 easily eclipsing both her mother Avenida Madero and her half-brother Respondent.
Bob Peters also raced Western Jewels dam Our Millster ( by Marooned, therefore also from the Nasrullah sireline as with his Metal Storm mares ) 1999.
Putting Our Millster to an old favourite ( Jeune ) he produced Western Jewel 2006 who was to win the 2012 Gr 2 Perth Cup ( 2400m ).
In 2013 Western Jewel produced Western Temple ( Dream Ahead ) who landed 7 wins from 43 starts including the Listed Bunbury Stakes 1400m for earnings of $572,900 whilst her 2016 filly Western Queen ( a full-sister to Western Temple ) appears to have gone unraced.
Western Jewel was the mare that many readers may recall Peters sent to New Zealand and left at Haunui Farm for several seasons to be covered by their shuttle stallion Iffraaj only to return home when Iffraaj discontinued shuttling.
As luck would have it, Western Jewel produced three colts to Iffraaj albeit Peters praying that one of her foals to Iffraaj could have been a filly.
Her first Iffraaj colt named Western Empire 2017 has the potential to be Peters best racehorse, possibly even better than Regal Power.
He has been a revelation on the racetrack to date winning both the 2021 Gr 1 Railway Stakes ( 1600m ) as well as the Gr 2 WA Derby. His win in the Railway Stakes by four lengths also saw him start the shortest price favourite in the 134 year history of the race.
From just the 13 starts to date Western Empire has won 7 times already bankrolling $1,367,550 and it feels like he has just arrived as the new kid on the block.
Western Knight 2018 and Western Power 2020 are to follow ( both also by Iffraaj ) as is a Toronado filly so this family has the makings of a progressive newer family for Peters and one promising a big upward spiral.
Bob Peters purchased Midnight Special ( Zabeel ) 2005 as a yearling.
She won a race for himbut was always destined for the breeding barn having quickly made her mark as the dam of multiple Stakes winner Neverland ( Big Brown ) and the New Zealand GR 2 Easter Handicap winner Demonetization ( All Too Hard ).
Midnight Special is also the dam of Midnight Blue ( So You Think ), a gelding that has now won 5 from 19 for Peters including the 2022 Perth Cup ( Gr 2, 2400m ) and earning his keep with a healthy $514,050 in career earnings to date.
So it came as no surprise that Peters should part with $190,000 at the 2017 NZB Yearling Sales to purchase a Reliable Man filly whose dam Be Inspired was a full-sister to Midnight Special.
Yet another shrewd investment by Bob Peters as the resultant filly ( named Inspirational Girl ) was to land Peters the Gr 1 Railway Stakes ( 1600m ) in 2020, now having recorded 9 wins from 13 starts and $1,121,625 in winnings to date.
For those interested, and as an aside, Be Inspired is also the dam of Brookspire ( Hinchinbrook ) a young filly currently in the stable of Chris Waller ( where she has won 1 from only the 3 starts to date ) for owner Brae Sokolski ( a part-owner of 2021 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant ).
One mare worth keeping a close eye on in her breeding exploits is the Peters former top class filly ( now mare ) Delicacy ( Al Maher - Simply Wicked, by Scenic ) 2011.
Delicacy was voted the Australian 2014-15 3YO Of The Year ( defeating Winx in the voting ) in a season that saw her win 2 Derby's ( WA and SA ) and 2 Oaks ( WA and SA ).
In the SA Derby 2500m she defeated a subsequent Hong Kong Horse Of The Year in Werther.
She was to back up the following year with victory in the 2016 WA Perth Cup Gr 2.
She is definitely another one to watch in the near future.
A few other Peters mares to watch in terms of developing new breeding lines ( families ) are:

Dreamaway ( More Than Ready - Legal Consent, by Danehill ) 2007 ( 6 wins from 30 starts $804,100 including the 2011 Gr 2 WA Derby and the Gr 3 WA Oaks ). This mare's dam Legal Consent is a half-sister to one of Peters "foundation mares" in Miss Margaret.
Dreamaway is the dam of Brave Dream 2016, a son of Declaration Of War.

First Impressions ( Rip Van Winkle - Striker, by Van Nistelrooy ) 2012, her 3 wins including the Gr 3 2016 WA Oaks.

Shining Star ( Exceed And Excel - Off The Planet, by Fusaichi Pegasus ) 2012 who descends direct maternally to Denise's Joy via Joy And Fun.

Show Honey ( Showcasing - Pretty Ready, by More Than Ready ) 2013 who earned nearly $200,000 on the racetrack mostly in New Zealand and is from the Gr 1 winning family of Rising Romance ( now a highly successful broodmare in the band at Arrowfield Stud ). This mare was due to foal to American Pharoah in 2021.

Fairy Fast ( Unencumbered - Fairessa, by Encosta De Lago ) who won 3 of her 6 starts $39,065.

Tuscan Queen ( Fastnet Rock - Tavarnelle, by Zabeel ) 2016 6 wins from 10 starts $580,750 including the Gr 2 WA Derby and the Gr 3 WA Oaks both in 2020.

Memorable Miss ( Showcasing - Misstrum, by Stratum ) 2017

Airlie Queen ( Artie Schiller - Flying Hope, by Flying Spur ) 2017

Magical Dream ( Dream Ahead - Mystic Hour, by Redoute's Choice ) 2017 4 wins from 7 starts $160,210 who traces direct maternally to Humour ( her 3rd dam ).

Treasured Star ( Toronado - Treasured Gift, by Big Brown ) 2018 3 wins from 5 starts to date $324,600 including the Gr 2 WA Guineas.

It would of course be remiss of us not to touch on a few male horses other than those already mentioned that have carried Bob and Sandra Peters famous cerise and white colours to success over the years. Some of these include;

Congressman ( Ksar - Approvetor, by Approval ) 1983 ( 7 wins from 32 starts, $421,380 including the Gr 2 VATC Herbert Power Handicap when trained on the Eastern seaboard by George Hanlon and narrowly beaten by Imposera in the 1988 Caulfield Cup ). Hanlon, trainer of three Melbourne Cup winners, also trained both Spectrum ( Old Spice ) 1993 and Centisle ( Centaine ) 1990 for Peters, the latter including amongst 6 wins the Gr 1 SAJC Goodwood Handicap and the Gr 3 MVRC Tesio Stakes for lifetime earnings of $327,450.

Field Officer ( Old Spice - Carre D'or, by Le Cordonnier ) 1989 ( 3 wins from 33 starts $268,460 including the 1993 Gr 2 Perth Cup whilst also finishing runner-up to Dark Ksar in the 1995 Gr 2 C.B.Cox Stakes ).

Crown Prosecutor ( Grand Lodge - Dark Hope, by At Talaq ) 2000 ( 7 wins from 27 starts $404,655 including the Gr 2 Perth Cup in 2005.
His 4th dam Clearaway ( Le Filou ) being a half-sister to Te Awa ( Foxbridge ) the latter the dam of the very talented New Zealand galloper of the 60's in Tatua.

Lords Ransom ( Jeune - Palace Alice, by Palace Music ) 2003 ( 9 wins from 18 starts $722,370 including the 2010 Gr 2 Perth Cup and the Gr 2 C.B.Cox Stakes as well as running 2nd to Guyno in the 2008 Bunbury Cup ).

Zaratite ( Animal Kingdom - Zarakiysha, by Kendor ) 2015 has been a racewinner for Peters as has True Attraction ( More Than Ready - Significant, by Flying Spur ) 2015 ( 4 wins from 10 starts to date $217,345 including the Listed Aquanita Stakes ).
True Attraction's dam Significant is a half-sister to Crown Prosecutor ( as above ).

Other Peters male horses still racing in recent times include the likes of Expressionist ( Pierro - Tranquility, by Redoute's Choice ) 2016, Giant Leap ( Iffraaj - Moonbound, by Catbird ) 2016, Treasured Crown ( So You Think - Jewelled, by Zabeel ) 2016 who traces direct maternally to Mrs Moss ( his 5th dam ), Conquered Zone ( Eurozone - Conquistar, by Danasinga ) 2016, Secret Plan ( I Am Invincible - Highly Secret, by High Chaparral )2017 and Bogart ( Redoute's Choice - Avante, by Hurricane Sky ) 2016.

Whilst being the first to acknowledge that we have included by no means all of the Peters notable gallopers and some not so notable, we have mentioned a good number of them many of which will get further mention in Part III of our Bob Peters story when looking more closely at the breeding methods he has deployed.

As a parting shot to Part II of the Bob Peters story, one further male horse to keep an eye on moving forward is a colt named Affluential.
Affluential is a full-brother to the 2021 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant and a $140,000 purchase by Peters out of the 2020 NZB Yearling Sales.

In Part III of the Bob Peters story we will look at some of his racing and breeding achievements, his future ambitions in the racing game as well as looking at some of the breeding methods and techniques he has deployed to reach the level of success that both he and Sandra have enjoyed over such a vast period of time.