Colonelsdarktemper
by Avalyn Hunter
While many bloodstock experts have bemoaned the lack of outcross sire lines in the current American market, the truth is that breeders have few options outside the popular lines that dominate the commercial sales. There are far more stallions out there tracing to Storm Cat, Gone West, Fappiano, and A.P. Indy than to other branches of the great Northern Dancer, Mr. Prospector, and Seattle Slew sire lines, and these in turn are more numerous than stallions that trace to progenitors other than the Big Three. Uncle Mo has been almost single-handedly responsible for keeping the Caro male line alive, and Tiznow, now pensioned, was the last major representative in North America of the In Reality male line. In Reality, in turn, traced back to the legendary Man o’ War, whose line bequeathed soundness, substance, and stamina to the American Thoroughbred.
Fortunately, that heritage is not yet dead. Before he was sent to Korea (from whence he has since been repatriated), Tiznow’s son Colonel John sired Colonelsdarktemper, who embodies the virtues of his male line with regard to soundness and toughness. Racing over six seasons, he made 45 starts and accumulated over $1 million in earnings.
Bred in Kentucky by Hargus Sexton, Sandra Sexton, and SilverFern Farm, Colonelsdarktemper did not race as a juvenile but broke his maiden early at three, taking a six-furlong maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park on February 18, 2017. His second win was in a seven-furlong allowance at Churchill Downs, which he completed in the brisk time of 1:22.27.
Having proven himself over sprint distances, Colonelsdarktemper spent the next three months running five times in graded stakes. In the 8.5-furlong Matt Winn Stakes (G3), he ran a solid second behind multiple graded stakes winner McCraken. His next assignment was the Indiana Derby (G3), in which he tangled with another multiple graded stakes winner, Irap, and again came off second best while running well. He finally got his graded stakes win with a front-running performance in the nine-furlong West Virginia Derby (G3), leaving Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Lookin At Lee behind in the beaten field. Third in the Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) to Pavel, who would win the following year’s Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), Colonelsdarktemper concluded his sophomore season by running fourth in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) after being bumped in the early going and faltering late.
Colonelsdarktemper may have sustained an injury during that race, as he was away from the track for over five months and never seemed quite the same afterward. Still, he ended his racing career having gained nine wins and eight placings with wins from six to ten furlongs.
Colonel John, the sire of Colonelsdarktemper, won the 2008 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) and was the runner-up to Into Mischief in an exceptional edition of the CashCall Futurity (G1). A versatile runner who was a stakes winner on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces, he is best remembered as a sire for his Grade 1-winning daughters La Coronel and Mirth, both of which took their signature wins on turf. Produced from the winning Turkoman mare Sweet Damsel (who also produced Colonel John’s full brother Mr. Hot Stuff, a Grade 1 winner under National Steeplechase Association rules), Colonel John is by two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Tiznow, the 2000 Horse of the Year and 2001 champion older male.
Colonelsdarktemper is one of six winners produced from the Stormy Atlantic mare Sweet Temper, a winning half sister to stakes winners Seattle Pattern (by Seattle Slew) and Total Bull (by Fusaichi Pegasus). Sweet Temper is also a half sister to Grade 2-placed Woodman’s Dancer (by Woodman), dam of 2011 Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Archarcharch (by Arch), 2014 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) winner Balance of Power (by Silver Train), and stakes winner Run Sully Run (by Cherokee Run). In addition, Sweet Temper is a half sister to Nortena (by Mr. Prospector), dam of stakes winners Flower Forest (by Kris S.) and Shooting Jacket (by Hard Spun); to Sheba’s Step (by Alysheba), dam of listed stakes winners Arch Rebel (by Arch) and On My Dime (by Mizzen Mast); and to Gold Pattern (by Slew o’ Gold), dam of multiple Group 3 winner Arch Swing (by Arch) and listed stakes winner Natural Wonder (by Summer Bird). Sweet Temper and her siblings are out of 1988 Hollywood Oaks (G1) winner Pattern Step (by Nureyev), whose dam Tipping Time was a five-time graded stakes winner and also produced 1987 Prix Eugene Adam (G2) winner Motley (by Best Turn) and 1980 Tanforan Handicap (G3) winner Fast (by Bold Bidder).
Colonelsdarktemper has a pedigree completely free of Mr. Prospector, a rarity these days, and is also free of the major stallions Halo, Roberto, Blushing Groom, and Caro. He also has a 5x4 cross to Seattle Slew, but neither is through A.P. Indy. These peculiarities of his pedigree should set him up nicely to produce good results with mares inbred to Mr. Prospector, especially those with Carson City and his best sire son, City Zip, in the mix; mares returning Unbridled close up also look like a promising choice. In addition, Colonelsdarktemper also looks like a good choice for mares carrying any of A.P. Indy’s good sire sons close up, and he may do well with speedy daughters or granddaughters of the Roberto-line horse Blame, whose pedigree would yield line breeding to Alydar and the great Claiborne family of Rough Shod II.
In conformation, Colonelsdarktemper is a strong, rugged-looking horse with much of the Seattle Slew look about him. He has plenty of bone and an excellent hind leg with strong muscling down through the gaskins. He would probably be a good physical match for mares who have a fair bit of power behind and a big hip but need some leg, bone, and scope added to their foals. He will stand the 2026 season at Whispering Oaks Farm for $2,000 live foal.
Avalyn Hunter is the author of five books on Thoroughbred pedigrees and history including Dream Derby: The Myth and Legend of Black Gold (2023, University Press of Kentucky) and The Kentucky Oaks: 150 Years of Running for the Lilies (2024, University Press of Kentucky). Her website is www.americanclassicpedigrees.com.