Very impressive first-up NZ winner for Fear The Dragon

By Duane Ranger

Nine-year-old 1:48.3 miler, Fear The Dragon, made an emphatic stallion statement at Manawatu Raceway last Monday (November 13) when his first New Zealand winner – Obadiah Dragon – bolted in by an increasing 15 lengths.

Brent McIntyre of Macca Lodge

The Macca Lodge-bred 2-year-old was having his eighth start in race three – the Ray Dempsey Pace. Trained by Ray Green at Pukekohe and driven by his employee, Andre Poutama, Obadiah Dragon led down the back straight the first time and from there it was a matter of catch me if you can. They couldn’t!

Brent McIntyre from Macca Lodge said the brown colt was owned by I A Middleton, P Humphries, and P I J Harris. He had placed once previously the start before on the same track.

“We sold him at last year’s Yearling Sale in Christchurch to Exempt Bloodstock for $27,000. We had four Fear The Dragons in the Sale that year and that was the best price we fetched.

“It’s good to see Fear The Dragon kick a goal early on because he was a very fast racehorse and is really starting to prove himself as a sire in North America. It’s just a shame the numbers have been low due to a few unforeseen circumstances, but we are confident he will continue to grow as a sire, because he had speed. Not many pacers go under 1:49,” McIntyre said.

Fear The Dragon

He said Obadiah Dragon was the  last of 11 foals out of the unraced 1999 Falcon Seelster – Marsa Star (Smooth Fella) mare, Lillian.

“Obadiah Dragon comes from a really nice family. His two older siblings – Tuapeka Tiz (2003 Artiscape gelding) and Caesar’s Folly (2007 Christian Cullen gelding) both went on to win good money in Australia,” McIntyre said.

“I’m really pleased for the new owners. It’s brilliant. I’ve been waiting a while ,” he added.

Tuapeka Tiz recorded 23 wins and $196,454, while Caesar’s Folly notched up 35 victories and $398,703 35.

McIntrye said Fear The Dragon only served about 50 mares the first year and Obadiah Dragon is so far his best. The following year all of Fear The Dragon’s semen had thawed when it arrived in the country, and we only managed to serve about a dozen or so mares.

“He lost momentum, but now that he is producing winners world-wide I can see him making a bit of a comeback here. His semen is still available, and he still stands for $4,500 on a 42 day-plus positive. He’s definitely going to make the grade. His speed and the American stats say that,” McIntyre said.

“I haven’t broken many in as yet but the ones I have been good to deal with and to break in. I haven’t noticed many bad habits. Most trainers I have spoken to have been really happy, so that’s encouraging,” McIntyre said.

Meanwhile, Fear The Dragon’s first Australian winner was Imperial Power, who won at Dubbo on May 20, 2022. He has sired 10 winners from 17 Australian-bred starters, and they have earned $215,193.

His first crop now 3-year-olds (24 foals) has produced six winners in Australia, and his second crop now 2-year-olds (18 foals,) has produced four winners across the Tasman.

McIntyre said Fear The Dragon (Dragon Again – Armbro Cinnamon – Western Ideal) was the seventh leading money winning sire for 2-year-old pacers in North America with 98 starters and 11th for 3-year-olds with 89 starts and 66 winners ($1.6m).

In the US  and Canada, he has 447 foals, 249 starters, 153 sub two-minute milers; 98 sub-1.55, and amassed $8.66m in earnings. His best pacer so far is a 12-win 3-year-old son of Soggy Britches named Odds On Capitalism , who has banked  $266,630 in purses. His quickest youngsters are a son of Glorious Intent (No Pan Intended) and Fearful Intent (Somebeachsomewhere) both in 1.49.2.

The North America Cup and Adios winner sired his first stakes winner when the 2-year-old filly Fear Of Sports led throughout in a 2022 $72,500 Ohio State Fair Stakes division in a career-best 1:52.2 at Scioto Downs.

His Grand Circuit wins included the $500,000 Hempt Memorial (elimination and Final) defeating Downbytheseaside and Filibuster Hanover; the $400,000 Adios (elimination and Final) defeating Filibuster Hanover; the $500,000 Little Brown Jug (first heat) defeating Downbytheseaside and Filibuster Hanover; the $206,000 Tattersalls Pace (division); the $140,000 Elevation defeating Filibuster Hanover; and the Arden Downs, in addition to six Pennsylvania Sires Stakes legs.

Fear The Dragon was the second highest overall stakes winner in America in 2017.