Invisible (left) (All American-Illusionary by Hussonet) scores on debut in Sydney, December 2013. Bachman (right) (All American-Ain’t Seen Nothin’ by Nothin’ Leica Dane) wins the ATC Schweppervescence H. G3 by more than two lengths at Rosehill, April 2014. (PHOTOS: Sportpix)

Launching a stallion is a long business. By the time his first runners complete their 2YO season, he will be about to serve his fifth book of mares.

Not surprisingly, breeders and owners need to see some early signs that he’s worth sticking with.  As it happens, those early signs aren’t a bad guide to a stallion’s long-term performance.

That’s because future top ten sires in Australia tend to leave first crop 2YO stakeswinners.  Think Redoute’s Choice, Snitzel, Exceed and Excel, Fastnet Rock, Mossman, Lonhro, Commands, Testa Rossa, Choisir and Stratum - they all left juvenile stakeswinners in their first crops.

Which puts young sire All American right in the frame for a brilliant stud career.  In fact, he’s one of only four first season sires in 2013/14 that have left Australian 2YO stakeswinners.

The Group One-winning son of Red Ransom has generated plenty of positive chat this season with seven winners, including three stakes performers headed by the Gerald Ryan-trained colt Bachman. He won the ATC Schweppervescence S. G3 on Golden Slipper day.

Ryan said of Bachman, “I had a good rap on him the first couple of times I galloped him and I said to [part-owner] Damien Flower then that if ever I’ve had a Caulfield Guineas horse, then I reckon this is it.”

Another All American colt, Zebulon scored a Flemington success at his second start and earned black type two weeks later when third in the VRC Taj Rossi Series Final LR (won by Crafty, a daughter of his barnmate Manhattan Rain). Zebulon’s stablemate Lady Trickster, also by All American, broke her maiden at Sandown in April.

All American’s own trainer David Hayes clearly has a good opinion of his All American filly, Tender: he put her in stakes company three times this season for a placing and a couple of fourths. Her best effort was a third in the SAJC Dequetteville S. LR.

The star of All American’s first crop may turn out to be the Hawkes-trained colt Invisible whose debut Sydney win in December lowered his odds for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Unfortunately, he was injured in the Gold Coast race and wasn’t seen out again this season, so his return as a 3YO is keenly awaited.

Another good sign for All American is that his best second-crop yearlings made as much and more than those in his first crop, selling for $150,000, $240,000 and the $360,000 paid by Shadwell for Broadwater Thoroughbreds’ filly out of Emanday. 

For breeders, though, the important news is that despite the signs that All American is going to make it, his fee of $16,500 inc. GST hasn’t increased. That’s in line with Arrowfield Stud’s conservative policy on fees – but 2015 might be a different story…