Beren was campaigned for his owners/breeders Christopher Feifarek and Sue Quick’s St. Omer’s Farm by trainer Butch Reid from 2YO through 6YO. He won 12 of his 35 starts and earned just under a million dollars. Seven of Beren’s wins were in black-type events, from six furlongs to a mile-and-a-sixteenth. In addition to numerous stakes at Parx and Penn National, Beren also won two black-type events at Belmont Park, plus the historic Frank DeFrancis Dash at Laurel. Beren placed in 11 more races, of which nine were black-type stakes, including the Grade 3 General George. He won on fast and wet tracks and had loads of speed, but also won his longest race — the two-turn Crowd Pleaser — by 9-1/2 lengths “under wraps.” So in addition to his class and longevity, Beren also brings plenty of versatility to the table.
In this day and age where racehorses’ durability is constantly questioned, Beren had it in spades and came by it honestly — and has every right to pass it along at the same farm that’s already done this before with his sire, Weigelia.
Weigelia has been a stalwart of the Pennsylvania sire ranks since his retirement to WynOaks for the 2009 breeding season, following a six-year racing career (from 2YO through 7YO) that saw him go (48) 13-9-11 with wins in a pair of graded stakes races and earnings of over a million dollars.
Weigelia had to do things the hard way at stud. Supported at the outset almost exclusively by his owners at WynOaks Farm and their close relatives at St. Omer’s, Weigelia proved that he was capable of passing on something resembling his own ability and durability, rather than the much more limited qualities his own pedigree implied (by Safely’s Mark out of an Obligato mare). Now in the twilight of his career, he has sired a dozen black-type winners, 11 more who are black-type placed, and 35 additional six-figure earners. Those numbers are good for 5% black-type winners to foals, a total of 9.5% black-type horses to foals, and average earnings per starter of $97,592. His Average Earnings Index (AEI) stands at 1.35, which is outstanding when compared to his Comparable Index of 1.03.
Beren’s dam was no slouch, either: Silmaril (by the Phipps-bred Mr. Prospector son Diamond) won 16 of 36 starts and earned $1,032,973, with her twelve black-type victories encompassing the G3 Endine Handicap at six furlongs and the G3 Pimlico Distaff at a mile-and-a-sixteenth over Eclipse Champion Ashado and that season’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Pleasant Home. So she is yet another classy, durable and versatile individual, the loss of which type the industry now bemoans.
Beren combines these throwback-type parents into a physical package which is strong, well-balanced, and with more leg and scope than one would anticipate for a horse with the speed that he had. Physically, he should suit a wide range of mates given that there is nothing in his profile that a mare owner would need to try to breed away from.
We prepared this Breeding Analysis highlighting the types of mares that ought to work for Beren early in 2025.