Question about the stallion "Houston"

[eventinglvr]

I have an OTTB by Houston who I do eventing with (that I absolutely love, btw) but have never been able to really find out any info on his sire. Is there any one out there who might have known of him?

I'm thinking of breeding to another stallion also sired by Houston, and I'd love to know if there are any characteristics he stamps his progeny with.

Thanks!

[Mara]

Congrats; you can impress people with the fact that you own a grandson of Seattle Slew! D. Wayne Lukas trained Houston; I believe he did start in the 1990 Derby. He was absolutely gorgeous.

[Louise]

Another thread here lead me to the fantastic race between Sunday Silence and Easy Goer in the 1989 Preakness. Take a look. Your boy's sire, Houston, plays a part in that race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSaQPrMS0RQ

[LaurieB]

Houston was an accomplished racehorse with a beautiful pedigree who was pretty much of a bust as a sire of racehorses. We owned his half-sister for several years, and she was a nice looking mare with a lovely temperament.

[Equilibrium]

Houston was an accomplished racehorse with a beautiful pedigree who was pretty much of a bust as a sire of racehorses. We owned his half-sister for several years, and she was a nice looking mare with a lovely temperament.

Laurie

What half sister did you own?

The family has thrown up some incredible horses and it has also thrown up some incredibly talented horses who didn't follow through on early promise. As in if they could win by 10 lengths great, if they were challenged - no thanks not today.

From what I remember of Houston, and I was a mere hotwalker at the time, he was a big solid beast of a horse and very very tough to gallop.

I got on one of his daughters - Ticket To Houston. A madam very set in her ways that's for sure. She used to only gallop on the training track at SA. She breezed on the main track and that was interesting to say the least. When galloping out you did not touch the reins. She stopped when she wanted. Any picking up of the reins meant you were going to the outside rail. But if you just bit your lip and didn't move, eventually she would slow herself down and you could pull her up. Even in the breeze, you stayed totally still and one small hold, nothing else or outside rail. Beyond that, she did nothing stupid. She just liked to see what you were made of!

Terri

[summerhorse]

I don't know if he is dead or pensioned but here are some photos taken in 2004.

http://www.barbaralivingston.com/gallery/album108

And of course his PQ page:
http://www.pedigreequery.com/houston

I think he was a decent sport sire from what I've heard.

[Mara]

Laurie

What half sister did you own?

The family has thrown up some incredible horses and it has also thrown up some incredibly talented horses who didn't follow through on early promise. As in if they could win by 10 lengths great, if they were challenged - no thanks not today.

From what I remember of Houston, and I was a mere hotwalker at the time, he was a big solid beast of a horse and very very tough to gallop.

I got on one of his daughters - Ticket To Houston. A madam very set in her ways that's for sure. She used to only gallop on the training track at SA. She breezed on the main track and that was interesting to say the least. When galloping out you did not touch the reins. She stopped when she wanted. Any picking up of the reins meant you were going to the outside rail. But if you just bit your lip and didn't move, eventually she would slow herself down and you could pull her up. Even in the breeze, you stayed totally still and one small hold, nothing else or outside rail. Beyond that, she did nothing stupid. She just liked to see what you were made of!

Terri

Ticket To Houston is a decent stakes producer (Runway Model is her daughter). I think she went to Curlin this year.
Can't find any information on whether Houston himself is still with us. God, he was a looker. A million $$$ sales yearling.

[Pronzini]

Houston is at stud in California and AFAIK he's still with us.

[r3dd0g]

His son Noble Houston is in Michigan:

http://www.noblehouston.com/

[LaurieB]

Terri, we owned Subterfuge who was the last foal out of the dam, Smart Angle. We bought her in a partnership that didn't work out so unfortunately she never had a chance to show what she might have been able to do at the track. We later sold her in foal to Proud Citizen.

If you look at the Barbara Livington pictures of Houston that Summerhorse posted, it's amazing how alike she and her half brother looked. They certainly had the same white nose. :)

Subterfuge: http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h245/LaurienB/sales-1.jpg

[eventinglvr]

His son Noble Houston is in Michigan:

http://www.noblehouston.com/

That's actually the stallion I'm thinking of breeding too.

My boy at home is very muscular and thick - not your usual light TB at all. He has a hell of a gallop too. He has his grand-daddy's head too - if you put pictures of the two of them together they look like twins.

My guy's registered name was Fly Straight, and his dam was We Have Lift Off.

[Las Olas]

Houston was an accomplished racehorse with a beautiful pedigree who was pretty much of a bust as a sire of racehorses. We owned his half-sister for several years, and she was a nice looking mare with a lovely temperament.

Glad I read through the posts as I was just thinking the OP should PM you about 'Miss Super Fudge' ;)

We sold a Houston mare for a client named Jetinto Houston. Her trainer sent her to the sale with a goat. She'd go nuts without her goat and the goat showed with her. She was a pretty nice looking mare, but apparently, quite anxious. As far as I know, she's residing at Denali.