GRAND RAPIDS (ITY) 1952, a bay horse by MACHERIO (ITY) out of GATTA LADRA (ITY) by GRAPOM (ITY), one of only 15 Italian bred stallions to have ever stood at stud in South Africa.

Like another of the Italian bred stallions, UTRILLO II (ITY) 1958, who followed him to South Africa a few years after his arrival, the two stallions did manage to produce a superior racehorse and a legendary champion of the South African Turf each from their first crops of foals, who would both find their way to America – GRAND RAPIDS got COLORADO KING (SAF) 1959 and UTRILLO II was the sire of HAWAII (SAF) 1964.

At stud initially with the Birch Bros. at Vogel Vlei Stud, his first crop of foals was more than just promising.  Included in the first crop were COLORADO KING (full track record attached below), BUBBLE BATH 9 wins, DESERT GOLD 10 wins and GRANDEUR 8 wins and a few other multiple winners – he seemed to do very well with the daughters of FAIRTHORN at Vogel Vlei.

This “impressive” start to his stud career saw him finish 3^rd on the Leading Sires Of Two Year Olds list for the 1961/62 season, ahead of the likes of HIGH VELDT, ABADAN II, PREAMBLE II and DRUM BEAT.

GRAND RAPIDS then topped the stakes based Leading Sires Of Winners list in South Africa for the 1962/63 racing season, with total stakes of R60565 (COLORADO KING supplying R55620 of that total).

His success as a stallion in South Africa from that point on was very disappointing after having had such a promising start, and he ended up following his son COLORADO KING to America.

His daughter, ENCIPHER (SAF) 1964, did produce OVER THE AIR (SAF) 1974 (by NEW SOUTH WALES) – 19 wins (including the 1979 Rothmans July Handicap) (Sire), POLAR SIGN (SAF) 1975 (by SEA COTTAGE) – 6 wins (including the 1980 Kings Cup) and SECRET SERVICE (SAF) 1977 (by ROYAL PREROGATIVE) winner of the Cape Derby and the South African Derby (Sire).

He is on record as having 3 of his sons stand at stud in South Africa and he was the broodmare sire of a further 4 stallions at stud.

* COLORADO KING at stud in America.