Camluck was an awesome member of Canadian trainer Robert McIntosh’s “Dream Team” of pacers, which included champions Artsplace and Staying Together. His fame, however, came not only from his accomplishments as a racehorse, which saw him win over $1 million and 26 races, but as one of the most prolific stallions to ever stand at stud in Canada. His first nine crops old enough to race had accumulated more than $100 million and include 322 offspring with records of 1:55 or faster and ten millionaires.
Bred by Norm Clements of Uxbridge, and JEF’s Standardbred Country Club, N.J., Camluck was a US$70,000 purchase at the 1989 Kentucky Standardbred Sales by New Destiny Stable of Windsor and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc., of Leamington. Another of Cam Fella’s great sons (out of Lucky Lady by Striking Image), Camluck was slow to develop as a 2-year-old due to lesion on his ankle, which was corrected by surgery. At age three he wasn’t a factor in major stakes races until late in the season when he won the Provincial Cup and the McFarland Memorial. He won seven races in 1990 and earned a mark of 1:52.4. At four he developed into a genuine free-for-all star, winning the Breeders Crown Pace and the Stewart Fraser Memorial, earning a mark of 1:50.3. In his 5-year-old season he won numerous stakes including the Nihilator and Cardigan Bay Series. His 1:48.4 time trial in 1992 at Lexington’s Red Mile made him the second fastest pacer in history (next to Matts Scooter’s 1:48.2TT in 1988).
Camluck went to stud at Seelster Farms in Lucan, Ont., and was an immediate success. From his first crop to arrive at the track in 1996 came Whenyouwishuponastar, who was voted O’Brien Awards as Canada’s Horse of the Year and 2-year-old pacing filly champion. The following year one of his sons, Northern Luck, became the fastest Canadian-sired horse in history when he won the Tattersalls Pace at Lexington in1:49.1. In addition to being a dominant force in the OSS program, Camluck’s progeny have been competitive in open competition in Canada and the United States. His multiple list of performers who have marks of 1:51 or less include Breeders Crown winner Burning Point, Casimir Camotion, Luckyisasluckydoes, D M Dillinger, Invitro, Remember When and Intrepid Seelster. Camluck’s daughters have also excelled in the broodmare ranks.
It was announced in October 2014 that Camluck had been retired from active stud duty. At the time of his retirement, Camluck was the sire with total progeny earnings of more than $215 million – more than any other North American sire.
The Cam Fella – Lucky Lady stallion is the sire of 28 millionaires including: BURNING POINT p, 3, 1:50.3s, 1:49.2 ($3,120,089), DREAMFAIR ETERNAL p, 3, 1:55.3h, 1:49f ($2,545,060), INVITRO p, 2, 1:53s, 4, 1:50s ($2,383,597), CHANCEY LADY p, 2, 1:52s, 3, 1:50.3f, 1:48.4f ($2,083,514), MYSTICIAN p, 2, 1:52s, 3, 1:49.2s ($1,919,762), MICHAELS POWER p, 3, 1:48.1s ($1,637,655), just to name a few.
Camluck has also made his mark as a prolific broodmare sire, with his daughters producing the likes of I LUV THE NITELIFE p, 2, 1:50.1s, 3, 1:48.4f ($1,947,511), AMERICAN JEWEL p, 2, 1:50.2s, 3, 1:48.2s($1,834,823), ARACACHE HANOVER p, 2, 1:53.1s, 3, 1:50.1f, 1:48.1f ($1,717,785), THINKING OUT LOUD p, 2, 1:52.4s, 3, 1:47.4s, 4, 1:47.2 ($1,601,550), DEUCE SEELSTER p, 2, 1:52s, 3, 1:50.3s, 1:49.4($1,149,825), KINDLY POET p, 3, 1:51s, 1:49.4s ($1,014,690), etc.
Updated – October 9, 2014