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Where does four-time G1 rank among progeny of champion NZ sire?
When news of Probabeel's retirement broke on Wednesday, she was widely described as New Zealand's best racehorse.
Not ever, but at the time of the suspensory injury that ended her racing career.
It's hard to argue, either, with the Jamie Richards-trained five-year-old a four-time Group 1 winner who also holds the distinction of being the only horse to win both the Karaka Million two and three-year-old races.
In all, the $380,000 Karaka Yearling Sale purchase raced 29 times for 13 wins, eight second placings and $4,358,978 in earnings.
What her retirement also did was prompt many to ponder where she fits in among the best Savabeel progeny.
Her four wins at the elite level are not the most by a product of the son of Zabeel, who did throw Kawi, a seven-time Group 1 winner. All were in New Zealand and he failed to place in his three Australian runs, which all came at the Perth carnival in 2016.
Probabeel, who is from the Pins mare Far Fetched, won all of her Group 1s in Australia, from 1400m to 2000m; the Surround Stakes (1400m), Epsom Handicap (1600m), Futurity Stakes (1400m) and The Might And Power (2000m).
Fans of Lucia Valentina will point to her win in the 2016 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) as evidence that she is the best son or daughter of the 2004 Cox Plate winner and Racing And Sports Ratings suggest they have a case with her career peak rating of 124 one point greater than Probabeel's.
Lucia Valentina's other Group 1 successes also came over 2000m, in the Vinery Stud Stakes and Turnbull Stakes in 2014, the same year she finished third behind Admire Rakti and Rising Romance in the Caulfield Cup (2400m).
Kawi rates 121 under the Racing And Sports system with Mo'Unga, whose career is only 14 starts old and already includes Group 1 wins in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Winx Stakes (1400m), a 120-rater.
The next best Savabeels under that ratings system are Sangster (119), who counts the 2011 Victoria Derby among three Group 1 wins, and evergreen stayer The Chosen One (118), who has finished fourth and fifth in the past two Melbourne Cups and logged a maiden Group 1 win two starts back in the 1600m Thorndon Mile.
Savabeel was also responsible for producing Hong Kong sprinter Rattan, who did not win at Group 1 level, but won a Group 2 Sprint Cup, defeating Beat The Clock and Mr Stunning, and was placed in both a Hong Kong Sprint and Chairman's Sprint at Group 1 level.
Savabeel, who is a seven-time winner of the Champion New Zealand Sire award, stood for $100,000 last year at Waikato Stud.
Savabeel's 27 Group 1 winners: Concert Hall, Cool Aza Beel, Probabeel, Nicoletta, Shillelagh, Savvy Coup, Sword Of Osman, Hasahalo, Embellish, Kawi, Lucia Valentina, Diademe, Costume, Brambles, Hall of Fame, Pasadena Girl, Sangster, Savaria, Scarlett Lady, Soriano, Sound Proposition, The Chosen One, The Perfect Pink, Amarelinha, Mo'unga, Noverre and Savy Yong Blonk.
