In this new semi-weekly series, the TDN takes a look at the notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column, Feb. 4-10, is highlighted by the victory of upwardly mobile mare Quattroelle (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the GIII Megahertz S. on Saturday.
No 'Quat'er Given In Megahertz
Tally-Ho Stud's rising stallion star Mehmas has gone from strength to strength with his progeny, and his freshly minted 5-year-old daughter Quattroelle became his 12th graded/group winner from just three crops to race when running out a half-length winner of Santa Anita's GIII Megahertz S. going a mile over firm turf on Feb. 4 (video).
The winner of the Listed Blue Norther S. as a juvenile in December of 2020, the then-4-year-old mare hit a purple patch of stakes form beginning this past November, running second in the GIII Red Carpet S. at Del Mar behind Bellstreet Bridie (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}), who shares two of the same owners–Red Baron's Barn LLC and Rancho Temescal, LLC –with Quattroelle, who was brought over to the States after just one run in Ireland, a third in a Leopardstown maiden. Third in the GIII Robert J. Frankel S. to subsequent GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Queen Goddess (Empire Maker) on New Year's Eve, the Rossenarra Bloodstock-bred was winning for the fourth time in 14 starts in the Megahertz.
Mehmas, a dual Group 2-winning sprinter, has also tasted American stakes success with his progeny in the form of GI Del Mar Oaks victress Going Global (Ire) among others.
On the female side of the pedigree, Quattroelle, who was a €10,000 Tattersalls Ireland September yearling buyback, is the best performer of the placed Heavenly River (Fr), by former star French 3-year-old colt Stormy River (Fr) (Verglas {Ire}). That sire won the G1 Prix Jean Prat, and was placed in the G1 French 2000 Guineas, as well as three other times at the highest level throughout his career. The second foal of her dam, herself a half-sister to stakes winner and G3 Prix du Calvados third Katie's Diamond (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}), Quattroelle is followed by the placed 4-year-old colt The Ganges (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}), the unraced full-sister to that horse named Heavenly Mark (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) and a yearling full-brother to Quattroelle.
Heavenly River is bred on the same Stormy River–Anabaa cross as Listed South Beach S. heroine Stormy Victoria (Fr) (Stormy River {Fr}), who placed four times at the graded level in North America. Katie's Diamond is the dam of a graded/group winner in the form of G2 Queen Mary S. winner Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}), who was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. This is the extended family of G3 Prix Miesque winner Aquatinta (Ger) (Samum {Ger}), the best foal out of Quattroelle's third dam Arpista (Ger) (Chief Singer {Ire}).
Chief Singer, a foal of 1981, proved top class at both six furlongs and a mile at three with victories in the G1 July Cup, G1 Sussex S. and G2 St. James's Palace S., and was also a winner of the G2 Coventry S. at two. Good enough to bring up the exacta in El Gran Senor's G1 2000 Guineas, he sired just two stakes winners, but Quattroelle's great-granddam was not among them, instead taking third in the Listed Scherping-Rennen at Baden-Baden in 1997
'Earl' Brings The Thunder
It was also a first win at the graded level for another Irish-bred later on the Santa Anita Saturday card, as Earl's Rock (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), won the GIII Thunder Road S. over a mile on the grass (video).
From the first crop of his G1 Champion S. and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup-winning sire who stands at Burgage Stud in Ireland, and one of two overall stakes winners, the 5-year-old gelding became Fascinating Rock's first graded winner with his nose victory.
Bred by Newtown Anner Stud, who also bred his sire, the gelding was an €8,000 yearling purchase out of the Goffs Autumn Sale in 2019. His Darley-bred dam, Ajaadat (GB) by dual French Classic hero and top sire Shamardal, won a trio of races in the UK at 1500 metres and a mile and holds a record of six foals, four of racing age, with Earls Rock her second produce. The gelded 4-year-old Tamra's Rock (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}) is also a winner, as is his year-younger full-brother Cash Or Crypto (Ire). Ajaadat foaled fillies by Camelot (GB) and the winner's sire in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Out of the unraced Taarkod (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}) herself a daughter of G1 Nassau S. heroine Zahrat Dubai (GB) (Unfuwain), Ajaadat is a full-sister to G3 International Istanbul Trophy second Rekdhat (Ire). Sharmardal has sired German Group 3 winner and G1 Sun Chariot S./G1Prix Rothschild runner-up Half Light (Ire), as well as two other stakes winners out of Singspiel mares. Himself a Group/Grade 1 winner four times in the UK, Canada, and Japan, Singspiel sired 99 black-type winners (52 group), but has bettered that mark as a broodmare sire, with 111 stakes winners (64 group) led by the young Darley sire Too Darn Hot (GB).
Another Graded Success For The 'Prince'
Santa Anita Park was the place to be for Euro-breds last weekend, as Prince Abama (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), already victorious in the GII Hollywood Turf Cup, beat Masteroffoxhounds (War Front) by a neck over the 1 1/4-mile GIII San Marcos S. on Sunday (video). He was a €29,000 Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale purchase by BBA Ireland in 2019.
One of 25 stakes winners and 15 group winners for the recently pensioned Tamayuz, the T. Jones-bred is one of five winners from five to race for his Mr. Greeley dam, who never made it to the races. She is a half-sister to two stakes winners, among them Nymphenburg (San Romano), who was second in the GII Canadian H. His second dam is a winning half-sister to Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly La Lorgnette (Val De l'Orne {Fr}), who took two Canadian Classics including the Queen's Plate, and was also the dam of the high-class three-time Group 1 winner Hawk Wing (Woodman).
Expert Eye Filly Graduates At The Fair Grounds
Away from California graded stakes action, Juddmonte stallion Expert Eye (GB), best known for his GI Breeders' Cup Mile upset in 2018, sired his 27th winner from his first crop with Beautifulnavigator (Ire) (video) striking by three-quarters of a length in New Orleans at the Fair Grounds. From just 19 first-crop 3-year-old runners, she is his seventh winner, taking a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight for trainer Ken McPeek, his wife Sherri's Magdalena Racing and Alfred Riccio on Sunday.
A €70,000 Goffs Orby yearling, the Rathbarry Stud and Abbeylands Farm-bred is a half-sister to Tabarrak (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who won five times at the listed level in England, and was second placed in both the G3 Sovereign S. and G3 John Of Gaunt S., as well as the stakes-placed half-sister The Wagon Wheel (Ire) by Expert Eye's sire Acclamation. Stakes-placed at Warwick, Bahati has a 2-year-old colt by Kodi Bear (Ire) and produced a filly by Acclamation (GB) in 2022.
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