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Charlatan Attracts Quality First Book for 2022

Hill 'n' Dale President John Sikura couldn't be happier with the book of mares that multiple Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Charlatan (Speightstown-Authenticity, by Quiet American) has amassed for his first season at stud in 2022. Sikura said the quality embodied in this initial book is unlike many he's seen for a first-year sire.

“The complements we've received from people who have come out to see him have been remarkable,” he said. “Eclipse Award-winning breeders are sending Grade I-winning and Grade I-producing mares to him, which is something that is not the norm for newly-retired horses. He seems to be the exception where people recognize him as value.”

“The best way I can validate what I think about the horse is with the kind of mares we're sending to him,” he added.

Charlatan's first book includes two high-profile Hill 'n' Dale mares, 'TDN Rising Star' and MGISW Guarana (Ghostzapper) and Bubbler (Distorted Humor), the dam of champion Arrogate.

The new addition to Hill 'n' Dale's roster, who officially retired from racing in June of 2021, will stand for a fee of $50,000 in 2022.

“Charlatan is the first horse we've had since our inception of standing stallions who seems to have every ingredient,” Sikura said. “He was a horse of phenomenal talent and I think he's a generational horse in terms of his ability and his conformation.”

Charlatan is the second foal out of MGSW and 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff third-place finisher Authenticity, who is also the dam of SW Hanalei Moon (Malibu Moon). Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the son of Speightstown sold for $700,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale.

“He is a very well-bred horse and is replete with Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector in his pedigree,” Sikura noted. “He's by a very good sire whose sons look like they're going to be very good.”

The highly-regarded colt raced for owners SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding and Golconda Stables and broke his maiden in style on debut early in his 3-year-old year, winning by nearly six lengths and earning the 'Rising Star' nod when he went six furlongs in 1.08:85.

He continued his win streak with a 10 1/4-length romp in an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita and another easy score in the 2020 GI Arkansas Derby. Two months later, Oaklawn stewards disqualified Charlatan, who was trained by Bob Baffert, for his Arkansas Derby win due to a drug positive, but in a ruling from the Arkansas Racing Commission in April of 2021, the disqualification was overturned and the win was restored to his credit.

Charlatan skipped the 2020 Triple Crown due to a minor ankle injury, but he returned at the end of the season to remain undefeated as a sophomore in the GI Runhappy Malibu S., defeating MGSWs Express Train (Union Rags) and Collusion Illusion (Twirling Candy), among other stakes winners.

Charlatan claims the GI Arkansas Derby by six lengths | Coady

The swift-footed colt suffered his lone defeat in his final start in the G1 Saudi Cup, running second to Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) after going head-to-head with future GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter).

“He had so many wild performances and was only beaten once in his life,” Sikura explained. “He was a horse of extreme brilliance and world-class talent and he had speed that could carry.”

Charlatan retired after the Saudi Cup with earnings of over $4 million.

“It was a long road, to be honest, when he got hurt and had time off,” Sikura reflected. “I know there was more to the horse. I believe he was the kind of horse that if he left the gate and didn't have any problems, he was always the horse to beat no matter who was in the race with him. He was a remarkable racehorse and a generational talent.”

Hill 'n' Dale secured the breeding rights to Charlatan following the colt's romp in the Arkansas Derby. Sikura said that as breeders have come out to see Charlatan, they've only been further convinced of the new sire's potential after seeing the imposing chestnut in person.

“He's very proportionate with a great hind leg and he walks like a cat,” Sikura explained. “He seems to float over the ground and he has a great presence about him. I see him as a flawless, impeccable horse who really withstands any scrutiny from breeders. If you're wondering what a stallion should have, come and see him. He has every category in spades.”

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Ryan: Charlatan In ‘Beast Mode’ Ahead Of Saudi Cup

All eyes are soon to be fixated on American star Charlatan as he heads the market for next Saturday's (Feb. 20) $20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in greater Riyadh. The striking 4-year-old chestnut colt seeks to stake his claim as the top dirt horse in the world, while also taking home the $10 million first-place prize money. Standing in the Bob Baffert trainee's way will be Brad Cox-conditioned Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner Knicks Go, as well as Champions Cup (G1) winner Chuwa Wizard, Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2) victor Military Law and battle-hardened American G2 winners Tacitus and Sleepy Eyes Todd.

Owned by the team of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Frederick Hertrich III, John D. Fielding and Golconda Stables, Charlatan has been gingerly campaigned, to say the least, starting four times and crossing the wire first in all. He was disqualified from his six-length drubbing of the G1 Arkansas Derby last May for a medication violation, his third start, but returned seven months later to capture a salty Malibu Stakes (G1) renewal over four graded stakes winners.

Bred by Stonestreet and purchased by SF Bloodstock and Starlight for $700,000 at Keeneland's 2018 September Yearling Sale, the son of Speightstown and Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) third Authenticity has crossed the line ahead of his foes by an average 6.6 lengths per race and has been wowing onlookers in his preparation at Santa Anita Park in California.

“He's in beast mode right now,” said Tom Ryan, principal of SF Racing and SF Bloodstock. “He's happy and healthy. As Speightstowns often do, he's getting better with age. I personally believe he's an enormous talent (and) 2021 will hopefully be a career-defining year for him. Speed and versatility is what separates the good from the great horses and when you see him, you will understand why we reached for him as a yearling.

“This colt was raised on one of the world's finest nurseries, Stonestreet Farm, which in my estimation is one of the leading breeders of the modern era–a trend we're likely to see continue. He is without question the most spectacular of his breed, he moved with incredible efficiency and everything was effortless for him.”

Knicks Go is coming off one-sided performances in both the Breeders' Cup and Pegasus–two races in which he went to the lead and barely saw another horse. From a speed figure standpoint, the pair are quite close, as Knicks Go earned a 108 for his Pegasus win, compared to a 107 for Charlatan's Malibu–both eased up at the finish–and each earned Equibase Speed Figures of 115 for those efforts. The clash between two horses trying to lay claim to the same title is not lost on anyone, much less connections.

“Knicks Go is a sensational racehorse,” Ryan concluded. “He also seems to be improving with time. Two very fast animals with the ability to cruise through very fast fractions will make for a very interesting race.”

The post position draw, which will obviously prove crucial, takes place on site on Wednesday, Feb. 17.

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Bloodlines Presented By Diamond B Farm’s Rowayton: Charlatan And The Chestnut Tide

Chestnut coats are not the most common color in the Thoroughbred. Bay, and then dark bay or brown, far outnumber the red-headed wunderkind of the breed, and yet for some reason, there are a considerable number of very high-class racers who are chestnuts. Man o' War, as well as Triple Crown winners Sir Barton, Omaha, Whirlaway, Assault, Secretariat, and Justify, to name that few, stand out as superb racers with a chestnut coat.

Racing at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 was swept with a flood of three chestnuts getting their first Grade 1 victories. The most famous of these was Charlatan (by Speightstown), who won a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2, only to have that prestigious prize removed from his record following the discovery of lidocaine in his system after a routine post-race test.

In the G1 Malibu, Charlatan was making his return to racing after nearly eight months away due to ankle soreness, then the recovery from that, and such was the quality of his competition that the flaming son of Speightstown was not the favorite. That honor went to another impressive son of Speightstown, Nashville, who last flashed his speed with victory in an undercard race at the 2020 Breeders' Cup.

Nashville broke first and led for a half-mile in the seven-furlong race, being credited with a quarter in :21.81 and a half in :43.95. The surface or those efforts proved tiring enough, however, for Nashville to retire rather quietly to fourth at the finish. Charlatan, a length off Nashville at each of those calls in second, inherited the lead, had four lengths on his competition at the stretch call, and won by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:21.50.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, Charlatan is the second foal and second stakes winner out of the high-class stakes winner Authenticity (Quiet American), who won the G2 La Troienne, as well as the G3 Shuvee at Saratoga, but perhaps more importantly, Authenticity was second in the G1 Personal Ensign, Ogden Phipps, and Zenyatta, then was third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Shortly after her finish in the Breeders' Cup for owner Padua Stables, Authenticity was sold at the Fasig-Tipton November sale to Stonestreet for $1.2 million. Her first foal for her new owner was stakes winner Hanalei Moon (Malibu Moon); Charlatan was born in 2017, after his dam had slipped her 2016 pregnancy, but the colt sold as a yearling for $700,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale to SF Bloodstock and Starlight West. Charlatan races for those entities, plus Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrich, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables.

This family traces back to generations of mares bred and raced by Bwamazon Farm, and the colt's ninth dam is multiple stakes winner Betty Derr (Sir Gallahad III), who was a yearling when her half-brother Clyde Van Dusen (Man o' War) won the 1929 Kentucky Derby. This is one of the oldest American-bred lines, going back more than 250 years to Selima, a daughter of the Godolphin Arabian.

The other two chestnuts to become Grade 1 winners in the last week of 2020 were fillies: Fair Maiden (Street Boss) and Duopoly (Animal Kingdom). Fair Maiden comes from an exalted female family, as her third dam is Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Status (A.P. Indy), but Secret Status has been deeply disappointing as a producer, with only five winners from 15 foals. Of those, only Dunkirk (Unbridled's Song) earned black type with seconds in the G1 Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes. She has only one known producing daughter, the Giant's Causeway mare Code Book, who has five winners from 10 foals, including a minor stakes-placed racer. The first foal of Secret Status, Code Book produced a first foal named Shieldmaiden (Smart Strike), and she is the dam of Fair Maiden.

Fair Maiden is the third foal and second winner for Shieldmaiden; Fair Maiden is the fifth Grade 1 winner for her sire Street Boss. One of two important sons of leading sire Street Cry standing for Darley at Jonabell Farm, Street Boss showed more speed in his racing career than Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, who has eight Grade 1 winners. Interestingly, Street Boss has sired Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia and Arkansas Derby winner Danza, who then finished third in the Kentucky Derby.

The second North American Grade 1 winner for her sire, Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, Duopoly is out of Grade 3 winner Justaroundmidnight, an Irish-bred daughter of the fast, classy sire Danehill Dancer. Both Danehill Dancer and top sire Machiavellian (Mr. Prospector), the sire of Duopoly's second dam, added quality speed to a line of mares successively sired by English Derby winner Shirley Heights (Mill Reef), English Derby winner Teenoso (Youth), and English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky (Northern Dancer). That's a very classic line of mares, and the addition of speed has certainly perked up its versatility.

Duopoly is the second Grade 1 winner of 2020 for Animal Kingdom, who is now at stud in Japan. Earlier this year, the 6-year-old Australian-bred Oleksandra won the G1 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park. The sire's third G1 winner, Angel of Truth, won the Australian Derby in 2019.

Duopoly and other daughters of the chestnut classic winner may prove a lasting legacy in the States for the internationally pedigreed Animal Kingdom, who was the son of a Brazilian-bred sire out of a German-bred mare, and no doubt, his stamina and classic quality will be appreciated in Japan's racing program.

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