Classic winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) will be prepared for a winter campaign in Dubai, trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. The 3-year-old filly, who won the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last month, finished second in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile behind Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
“She ran a huge race and we thought she was going to win, but she was beaten by a good horse, also a Godolphin horse, and I'm happy for Charlie [Appleby],” bin Suroor commented. “Our filly is tough and hard and it was the first time she ran with the colts. She proved herself good enough to be with them.
“Oisin [Murphy] gave her a very good ride, he did everything right and she ran a huge race. Now she is going back to Dubai and we'll try and find a race for her, maybe the [G1] Jebel Hatta and then the [G1] Dubai Turf. After that we'll find races for her in the UK and Europe. I think a mile is her best trip, but sometimes it can be hard to find races for her. I know she won over nine furlongs at Keeneland, but at the mile I think she is at her best.”
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Mawj in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Cup S. presented by Dixiana Farms at Keeneland last weekend.
Classic Filly Comes Good At Keeneland
Godolphin homebred Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), already a winner of the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, doubled her top-level tally in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland on Saturday and gave trainer Saeed bin Suroor his 500th group/graded win in the process (video).
A half-sister to Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), an Eclipse Award champion in the U.S. and soon to be a Darley stallion, as well as the stakes winner Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) who was twice group placed, Mawj is followed by a juvenile filly by Mastercraftsman (Ire) and a weanling filly by Dubawi. Her dam is a half-sister to G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner and sire Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), and her great granddam is the Italian champion Proskona (Mr. Prospector).
One of 18 worldwide Group 1 winners for her former Darley reverse shuttle sire, Mawj is one of three Grade I winners in the U.S. after GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner-turned-sire Outstrip (GB) and Mischief Magic (Ire), who landed the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Exceed And Excel's 42 Stateside runners have resulted in 23 winners (55%) and 11 stakes winners (26%).
Beautifully controlled by @oismurphy! Mawj wins the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland for Saeed bin Suroor… pic.twitter.com/Qt7xnQBoIF
Robert and Lawana Low's Irish Gent (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) became the 24th winner for his sire at third asking when taking an off-turf affair during the Belmont at the Big A meeting for trainer Todd Pletcher (video).
Bred by Denis McCarthy, the dark bay made €130,000 as a Goffs November foal when purchased by Pier House Stud. his value rose appreciably to €500,000 when he was sent back through that ring during the Orby Sale, where Jacob West picked out the son of Indigo Butterfly (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) on behalf of the Lows. The third and last reported foal from his dam is a relative of G1 Jebel Hatta hero Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and that gelding's full-sister With The Moonlight (Ire), who was a three-time group/graded winner and third in the GI E. P. Taylor S.
Coolmore's Ten Sovereigns already has three stakes winners in his first crop of 2-year-olds internationally. Represented by just three runners in the U.S. so far, Irish Gent is the stallion's first American winner.
Brant Runner Collects In New York
Peter Brant homebred Francesco Clemente (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) won a Belmont at the Big A contest for Chad Brown on Thursday (video).
A winner of his first three starts for John and Thady Gosden in the UK last year, the White Birch Farm-bred earned black-type with a second in the Listed Festival S. in May. The half-brother to the multiple stakes winner and multiple group-placed Abingdon (Street Cry {Ire}) was switched to the U.S. after a start in the Listed Wolferton S. at Royal Ascot. His dam Justlookdon'touch (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a half-sister to the influential champion Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), and produced Dubawi full-siblings as her latest foals–a 3-year-old colt named Howeitat (Ire) and a 2-year-old filly christened Birkin (Ire).
Darley's Dubawi now has 37 winners from 77 runners in the U.S. (48%). His 19 North American stakes winners (25%) are anchored by three-time Grade I winner In Italian (GB).
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Nations Pride in the Canadian International at Woodbine and two other graded wins for Godolphin colourbearers.
Nations Pride Adds Another Graded Win To His Resume
Autumn in North America is a rich seasonal hunting ground for Godolphin's European raiders, particularly those trained by Charlie Appleby, and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) scooped Woodbine's GI Canadian International S. recently (video). The royal blue homebred had landed the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. and GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. last year.
Also a top-level winner in Germany, the 4-year-old colt is a half-brother to Crystal Of Time (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a weanling colt by Ghaiyyath (Ire), and he has a yearling full-sister. Their dam, the Oasis Dream (GB) mare Important Time (Ire), won at the listed level in Germany and is a daughter of Satwa Queen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), who won the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Australian standout Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and G1 Phoenix S. hero Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also in the family.
The best North American runner by Darley veteran Teofilo, Nations Pride is one of four stakes winners in that jurisdiction for the 19-year-old. Seventeen of his 27 runners have won in America (63%), including dual Grade II winner Amira's Prince (Ire).
Bold Act Another Graded Winner In The Royal Blue
Just a few days after Nations Pride won in Canada, Godolphin and Charlie Appleby celebrated another homebred graded winner, this time with New Approach (Ire) gelding Bold Act (Ire) in the GIII Sycamore S. at Keeneland (video).
Successful in the Listed Prix Nureyev in August, the multiple group-placed 3-year-old is out of the listed winner Dancing Sands (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who placed three times at the group level. His year-younger half-sister Dazzling Star (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) was third in the GI Natalma S., while Dancing Sands's latest pair are colts by Cracksman (GB) and Frankel (GB), respectively. G1 Futurity S. hero and sire Bakharoff (The Minstrel) is under the third dam.
The 13th winner from 23 runners (56%) in the U.S. for his Darley sire, Bold Act is New Approach's fourth black-type winner there. Both Ceisteach (Ire) and Messi (Ger) are Grade III scorers.
Lucky Girl Returns A Winner At Santa Anita
Already a dual American stakes winner, Lucky Girl (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) made it a hat trick for Panic Stable, LLC and trainer Phil D'Amato in the Swingtime S. at Santa Anita a few days ago (video).
Bred by Paul Hyland, the 4-year-old filly was originally a £19,000 yearling buy out of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale by Meadowview Stables. She did not meet her reserve when a £24,000 buy-back at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale in 2021, and duly made one start at Gowran Park for Helen Slattery and trainer Andrew Slattery, where she finished third. The four-time winning dam Abbey Angel (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})'s latest produce is a yearling colt by Kodi Bear (Ire) whose latest trip through the ring resulted in a 110,000gns buy-back during the Tattersall October Yearling Sale.
Former reverse shuttle stallion Exceed And Excel has sired an even 10 black-type winners from his 41 U.S. runners (24%). Of those 41, 22 have earned at least one victory (54%). The Darley stallion's American best are GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Outstrip (GB) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Mischief Magic (Ire).
Peter Brant and Chad Brown's Notinamillionyears (Ire) (No Nay Never) won at second asking during the Belmont at the Big A meeting earlier this week (video).
Bred by Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock, the daughter of Dancing Shoes (Ire) (Danehill) was acquired by BSW/Crow for $450,000 out of the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The winner is a half-sister to GII La Canada S. winner Striking Dancer (Smart Strike) and G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club hero Raymond Tusk (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Emmaline (Affirmed), the winner's second dam, is a half-sister to American champion Bates Motel (Sir Ivor).
Coolmore stallion No Nay Never has sired 43 winners from 78 runners (55%) in the U.S. Breeders' Cup winner Meditate (Ire) is one of three graded winners, and he has nine stakes winners overall in the Land of the Free.
Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners' Star Of The Night (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won at Santa Anita this month (video). The Sunderland Holding-bred 3-year-old was making her second start for trainer Mark Glatt after a runner-up finish at Del Mar.
Out of the winning Simple Elegance (Street Cry {Ire}), Star Of The Night has juvenile half-brother by Gleneagles (Ire) and a yearling half-brother by the late Le Havre (Ire) who was picked up by Ross Doyle and Ciaran Murphy for €37,000 out of the recent Goffs Orby Book 2 Sale. Lackendarra Stables and Eddie Linehan bought the dark bay for €40,000 out of the 2021 Goffs Orby Sale, and sent her back through the ring at the 2022 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale where she made 140,000gns on the bid of her current owners. Her dam is one of six winners out of the Pulpit mare Rutherienne, who landed the GI Del Mar Oaks.
The Aga Khan's Studs' Sea The Stars has 17 winners from 37 runners (46%) in the U.S. His sextet of stakes winners are led by GII Fort Marcy S. winner and GI Manhattan S. third Ottoman Fleet (GB).
Repeat Winners
Repeat Making Waves alumni have been in outstanding form in recent weeks, and the GI Beverly D. S. heroine Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) doubled her Grade I tally with a stalking score in the E. P. Taylor S. at Woodbine on Oct. 8 (video). Raced by Tracy Farmer, the Mark Casse pupil is pointing toward the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November.
Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was the latest Making Waves alum to display her abundant talent in the GII Sands Point S. as the Belmont at the Big A meeting continued on Saturday (video). The Godolphin homebred was winning her second graded race in a row for Charlie Appleby, after taking the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. last month.
Klaravich Stables' McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), best known as the winner of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. in 2022, also claimed her second graded victory of the year in the GIII Waya S. earlier in October (video). The Chad Brown trainee won the GII Glens Falls S. at the Saratoga meeting in August.
She's a star! It's Fev Rover who takes out the G1 E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine for Javier Castellano and Mark Casse! pic.twitter.com/yT9ZM8P3CG
Godolphin homebred Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who won the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, has been withdrawn from Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot due to a cough, trainer Saeed bin Suroor announced.
Successful in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. and third in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at two, the daughter of Modern Ideals (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) has won all three of her 3-year-old starts. The 'TDN Rising Star' appeared twice at Meydan in conditions races and won the Jumeirah Fillies Classic over seven furlongs and the Jumeirah Fillies Guineas going a mile this winter.
“Mawj appeared quiet after exercising this morning and produced a dirty scope,” said bin Suroor. “She is coughing at moment, so won't be able to run in the Coronation S.
“It's disappointing to miss Royal Ascot, but we will give her time to recover and we can hopefully look forward to the rest of the season.”
