nearctic | Horse Racing Free Tips

It is simply wonderful that there is a Group 1 winning filly called Fonteyn. The name has such a life of its own that a quick look at pedigrees from the near and distant past shows at least 20 other horses so baptized, all over the world.

Why is that? When the great Northern Dancer (1961, bay, by Nearctic out of Natalma) ruled the Thoroughbred world, the names of his sons arrived fast and furious with solid connections to the stars of ballet, especially the Russian ones–a very rich vein. The two equine stallion princes of this great dynasty were Nijinsky (last winner of the English Triple Crown, trained by legendary Irishman Vincent O'Brien) and Nureyev (disqualified 2000 Guineas winner and phenomenal sire, trained by legendary Frenchman Francois Boutin). The first was named after the mad, mad, mad genius of the history of dance–while the second was the namesake to an individual greater than ballet itself: incredible performer, Soviet defector, rock star celebrity, handsome & androgynous.

Rudolph Nureyev the ballet dancer (1938-1993) was so good that the greatest ballerina of those golden years cancelled her retirement plans to dance with him, or so the story goes. Margot Fonteyn (1919-1991) was equal if not superior in star power and charisma to his 19-year-younger stage partner, and her life was just as romantic and rocambolesque: internationally bred (British-born, with Irish mother & Brazilian grandfather), childhood sojourns in Kentucky & China, Panamanian coup d'etat-engineering husband later shot by a political rival, prima ballerina of the Sadler's Wells (please note!) ballet company at 20 years of age. Together Nureyev and Fonteyn alighted the ballet stage all over the world.

Rudolf Nureyev's famously said: “At the end of 'Swan Lake', when she left the stage in her great white tutu, I would have followed her to the end of the world.”.

In the case of the equine Fonteyn who triumphed in Newmarket on October 1, 2022, in the Sun Chariot Stakes, following her was all that most of her fellow competitors could do, as she led the race, lost the lead and came back to win at the line–in a determined and graceful move worthy of a very great performer.

ROYAL BAHRAIN SUN CHARIOT S.-G1, £266,875, Newmarket, 10-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:35.53, g/s.
1–FONTEYN (GB), 128, f, 3, by Farhh (GB)–Luzia (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire). O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (GB); T-Kevin Ryan; J-Neil Callan.

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Nine starters bring their turf talents to the Nearctic Stakes (G2), a six-furlong grass test for 3-year-olds and upward this Sunday at Woodbine.

The $250,000 Nearctic goes as the ninth of 11 races on a program headlined by the $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) and $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T). The $100,000 Display Stakes, a seven-furlong main track event for two-year-olds, goes as race 10. First race post time is 1:10 p.m.

Multiple stakes winner Silent Poet, a five-year-old son of Silent Name (JPN), has won three of his past four races.

Bred and owned by Stronach Stables, Silent Poet kicked off his current campaign with an allowance score on June 11. The Ontario-bred took the Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T) next time out, then finished third in the King Edward Stakes (G2T) on August 15.

The Nicholas Gonzalez trainee, who has finished in the top three in 12 of his 13 past starts, heads into the Nearctic off a sharp score on September 27, a 1 ¾-length win over 6 ½ furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

“He always goes out there and gives you everything he has,” said Gonzalez, of the 2019 Play the King Stakes (G2T) winner. “Even if he's beaten, it never seems to be by much. He's a very versatile horse.”

And a contented one too.

“'Poet' is such a happy horse right now… spoiled with grass and clover, mints and carrots,” shared Gonzalez. “He loves his job and that makes mine so much easier.”

Silent Poet, who has assembled a 9-4-2 record from 17 starts, faces a group of rivals that includes multiple graded stakes placed Blind Ambition, last year's Nearctic winner City Boy, graded stakes champ Guildsman, graded stakes victor Kanthaka, and Royal North Stakes (G2) winner Lady Grace.

City Boy, bred and co-owned by the late Gustav Schickedanz, returned $50.70 for his upset win in the 2019 Nearctic. Trainer Mike Keogh notched his second Nearctic title, having taken the 1999 renewal with Clever Response.

$250,000 Nearctic Stakes (Grade 2) – Race 9

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Reconfigure – Skye Chernetz – Robert Tiller

2 – Kanthaka – Luis Contreras – Graham Motion

3 – Blind Ambition – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

4 – Guildsman – Rafael Hernandez – Brendan Walsh

5 – Silent Poet – Justin Stein – Nicholas Gonzalez

6 – Lady Grace – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

7 – Vanbrugh – Daisuke Fukumoto – Brad Cox

8 – City Boy – David Moran – Mike Keogh

9 – Olympic Runner – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

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