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 Zona Verde in a maiden race as the Del Mar meet wound to a close.
Seeing Green At The Seaside
The Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and Michael Nentwig's Zona Verde (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) graduated at Del Mar in her U.S. debut on Friday (video).
Bred by Knockainey Stud, the 30,000gns Tattersalls October Book 3 buy-back raced in their purple-and-gold-checked silks for her first four starts, which were good for a pair of placings. Transferred from the yard of Ken Condon to Phil D'Amato, the second foal out of the winning Dark Angel (Ire) mare Namibie (GB) is a half-sister to a pair of colts–a yearling by Earthlight (Ire) and a weanling by Waldgeist (GB). Her second dam is the G3 Prix du Calvados heroine Mambia (GB) (Aldebaran).
One of 13 winners for her Coolmore Stud-based freshman sire, the filly is his second winner in America from three runners (66%). His first, Angiolleta (Ire), is also out of a Dark Angel mare and took third in the Listed Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf S.
Bregman Family Racing, LLC & WWBD LLC's No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) won for the third time in four starts with a victory in the Exacta Systems Rosie's S. (video). First featured in this column in May, this colt has won a trio of American stakes, with his only blip a ninth in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot.
NO NAY METS (IRE) ($2.60) is geared down across the wire after putting the field away in the $125,000 Rosie's Stakes at @ColonialDowns. Owned by Bregman Family Racing LLC and WWBD LLC (@ABREG_1), trained by George Weaver, and ridden by @jockeypacolopez. Congrats to all! pic.twitter.com/iJzjugFVqH
All the essential timing elements for Sunday have dovetailed for Houston Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman and his very promising filly Kodiac Wintergreen (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).
By the time Kodiac Wintergreen goes to the starting gate for the $500,000 Global Tote Juvenile Fillies S. at Kentucky Downs at 5:28 p.m. (CT), the Astros's home game with the San Diego Padres should be long finished. His day's work on the diamond at Minute Maid Field done, Bregman will be parked in front of a television to watch how the 2-year-old filly handles the one-mile race, the biggest test of her young career.
Bregman expects Kodiac Wintergreen to emerge as the second standout in his nascent and fast-growing thoroughbred stable, Bregman Family Racing LLC. Trained by Rusty Arnold and to be ridden again by Jose Oritz, she is the 3-1 favorite on the morning line. So far, No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never), with two stakes wins on his resume, is the most accomplished Bregman runner. He will try for a third stakes victory Saturday at Colonial Downs in Virginia.
Two years after Bregman, his wife Reagan and his parents, Jackie and Sam, made their first purchases at auction, the stable is emerging as a player at major racetracks.
“My family has been in love with horse racing since my great grandfather and my grandfather,” Bregman said in a telephone interview. “Everyone has loved horse racing in my family. I used to go to Albuquerque Downs with my grandfather growing up and my dad as well.”
Since Bregman, 29, made his major-league debut in 2016, the Astros have reached the World Series four times, winning twice. He is a two-time American League All-Star.
Veteran bloodstock agent Mike Akers and Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables in Ocala, Florida, have guided Bregman as he built his roster and helped him select trainers Arnold, George Weaver and Doug O'Neill.
The stable is handled by an enthusiastic racing manager.
“That's me,” Bregman said. “I love it. It's a passion of mine. It's something that I'll love forever and something that I want to be involved with forever. I want to build something special.”
While the baseball schedule keeps him away from the track, Bregman tries to see the races unfold live.
“I normally watch them with my whole team, and we yell at the TV hoping that we win,” he said.
As a result, he has become something of a racing ambassador to the Astros.
“Some of my teammates actually have owned parts of horses that we've owned,” he said. “It's been a blast. They love it now.”
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 Elusive Princess, who won the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. on Friday.
Princess Reigns In Saratoga Oaks
LNJ Foxwoods, Ecurie Victoria Dreams, and NK Racing's Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) made her Stateside debut a winning one at Saratoga for trainer Jean-Philippe Dubois on Friday (video).
Bred by her trainer, she won three of her first four French starts for Ecurie Victoria Dreams, and was runner-up in the G3 Prix Cleopatre. LNJ Foxwoods and Dubois signed on as owners prior to the daughter of Elusive Action (Fr) (Elusive City) running a close second in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary in May. Elusive Princess was making her first start since an unplaced run in the G1 Prix de Diane. A full-sister to a yearling filly, Elusive Princess is kin to the Group 3-winning sire Diamond Green (Fr) (Green Desert), who was placed thrice at the highest level.
Elusive Princess is the first runner in the U.S. for her dual Japanese Group 3-winning sire, who stands at Haras de la Baie in France.
Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) won the Listed De La Rose S. at Saratoga for Chad Brown on Wednesday. (video). The quadruple graded winner has been placed in both the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. and the GI Diana S.
Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock Limited, the first foal out of her dam was a 200,000gns buy at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1. Sealife (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire})'s latest foals are a yearling colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) and a weanling full-sister to the winner. G1 Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) is under the third dam.
Juddmonte's Kingman has 30 winners from 54 runners (56%) in the U.S. His eight American stakes winners (15%) are anchored by three-time Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB) with Technical Analysis a close second.
Filly Continues Klaravich and Brown's Spa Success
GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. heroine McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was the second Saratoga stakes winner in two days for Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown with a victory in the GII Glens Falls S. on Thursday (video).
A 180,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 yearling, the bay was bred by Essafinaat UK, Ltd. The third foal and group/graded winner for G3 Oh So Sharp S. second Astrelle (Ire) (Makfi {GB}), the 4-year-old is a half-sister to Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Just Beautiful (GB) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}). A half-sister to G2 Premio Ribot victor Porsenna (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), Astrelle has the winning 3-year-old colt Lieber Power (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), as well as fillies by Calyx (GB) and Pinatubo (Ire), born in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Frankel's 44 U.S. runners have 25 winners (56%) among them. McKulick is his first Grade I winner in that locale among his 10 American stakes winners (23%), although the Juddmonte stallion does have Canadian Grade I winner Wild Beauty (GB).
Bravo, Mon Amy!
Graded winner Amy C (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) collected her third career stakes victory in the Listed Daisycutter H. at Del Mar at the end of July (video). Representing Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, and Robert LaPenta, the 5-year-old mare took the GIII Las Cienegas S. in January for trainer Phil D'Amato and was placed in the GIII Intercontinental S. at Belmont in June.
A winner in two French starts for Franconson Partners, the D. Curran-bred was trained by Henry Spiller. The fourth foal and third winner for Alzahra (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Amy C has a 2-year-old half-brother named Rebel Empire (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) and a yearling half-sister by Wooded (Ire). Dual Guineas heroine Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) is under the third dam.
Charming Thought's leading runner, Amy C is one of two winners from two to race in the U.S. The 11-year-old son of Oasis Dream (GB) stands at March Hare Stud for LM Stallions.
Great Friends Stable, LLC, James Cahill, Mark Davis and Ty Leatherman's Irish import Angiolleta (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) became the first U.S. winner for her Coolmore Stud-based sire with a win at Del Mar for trainer Doug O'Neill recently (video).
Bred by Wardley Bloodstock, the daughter of Angelic Guest (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) changed hands for 20,000gns as a Tattersalls December yearling in 2022. Runner-up in her second start in France for Mrs. R Hillen and trainer Christopher Head, the chestnut was purchased privately by her current connections shortly thereafter. A half-sister to a pair of fillies by New Bay (GB) and Ardad (Ire) born in 2022 and 2023, respectively, Angiolleta's extended family features multiple group winner Sovereign Debt (Ire), a full-brother to the winner's dam, as well as G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 scorer Golden Goal (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).
Freshman sire Calyx sports an 33% strike rate of 10 winners from 30 runners worldwide anchored by G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. heroine Persian Dreamer. Angiolleta is one of two runners in the U.S.
Dark Angel Colt Is The Vintage Of Choice
Three Chimneys Farm and Stonestreet Stables, LLC's Dark Vintage (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) graduated in his Del Mar bow for trainer Wesley Ward on Thursday (video). The KCS Bloodstock Ltd.-bred was third at first asking at Belmont in June.
Knocked down for €170,000 as a Goffs November foal, the grey was resold for 320,000gns as a Book 1 yearling at Tattersalls last October. The second foal and winner for The Mums (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who is a half-sister to a pair of black-type horses, the colt has a yearling full-brother. G2 Temple S. winner Priceless (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is under the third dam.
Of Yeomanstown resident Dark Angel's 43 runners in the U.S., 25 (58%) have passed the post in front and six (14%) have landed at least one stakes victory. His trio of top-level winners are three-time Grade I winner-turned Gainesway sire Raging Bull (Fr), dual Grade I winner Althiqa (GB), and GI Shoemaker Mile S. winner Hunt (Ire).
Turn On The Jets (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) is now a three-time winner in the U.S. after scoring at Del Mar on Friday evening for trainer Phil D'Amato (video). The gelding is owned by the Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano.
Bred by Mr. D. Byrne, the chestnut won once on the Dundalk all-weather for Martin and D Moylan and trainer Jack Davison before traveling Stateside. The 2022 Stormy Liberal S. winner is the first foal out of the winning Dandy Man (Ire) mare Chiclet (Ire), who foaled a full-sister to Turn On The Jets in 2022. G1 Coronation Cup winner Pether's Moon (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is under the third dam.
Tally-Ho Stud's Mehmas has sired 13 winners from 21 runners (62%) in the U.S. His other three stakes winners besides Turn On The Jets (19%) have all won at the graded level–Grade I winners Going Global (Ire) and Chez Pierre (Fr)–while Quattroelle (Ire) has been placed in the GI Gamely S. besides her graded scores.
Honourable Mentions:
Grade I winner Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), who races for Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, LLC, and Marsha Naify, padded his graded resume with a win in the GII Eddie Read S. at Del Mar on Sunday for trainer Phil D'Amato (video).
Bredman Family Racing LLC and WEBD, LLC's No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) bounced back to take Monmouth Park's Tyro S. after a fruitless Royal Ascot that same day for trainer George Weaver (video). The colt was ninth in the G2 Norfolk S. after taking the Royal Palm Juvenile S. at Gulfstream Park earlier this year.
The second episode of An American Dream: The Return to Royal Ascot, a series following American Harlan Malter's ambitious quest to return to Royal Ascot with a horse sired by his G1 King's Stand S. runner Bucchero (Kantharos), was released by Great British Racing International (GBRI) and Ascot Racecourse on Sunday.
The new episode follows Malter and Florida-based trainer Joe Orseno as they attempt to win Gulfstream Park's inaugural Royal Palm Juvenile S. with Mattingly (Bucchero), who finished second to No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the automatic qualifier for entry into one of Royal Ascot's six 2-year-old races. While No Nay Mets has been confirmed to make the trip to England next month, a final decision as to whether co-owners Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Harlow Stables LLC will ship Mattingly has yet to be made.
All episodes released thus far in An American Dream: The Return to Royal Ascot can be found on GBRI's YouTube channel.
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