Nashwa Returns to the Races; Her Dam Returns to Frankel

We may bemoan the fact that Flat horses come and go in what feels like the blink of an eye, but this season we are fortunate to be welcoming back not just the Derby winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) but the four best fillies and mares in the world last year: Liberty Island (Jpn), Inspiral (GB), Emily Upjohn (GB) and Nashwa (GB). The last three named are all trained at John and Thady Gosden's Clarehaven Stables and both Emily Upjohn and Nashwa will make their return to the track next weekend in Dubai.

For three seasons now, Nashwa, a daughter of Frankel (GB) and the Group 1-placed and Listed winner Princess Loulou (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), has been the pride of her owner Imad Al Sagar's Blue Diamond Stud, becoming his first homebred Classic winner in the G1 Prix de Diane of 2022 after finishing third in the Oaks. To that success she added the G1 Nassau S. and G1 Falmouth S. along with another four Group 1 placings. 

Of Nashwa remaining in training at five rather than joining her mother in the broodmare band, Al Sagar says, “It was a difficult decision, but I think that a filly of that calibre is entitled to have another chance as a five-year-old. Especially as, when you go back through the family, they thrive with age. I think she will be competitive at five. She is a very good traveller and very straightforward. Horses like this don't come around every day, that's for sure.”

He adds of her progress towards the G1 Dubai Turf on Saturday, March 30, “She didn't stop over the winter; she was trotting just to keep her weight and a level of fitness. She had some very tough races at the end of the season, especially the Juddmonte and the Irish Champion and the Queen Elizabeth II, so she was entitled to have a break. Now, we are very happy about her physical condition and fitness.”

Princess Loulou, whose first foal, the seven-year-old Louganini (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}), recently won his fourth race in Saudi Arabia having already won three in the UK, is now back in foal to Frankel. Her three-year-old, by Al Sagar's homebred Group 1-winning stallion Decorated Knight (GB), is named Mesmerising (GB) and, like the mare's two-year-old colt by Dubawi (Ire), is also in training at Clarehaven.

“The Dubawi two-year-old half-brother is cantering and we're very excited to see his progress. He's a very correct horse and gorgeous. John knows the family and he has done very well with Nashwa so we don't need to fix something that is working,” says the breeder. 

Al Sagar has already celebrated a winner this year. Last week, the four-year-old Intinso (GB) (Siyouni {Ire}) returned to the track for the first time since August to score emphatically at Wolverhampton. 

“Intinso was a big disappointment last year with a number of physical issues but that is all behind us,” he says. “John and Thady Gosden have done tremendously with him. He showed great signs of ability last year and was entered in the Guineas, the Dante and the Derby but he didn't live up to expectations. His last run was very promising after 206 days off and, with the physical changes that he has made, he is now a very strong animal and I am very excited about him for this year.”

Intinso's dam, the homebred Rose Of Miracles (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), is out of Neartica (Fr) (Sadler's Wells), a half-sister to the great Goldikova (Ire) and, with a foal by No Nay Never on the way she is booked to Pinatubo (Ire) this year.

Princess Loulou is not the only visitor to Frankel from Blue Diamond Stud, which is also sending the 10-year-old Tisa River (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}), the half-sister to Group/Grade 1 winners to Order Of Australia (Ire), Iridessa (Ire) and Santa Barbara (Ire), as well as Abscond.

“She is a Blame filly that we purchased in America last year,” says Al Sagar of the GI Natalma S. winner Abscond. “She has just foaled a colt by Not This Time and she is visiting Frankel this year.”

When the breeder names a mare Blue Diamond (Ire) it is easy to guess that she is rather special, and that is indeed the case when it comes to the full-sister to Decorated Knight. By Galileo, her dam is Pearling (Storm Cat), a full-sister to Giant's Causeway and the celebrated matriarch You'resothrilling. 

“She was covered three days ago by Siyouni,” says Al Sagar of the six-year-old mare. “Her first foal, a yearling colt, is also by Siyouni. She was in foal to Dubawi but unfortunately the foal died.”

Another of the elite mares on Dubawi's list this year is Zotilla (Ire). “She's a Zamindar mare and the dam of the French Guineas winner Mangoustine (Fr),” says Al Sagar. “She is already in foal to Dubawi and she has a two-year-old named Sandirella (GB) by his son Too Darn Hot (GB), and we have great confidence in him.”

Among the young stallions on the rise in Britain, Al Sagar cites Blue Point (Ire) and Havana Grey (GB) as being of particular interest.

“I have a breeding right in Havana Grey and we are sending him Breath Of Joy (Ire), who is a very nice Kodiac (GB) mare,” he adds. 

“Then in America there is also a number of young stallions we are keen on. Not This Time is one of them, and I used Bolt d'Oro on a mare I purchased from Keeneland, Angle Of Attack (Maclean's Music), and I have a beautiful filly from her. We're also using Juddmonte's first-season stallion Elite Power.”

Princess Nadia (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a daughter of the Group 3 winner Princess Noor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), is named in honour of Al Sagar's wife and his granddaughter and she is among the first group of mares to be visiting the Arc winner Ace Impact (Ire) at Haras de Beaumont this season, while Sophie (GB) (Farhh {GB}), a half-sister to 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire), is visiting New Bay (GB). The six-year-old mare has an Oasis Dream colt foal and a yearling filly by Cachet's sire Aclaim (Ire).

Another recent purchase, this time from Australia, is the Camelot (GB) mare Countessa (Fr) who hails from a family synonymous with the Niarchos operation. “Her second dam is the dam of Alpha Centauri (Ire),” says Al Sagar. “She's a winner and she is now in foal to Siyouni.”

While Al Sagar has long been associated with Blue Diamond Stud, which operates across two sites just outside Newmarket, a diversification over the last year has seen his purchase of Stonereath Farm in Kentucky. A recent overview of the mating plans for the America mares was published in the US edition of TDN.

“We now have 15 mares in America and I'm going there in early April with Ted Voute, my CEO,” he says.

“The theory I am working on is the Roberto bloodline. It has done wonders through the years but unfortunately, after Arch and Dynaformer, there are only a few living stallions from that line, such as Blame and Temple City. Blame in particular is proving to be a very good broodmare sire. 

“A few days ago I read an article in TDN about him being the best young broodmare sire in America. I noticed this some years back and have sent a number of mares to Blame – Star Of Bristol (Speightstown) last year and again this year; I'm Wonderful, a Giant's Causeway mare, has a colt by Blame. This year we are sending Manasarova (More Than Ready) to him. She just foaled this week to Not The Time. I am trying hard to get fillies from the Roberto bloodline.”

Floret (Ire), a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), has blessed the breeder with a longed-for Blame filly foal and  is now heading to Justify. 

He says, “Justify has exploded with that cross of Scat Daddy and Galileo, on the evidence of City Of Troy, Statuette – you name it. I have two mares going to him this year as we are also sending Dawn Of Hope (GB) who has recently foaled a colt by Lope De Vega (Ire).

“I saw most of the stallions in America and with each visit to any country – whether it's Ireland, England, France or America – I make sure to go to see the stallions. That way I can develop good ideas for our matings plans and decide what mares we want to send them, that will suit them physically.”

Al Sagar is aided in his mating plans by the aforementioned Ted Voute and also by Nancy Sexton.

“I take the opinion of my team – I am proud of my team, of their experience and knowledge – and their opinions are highly regarded by me. Nancy has very deep knowledge when it comes to pedigrees and she has a very good memory of the bloodlines and the progeny. It is a very difficult process but I make the final decision,” he says. 

“Our strategy at Blue Diamond is not numbers. We would like to have the quality and we are trying to create a proper outcross for the stallions that are in our target range. These purchases are a true demonstration of our thinking.”

 

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Mating Plans, Presented By Spendthrift Farm: Blue Diamond’s Stonereath Mares

As we approach the opening of the 2024 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. Today we caught up with Imad Al Sagar of Blue Diamond Stud, who added a Kentucky base, Stonereath Farm, in August.

   “The acquisition of Stonereath Farm in Kentucky last summer has allowed us great opportunity to diversify,” Al Sagar said. “A handful of Blue Diamond mares already resided in Kentucky but with the addition of Stonereath, which covers 252 acres near Paris, we have increased that number; several have been sourced specifically with an eye on breeding and racing in the US while others will continue to switch to and from our base in Newmarket in order to take advantage of the differing bloodlines available in Kentucky. We are lucky to have an excellent team of people overseeing Stonereath, including farm manager Jenn Laidlaw, office manager Erin Dilger and Walter Nathaniel Lobato.”

 

DAWN OF HOPE (IRE) (11, Mastercraftsman {Ire}–Sweet Firebird {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells), in foal to Lope De Vega (Ire) and visits Justify
Dawn Of Hope was a high-class filly for us, winning the Listed Prix Petite Etoile, and her first three foals are winners. Her first foal, Kind Gesture (GB) (Decorated Knight {GB}), came close to gaining black-type in Britain and is currently running well in Australia, and we are hopeful there is more to come from her 3-year-old Blown Away (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) with John and Thady Gosden. We have retained her 2-year-old Sea The Stars (Ire) filly Gaugamela (GB), who goes to Andre Fabre.

Like everyone else, we have been impressed with what Justify has achieved with his first two crops–we bred one of his early stakes winners, Wonderful Justice (GB). It is notable how well he has done with Danehill line mares, particularly in Australia–Storm Boy (Aus), Learning To Fly (Aus) and Legacies (Aus) spring to mind.

Dawn Of Hope's family goes back to Native Street via the Fire The Groom branch, so it has had its share of success in America as well. With so much currently going on in the family and her own talent to take into account, we took the decision to ship Dawn Of Hope over from Newmarket specifically to send to Justify.

Also going to Justify is Floret (Ire), a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) from the Doff The Derby family. She is in foal to Blame and by sending her to Justify, we are repeating the Galileo cross responsible for City Of Troy, Unless and Buchu among others.

Dawn Of Hope and her '23 Pinatubo (Ire) colt | Equuis Images

 

FREE LOOK (4, Tapit–Wild Mint, by Medaglia d'Oro) to be bred to Gun Runner
Tapit is such a good broodmare sire and we were trying for some time to add a daughter to our broodmare band. Free Look was second in the GII Miss Grillo S. and fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf as a 2-year-old, plus she's a very good-looking individual from the immediate family of Violence. So we were delighted to buy her at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale and she went on to win on her first start for us on dirt.

We were keen to start her off with a proven stallion at the highest level and Gun Runner fits the bill with his immense success with Tapit in mind–even allowing for the level of opportunity given the fact both are Winchell horses, it's very notable that Gun Runner already has six stakes winners out of Tapit mares.

 

I'M WONDERFUL (8, Giant's Causeway–Rebridled Dreams, by Unbridled's Song), had a colt by Blame and visits Tapit
I'm Wonderful is out of Coffee Pot Stable's excellent producer Rebridled Dreams and therefore a sister to Carpe Diem. One of our first mares to be based in Kentucky, her first foal, Wonderful Justice (Justify), won last year's Black Gold S. for us at Fair Grounds. She just had a colt by Blame as part of our strategy to tap into Roberto blood and now heads to Tapit. This mating produces inbreeding to Unbridled, similar to the pattern found in the backgrounds of Tapit's Grade I winners Unique Bella, Sweet Loretta, Valiance and Tapit Trice. However, the key here is to also make use of Tapit. He's become such an important influence, both through his sons and daughters, and we are keen to utilise him while we can.

 

MANASAROVA (11, More Than Ready–Manaahil, by Mr. Greeley), in foal to Not This Time and visits Blame
From the Ballade family, Manasarova was listed-placed as a 2-year-old and has already produced a really good filly in France called Sicilian Defense (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), who won a pair of listed races and was Group 2-placed. We have retained her 3-year-old filly by Zoustar (Aus), Yusra, and she is with Andre Fabre. Manasarova is one of three mares we are sending to Blame this season. We hold the Roberto line, with its propensity for throwing sound and talented horses, in high regard. So one of the ideas behind using Blame is to tap into one of the remaining Kentucky-based representatives of that sire line and hopefully produce some fillies for the broodmare band down the line.

Also heading to Blame is Jousi (GB), a homebred Dubawi (Ire) granddaughter of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Classic Park (GB) who won an Ascot maiden as a 2-year-old for us, and Star Of Bristol, a Speightstown half-sister to Mastercraftsman (Ire). Star Of Bristol's first two foals have both won and we have retained her Wootton Bassett (GB) 2-year-old filly, who goes to Christopher Head. Given Blame's affinity with mares carrying Mr. Prospector, we hope that she will be a good fit.

 

OCEAN SAFARI (5, Temple City–Media Access, by Devil's Bag) to be bred to Not This Time
One of two stakes-winning Temple City mares we bought last November, Ocean Safari won the Honey Ryder S. Not This Time has been extremely impressive to date and his progeny seem versatile as well, which suits an operation like Blue Diamond that races on turf and dirt. We have two mares due to foal to him this year in Grade I winner Abscond, who is back in Newmarket ahead of a visit to Frankel (GB), and Manasarova.

In the case of this mare, Not This Time has already been effective with the Hail To Reason/Roberto line, to whom Ocean Safari is inbred; Cogburn, Simplification, Midnight Stroll, Howling Time being examples. The cross also produces inbreeding to Ballade, a pattern which we've seen behind several stakes winners by Giant's Causeway and his brother Freud. Not This Time is very much on the rise, with his versatility in the mould of his sire Giant's Causeway; all things considered, he should be a very good starting point for a young mare like Ocean Safari.

 

QUEEN OFTHE TEMPLE (6, Temple City–Queenameina, by Read The Footnotes) to be bred to Uncle Mo
Another hard-knocking daughter of Temple City who won the Santa Barbara S. and was multiple graded stakes-placed. Like Ocean Safari, we were keen to start her off with a proven sire. Uncle Mo is so reliable, he's a good option for starting off a young mare, and he's also versatile when it comes to dirt and turf. Although he's out of an Arch mare, he's had good results when bred back to the Hail To Reason/Roberto line–runners like Bast, Bye Bye Melvin, Mo Ready and Royal Mo for example.

Stonereath Farm in Kentucky was acquired in August of last year and is now an American base for the operation | Blue Diamond Stud

ANGLE OF ATTACK (7, Maclean's Music–Bourbon Warfare, by Colonel John) to be bred to Bolt d'Oro
It's hard not be impressed by Bolt d'Oro's early results, especially his statistics. Angle Of Attack, a young stakes-winning mare who is owned in partnership with Kuwait Racing Syndicate, already has a yearling filly by him and we've decided to send her back; Bolt d'Oro's early success with the mares from the Distorted Humor line, highlighted by Major Dude, certainly adds weight on paper.

Joining Angle Of Attack on a return trip to Bolt d'Oro is New Jazz. She is a winning daughter of Scat Daddy and that particular cross has already produced Bobby O.

 

ARWA (IRE) (10, Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}–Another Storm, by Gone West) to be bred to Elite Power
Arwa is a winning half-sister to six stakes horses including Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and out of a daughter of Storm Song so it's a versatile family with championship form on dirt and turf under the first two dams. For us, Elite Power is an extremely appealing package; a brilliant sprinter who retired sound with the looks and pedigree to support his talent. We are looking forward to supporting him at Juddmonte.

 

DANCING KIKI (7, Blame–Justenufappeal, by Exchange Rate), in foal to Medaglia d'Oro and visits Violence
A tough stakes-winning daughter of Blame who was effective on dirt and turf. She is in foal to Medaglia d'Oro and we are staying on the same theme by sending her to Violence, who of course sired Forte out of a Blame mare.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

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Blue Diamond Stud Branches Out With Acquisition of Kentucky’s Stonereath Farm

Imad Al Sagar's Blue Diamond Stud is the new owner of Stonereath Farm in Kentucky in a purchase which “underlines the intention of the stud to compete on the world stage”.

The Kuwaiti-born owner-breeder of Group 1 winners Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) has a burgeoning involvement in racing and breeding in North America, where his Blue Diamond Stud has been represented this season by the homebred Wonderful Justice (Justify), winner of the Black Gold S. at Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old colt is trained by Brad Cox alongside the Grade II-placed Free Look (Tapit), a recent purchase at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Situated just outside Paris in Kentucky, Stonereath Farm was previously home to the celebrated broodmare Best In Show while under the ownership of Darrell and Lindy Brown. Its most recent owner was Dr. Christoph Berglar, the German owner-breeder of international Group 1 winners Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and Novellist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). Set on 252 acres, the historic farm's facilities include 60 stalls in four barns, 24 paddocks and a yearling show ring area.

“We are excited to add Stonereath Farm to the Blue Diamond Stud portfolio,” said Al Sagar, whose aforementioned filly Nashwa was runner-up to Mostahdaf (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International, having won the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket in July as well as last year's G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Nassau S.

“With such a long history of producing such good racehorses, I am confident that it will be a valuable complement to our European division while allowing us great opportunity to diversify. We look forward to growing our presence in the US and yielding the advantages of everything that Kentucky and its differing bloodlines has to offer.”

Blue Diamond Stud chief executive officer Ted Voute has previously been involved in the launch of Clearsky Farm in Kentucky. He added: “Imad Al Sagar has incredible foresight and energy to invest in a vein of land in Bourbon County that is a proven source of Kentucky Derby winners.

“Stonereath Farm has not been over-horsed in recent times and is in pristine condition. I am excited for the future combining some of Blue Diamond's already illustrious bloodlines with this fertile land. Imad has infectious, overwhelming enthusiasm driving everyone that works with him to produce Thoroughbreds to perform either at the sales or on the racetrack at the top level.”

The team of stud staff employed during Berglar's tenure under his Narola banner will remain in place, led by Walter Nathaniel Lobato and office manager Donna Callaway.

In Britain, Blue Diamond Stud owns two Newmarket-based properties, with Blue Diamond Stud South, which is home to the mares and foals, overseen by broodmare manager Andrew Rawlin, and Blue Diamond North, which is primarily the yearling division, run by yearling manager Gerry Meehan. In 2018, Al Sagar bought out his former partner in the stud, Saleh Al Homaizi, with whom he raced the Derby winner Authorized (Ire) and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Araafa (Ire) as well as Decorated Knight.

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Stonereath Farm’s Darrell Brown Passes Away

Darrell Brown, who owned and operated Stonereath Farm in Bourbon County, Kentucky, for four decades, has passed away. He was to turn 88 years old next month.

Born Dec. 14, 1934, to Joseph and Ona Brown in Oklahoma City, Brown grew up during the Oklahoma dust bowl and attended school in a one-room schoolhouse in Mustang, Oklahoma, before proceeding to public school and the University of Oklahoma. He flew in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, delivering helicopter blades to Da Nang and also transporting caskets back to the U.S.

Following the war, Brown became the head accountant for Kerr McGee Oil Co., but remained in the Guard and was eventually hired by Aero Commander as test pilot and sales rep. His skills led him to demonstrate a plane to legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, while led to being hired as Palmer's personal pilot and personal manager.

A skilled sportsman, Brown achieved much success, particularly at golf, where he made the cut every time he competed in the AT&T/Bing Crosby Pro-Am tournament at Pebble Beach, California. He also played polo with victories in the U.S. and against the Guards Polo in England. He was an excellent shot in the dove fields of Kentucky accompanied by his dog Birdie and took numerous European bike trips with his wife and enjoyed his cycling and European adventures.

Stonereath co-owner Broodmare of the Year Best In Show and many stakes winners, including GI Kentucky Oaks winner Blush With Pride. He was on the board of Kentucky Bank, Breeders' Cup and was President of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association from 1984-1988, its Vice President from 1981-1984 and was one of the founders of the organization. Brown believed that the owners and breeders of Thoroughbreds should have a strong voice in the development of the Thoroughbred business and its decisions. Two of his early principles were the development of a modern simulcasting program for Kentucky and the designation of the pari-mutuel tax to purses for improvement and growth of racing. Darrell was known for his integrity and honesty and advocated for what was good for the industry and for horsemen. These two programs are still the cornerstones of racing today.

Brown is survived by his son Jay Brown (Darice), Dr. Joel Brown and Jamie Brown and one granddaughter, Darrelyn Leebov. A celebration of live will be held at a later date.

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