Saturday sees the running of both the first two British classics for 2021, as well as the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.
A number of contenders for these four breed-shaping classics boast ties to South African former and current thoroughbreds.
Scat Daddy’s SA links
Legendary South African champion Hawaii is found in the pedigrees of such standout international stars as Ghostzapper (Horse Of The Year), Justify (US Triple Crown), Lil E. Tee (Kentucky Derby), City Zip (top class sire) and Mystic Guide (2021 Dubai World Cup) – and the former US/SA champion also appears in the pedigree of top-class three-year-old filly, Alcohol Free.
Hawaii – a legend
The latter, a daughter of increasingly successful Scat Daddy horse, No Nay Never, is currently among the leading fancies for Sunday’s Gr1 Qipco 1000 Guineas. To date, Alcohol Free has won three of her four starts, including the recent Gr3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes (registered as the Fred Darling Stakes) and last year’s Gr1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes.
Hawaii is the broodmare sire of Hennessy, whose son Johannesburg is the grandsire of No Nay Never.
Dubawi – 2000 Guineas
Outstanding sire Dubawi, whose sons, Erupt and Willow Magic, both stand at stud here, could well come up with his third 2000 Guineas winner this weekend.
One Ruler – favourite for the first British Gr1 of the term (Pic – Godolphin)
His sons One Ruler (Gr3 Emirates Autumn Stakes) and Master Of The Seas (Gr3 bet365 Craven Stakes, Gr2 bet365 Superlative Stakes) are both strong contenders for Saturday’s Gr1 Qipco 2000 Guineas, with Dubawi’s sons, Makfi and Night Of Thunder, having captured the 2000 Guineas of 2010 and 2014 respectively.
Interestingly, Master Of The Seas’ third dam, the high-class Rimosa’s Pet (Petingo), also features as the third dam of former Klawervlei Stud sire, and dual Guineas winner, Dupont (Zafonic).
Willow Magic is a son of Dubawi. (Pic- JC Photos)
Enaad’s half-brother at Newmarket
Pride Of Dubai, a half-brother to Enaad (High Chaparral), South Africa’s Champion Stayer of 2015-2016, has made a bright start to his stud career and the dual Gr1 winning son of Street Cry could be represented in Sunday’s Gr1 Qipco 1000 Guineas by his Gr3 Betway Sweet Solera Stakes winning daughter, Star Of Emaraaty.
The latter is one of five stakes winners to have emerged from Pride Of Dubai’s first Northern Hemisphere crop. Pride Of Dubai, who hails from the same family as all of Mishriff, Pinatubo, Invincible Spirit and Kodiac, was Australia’s Leading First Season Sire of 2019-2020.
Florida Derby winner a boost for SA mare
Top class US 3yo, Known Agenda (Curlin), who at the time of writing ranks among the leading contenders for this year’s Gr1 Kentucky Derby, hails from the same immediate family as Cape broodmare My Claire (Piccolo).
A winner of three of six starts, including the Gr1 Curlin Florida Derby, Known Agenda is out of Gr1 Vanity Handicap winner, Byrama (Byron), a half-sister to local broodmare, My Claire.
The latter has had two runners in South Africa thus far, including the winning Tiger’s Rock (Rock Of Gibraltar).
Fire Away relative in Derby mix
Wilgerbosdrift’s Gr3 Dixie Stakes winning stallion, Fire Away (War Front), comes from a family which produces top-class horses year in and year out.
Fire Away on the racetrack
Latest high-class product of this family is the very smart US 3yo, and recent Gr2 Wood Memorial Stakes runner up, Dynamic One (Union Rags).
Dynamic One is out of the Smart Strike mare, Beat The Drums, herself a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, and US champion, Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat). The latter, whose dam My Flag won the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, sports unbeaten Breeders’ Cup winning champion, Personal Ensign (Private Account), as her granddam, with Personal Ensign also ranking as the granddam of Fire Away.
Other notable recent representatives of this family include recently retired Gr3 Discovery Stakes winner Performer (Speightstown) and Fire Away’s stakes winning half-sister, Vigilantes Way (Medaglia D’Oro).
