Jetez continues SA dominance of top Dubai race
Since the Balanchine was first run in 2006, the race has been dominated by South African fillies and mares. The inaugural Balanchine, when a Listed race held at Nad Al Sheba over 1777m, was won by the SA bred Irridescence (Caesour). Irridescence would later go on to great glory when beating Ouija Board (Cape Cross) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
In 2007 the Balanchine was won by Royal Alchemist. Her sire, Kingsinger (Fairy King), was exported to Zimbabwe, and Royal Alchemist remains the best horse sired by him.
A year later saw Sun Classique (Fuji Kiseki) win the Balanchine in facile fashion. A champion in South Africa as a 3yo, Sun Classique would go on to win the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, defeating a host of international stars. She would retire to stud with an unbeaten record in Dubai.
In 2009, two South African raced classic winning fillies ran 2-3 in the Balanchine. The race was won by the Italian mare My Central (Central Park), who beat G2 Gold Circle Oaks victress Front House into second, with third place going to the G2 SA Oaks winner Happy Spirit (Silvano).
In 2010, the Balanchine was held for the first time at Meydan. The distance was changed to 1800m, and the race was won by the Dalakhani filly Deem, who beat Aspectoflove into second with the SA bred and raced Zirconeum (Jallad) back in third.
River Jetez’s win in 2011 continues the remarkable line of dominance that SA bred or raced fillies and mares have enjoyed in this race, and it seems a run of success which is unlikely to end any time soon.
It could also be argued that the field tackled by River Jetez was stronger than in previous years, with the quality of racing at the Carnival improving every year. Runner-up Reem (Galileo) is a very promising 3yo, whilst third placed Long Lashes (Rock Hard Ten), was an outstanding 2yo of her year, winning the G2 Sweet Solera Stakes. Fifth place finisher, Strawberrydaiquiri (Dansili), was one of the best of her year in Britain, winning the G2 Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot. She was also beaten 1.75 lengths into second place in the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes.
$60 million stud – hit or bust?
When Fusaichi Pegasus retired to stud in 2001, most people thought he would be a sure fire hit. He is a handsome horse, winner of the Kentucky Derby and has a great pedigree (by Mr Prospector, his dam is an own sister to Preakness Stakes winner Pine Bluff). Coolmore purchased the then 3yo colt for a price which was allegedly $60 million (which made him then the most expensive horse ever purchased for stud duty). He was then retired at the end of his 3yo career.
Whilst Fusaichi Pegasus has had some success (to date he has sired 33 stakes winners and six G1 winners ), he has not enjoyed the kind of success connections may have hoped for at the beginning of his stud career. His stud fee has dropped from $150,000 to $15, 000. He is siring just 4% stakes winners from foals, despite covering some of the finest mares in the world.
Commercially, he is no longer the hot property he was when he retired to stud, with his yearlings averaging just over $20,000 last year.
The sire of recently G2 San Louis Obispo Handicap winner Champ Pegasus, Fusaichi Pegasus is certainly a stallion capable of siring high-class stock. He is also the sire of the useful young sire Roman Ruler, as well as the popular Australian stallion Hardasun, and his offspring have enjoyed global success. Fusaichi Pegasus remains a popular and sought after sire, and he covered 127 mares last year in the US.
Fu Peg has failed , however, to become the replacement for Mr Prospector, which many people hoped he would be.
Danzig horse makes eye catching start
War Front, one of the last sons of Danzig to retire to stud, has made an excellent start to his stud career. From just 44 runners to date, War Front, whose first foals are 3, has been represented by 24 individual winners and four stakes winners. They include Sunday’s G2 San Vincente winner The Factor as well as the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf runner up Soldat. Both colts have won graded stakes races and both look to be major players in the US Triple Crown this year.
War Front was a high-class sprinter miler whose biggest win came in the G2 Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap (now a G1 race) over six furlongs at Saratoga. His progeny currently have an average winning distance of 1200m, and it will be interesting to see if War Front can emulate his sire by throwing horses capable of winning G1 races over a mile and a half.
Like many of Danzig’s sons, War Front is rumoured to be not particularly fertile, which in part accounts for his relatively small (by today’s standards anyway) crops. His success has seen his stud fee increase by a third (from $10 000 to $15 000).
War Front stands alongside successful sires Pulpit and Arch as well as last season’s champion older male Blame (Arch) at Claiborne, which used to be home to War Front’s sire, Danzig.
Local star’s foal nominated to US Triple Crown
Iscar, the third foal out of Crimson Palace has been nominated to the US Triple Crown. He is a son of hot young sire Bernardini, whose first crop of 2yos last year include the G1 winners Biondetti and A Z Warrior. Iscar is owned and bred by Darley.
Crimson Palace (Elliodor) became the first South African bred to win an official G1 race in the USA when she won the 2004 Beverly D Stakes. Crimson Palace, who also won the G1 Paddock Stakes as well as races in Dubai and the UK, is also the dam of Arabian Wolf, an unraced Elusive Quality filly, as well as the Empire Maker colt Crimson Empire.
