AP Indy for Zenyatta?
Ever since the announcement of her retirement, the racing world has been agog to find out just who Zenyatta’s first mate would be. Owner Jerry Moss has hinted that the mighty mare was likely to be covered by A P Indy, one of the world’s great stallions, and now an increasingly important sire of sires.
What would be interesting about the mating of A P Indy, a dual champion sire in the US, and Zenyatta, is that the foal would be completely free of Northern Dancer blood – not a scenario often found in the modern thoroughbred. What is also interesting is that both Zenyatta (Street Cry) and her “rival” Rachel Alexandra are both set to be mated to Lane’s End stallions. (Rachel will be covered by her owner’s former dual Horse of the Year, Curlin).
Great day for local stud farm
This weekend’s racing was a real triumph for Klawervlei Stud. Klawervlei own the wonderful filly Gibraltar Blue (Rock of Gibraltar), winner of the Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge on Saturday, and were represented as the breeders of three other individual winners, including Shea Shea – winner of the Listed Secretariat Stakes. Shea Shea, sired by Klawervlei’s own stallion, National Emblem, looks to have a very bright future, and is clearly one of the leaders of the current Jo’burg 3yo crop.
Klawervlei also bred Emerald Cove, who ran a game third in the Gr1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas. She too is by a Klawervlei sire, the increasingly successful Captain Al. The latter is also the sire of Emmajo, who ran third in Saturday’s Gr2 Tony Taberer Southern Cross Stakes.
Count Dubois, who now stands at Klawerlvei is the sire of Saturday’s Gr3 Magnolia Handicap winner, Fair Rosalind. Count Dubois’ current crop of 3yos include three individual graded stakes winners, including recent Gr3 Starling Stakes victress Success Counts.
Klawervlei also stand Albert Hall (Danehill) – whose first ever runner, 2yo filly Theatre Royal, was a flying up third on debut in the Cape’s first juvenile race on Saturday. Theatre Royal looks like she should go close next time out.This was a nice start for Albert Hall, who is related to one of the leading hopefuls for next year’s Kentucky Derby in the form of the Bernardini colt, To Honor and Serve. The latter has won three of his four starts this year, including the Gr2 Remsen Stakes and Gr3 Nashua Stakes.
Mare’s amazing feat
Following her daughter Ebony Flyer’s win in Saturday’s Gr1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas on Saturday, Sunshine Lover became the first mare to produce two winners of the Cape Fillies Guineas. This is a remarkable achievement, as only a handful of mares in throughout the history of the breed produce two classic winners. What makes Sunshine Lover’s success all the more noteworthy, is that she has produced just two runners to date. I can’t think of another mare to achieve 100% classic winners to runners!
A daughter of the highly successful broodmare sire Badger Land, Sunshine Lover’s previous Guineas winner, Captain’s Lover, went onto greater glory overseas, and her half-sister looks sure to follow in her footsteps.
Sunshine Lover has a Captain Al colt (a full brother to Captain’s Lover) on offer at next year’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale, and this colt is sure to be one of the most viewed and sought after yearlings on the two-day sale. Currently owned by Team Valor, Sunshine Lover was booked to Count Dubois this season.
Japan Cup winner’s ties to South African champion
Transcend, winner of Sunday’s Gr1 Japan Cup Dirt, has ties to one of South Africa’s greatest champions. Transcend, a son of Met Mile winner Wild Rush, is out of the Tony Bin mare Cinema Scope. The latter’s granddam is a daughter of champion Hawaii.
The latter was a champion in South Africa and the USA. He won no fewer than 21 of his 28 races, and was Horse of the Year in SA in 1968 and US Champion Grass Horse in 1969 (when trained by Mack Miller). In SA, Hawaii won 15 of 18 races, including the Clairwood Winter Handicap (now Champions Cup), Cape Guineas and SA Guineas.
Whilst Hawaii was a successful sire at stud, with his best sons including Epsom Derby winner Henbit and Derby runner up Hawaiian Sound, he failed to sire a successful sire son.
Hawaii’s name has, however, lived on in international pedigrees. His daughter, Island Kitty, is the dam of leading US sire, Hennessy, himself represented by a number of sons at stud worldwide, including champion Johannesburg and successful Argentinian sire Sunray Spirit. Hennessy’s half brother, Shy Tom, was a successful sire in Argentina, where his progeny included Horse of the Year Refinado Tom.
Sailaway, another Hawaii matron to make her mark, is the dam of Thirty Zip, broodmare of the year in the USA. A stakes winner on the track, Thirty Zip is the dam of US Horse of the Year Ghostzapper (Awesome Again) and top US sire City Zip. Ghostzapper, who was Horse of the Year in 2004, was one of the most brilliant horses seen in the US in last 50 years. His wins included scores in the Breeders Cup Classic, Met Mile and Woodward Stakes. Ghostzapper’s first crop includes US Gr1 winner Stately Victor. His half-brother City Zip, a Gr1 winner at two, is one of the US’s most consistent sires. To date, City Zip has sired 28 stakes winners including Gr1 Bustin Stones, top 2yo Run Away and Hide and 2010 American Derby winner Workin for Hops.
Hawaii is also a factor in the pedigree of champion US 3yo Afleet Alex. Afleet Alex, a leading young sire, is out of Maggy Hawk –whose dam is by Hawaii. Afleet Alex will forever be remembered as the horse who nearly fell to his knees in the 2004 Preakness Stakes, only to make a miraculous recovery and to go on to win. He would also win the Belmont Stakes, before being retired. Afleet Alex’s first crop includes Gr1 winners Afleet Express and Dublin.
Hawaii’s daughter Sun And Snow, who won the Kentucky Oaks, also became an important progenitor. Her descendants include Gimcrack Stakes winner Chilly Billy and Gr3 winner Belong To Sea.
One of Hawaii’s best bred daughters was Kilavea. A half-sister to champion sire Nureyev, she is the grandam of millionaire and multiple Gr1 winner Bienamado.
Hawaii’s daughter Copperhead, dam of US millionaire Silver Ending, is the third dam of last season’s SA Gr1 winner Copper Parade.
Clearly, whilst he didn’t leave a lasting influence on the breed through his sons at stud, Hawaii’s name lingers in some of the world’s top thoroughbreds.
