Friday’s impressive Gr1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes winner Juju’s Map at Keeneland has several ties to South Africa.
Not only is the likely Breeders’ Cup contender a daughter of dual Gr1 winner Liam’s Map – whose dam Miss Macy Sue was sired by the Drakenstein Stud based Trippi – but her second dam Charming N Lovable is a daughter of the late South African champion Horse Chestnut.
Watch Juju’s Map’s win on the weekend:
Charming N Lovable has more than made her mark at stud -not only is she granddam of the aforementioned Juju’s Map, she also produced Gr1 Santa Margarita Stakes winner Fault (Blame).
Horse Chestnut, a son of four-time champion broodmare sire Fort Wood and directly descended in female line from the taproot mare Conjure, has made quite a name for himself as a broodmare sire.
Horse Chestnut (Pic – Hamish Niven)
Another son of Fort Wood, Dynasty, is also showing promise as a broodmare sire with the late champion already damsire of the likes of Divine Odyssey, Springs Of Carmel and Guineas winner Wild Coast.
Horse Chestnut mares have produced Gr1 winners all over the world, with the former South African Triple Crown winner broodmare sire of Gr1 winners in all of Canada, Ireland, South Africa and the USA.
Mares by Horse Chestnut have already produced nearly 30 black type winners, with their progeny having already amassed more than $34 million in stakes.
One of Horse Chestnut’s very best daughters is In Return – Canada’s Broodmare Of The Year in 2018. The stakes winning In Return is the dam of the talented full-brothers Channel Maker and Johnny Bear (both of whom were sired by English Channel) as well as Gr1 E.P. Taylor Stakes runner up Court Return (by Court Vision).
Between them, Channel Maker and Johnny Bear have earned nearly $4 million in stakes, with Channel Maker (the Eclipse Champion Turf Male Of 2020) having won the Canadian classic, the Breeders’ Stakes, at three, before going on to land the Gr1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic the following year.
He would go on to add a repeat win in the Turf Classic in 2020, with his other notable scores including triumphs in both the Gr1 Man O’War Stakes and Gr1 Sword Dancer Stakes. His full-brother Johnny Bear won the Gr1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes two years running.
Another high-class broodmare sired by Horse Chestnut was the twice raced Lynwood Chase. The latter produced three Royal Ascot winners, with her sons Cannock Chase (subsequently successful in the Gr1 Canadian International) and Pisco Sour winning the Gr3 Tercentenary Stakes in 2014 and 2011 respectively.
Lynnwood Chase is also dam of top-class filly Star Catcher – winner of all of the Gr1 Kerrygold Irish Oaks, Gr1 Prix Vermeille, Gr1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and Gr2 Ribblesdale Stakes in 2019.
Horse Chestnut is also broodmare sire of Gr1 First Lady winner Zipessa (out of the Horse Chestnut mare Precious Princess) – who won or placed in a trio of Gr1 races. Zipessa herself was sired by City Zip, whose third dam Sailaway was sired by another South African champion in the form of Hawaii.
Gr1 winner Camphoratus (Pic – JC Photos)
In South Africa, Horse Chestnut mares have produced the likes of Equus Champion Smart Call (Ideal World) and Gr1 HSH Princess Charlene Empress Club Stakes queen Camphoratus, and with a number of daughters yet to be represented on the racetrack, he looks sure to make more of a mark with his broodmare daughters.
