When Igugu won Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July, she wrapped up the Equus 3yo Filly of the Year award. In all likelihood, the brilliant daughter of Galileo also ensured for herself the much coveted title of Horse of the Year. She was arguably assisted in her quest for Horse of the Year honors, when her main rival, Dancewiththedevil (Modus Vivendi), only managed to finish sixth in the G1 Garden Province Stakes.
But is Igugu a more deserving winner of Horse of the Year honors than Dancewiththedevil? Whilst Igugu certainly has strong claims to the title, she only once took on males, whilst her older rival beat some of the country’s top males twice in G1 events – the Horse Chestnut Stakes and Gold Challenge respectively.
As far as individual G1 wins go, Igugu won three times at the highest level during the season, as did Dancewiththedevil. The latter was defeated more often during the season than the 3yo, but Dancewiththedevil campaigned in arguably more arduous company than Igugu did.
In terms of graded victories, Igugu landed the impressive tally of six graded races, three at G1 level, two at G2 level and one G3 event.
Dancewiththdevil, in comparison, won four graded races during the season past, with three coming at the highest level, and her other graded score being the G3 Acacia Handicap.
On a separate note, it is interesting to look at the two contenders as being from the opposite ends of the pedigree spectrum. Igugu, who cost R1 million at the 2009 Ready To Run Sale, is by the world’s top stallion, Galileo, whose progeny have been dominating the European races this season. Judging by the promising start made by Teofilo (one of Galileo’s first sons at stud), Galileo’s name will be around in modern day pedigrees for many more years to come.
Whilst Igugu’s dam, Zarinia, never reached the heights achieved by her famous daughter, she is a direct descendant of the Aga Khan’s most famous mare, Mumtaz Mahal. The weekend just past was a good one for descendants of Zahra, as her descendants include Igugu as well as Saturday’s G3 Prix Daphnis winner Ziyarid (Desert Style).
Dancewiththedevil, on the other hand, is a home bred. She is a daughter of Modus Vivendi (an own brother to European champion 2yo Xaar), and is her sire’s sole graded winner. She is, however, out of the smart racemare Emperor’s Warning, a stakes placed daughter of Caesour. Daughters of Caesour have certainly done very well this season, producing the likes of Tales of Bravery (Kahal), Dancewiththedevil, and G1 winner Emerald Cove (Captain Al).
It is also interesting to note that Igugu and Dancewiththedevil both underline the success that fillies and mares have enjoyed against male company in recent years. The 2010/2011 South African racing season has been dominated by some truly exceptional females, with the likes of Ebony Flyer (Jet Master), Val de Ra (Var) and Mother Russia (Windrush) all champions in their own right. It is remarkable to think that likes of Covenant (Western Winter), Gibraltar Blue (Rock of Gibraltar), Flirtation (Silvano), Beach Beauty (Dynasty) and Emerald Cove (Captain Al) were all relegated to bit parts in this female dominated season.
However, the title of Horse of the Year should fall to either Igugu or Dancewiththedevil. Igugu would certainly be a deserving winner of the award, but the panel should not forget the deeds of Dancewiththedevil, whose brilliance at times seem to have been overshadowed.
Two other Equus awards seem to have been secured on July day. With the favourites getting beaten in the G1 Golden Horseshoe, the award for 2yo colt of the year seems to be fairly in the hands of the connections of the unbeaten Delago Deluxe (Encosta de Lago), whilst the brilliant filly Princess Victoria (Victory Moon) ensured her status as Equus Champion 2yo filly with a strong win in the G1 Golden Slipper.
Val de Ra seems to be a shoe-in for champion sprinter, whilst SA Derby hero Seal (Silvano) could capitalize on a weak division, and pick up champion stayer honors, his main opposition being Ilsanpietro (Mark Of Esteem).
Two awards, however, which look competitive are champion older male and champion 3yo colt/ gelding. The latter award could go the way of English Garden (Camden Park) after his gallant third place in the Vodacom Durban July, whilst there is no obvious stand out in the champion older male category, where the major races have been dominated by females.
J&B Met winner Past Master is likely to be named champion older male, in what looks a rather weak category, July runner up Pierre Jourdan being his main competition.
Cat underlines sire’s versatility
When Cougar Cat won Saturday’s G1 Shoemaker Mile, he became the 13 G1 turf winner for the now pensioned sire Storm Cat. Whilst the latter is thought of as a “dirt sire”, it is worth noting that the horse considered his finest son, Giant’s Causeway, was a prolific G1 winner on turf.
It is worth noting that often a stallion is pigeon holed as a sire of turf/ dirt runners when he has only had one or two runners to compete on the surface – which is an unreliable way to judge the horse, especially when his progeny are not given more chances on a particular surface after the afore mentioned runners fail to fire.
Many top stallions are capable of siring top horses on both surfaces, with recent examples including Pulpit, Dynaformer, Storm Cat and Kingmambo, to name but a few. It would be interesting to know if certain pre-conceived perceptions have not influence the fate of other stallions’ progeny.
