Jungle Cove
North American-bred thoroughbreds have certainly played their part in the South African stud book, writes Sarah Whitelaw
Champion sires
From champion sires Jungle Cove, Plum Bold, Al Mufti and Fort Wood (sires of champion sires Captain Al and Dynasty), to Rakeen (sire of Jet Master and grandsire of Saturday’s Gr1 Sansui Summer Cup hero, Master Sabina), Tiger Ridge (sire of Gr2 Investec Dingaans hero, Noah From Goa), triple champion sire Western Winter and Var and Trippi, a number of US sires have more than made their mark in South Africa. At the time of writing, four of the top ten sires on the General Sires List hail from the United States.
Champion matrons
Silver Mountain, favourite for the 2015 Cape Fillies Guineas
However, it has not only been US bred sires who have proven influential in South Africa. A large number of broodmares bred in North America have come to this country and produced a number of outstanding racehorses.
Silver Mountain (Silvano), favourite for Saturday’s Gr1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas, is just the latest example – her USA bred dam, Our Table Mountain, being one of the best bred and most successful broodmares currently at stud in South Africa. By Kentucky Derby winner and emerging broodmare sire, Fusaichi Pegasus (also damsire of Gr1 winners Albany Reunion and We Miss Artie, as well as Saturday’s feature winner Supertube), Our Table Mountain is a half sister to former Gr1 Breeders Cup Mile winner and Gr1 sire, Artie Schiller.
However, Silver Mountain is by no means the only recent top class performer in South Africa who was produced by a mare bred in the United States. In 2015, there have been 16 individual stakes winners produced by such mares, and they have won in total 20 black type races here (this total includes the half brothers Trip To Heaven and The Hangman, both graded winners in 2015).
Little Genie
Brilliant filly Little Genie (Judpot), a dual feature race winner who has won her last five races on the trot, is out of a daughter of the US bred mare, Flying Magic (Hansel), while recent Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes runner up, Easy Lover (Right Approach)’s third dam is the blue blooded US mare, Slew’s Review (by Slew O’Gold out of US champion filly Revidere).
Here is a brief summary of 2015 South African black type winners who were produced by a mare bred in North America:
Smart Call (Gr1 Woolavington 2000, Gr2 Ipi Tombe Challenge)
Doing It For Dan (Golden Loom Hcp, Hampton Hcp)
Trip To Heaven (Gr2 Joburg Spring Challenge)
Lanner Falcon (Gr3 Champagne S, Ladies Mile)
Prince Of Thieves (Gr3 Champion Juvenile Cup)
Liquid Mercury (Gr3 Winter Derby)
Daring Dave (Gr2 Merchants Stakes)
Solar Star (The Sledgehammer)
Alboran Sea (Gr1 Computaform Sprint, Gr1 Cape Flying Championship)
One Fine Day (Gr3 Umzimkhulu Stakes)
Heartland (Gr3 Byerley Turk)
Speedy Suzy (Gr3 Pretty Polly S)
The Hangman (Gr3 King’s Cup)
Cool Chardonnay (Aquanaut Hcp)
Belong To Me (Gr3 Tony Ruffel S)
Saint Sophia (Sun Classique S)
However, the above list is just a few of the high class horses produced in South Africa in recent years out of mares from North America. Others include:
Jackson
Jackson (Dynasty): Gr1 Investec Cape Derby, Gr1 Champions Cup, Gr1Daily News 2000
Soft Falling Rain (National Assembly): Equus Champion 2YO, sire
Kavanagh (Tiger Ridge): Gr2 The Nursery
Glamour Boy (Model Man): Gr1 SA Classic
Gaultier (Jallad): Gr2 Merchants
Savannah Queen (Flaming Rock): Gr1 Paddock Stakes
Follow The Falcon (Foveros): Gr1 FNB 1600m
Eddington (Model Man): Gr1 Champion Challenge
Former Horse Of The Year, Free My Heart (by the USA bred Jallad), was produced by the North American bred producer, Nowhere To Run – and the latter is also responsible for the dam of July runner up and R1.8 million earner, Run For It (Dynasty).
Other US bred mares to form their own dynasties in South Africa include Leucothea (Cornish Prince) and Sara’s Warning (Caveat). Leucothea’s numerous high class descendants include former Equus Champion 2YO Kochka (Black Minnaloushe), and globetrotting superstar and in-form sire Jay Peg (Camden Park). In turn, Sara’s Warning became one of just a handful of mares to produce two Oaks winners (her daughters Noble Destiny and Royal Prophecy both won the Turffontein classic), and she is also the second dam of US Gr1 winner, Gypsy’s Warning (Mogok).
Another US bred mare to excel at stud in South Africa was the Accipiter daughter, Pretty Falcon. The latter was named Broodmare Of The Year in 1997-1998, and was responsible for the Grade One winners Savannah Queen and Follow The Falcon. Pretty Falcon is also the second dam of Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship heroine, On Her Toes (Western Winter).
Soho Secret
Secret Heart and her Kitten’s Joy colt in April 2013 (photo: Sara Fagan of Denali Stud)
The US bred, Secret Landing was sent to South Africa in 1970, and, just two years later, foaled down what would become one of the finest broodmares of recent times. Soho Secret, herself a high class stakes winner, was an outstanding broodmare and was named Broodmare Of The Year in 1995. Her offspring included Horse Of The Year and multiple Gr1 winner, London News (Bush Telegraph), and the outstanding broodmares, Underground Lady (Gatecrasher) and Secret Pact (Bush Telegraph). Underground Lady produced the Gr1 winning Al Mufti daughter Lady Brompton, and the latter went on to produce Equus Champion and Gr1 SA Derby hero Kings Gambit (Silvano).
However, it was Soho Secret’s daughter, Secret Pact, who proved outstanding at stud. She was a high class sprinter and own sister to Gr1 QE II Cup winner London News, and Secret Pact’s offspring included Gr1 Majorca Stakes winner, Covenant (Western Winter), Equus Champion Promisefrommyheart (dam of promising young sire, Master Of My Fate), and the Gr1 placed, Secret Heart. The latter, a daughter of Fort Wood, became the first South African bred mare to throw a Breeders Cup winner when her son Pluck (More Than Ready) won the 2010 Gr2 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.
Another daughter of Soho Secret, So Happy (Peacetime), was also successful at stud – her son Superwood (Fort Wood) won the Gr2 Gold Circle Derby and finished second to champion Greys Inn in the 2004 Vodacom Durban July.
