When Great Heavens (Galileo) won the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes last Thursday, the 3yo filly became the eighth stakes winner for her dam, Magnificient Style.
Magnificient Style, herself a high-class racemare who won the G3 Musidora Stakes, has produced all of:
NATHANIEL (Galileo) – King George and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
PERCUSSION (Sadler’s Wells) – Yorkshire Cup
PLAYFUL ACT (Sadler’s Wells) – Fillies Mile
ECHOES IN ETERNITY (Spinning World) – Park Hill Stakes
CHANGING SKIES (Sadler’s Wells) – The Very One Stakes
PETARA BAY (Peintre Celebre) – Feilden Stakes
STYLESTICK (Storm Cat) – Green River Stakes
GREAT HEAVENS (Galileo) – Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes
Remarkably, of Magnificient Style’s eight stakes winners, five are group/graded winners, and two, Nathaniel and Playful Act, are G1 winners. It is quite a feat for a broodmare to produce as many as eight WINNERS, much less at stakes level.
While Magnificient Style has yet to produce as many G1 winners as such broodmare legends as Fall Aspen, Toussaud or Hasili or leave behind an important sire son, she has certainly established herself as one of the most prolific broodmares of her generation simply by the number of black type performers she has to date produced.
So how many other mares in history have produced as many as eight stakes winners? The small number of famous broodmares to produce as many as five stakes winners really puts into perspective the remarkable achievement by Magnificient Style (Silver Hawk).
One mare whose progeny exceeded the tally of eight stakes winners racked up Magnificient Style, was Grey Flight. Ancestress of top SA sire National Assembly, as well as promising young sire Philanthropist, Grey Flight bred a phenomenal nine stakes winners! The daughter of Mahmoud ‘s tally included champion US sire What A Pleasure (Bold Ruler) and champion filly Misty Morn.
Another blue hen who threw eight stakes winners was Courtly Dee (Never Bend). Her daughters produced the dams of leading sires Green Desert and Arch.
Legendary mare, Urban Sea, threw eight stakes winners, equal to Magnificent Style, but outdid that mare by throwing two true legends of the turf in Galileo and Sea The Stars. In Galileo, Urban Sea produced a world leading sire, whose progeny continues to make their mark, both on the track and at stud.
The great US broodmare, Up The Flagpole (Hoist The Flag) was another phenomenal mare. Producer of seven stakes winners, Up The Flagpole (whose sire was a truly great broodmare sire), left behind three G1 winners. She is also the granddam of US Horse of the Year and leading sire, Mineshaft (A P Indy).
Prior to Urban Sea, a mare who really left her mark on the European Derbies was Athasi. Remarkably, Athasi bred no fewer than three sons who won both the Irish Derby and St Leger, and one, Trigo, who also won the Epsom Derby. In total, Athasi produced six stakes winners.
The great mare Eight Carat bred five G1 winners, and her daughters also proved immensely important in the Australian stud book. She is described by many experts as the greatest broodmare of all time in Australasia.
La Troienne, possibly the greatest broodmare of all time, bred five stakes winners: Bimelech, Black Helen, Biologist, Big Hurry, Bee Ann Mac, and two of her foals, Bimelech and Black Helen, were champions. However, it was through the deeds of her daughters that La Troienne made her reputation. La Troiennes daughters produced such stars as Horse of the Year Busher, champion racemare Searching and G1 winner Cohoes , and her descendants continue to feature in G1 races around the world.
The mighty racemare Dahlia widely disproved the idea that a heavily mare will fail at stud. She raced in five different countries, from 2 to 6, and still produced six stakes winners, four of which won G1 races, and another who produced subsequent St Leger winner, Nedawi.
Champion filly, Miesque, bred five stakes winners, two of which were classic races. Among her foals are the champion sire, Kingmambo, French 1000 Guineas winner East of the Moon and G1 sire Miesque’s Son. She is also the dam and granddam of SA sires Judpot and Miesque’s Approval, respectively.
Height of Fashion was another top mare on the track, who duplicated her success at stud. She bred six stakes winners including the G1 winners Nashwan and Nayef. Four of her sons have sired G1 winners, and she is also ancestress of champion US mare, Lahudood (Singspiel).
Battle Creek Girl, dam of successful SA sire Parade Leader, is another to have bred six stakes winners. Her tally includes the graded winning brothers Parade Ground and Parade Leader, and champion 2yo filly, Wavering Girl.
Another great broodmare was Bride Elect, dam of former SA champion sire Royal Prerogative. She bred six stakes winners, including St Leger winner, Hethersett.
The great Hasili, granddam of young SA sire Ideal World, herself has produced seven stakes winners to date, of which two won Breeders Cup races, and FIVE won G1 races. Remarkably, it is Hasili’s G2 winner, world leading sire Dansili, who looks to be the most important of Hasili’s progeny, at this stage.
In South Africa, the two most famous broodmares, arguably, were Drohsky and Sister Sublime.
Drohsky produced four stakes winners, but she achieved her fame through her daughters and granddaughters.
Sister Sublime likewise “only” produced three stakes winners, but like Drohsky left a legacy through her daughters. The numerous top horses descending from Sister Sublime include champions Roland’s Song, Mazarin, and successful sire National Emblem.
The mighty mare, Soho Secret (Regent Street), produced seven stakes winners in an impressive stud career. Not only did Soho Secret produce local legend London News, but her descendants include the Breeders Cup winner Pluck (More Than Ready) among numerous other stakes winners. Soho Secret must rank highly in the South African great broodmares pantheon.
One South African broodmare who was an extremely prolific producer of stakes winners was the great mare Sun Lass. She produced five individual stakes winners, as did Aquasarto, Miracle, Preston Pan, Ethane, Reaction and On The Roof, to name a few.
What is clear from this research is that Magnificient Style’s feat of producing 8 stakes winners is a truly magnificent one!
