In what will be just a week after fellow SA Gr1 winner Beach Bomb made a very respectable US debut, trainer Graham Motion will saddle South Africa’s 2022/23 Equus Champion Sprinter and Hollywood Syndicate star Isivunguvungu in the $150 000 1100m Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday 7 September.
Last year’s narrow Da Hoss winner Nobals went on to capture the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita and the Isivunguvungu connections will doubtless be harbouring similar dreams – even if their star is likely to bump the accomplished Noble Mission gelding, amongst a number of speed big-hitters.
Isivunguvungu, rated 130 in SA, has drawn gate 5 of 14 for Saturday in what will be his first race on a left-handed track. He will have jockey Manny Franco aboard.
The Narrow Creek Stud bred son of What A Winter has not seen race action since 6 January at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, when he was pipped by the new season Ridgemont stallion Thunderstruck, who subsequently took over Isivunguvungu’s champion sprinter mantle this season.
Sensational speed! Isivunguvungu in action. He kicks off his US campaign on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)
In what was a bitter disappointment for his supporters, Isivunguvungu did not have the opportunity to clinch what would have been a third Gr1 success after having to be scratched at the start of his main mission for the Cape summer season, the World Pool Cape Flying Championship, following a freak accident. He never raced here again.
A dual Gr1 winner, Isivunguvungu was a member of the eleven-strong SA shipment that touched down at JFK Airport in New York on 7 March following a direct flight from Johannesburg, which included a refuel stop in Barbados en route.
Located in New Kent, Virginia off interstate 64 between Richmond and Williamsburg, Colonial Downs’ boasts a 2024 stakes programme of 27 races worth $5.7 million, which is contested in a 27-day season, running from 11 July to Saturday 7 September.
The American racecallers will no doubt be practising the pronounciation of Isivunguvungu’s name, which means ‘storm’ in isiXhosa. The lightning fast gelding was named by former Sharks/Springbok Winger and Hollywoodbets Brand Ambassador, Odwa Ndungane.
Saturday’s sprint feature is named after an unlikely dual BC Mile winner, Da Hoss, who was the first gelding in history to win two Breeders’ Cup races.
Da Hoss’ amazing story includes Michael Dickinson,his trainer for his big wins, who earned two nicknames, ‘Mad Genius’ and ‘Picky Dicky’ – and very patient owners. He was a really courageous equine athlete who overcame numerous physical issues to stage an unlikely and emotional comeback in 1998.
All going well, Isivunguvungu is likely to be aimed at the Prevagen $1million Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over 1000m on Saturday 2 November.
The 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will take place at Del Mar in Del Mar, California on Friday 1 and Saturday 2 November. The Breeders’ Cup World Championships consists of 14 Grade 1 races with purses and awards totaling more than $31 million.
