The thoroughbred world lost a leading figure with the recent passing of top British sire and broodmare sire Pivotal (Polar Falcon).
Pivotal, who was 28 at the time of his death, rose to prominence despite beginning his stud career at the relatively low stud fee of 6 000 pounds.
At the time of writing, Pivotal has been responsible for 32 Gr1 winners, with his daughters currently responsible for 26 Gr1 winners – this tally includes a number of young sires such as Advertise and Cracksman.
Pivotal in his racing days
The 1996 Gr1 Nunthorpe Stakes winner’s current tally of stakes winners stands at over 150, with Pivotal having supplied Gr1 winners in all of Australia, Britain, Dubai, France, Germany, Ireland, South Africa and the USA.
Pivotal’s Gr1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winning son, Siyouni, was Champion Sire in France in 2020, and is also the sire of 2021 Cartier Horse Of The Year, St Mark’s Basilica. The latter recently retired to Coolmore having won five G1 races, including both the French 2000 Guineas and Derby in 2021.
From a relatively small number of runners, Pivotal has also made his mark in South Africa. His local representatives were headed by dual Guineas winner, Noordhoek Flyer, Gr1 Thekwini Stakes winner, Amanee, useful gallopers Jean Roi and Life Of Pi, and top-class racemare Headstrong. The latter, who hails from the same female line as this season’s star filly, Desert Miracle, won nine times, including the 2011 Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes. Amanee, also victorious in the Gr2 KRA Fillies Guineas, is represented on the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by a Deep Field filly.
Pivotal’s Gr2 Dante Stakes winning son, and Heversham Park Farm resident, Wings Of Desire – who is from the same female line as St Mark’s Basilica – is set to have his first runners this season.
Heversham stallion Wings Of Desire
A full-brother to group winners, Eagle Top and The Lark, and three-parts brother to the Pivotal sired dual Oaks winner, Sariska, Wings Of Desire is directly descended in female line from the great mare Selene.
Despite being a sprinter, Pivotal made his mark in the Gr1 Epsom Oaks – now known as the Cazoo Oaks. Not only did Pivotal daughter Sariska win the Oaks in 2009, but his granddaughter, Love (by Galileo out of the Pivotal mare Pikaboo) stormed home to land the 2020 Oaks by nine lengths.
Pivotal daughters have also enjoyed notable success when mated to Galileo’s great son, Frankel, with this mating having produced such Gr1 winners as Cracksman, Hungry Heart, Veracious and Wild Beauty.
Pivotal is also represented in South Africa as a broodmare sire by Galileo’s sire sons, Flying The Flag and The United States, with the latter having made a bright start to his stud career as the sire of Gr2 4Racing SA Nursery winner Sheela.
: Flying The Flag- A much loved character at Bush Hill Stud (Pic- Candiese Lenferna)
Flying The Flag was produced by Pivotal’s triple Gr1 winning daughter, Halfway To Heaven, and he is a full-brother to triple Gr1 winner Rhododendron, as well as to seven time Gr1 winner Magical.
The United States is equally well bred, being a son of Galileo and Pivotal’s speedy G2 winner, Beauty As Truth, and he is a full-brother to the Gr1 winners Hermosa and Hydrangea.
