A little out of the ordinary
Sire statistics can look very different during the early days of their career compared with those once a sire is established. Time has a way of levelling out things. Nevertheless, in the case of Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact), we are seeing something a little out of the ordinary.
Satono Aladdin is by Japan’s greatest ever sire, Deep Impact (Sunday Silence), whose total global stakes-winning tally stands tall at 202 from 1716 runners, which fires at a stunning ratio of 11.8 per cent.
Stakes winner number eight for Satono Aladdin came up in Saturday’s Eulogy Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) when Still Bangon thrust her head in front of My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High) in the last stride. The folks at Rich Hill Stud would not have cared about the photo as both stallions reside at the farm.
The filly brings to six the number of current season stakes winners for Satono Aladdin, following Lantern Way, Lupo Solitario, Sacred Satono and Tokyo Tycoon in New Zealand, not forgetting Gloaming Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m) winner Raf Attack in Sydney.
His figures look even better when considering that he is stuck on two crops until the end of this season after he sat out shuttling to Rich Hill Stud in 2020 due to the early effects of the world-wide pandemic.
As mentioned, time sorts out the first class from the average and if we can glean anything from Satono Aladdin’s race record, his stocks may only continue to improve.
He was a winner at two and twice at three and four to begin his fourth racing season with five wins and six placings in 17 starts but without a stakes victory. At two, three and four he was Grade 3–placed on four occasions.
At five, his six starts yielded Grade 2 victories at Tokyo and Kyoto yet it wasn’t until he turned six that he succeeded at the elite level, winning Tokyo’s Yasuda Kinen (Gr 1, 1600m).
The picture is looking far more than promising. He throws sprinters and classic stayers, such as dual Oaks winner Pennyweka. Next month, when his third New Zealand crop is offered, demand should be strong. Book 1 at the New Bloodstock Stock 2024 Karaka Yearling Sale features 15 lots and Book 2 a further seven lots.
Bangon
Still Bangon (Satono Aladdin) had plenty to do before the Eulogy Stakes field left Trentham’s back straight. She was one of the last few early and had two behind her at the 1200 metres. She was still third last at the 800-metre mark and second last at the 600-metre mark where she moved out and was widest but two at the top of the straight.
From the 300 metres she gained quickly between runners, was fifth at the 200 metres and third at the 100 metres at which point My Lips Are Sealed had a narrow lead over Chica Mojito (Zacinto). They had separated themselves from the rest. With less than 50 metres to run these three formed a line across the track but in the very last stride Still Bangon stuck her head out to score by a nose with a long head back to Chica Mojito.
Still Bangon came to Trentham having been first past the post twice in nine starts but was to lose one of those races when, at Taupo in September, her third start, was relegated. Placings at Te Rapa and Tauranga preceded her actual maiden victory at Te Aroha over 1600 metres, convincingly by three-quarters of a length, her sixth start.
Prior to Saturday’s breakthrough stakes win she was a fast closing and close sixth over 1600 metres at Pukekohe when among the last few on straightening.
Still Bangon is the second winner from three to race from her dam, Shebang (Le Bec Fin), herself the winner of five races. Shebang’s sister, Elle Tresor (Le Bec Fin) was stakes placed at two and three years and won three times. Still Bangon’s granddam produced just three foals.
Black-type winners total three in the first three generations. Still Bangon’s third dam Western Melody (Western Symphony) is a half-sister to Euna Bay (Zephyr Bay), granddam of Adelaide Group 3 winner Purde (Bahhare).
Still Bangon’s fourth dam, Universal Penny (Royal Match), a Sandown (UK) winner at two, was imported to New Zealand in 1982 and the only other black-type winner to represent the family is Unchained Melody (Street Boss), a Malaysian Listed winner whose dam is a half-sister to Purde.
Time and patience
J Swap Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) winner Zecora (Power) has demanded time and patience to show her best.
The now six-year-old had her first start, in November two years ago as a four-year-old, on the synthetic track at Cambridge, winning on debut over 970 metres.
She had four starts for three seconds after the win but was not seen for ten months, returning for back-to-back wins at Matamata and Pukekohe plus a late dive for second, also at Pukekohe, on December 3, 2022.
Zecora’s co-trainer, Robyn Rogers, takes up the story: “Her form was outstanding but she had her last bit of work at this time last year when we were preparing for a stakes race on Boxing Day and she pulled up sore”, said Rogers. “We had her x-rayed and she had fractured a canon bone, so that was the end of that and we thought it might be the end of her career. She had three rods and plates put in it, but she was an awesome patient and coped with the rehab.”
A fair sixth over a too-short 1100 metres at Te Rapa readied the mare for Saturday’s largely unexpected black-type breakthrough, doing best in a tight finish. She was in the back third of the field on settling (two out) and remained there leaving the back straight. She was pushed three deep at the 600 metres, went wider into the straight but was third last. She gained quickly to be sixth at the 200 metres, shared second at the 100 metres then lunged late to get the nod by a nose, running the 1400 metres in a zippy 1:21.5.
Zecora is one 27 stakes winners by Power (Oasis Dream), an Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner who stood at Cambridge Stud for five seasons and was exported to Australia in 2018. Currently he stands at Oaklands Stud in Queensland.
In the northern hemisphere Power has sired three Group 1 winners, namely Sonnyboyliston, Helvic Dream and Law Of Indices. His best performers in the southern hemisphere are Gift Of Power, winner of the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) and VRC Standish Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) winner, Snapper.
Zecora, who was withdrawn from the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, is well-related. Her dam, C’est La Vie (Anabaa) set the Rotorua 1200-metre track in one of her two wins and ranks as a sister to the top sprinting mare Imananabaa (Anabaa). Imananabaa’s wins included Ellerslie’s Railway Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m), two Listed wins and was twice Group 1-placed, in the Queen of the Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and the Railway the year before her win in that race.
Her granddam, Iman (Zemindar) is a half-sister to Karrakatta Plate (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Born Priceless (Pricelessly) and to Key Satellite (Chanteclair), the granddam of Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner, Rostova (Testa Rossa).
Te Rapa wrap up
Campionessa (Contributer) continues her fine form when taking out the feature race at Te Rapa, the Cal Isuzu Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m), making it back-to-back stakes, having scored in the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) three weeks prior to Saturday’s win.
The six-year-old mare had this under control 200 metres out. She was second early and shared third (two out) at the end of the back straight. From the 600 metres Opie Bosson moved her out and rounding into the straight, still third, was poised to challenge. She levelled up at the 250-metre mark then took over, was two clear at the 100 metres and her rivals never looked like catching her to rack up win nine (fourth stakes) in 26 starts. The Zabeel Classic (Gr 1, 2050m) at Pukekohe on Boxing Day may see her finally land that much deserved elite win, having finished second last season in both the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1,2000m) and New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2050m).
The Waikato Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) went the way of Dionysus (Ocean Park) whose last win was here at Te Rapa, on New Year’s Day in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 3, 2400m).
He didn’t have things all his own way in the straight and had to fight off two challengers late in proceedings but his staying powers kicked in and he lifted to score his sixth win at start 26.
Defending his Queen Elizabeth crown plus the Wellington Cup (Gr 3, 3200m) are his summer targets.
On the Te Rapa undercard we witnessed an impressive performance from Pendragon (U S Navy Flag) who took down a couple of smart ones in Quintessa (Shamus Award) and Tokyo Tycoon (Satono Aladdin) in the Wentwood Grange 3YO 1200.
In the small field of five Pendragon was not expected to outperform the two Te Akau stars but few excuses could be made for the beaten brigade.
He had a length to spare leaving the back straight, less at the 600 metres but on straightening was going smoothly. Approaching the 200 metres he kicked, went further in front and over the last 100 metres was well in control for his second win in five starts.
In fairness to Quintessa, she was having her first start since winning the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) three months back and this was her first defeat in four starts. The same could be said of Tokyo Tycoon who hadn’t been seen since September 30 when finding the heavy track in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) not to his liking. Both will undoubtedly benefit from their runs but Pendragon looks well above average.