Cornerstone’s Sir Prancealot has chance to build on stateside success
Tonight’s Yellow Ribbon Handicap (Gr 2, 8.5f) at Del Mar presents another sizeable opportunity to Sir Prancealot, the Cornerstone stallion who has become something of a hit in the United States.
Having raced in Britain for a one-season campaign with the Richard Hannon stable which concluded by clinching the Flying Childers Stakes(Gr 2, 5f) at Doncaster, he spent his first five seasons at Tally Ho in Ireland and has produced eight individual stakes winners worldwide. One came earlier this week at Naas when juvenile Miss Amulet, from his final Tally Ho crop, beat hot favourite Frenetic (Kodiac) in the Marwell Stakes (Listed, 5f).
Sir Prancealot moved to Cornerstone Stud in South Australia in 2017, before a few of his European exports began a quiet revolution in America.
It started two years ago with a couple of turf mares who spent far more time on the track than he ever did. Beau Recall, who is the defending champion in the Yellow Ribbon, picked up the Royal Heroine Stakes (Gr 2, 8f) at Santa Anita, while British import Madam Dancealot, who took the Dick Poole Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Salisbury, broke through in the San Clemente Handicap (Gr 2, 8f).
His progeny make up three of the eight-runner field for the extended mile handicap. Brad Cox reports Beau Recall to be in decent form while she is up against Lady Prancealot, who gave her sire his first top-level score in the American Oaks (Gr 1, 10f) at Santa Anita in late December. The consistent Tonahutu completes the trio for Doug O’Neill.
Further up the Californian coast from Del Mar, any further developments will be greeted eagerly. Sir Prancealot has just finished his first season shuttling at Tom and Nancy Clark’s Rancho San Miguel after a deal was made with Checkmate Thoroughbreds and Cornerstone. He is scheduled to return there in 2021.
“I know it’s August and a little way from the breeding season but to keep him in the breeders’ minds, it would be great to have some luck there,” said Rancho San Miguel general manager Dennis Yokum.
“Our breeding season starts in February, like in Europe, and on opening day at Santa Anita last December he had a Grade 1 winner, so that kind of promotion certainly helps you, it gives you something to talk about that first month you’re booking mares. We couldn’t have drawn it up any better than that.”
Breeders did take notice and Yokum added that the ten-year-old was a model professional.
“He was a really good boy and was well received here,” he reported. “He bred 105 mares and at the last check we had 96 of them in foal, so he was doing a good job.
“He’s got a nice disposition, he’s good to be around and he carries himself well. He acts like a class horse as well, he ate and drank all the way when he shipped here and arrived in tip-top shape. He’s travelled the globe – been more places than I have.”
With favourites in Britain including Sir Dancealot and Sir Busker, plus his first southern hemisphere progeny preparing to run, the farm is looking forward to welcoming back its knight in shining armour.
“He’s had quite a bit of success with the small group of horses that have come over here, and we’ll be excited to see him again,” said Yokum.
“We just need somebody to win a Grade 1 on opening day again. We’re spoiled now, we think this is just something that happens!”
Sir Prancealot, who has 41 southern hemisphere two-year-olds set to hit the track, will stand at Cornerstone for a fee of $9,900 in 2020.