First for Maurice
New first season sire winners
Maurice – First season sire Maurice (Screen Hero) took a long time to register a maiden winner in his native Japan, only hitting the scoreboard in mid-July before embarking on a remarkable run to almost claim first season sire honours in 2020. All indications suggest the Arrowfield Stud shuttler may be about to begin a similar run in Australia, with Balmaurice (2 g ex Bal Du Siecle by Danehill Dancer) giving the six-time Group 1 victor a first Australian winner on Thursday. Balmaurice was a significant drifter, easing from $18 to $31, but the Rex Lipp-trained gelding was much too good for his rivals under Ben Thompson, racing clear for a two and a quarter-length win over equal favourites Reawaken (Kiss And Make Up) and Archdeacon (Better Than Ready). Bred and raced by Trevor and Diana Fraser, Balmaurice is the sixth foal to race out of Bal Du Siecle (Danehill Dancer), whose dam Buenos Aires (Rainbow Quest) is a half-sister to Might And Power (Zabeel). Bal Du Siecle has an American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) yearling colt and a So You Think (High Chaparral) filly foal, while she is in foal to Encryption (Lonhro). Maurice, who is the 16th first season sire to have an Australian winner in 2020-21 and sits tenth on the early first season sires standings by earnings, did not return to Arrowfield Stud in 2020 due to Covid-19. He is once again standing at Shadai Stallion Station in 2021.
Star Turn – Pegasi (2 c ex Draw Forward by Charge Forward) took out the 1147-metre two-year-old maiden at Geelong on Friday to earn exciting first season sire Star Turn (Star Witness) his second winner. Runner-up on debut at the same track on Boxing Day, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Pegasi led from the front yesterday and bravely held off Lightsaber (Zoustar) by half a length, with Tranquil Bay (Cable Bay) a further short head behind in third. Bought for $80,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from the Sledmere Stud draft, Pegasi is the second winner out of Draw Forward (Charge Forward), while his half-sister by Hellbent (I Am Invincible) was sold at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Manx Park to Peachester Lodge for $160,000 earlier this week. Star Turn, who is the sire of Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) third Astrologer and maiden winner Miss Hipstar – who runs in today’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) – stands at Vinery Stud for a service fee of $16,500 (inc. GST).
New Group/Grade 1 winners
Per Incanto – Little Avondale resident Per Incanto (Street Cry) sired his fourth individual elite level winner when his daughter Bonham (3 f ex Fortune’s Choice by Redoute’s Choice) took out Saturday’s Levin Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) at Trentham. Trained in partnership by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard, Bonham beat Brando (Savabeel) by a neck, with Wild Moose (Nadeem) two and a half lengths behind the winner in third. In doing so she became the 17th individual stakes winner for her sire as she stretched her record to four wins in five starts. Bred by Little Avondale, Bonham was purchased for $160,000 by her owner Gary Harding out of the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Yearling sale. She is the first winner out of the Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Fortune’s Choice, who was winless during her race career. Per Incanto stood for a fee of $15,000 (plus GST) in 2020.
New Stakes winners
American Pharoah – Coolmore shuttler American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) sired his 14th individual stakes winner when Thankful (4 f ex Beholden by Cat Thief) took out the Ladies Handicap (Listed, 9f) at Aqueduct on Sunday. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the four-year-old was winning for the third time in six starts as she beat Miss Marissa (He’s Had Enough) and Ujjayi (Smarty Jones). Bred in Kentucky by Profoal Partners 3 out of the Cat Thief (Storm Cat) mare Beholden, Thankful is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Brazen Persuasion (Indian Charlie) and stakes winner Behold de Buy (E Dubai). Steve Young purchased her for $625,000 in 2018 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment to The Saratoga Sale in New York. Beholden has since produced Miami Chrome (California Chrome), an unraced three-year-old colt, Improper (Into Mischief), a two-year-old colt, and was reported bred to Mitole (Eskendereya) for the current foaling season. Triple Crown hero American Pharoah stood at Coolmore Australia for a fee of $55,000 in 2020.
Darci Brahma – Darci Brahma (Danehill) sired his 51st individual stakes winner when the exciting Quattro Quinta (2 g ex Quintette, by Alamosa) won for the second time in four starts by taking out the Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Trentham on Saturday. Sent off the warm favourite, the Te Akau Racing juvenile just got the better of Wolfgang (Puccini), with Magneto (Showcasing) in third. Bred and raced by a group including Nearco Stud Ltd, K W Fenton-Ellis MNZM, Westonlea Bloodstock Partnership & Waihi Livestock Ltd, Quattro Quinta is the fourth foal of Quintette (Alamosa), a daughter of New Zealand Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) winner Everswindell (Align). Darci Brahma stood for a fee of $15,000 (plus GST) at The Oaks in 2020.
Deep Impact – The late Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) sired his 167th individual stakes winner when his daughter Magic Castle (4 f ex So Magic by Symboli Kris S) landed the Aichi Hai (Gr 3, 2000m) at Chukyo on Saturday. The Sakae Kunieda-trained four-year-old, who was taking a drop in grade having finished second behind Daring Tact (Epiphaneia) in the Kyoto Shuka Sho (Gr 1, 2000m) on her most recent start, beat Rambling Alley (Deep Impact) by a neck. Uranus Charm (Rulership) was another three lengths away in third. Magic Castle was winning for the second time in nine starts having also finished in the frame on four occasions.
Heart’s Cry – Heart’s Cry (Sunday Silence) reached his half century of stakes winners when Gratias (3 c ex Malacostumbrada by Lizard Island) stretched his unbeaten record to two with a win in Sunday’s Keisei Hai (Gr 3, 2000m) at Nakayama. Trained by Yukihiro Kato, the three-year-old obliged as favourite to beat Time To Heaven (Lord Kanaloa) by two and a half lengths, with Ten Bagger (Maurice) another length and a quarter away in third. Heart’s Cry stood at Shadai Stallion Station for a fee of ¥10,000,000 (approx. AUD$125,000) in 2020.
Kizuna – Impressive young stallion Kizuna (Deep Impact) made it eight individual stakes winners on Monday when Fine Rouge (3 f ex Passion Rouge by Boston Harbor) took out the Fairy Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) at Nakayama. Sent out as the $5.50 third favourite behind market leader and Group 3 placegetter Ten Happy Rose (Epiphaneia), Fine Rouge was ridden midfield by Christophe Lemaire before he elected to send the Tetsuya Kimura-trained filly off on a searching run around the outside approaching the turn. It proved the right move as Fine Rouge sustained that long run to score by two and a half lengths from Ho O Ixelles (Rulership) with a length back to the fast-finishing Bella Nova (Epiphaneia), who impressed when charging home into third. Kizuna, whose oldest progeny have just turned four, stands at Shadai Stallion Station.
More Than Ready – Grade 1 performer Title Ready (6 h ex Title Seeker by Monarchos) finally made the breakthrough in stakes company when an ease in grade resulted in the six-year-old striking in the Louisiana Stakes (Gr 3, 8.5f) at Fair Grounds on Saturday. Trained by Dallas Stewart, Title Ready provided More Than Ready (Southern Halo) with his 207th individual stakes winner as he beat Blackberry Wine (Oxbow) by a length and a quarter. Favourite Wells Bayou (Lookin At Lucy) was another two lengths away in third. Charles Fipke’s homebred, who had finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f) two starts previously, was winning for the fifth time in 25 starts. Former shuttler More Than Ready stands at WinStar’s Kentucky farm for a fee of US$65,000 (approx.AUD$84,382) in 2021.
Ocean Park – Ocean Park (Thorn Park) sired his 13th individual stakes winner when the improving Our Hail Mary (5 m ex Repenting by Ekraar) continued her winning run with victory in Saturday’s Trentham Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m) The Allan Sharrock-trained five-year-old followed up her two recent handicap wins by defeating Fiscal Fantasy (Skilled) and Dr Velocious (Haradasun) in a tight finish. Our Hail Mary’s is out of a half-sister to Sharrock’s former stable star Shez Sinsational (Ekraar), who collected four Group 1 wins during her career. Ocean Park stood for a fee of $20,000 (plus GST) in 2020.
Olympic Glory- Quick (5 m ex The Giving Tree by Rock Of Gibraltar) provided former shuttler Olympic Glory (Choisir) with his first US Graded winner when landing the Astra Stakes (Gr 3, 12f) on Santa Anita’s turf on Sunday. The five-year-old, who was previously trained in Britain by Richard Hannon, beat Hermaphrodite (Le Havre) by a nose with Altea (Siyouni) two and a quarter lengths away in third to become the sixth individual stakes winner for her sire. Four-time Group 1 winner Olympic Glory stands at Al Shaqab’s Haras de Bouquetot for a fee of €5,000 (approx. AUD$7,865) in 2021.
Orfevre – Orfevre (Stay Gold) sired his 12th individual stakes winner when his son Shoryu Ikuzo (5 h ex Shoryu Moon by King Kamehameha) posted a surprise victory in Sunday’s Nikkei Shinshun Hai (Gr 2, 2200m) at Chukyo. The Shozo Sasaki-trained five-year-old was winning for the fourth time in 16 starts when he beat Miss Mamma Mia (Tanino Gimlet) by three-quarters of a length. Courageux Guerrier (King Kamehameha) was another length and a quarter away in third. Orfevre stood at Shadai Stallion Station for a fee of ¥3,000,000 (approx. AUD$37,500) in 2020.
Race Day – Charlie’s Penny (2 f ex Sweet Lorraine by Warrior’s Reward) proved to be a cut above her rivals as she scooted clear in the lane to bag the Silverbulletday Stakes (Listed, 8.5f) by three and a quarter lengths at Fair Grounds on Saturday. The Chris Block-trained filly beat Souper Sensational (Curlin) and Moon Swag (Malibu Moon) to become the fifth stakes winner for her sire Race Day (Tapit). Unraced Sweet Lorraine (Warrior’s Reward) is also the dam of stakes winner Mom’s Red Lipstick, a full sister to Charlie’s Penny. Sweet Lorraine has been bred to the Munnings (Speightstown) for 2021. Race Day was sold to South Korea last year.
Star Witness (pictured above) – Aim (3 g ex Vintage Strike by Smart Strike) provided Widden Stud stallion Star Witness (Starcraft) with his 18th individual stakes winner when he took out the $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Aim led home the Star Witness quinella, defeating Amish Boy by one and three-quarter lengths, with Away Game (Snitzel) two and a half lengths behind the winner in third. Star Witness, who has one elite-level winner to his name courtesy of Global Glamour, stands for a service fee of $22,000 at Widden.
Super Easy – A step up in grade proved to be no obstacle to Super Strike (4 g ex Southern Touch by Stark South) as he took out Saturday’s Anniversary Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m) at Trentham and in the process provided his sire Super Easy (Darci Brahma) with his fourth individual stakes winner. Trained by Richard Collett, the four-year-old just edged out Sacred Elixir (Pour Moi) to notch his fifth win in nine starts. Guillada (Guillotine) filled third spot. Super Easy stood at Hallmark Stud for a fee of $7,500 in 2020.
Tiznow – Midnight Bourbon (3 c ex Catch the Moon by Malibu Moon) made a successful seasonal return as he made all under Joseph Talamo to take out the Lecomte Stakes (Gr 3, 8.5f) at Fair Grounds on Saturday and in the process provide his sire Tiznow (Cee’s Tizzy) with his 82nd individual stakes winner. The Steve Asmussen-trained three-year-old beat Proxy (Tapit) by a length, with favourite Mandaloun (Into Mischief) just a head further behind in third. Midnight Bourbon has now won two of his five starts and also boasts an elite-level placing courtesy of his third in the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) at Belmont in October. Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the colt is out of the unraced mare Catch the Moon (Malibu Moon), the dam of Grade 1 winner Girvin (Tale Of Ekati) and Grade 3 scorers Cocked And Loaded (Colonel John) and Pirate’s Punch (Shanghai Bobby). Winchell Thoroughbreds paid $525,000 for the colt when he was consigned by Warrendale Sales to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Tiznow was retired from stallion duties last year at the age of 23.