First for War Decree
New winners
War Decree (pictured above) – Inglewood Stud-based first-season sire War Decree (War Front) chalked up his first individual winner when the Nick Wigley and Kayla Milnes-trained Turf War (2 g ex Shuffled by High Chaparral) broke his maiden at his first attempt when landing a race over 820 metres at Wingatui. The two-year-old gelding defeated Defiant (Tavistock) by half a length, while Kindred Spirit (El Doute) was a further two lengths behind in third. Turf War is out of the unraced High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) mare Shuffled and she is herself a sister to dual Group 1 winner and now Rich Hill Stud resident Ace High.
New Group / Grade 1 winners
American Pharoah – The Bob Baffert-trained As Time Goes By (5 m ex Take Charge Lady by Dehere) continued her winning streak as she made all to run out a comfortable winner of the Beholder Mile Stakes (Gr 1, 8f) at Santa Anita. Jumping off as the favourite, the five-year-old beat Miss Bigly (Gemologist) by two and a quarter lengths with a further seven lengths back to Varda (Distorted Humor) in third. The win provided Coolmore shuttler American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) with a fourth top-flight stakes winner. The tenth foal out of the Group 1-winning mare Take Charge Lady (Dehere), As Time Goes By is a half-sister to seven winners including the US champion three-year-old Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song), Grade 1 winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and to the dam of the Group 1 winners Omaha Beach (War Front) and Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway). American Pharoah stands for a fee of US$80,000 (approx. AU$108,530).
Awesome Again – Count Again (7 g ex Count To Three by Red Ransom) provided Awesome Again (Deputy Minister) with a 15th top-flight stakes winner when he produced a strong late run to narrowly prevail in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (Gr 1, 8f) at Santa Anita. The Philip D’Amato-trained seven-year-old just got up on the line to beat Space Traveller (Bated Breath) by a head with the same distance further back to the third placed Subconscious (Tapit). The sixth foal out of the stakes winning Red Ransom (Roberto) mare Count To Three, Count Again is a half-brother to Group 1 winner Ransom The Moon (Malibu Moon), and winners Tell Me Why (Corinthian) and Onetwopunch (Smart Strike). Awesome Again died in December 2020 at the age of 26.
Dark Angel – Yeomanstown Stud’s Dark Angel (Acclamation) sired his tenth individual elite-level winner when the Shadwell Stud-raced Alfareeq (5 g ex Urjuwaan by Cape Cross) landed the Jebel Hatta (Gr 1, 1800m) on the Meydan turf. The five-year-old was having his third start at stakes level and he finally got his head in front when beating Finest Sound (Exceed And Excel) by a length and a quarter with Ursa Minor (Sea The Stars) another half a length away in third. Bred by Shadwell, the gelding is out of the winning Cape Cross (Green Desert) mare Urjuwaan and she is herself a daughter of Listed scorer Sudoor (Fantastic Light). Alfareeq joins the likes of Battaash and Harry Angel, who shuttles to Darley’s Kelvinside base, as Dark Angel’s other Group 1 winners. Dark Angel stands for a fee of €60,000 (approx. AUS88,940).
Red Ray – The Vogel Vlei Stud-based Red Ray (Western Winter) was provided with his first elite-level winner when Red Saxon (4 c ex Casey Tibbs by Qui Danzig) landed the SA Classic (Gr 1, 1800m) at Turffontein. A runner-up at Grade 2 level, the four-year-old took the step up in trip in his stride, beating Safe Passage (Silvano) by a neck. Captain Lannister (Captain Of All) was another length away in third. Red Saxon is out of the Grade 3-placed mare Casey Tibbs (Qui Danzig) and in winning he became the first stakes winner in three generations of his family.
Tavistock – The late Cambridge Stud-based sire Tavistock was handed his eighth individual Group 1 winner when his son Asterix (3 g ex Mourasana by Shirocco) raced to a shock win in the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) at Ellerslie. Sent off at odds of 45-1, the three-year-old scooted clear to beat La Crique (Vadamos) by a length and a half. Regal Lion was a further half a length away in third. Asterix was purchased by Bruce Perry for $450,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready-To-Run Sale from the Curraghmore Stud draft and he is out of French Listed-placed mare Mourasana (Shirocco), who is herself a half-sister to Group 2 scorer Mouramara (Kahyasi) – the dam of Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Mourayan (Alhaarth) and Listed winner and Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) placegetter Mourilyan (Desert Prince).
Union Rags – The John Shirreffs-trained Express Train (5 h ex I’m A Flake by Mineshaft) just held on to win the Santa Anita Handicap (Gr 1, 10f), providing his sire Union Rags (Dixie Union) with a fifth top-flight stakes winner in the process. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, the five-year-old dug deep late in the day to hold off the challenge of Warrant (Constitution) by a head, with the pair drawing nine lengths clear of Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) in third. The fifth foal out of the Mineshaft (A.P. Indy) mare I’m A Flake, Express Train is a brother to the winner Layla and a half-brother to the winner Praetorian (Tiznow). Union Rags stands at Lanes End Farm for a fee of US$30,000 (approx. AU$40,700).
New stakes winners
Australia – The Chris Waller-trained Crystal Pegasus (5 g ex Crystal Etoile by Dansili) provided his sire Australia (Galileo) with a 23rd individual stakes winner, and first in Australia, when successful in the Roy Higgins Quality (Listed, 2600m) at Flemington. The five-year-old gelding started as the odds-on favourite and picked up his rivals with ease in a slowly run contest before stretching clear to score by a widening five lengths over Tigertiger (Zed) with a further three and a quarter lengths back to Future Score (Cape Cross) in third. Crystal Pegasus is the fourth foal out of the Dansili (Danehill) mare Crystal Etoile and is a half-brother to the stakes-placed winner Crystal Hope (Nathaniel) and the winner Stellar Surprise (Notnowcato). Australia stands at Coolmore Ireland for €35,000 (approx. AU$51,880).
Daniel Boone – Quality Boone (3 c ex Quindici by Crafty Prospector) provided his sire, the dual Brazilian Group 1 winner Daniel Boone (Wild Event) with a fourth individual stakes winner when he scored in the Al Bastakiya (Listed, 1900m) at Meydan. The three-year-old beat Withering (Mondialiste) by one and a quarter lengths with a further nose back to Bendoog (Gun Runner) in third. Out of the unraced Crafty Prospector (Mr. Prospector) mare Quindici, Quality Boone is a half-brother to the Group 1 winner Quiz Kid (Forestry).
Dark Angel – Dark Angel (Acclamation) sired his 82nd individual stakes winner when Juncture (3 f ex Occurrence by Frankel) justified her place at the head of the market by running out a clear winner of the Patton Stakes (Listed, 1m) at Dundalk. The filly was winning for the second time in four starts when she beat Morning Soldier (The Gurkha) by six lengths. Sister Bridget (Galileo Gold) finished a neck further behind in third. Juddmonte homebred Juncture is the first foal out of the unraced Occurrence.
Deep Impact – Ask Victor More (3 c ex Kartica by Rainbow Quest) provided his sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) with a 184th individual stakes winner as he ran out a narrow victor of the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (Gr 2, 2000m) at Nakayama. The Yasuhito Tamura-trained three-year-old just prevailed by a neck over the favourite Do Deuce (Heart’s Cry), with a further half-length back to Born This Way (Heart’s Cry) in third. The sixth foal out of the Group-placed winning mare Kartica (Rainbow Quest), Ask Victor More is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Qemah (Danehill Dancer) and the useful Niedziela (Henrythenavigator). Ask Victor More was a ¥170,000,000 buy for Hirosaki Toshihiro at the 2020 JRHA Select Yearling Sale.
Dubawi – Darley’s stalwart Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) saw his total stakes-winning tally rise to 225 as he sired three individual stakes winners this week. The black-type treble was kicked off by Desert Wisdom (4 g ex Tulips by Pivotal) when he caused an upset in the Burj Nahaar (Gr 3, 1600m) at Meydan. Jumping off as an outsider, the four-year-old gelding beat Mubakker (Speightstown) by one and a half lengths with a further three-quarters of a length back to the favourite Tuz (Oxbow) in third. Later on the card, the stallion brought up his second stakes winner of the day when Eastern World (5 g ex Eastern Joy by Dubai Destination) ran out a ready winner of the Mahab Al Shimaal (Gr 3, 1200m). The five-year-old gelding defeated Manjeer (Footstepsinthesand) by a length and three-quarters with Ejtilaab (Slade Power) another head away in third. The gelding is out of top-class broodmare Eastern Joy (Dubai Destination) making him a half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Thunder Snow (Helmet), Group 2 scorer Ihtimal (Shamardal), Group 3 winner First Victory (Teofilo) and Listed-winning duo Always Smile (Cape Cross) and White Lightning (Shamardal). The third leg of the stakes treble arrived when the Chad Brown-trained In Italian (4 m ex Florentina by Redoute’s Choice) produced a career-best performance to win the Honey Fox Stakes (Gr 3, 8f) at Gulfstream Park. The four-year-old beat Wakanaka (Power) by one and a quarter lengths with a further half-length back to Navratilova (Medaglia D’Oro) in third. A 475,000 guineas purchase as a yearling, In Italian is the fifth foal out of the Gold Coast Guineas (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Florentina (Redoute’s Choice), who has a filly by Kingman (Invincible Spirit) consigned for next month’s Inglis Easter yearling sale. Florentina, whose Kingman yearling colt last year made $1.8 million, is the half-sister to the Australian winners Villa Carlotta (Street Cry), Fasano (Lonhro) and Marching On (Sepoy). Dubawi stands at Dalham Hall Stud for £250,000 (approx. AU$449,000).
Harbinger – Shadai Stallion Station-based sire Harbinger (Dansili) was handed his 22nd individual stakes winner when the Tomokazu Takano-trained Namur (2 f ex Sambre Et Meuse by Daiwa Major) returned a winner of the Tulip Sho (Gr 2, 1600m) at Hanshin. A dual winner as a two-year-old last season, the three-year-old filly had not been sighted since her fourth place finish in the Juvenile Fillies (Gr 1, 1600m) on December 12 and she got her Classic year off to the best start with a length and a half victory over Pin High (Mikki Isle). Circle Of Life (Epiphaneia), who won the Juvenile Fillies, finished another neck away in third. Namur is out of the Grade 3-placed mare Sambre Et Meuse (Daiwa Major), a half-sister to US Grade 1 scorer Marche Lorraine (Orfevre). Harbinger’s stakes winners are headed by five top-flight winners.
Havana Gold – The Karl Burke-trained El Caballo (3 c ex Showstoppa by Showcasing) made the most of his first foray into stakes company when he landed the Spring Cup Stakes (Listed, 7f) at Lingfield and in the process handed Havana Gold (Teofilo) with his 12th individual stakes winner. Last seen making a triumphant three-year-old debut at Newcastle, El Caballo followed up that win with a length and three-quarter victory over favourite Witch Hunter (Siyouni). Anthem National (Dark Angel) was a further head away in third. El Caballo was purchased by Luke James for 17,000 guineas at the 2019 Tattersalls December Foals Sale, before being snapped up by his trainer for £30,000 at the 2020 edition of the Goffs UK Doncaster Premier Yearling. El Caballo is out of Showstoppa (Showcasing) making him a half-brother to fellow Listed winner Avengers Queen (Brazen Beau). Havana Gold stands at Tweenhills Stud for a fee of £12,500 (approx. AU$22,430).
Husson – The Jim Taylor-trained Carocapo (8 g ex Symtzer’s Rose by Danehill) caused an upset when he won the Bunbury Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Ascot. Jumping off as a $40 chance under Steven Parnham, the eight-year-old gelding went on to beat The Spruiker (I’m All The Talk) by a neck with a further neck back to Hot Zed (Red Hot Choice) in third. The success also provided Aquis Park stallion Husson (Hussonet) with an 18th individual stakes winner. The ninth foal out of the winning Danehill (Danzig) mare Symtzer’s Rose, Carocapo is a half-brother to the winners Anais (Spectrum) and Anjea (Purrealist). Husson stood in 2021 for a fee of $4,400.
Karakontie – Spendarella (3 f ex Spanish Bunny by Unusual Heat) provided her sire Karakontie (Bernstein) with an eighth individual stakes winner as she scored in the Herecomesthebride Stakes (Gr 3, 8f) at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Graham Motion, the three-year-old filly went on to beat Opalina (Optimizer) by one and a half lengths under Jose Ortiz with the same distance further back to Mischievous Kiss (Into Mischief) in third. The fifth foal out of the winning Unusual Heat (Nureyev) mare Spanish Bunny, Spendarella is a sister to Listed winner Spanish Loveaffair and a half-sister to Group 1 winner Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule). Karakontie stands at Gainesway Farm for a fee of US$10,000 (approx. AU$13,560).
Noble Mission – Mira Mission (4 g ex Kazamira by Dynaformer) provided his sire Noble Mission (Galileo) with a tenth individual stakes winner as he scored in the Canadian Turf Stakes (Gr 3, 8.5f) at Gulfstream Park. The Ian Wilkes-trained four-year-old went on to beat Toronado’s (High Chaparral) last-start stakes winner Mouillage by three-quarters of a length, with a further three and a quarter lengths back to English Bee (English Channel) in third. Mira Mission is the fourth foal out of the Graded stakes-placed Dynaformer (Roberto) mare Kazamira, the granddaughter of the stakes winner Proper Princess (Nodouble). Noble Mission stands at Shizunai Stallion Station.
Lope De Vega – The John Thompson-trained Le Lude (6 m ex Second Draw by Galileo) pulverised her rivals in the Aspiration Quality (Gr 3, 1600m) after running four lengths clear. The six-year-old defeated Polly Grey (Azamour) who stayed on past beaten horses, with Divine Diosa (Teofilo) in third. A $70,000 buy for her trainer at the 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from the Riversdale draft, Le Lude races in the silks of breeder Adrian Whittingham’s Honeycomb Stud, who is also in the ownership of 11-time Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (Zed). Le Lude is out of the Galileo (Sadler’s Wells) mare Second Draw, who was a $20,000 buy in foal to Lope De Vega (Shamardal), for Whittingham from the Patinack Farm Dispersal Sale in 2014. She has a filly foal by Swettenham Stud’s Puissance De Lune (Shamardal) and was covered by Sooboog (Snitzel) in the spring. Former shuttler Lope De Vega stands at Ballylinch Stud for a fee of €125,000 (approx. AU$185,000).
Per Incanto – Belluci Babe (5 m ex Savamour by Savabeel) provided her sire Per Incanto (Street Cry) with a 23rd individual stakes winner when she scored a ready success in the Wenona Girl Quality (Gr 3, 1200m) at Randwick. Ridden by James McDonald, the five-year-old mare beat Tricky Gal (Magic Albert) by two and a half lengths with a further neck back to Never Talk (No Nay Never) in third. The sixth foal out of the unraced Savabeel (Zabeel) mare Savamour, Belluci Babe is a sister to the winner Garoppolo and a half-sister to three other winners including Siam Gemstone (Darci Brahma). Per Incanto stood at Little Avondale in 2021 for $25,000.
Pins – The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Reputabelle (3 f ex Really Reputable by O’Reilly) produced an impressive performance in the NZB Airfreight Stakes (Listed, 1400m) and in doing so provided late sire Pins (Snippets) with his 87th individual stakes winner. The three-year-old filly surged clear to defeat Irish Red (Burgundy) by five and three-quarter lengths, while Just Maybe (Tivaci) was another quarter of a length away in third. Reputabelle is one of five winners out of the unraced O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Really Reputable and she is a half-sister to Listed-winning pair Stickpin (Pins) and Banito (Pins). Pins died in 2018 due to complications from colic.
Redwood – Westbury Stud resident Redwood (High Chaparral) sired his ninth stakes winner courtesy of Bellatrix Black’s (3 f ex Dark Arts by Mascraftsman) victory in the Sunline Vase (Gr 3, 2100m) at Ellerslie. The Catherine Cameron-trained filly came out on top of a close finish to beat Mustang Valley (Vanburgh) by a neck, while Achieve (Pierro) was another nose away in third. Bellatrix Black is out of the winning Mastercrafsman (Danehill Dancer) mare Dark Arts and she is herself a half-sister to Zolana (Golan), the dam of Listed scorer Zola Express (Shamexpress). Redwood stood at the New Zealand-based nursery for a fee of $8,000 (plus GST) in 2021.
Reset – The John Gilmore-trained Sea Raider (5 g ex Black Sea Lady by Desert King) provided his sire Reset (Zabeel) with a 35th individual stakes winner when he scored in the Tattersall’s Members Cup (Listed, 1625m) at Toowoomba. Ridden by Stephanie Thornton, the five-year-old gelding beat Hail Manhattan (Manhattan Rain) by three-quarters of a length with a further half-length to Smart Meteor (Smart Missile) back in third. The second foal out of the winning Desert King (Kenmare) mare Black Sea Lady, Sea Raider is a half-brother to the unplaced colt Big Time Charlie (Myboycharlie).
Shalaa – Seven Veils (2 f ex Mesmereyeser by Redoute’s Choice) threw herself into calculations for the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) with an all-the-way victory in the Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick. The Mark Newnham-trained filly was elevated from a second-placed finish on debut in mid-week grade last month to claim the Group 2 prize on a sodden Randwick track. The juvenile, a homebred for Dr Paul Hughes and Dr Chris Rogers, held off the challenge of Dashing Legend (Snitzel) to win by a length and three-quarters, with Ojai (Exceed And Excel) in third, as strong fancies Russian Conquest (Russian Revolution) and Greece (I Am Invincible) failed to handle the testing conditions. The filly becomes the fifth individual stakes winner, and third in Australia, for Arrowfield shuttler Shalaa (Invincible Spirit), who stood last season at a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).
Siyouni – Amelia’s Jewel (2 f ex Bumbasina by Canford Cliffs) provided her sire Siyouni (Pivotal) with a 58th individual stakes winner as she ran out a comfortable winner of the Supremacy Stakes (Listed, 1000m) on debut at Ascot. Trained by Simon Miller and ridden by Patrick Carbery, the two-year-old filly was not hard pushed to beat Fiorucci Mama (Rommel) by two and a quarter lengths with a further quarter-length back to Costume Party (A Lot) in third. The first and only foal to race out of the stakes-placed winning Canford Cliffs (Tagula) mare Bumbasina, Amelia’s Jewel is a half-sister to unraced colts by Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock) and Blue Point (Shamardal). Siyouni currently stands at Haras de Bonneval for €140,000 (approx. AU$207,530).
Wandjina – Wandabaa (5 m ex Mabkhara by Anabaa) provided her sire Wandjina (Snitzel) with a fourth individual stakes success when she won the Newcastle Newmarket (Gr 3, 1400m). Providing both Australian Bloodstock and Kris Lees with a fourth successive victory in the race, the mare put in a brave display under Jason Collett to beat the Matthew Smith-trained Nimalee (So You Think) by a long neck with a further three-quarters of a length back to Through The Cracks (Wanted) in third. Australian Bloodstock purchased the now five-year-old for $36,000 from the Ascot Park draft at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, while they purchased her half-sister by Deep Field (Northern Meteor) for $575,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. A half-sister to the Caulfield Sprint (Gr 2, 1100m) runner-up Malkovich (Choisir), Wandabaa is one of five winners from six to race out of the winning Anabaa (Lope De Vega) mare Mabkhara. Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Wandjina stands at Larneuk Stud for a fee of $8,800 (inc GST).