I Am Famous continues progressive ways
Two million dollar yearling I Am Famous (I Am Invincible) made it a day for emerging grey mares in showing she was ready to serve justice to her price tag – and a renowned relative – by winning at Rosehill on Saturday.
On the same day that Right To Party took Flemington’s Aurie’s Star Handicap to complete a winning hat-trick, her fellow silver four-year-old I Am Famous also kicked off season 2024-25 with a third successive victory.
A half-sister to 2020 Everest (1200) winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt), I Am Famous was the fourth-highest lot at Inglis Easter in 2022, bought by the Yellow Brick Road Company and Mitchell Bloodstock from the draft of Tyreel Stud, who bred the filly as well as her already famous – and also grey – half-brother.
While her wins have been at a lower level compared to Right To Party’s – Saturday’s 1400-metre fillies and mares’ Benchmark 78 followed a Hawkesbury class 1 and a Warwick Farm maiden – I Am Famous showed she was similarly poised to progress to stronger company.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, she charged to the lead from gate one of nine, strode freely in from the 800-metre mark to the home turn, then kicked clear in the straight to hold out the fast-finishing Nanshe (Astern) by a half-length. Hellavadancer (Hellbent) took third as $2.80 favourite, beaten 1.7 lengths by the winner.
Freshened up with six weeks since her previous run, the Chris Waller-trained I Am Famous was relatively easy in the betting, drifting from $4.80 to start $5, but with three wins from eight starts is now unlikely to fly under many radars in future.
Waller said he was confident I Am Famous would reach stakes grade, while adding he was contemplating sending her for a spell, to add further development to a mare he classed as a late bloomer.
“Obviously the family takes a bit of time and that’s what has given us the confidence not to panic when she was showing form early,” Waller said.
“We just had to sit tight because the family will get better with time. A bit of confidence is what we were hoping for and that’s what she has found.
“Kerrin has worked with her nicely the past two starts. She wasn’t leading and winning three starts ago but she is now and she was comfortable.
“That was Kerrin’s instructions today, to let her be where she is comfortable and he is a great front-running rider.”
McEvoy said Waller was now “picking the fruits” of his patience with the lightly-raced mare.
“She is coming into her own,” McEvoy said. “I was a little bit worried because she has been in and scratched a couple of times and is a big fresh girl. I thought she had a bit of time between runs but Chris had her spot on.”
Coming in as the second winner of the new season for freshly-minted triple champion sire I Am Invincible, I Am Famous is the fifth foal of six so far for 15-year-old grey mare Pinocchio (Encosta De Lago), the best of whom has been Classique Legend, winner of a pair of Group 2 races and a Listed event besides his Everest.
Having missed to Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) in 2021, Pinocchio now has a yearling full sister to I Am Famous, who’ll be retained by Tyreel. The Hawkesbury River stud will also race half-sister Candlewick (Pierro), who has won her only trial so far for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.
Tyreel sold Pinocchio – in foal again to I Am Invincible – at this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale, for $1.15 million to Bromfield Park and Group 1 Bloodstock.
“She’s been such a great mare, and we wish her new owners all the best with her,” said Tyreel’s owner Linda Monds.
“We have a lovely yearling full-sister to I Am Famous, and we’re a little excited about Candlewick as well.”