Tagaloa retired to take place on Yulong roster
Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) has been retired by Yulong to stand and will take up his place on their stallion roster for the 2021 breeding season as the first son of Japanese stallion Lord Kanaloa (King Kamehameha) to stand at stud in Australia.
A high-class two-year-old, Tagaloa raced six times as a juvenile, beginning his career with a third-placed effort in November’s Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) when racing in the silks of an Ozzie Kheir-led syndicate, with the colt opening his account at Moonee Valley later that month.
The Natalie and Trent Busuttin-trained Tagaloa then finished fourth in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 3, 1100m) behind Hanseatic (Street Boss), but reversed that form in the Group 1 feature at Caulfield.
Racing three wide of the leading trio, Tagaloa battled for victory in the Blue Diamond, defeating the Godolphin-raced colt by a head. The winning time of 1.08.56 secs is the second–fastest time ever recorded by a juvenile at Caulfield.
It was a display worthy of Yulong swooping a few days later to secure a controlling stake in the stallion prospect, which followed just days after the acquisition of Redoute’s Choice’s (Danehill) Alabama Express, in a play which announced serious intent from the Yeusheng Zhang-owned Victorian farm.
The leading two-year-old would go on to finish fourth behind Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) and return at three to win the CS Hayes Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) and place third in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).
He has been retired after a ninth-placed finish in Saturday’s All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), with a record of three wins from 13 starts and $1.469 million in prize-money.
“Tagaloa exemplifies the ideal profile for an Australian stallion – he’s good looking, a Group 1 winner at two, trained on to win another Group race at three and is a complete outcross,” said Sam Fairgray, Yulong’s chief operating officer.
Possessing a potent mix of Japanese and wider international bloodlines, Tagaloa was bred by Arrowfield Stud and is the first foal out of the winning Japanese mare Vasilissa (Heart’s Cry), with his yearling half-sister by Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) selling for $900,000 to Badgers Bloodstock at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
His sire, Lord Kanaloa (King Kamehameha), was a six-time Group 1 winner in his native Japan, which included a five-length demolition of his rivals in the Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m). He is the sire of five Group 1 winners, including Japanese sensation Almond Eye and high-class sprinter Danon Smash.
His second dam, Penkenna Princess (Pivotal), is a Group 3 winner and an Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) runner-up, while she is the dam of eight foals with three stakes-performed in Japan, including Listed winner Tricolour Bleu (Stay Gold).
A $300,000 yearling himself out of the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Tagaloa was purchased by Busuttin Racing, who oversaw the entirety of this career.
“To have a horse like him, a stunning physical and Blue Diamond winner with an international outcross pedigree, stay in Victoria is a massive vote of confidence in the local industry,” said co-trainer Trent Busuttin. “Yulong are leading the pack, setting the standard of new development in the Victorian industry.
“We were impressed by his temperament as a yearling, this came through as an early two-year-old and makes him a beautiful horse to deal with now,” said Busuttin.
“On type he’s a big powerful, striking colt. He’s got a lovely head, athletic physique and a great frame.”
Tagaloa will take his place alongside foundation stallions Grunt (O’Reilly) and Alabama Express, while Group 1 winner Yulong Prince (Gimmethegreenlight) will take up stud duties this year, as will proven stallion Written Tycoon (Iglesia), after Yulong struck a deal to stand the sire of 11 individual Group 1 winners.
Already announced is Yulong Prince’s 2021 fee of $9,900, with service fees for Yulong’s remaining stallions to be announced shortly.