El Prado (IRE)
February 3, 1989 – September 21, 2009
Sadler's Wells (USA) x Lady Capulet (USA), by Sir Ivor (USA)
Family 1-l
February 3, 1989 – September 21, 2009
Sadler's Wells (USA) x Lady Capulet (USA), by Sir Ivor (USA)
Family 1-l
The produce of two European Classic winners and the maternal grandson of another, El Prado proved precocious and speedy but did not train on as well as hoped. However, those same traits of precociousness and speed made him much more suited to the American stallion market than most sons of European supersire Sadler's Wells. Given a chance at Airdrie Stud, El Prado made the most of it, proving a surprisingly versatile stallion before his death in 2009. Through his sons Medaglia d'Oro and Kitten's Joy, he has established his own branch of his sire's male line in North America.
Race record
9 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$237,394 (converted from Irish and French earnings)
1991:
Honors
Irish co-champion 2-year-old male (1991)
Assessments
El Prado earned a Timeform rating of 119 pounds as a juvenile.
As an individual
A gray horse, El Prado was masculine, attractive and well-made with a well laid back shoulder, good forearm muscling, strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg. He had the rather flat feet often associated with turf runners. He stood 16 hands.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits El Prado with having sired 609 winners (59.3%) and 83 stakes winners (8.1%) from 1027 named foals of racing age; The Blood-Horse states that El Prado has sired at least 85 stakes winners worldwide. El Prado is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
Notable progeny
Artie Schiller (USA), Asi Siempre (USA), Borrego (USA), Kitten's Joy (USA), Medaglia d'Oro (USA), Mi Pradera (PR), Paddy O'Prado (USA), Quimera (PR), Ruten (USA), Spanish Moon (USA), Winter Memories (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Australis Cheeky (ARG)
Connections
El Prado was bred by Lyonstown Stud and was owned by Robert Sangster. He was trained by Vincent O'Brien. After being privately purchased by Frank Stronach as a 4-year-old, El Prado entered stud in Kentucky in 1993 at Airdrie Stud and moved to Adena Springs' Kentucky division in 1998. He died of an apparent heart attack in September 2009; his fertility had been in decline for several years before that.
Pedigree notes
El Prado is inbred 5x5x4 to Mahmoud and 5x4 to Turn-to. He is a half brother to 1987 Irish champion 3-year-old male Entitled (by Mill Reef) and to All Ashore (by Nureyev), dam of multiple Hong Kong stakes winner Almante. (A gelded son of Ahonoora, Almante raced under the name of Right Way in Hong Kong.)
The dam of El Prado, Lady Capulet, scored her only victory in the 1977 Irish One Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1). A full sister to multiple Irish Group 2 winner Sir Wimborne and a half sister to the good sire Drone (by Sir Ivor's sire Sir Gaylord), Lady Capulet is out of the Tom Fool mare Cap and Bells, whose other foals include Turban (by Bagdad), dam of multiple English Group 3 winner Turkish Treasure (by Sir Ivor). Turkish Treasure, in turn, produced English Group 3 winner Magic Mirror (by Nureyev) and Group 3-placed stakes winners Sun Worship (by Nonoalco) and Treasure Trove (by Try My Best) and is the second dam of eight stakes winners including 2006 Turkish Horse of the Year Ribella, multiple Turkish champion Deha, 2006 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1) winner Asi Siempre, English Group 2 winner Almushtarak and Brazilian Group 2 winner Tangara.
Returning to Cap and Bells, she is also the dam of Mobcap (by Tom Rolfe), whose produce includes Grade 2 winner Notebook (by Well Decorated; a useful sire) and multiple Italian stakes winner Sasimoto (by Saratoga Six). Cap and Bells herself is a stakes-placed full sister to 1959 American Derby winner Dunce and a half sister to multiple stakes winner Ace Destroyer (by Grand Admiral) and juvenile stakes winner Ghan Fleet (by Count Fleet). She is out of Ghazni, a daughter of Mahmoud out of the Sun Briar mare Sun Miss.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Adena Springs Kentucky in 2007. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 10, 2021
Race record
9 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$237,394 (converted from Irish and French earnings)
1991:
- Won National Stakes (IRE-G1, 7FT, The Curragh)
- Won Juddmonte EBF Beresford Stakes (IRE-G2, 8FT, The Curragh)
- Won John J. Long Memorial Railway Stakes (IRE-G3, 6FT, The Curragh)
- 2nd EBF Anglesey Stakes (IRE-G3, 6FT, The Curragh)
Honors
Irish co-champion 2-year-old male (1991)
Assessments
El Prado earned a Timeform rating of 119 pounds as a juvenile.
As an individual
A gray horse, El Prado was masculine, attractive and well-made with a well laid back shoulder, good forearm muscling, strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg. He had the rather flat feet often associated with turf runners. He stood 16 hands.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits El Prado with having sired 609 winners (59.3%) and 83 stakes winners (8.1%) from 1027 named foals of racing age; The Blood-Horse states that El Prado has sired at least 85 stakes winners worldwide. El Prado is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- Led the American general sire list in 2002; 3rd in 2003 and 2004; 4th in 2005.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 2002; 2nd in 2003 and 2004; 5th in 2005.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 2002 and 2003; 3rd in 2004; 5th in 2005.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the American general sire list in 2002.
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
- 9th on the US general sire list in 2002.
Notable progeny
Artie Schiller (USA), Asi Siempre (USA), Borrego (USA), Kitten's Joy (USA), Medaglia d'Oro (USA), Mi Pradera (PR), Paddy O'Prado (USA), Quimera (PR), Ruten (USA), Spanish Moon (USA), Winter Memories (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Australis Cheeky (ARG)
Connections
El Prado was bred by Lyonstown Stud and was owned by Robert Sangster. He was trained by Vincent O'Brien. After being privately purchased by Frank Stronach as a 4-year-old, El Prado entered stud in Kentucky in 1993 at Airdrie Stud and moved to Adena Springs' Kentucky division in 1998. He died of an apparent heart attack in September 2009; his fertility had been in decline for several years before that.
Pedigree notes
El Prado is inbred 5x5x4 to Mahmoud and 5x4 to Turn-to. He is a half brother to 1987 Irish champion 3-year-old male Entitled (by Mill Reef) and to All Ashore (by Nureyev), dam of multiple Hong Kong stakes winner Almante. (A gelded son of Ahonoora, Almante raced under the name of Right Way in Hong Kong.)
The dam of El Prado, Lady Capulet, scored her only victory in the 1977 Irish One Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1). A full sister to multiple Irish Group 2 winner Sir Wimborne and a half sister to the good sire Drone (by Sir Ivor's sire Sir Gaylord), Lady Capulet is out of the Tom Fool mare Cap and Bells, whose other foals include Turban (by Bagdad), dam of multiple English Group 3 winner Turkish Treasure (by Sir Ivor). Turkish Treasure, in turn, produced English Group 3 winner Magic Mirror (by Nureyev) and Group 3-placed stakes winners Sun Worship (by Nonoalco) and Treasure Trove (by Try My Best) and is the second dam of eight stakes winners including 2006 Turkish Horse of the Year Ribella, multiple Turkish champion Deha, 2006 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1) winner Asi Siempre, English Group 2 winner Almushtarak and Brazilian Group 2 winner Tangara.
Returning to Cap and Bells, she is also the dam of Mobcap (by Tom Rolfe), whose produce includes Grade 2 winner Notebook (by Well Decorated; a useful sire) and multiple Italian stakes winner Sasimoto (by Saratoga Six). Cap and Bells herself is a stakes-placed full sister to 1959 American Derby winner Dunce and a half sister to multiple stakes winner Ace Destroyer (by Grand Admiral) and juvenile stakes winner Ghan Fleet (by Count Fleet). She is out of Ghazni, a daughter of Mahmoud out of the Sun Briar mare Sun Miss.
Fun facts
- El Prado was named for the popular name for the Spanish national art museum in Madrid, properly known as the Museo del Prado.
- El Prado is generally credited as being the horse that launched Frank Stronach into the stallion business. Stronach's Adena Springs breeding operation now maintains stallion divisions in Kentucky, Florida and Ontario, Canada.
- The El Prado Stakes is a turf race for older horses at Gulfstream Park. It was most recently carded at 7.5 furlongs.
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Adena Springs Kentucky in 2007. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 10, 2021