Farda Amiga (USA)
February 1, 1999 – Living
Broad Brush (USA) x Fly North (USA), by Pleasant Colony (USA)
Family 5-h
February 1, 1999 – Living
Broad Brush (USA) x Fly North (USA), by Pleasant Colony (USA)
Family 5-h
Thanks to a virus that sidelined her for more than three months after her upset Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) win, Farda Amiga missed much of what could have been a memorable 3-year-old season. As it was, she made only two more starts after the Oaks but made both count, winning the Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) and running second to 2002 American Horse of the Year Azeri in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1). Farda Amiga has been much less successful as a producer than as a racer.
Race record
8 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$1,282,302
2002:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old filly (2002)
As an individual
A smoothly-made bay mare with prominent withers and short cannons, Farda Amiga typically came from well off the pace; her trademark was a long, sustained drive reminiscent of her maternal grandsire, Pleasant Colony. She had a sensible disposition.
As a producer
Farda Amiga has produced 11 named foals in the United States and Brazil; her most recent known produce is a 2019 colt. Her best runner is Group 2-placed Un Grand Ami, a son of Vettori; her only other winner thus far is the 2009 Smart Strike colt Smart Farda.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Farda Amiga was bred by Virginia Kraft Payson in the name of her Payson Stud. She was purchased from the 2000 Keeneland September yearling sale for US$45,000 by Jose de Camargo’s Santa Escolastica Stable and raced for a partnership consisting of Camargo, Julio Camargo of Old Friends Inc., and Marcos Simon of Winner Silk Inc.. She was trained by Paulo Lobo and was ridden to her Kentucky Oaks win by Chris McCarron. She was sent to Brazil in 2011.
Pedigree notes
Farda Amiga is inbred 5x4 to unbeaten champion Ribot, a three-time leader of the combined English/Irish general sire list. She is a half sister to Forever Beautiful (by Giant’s Causeway), dam of multiple stakes winner Homeland Security (by Smart Strike).
Fly North, the dam of Farda Amiga, won the restricted Ontario Debutante Stakes as a juvenile. She is out of the winning Temperence Hill mare Dry North, a half sister to 1992 European Horse of the Year St. Jovite (by Pleasant Colony), multiple Grade 2 winners Salem Drive (by Darby Creek Road) and Lac Ouimet (by Pleasant Colony), and Grade 3 winner L’Carriere (by Carr de Naskra), a popular campaigner on the New York circuit. Dry North is also a half sister to Charette (by Chief’s Crown), dam of stakes winner Powder (by Broad Brush) and second dam of Grade 2 winner One Caroline.
Dry North and her siblings were produced from Irish-bred Northern Sunset (by Northfields), the 1995 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Northern Sunset, in turn, is out of the Ballymoss mare Moss Greine, a half brother to stakes winners Prince of Greine (by Arctic Prince) and Time Greine (by Arctic Time). The female line traces back to Simon’s Shoes (by the St. Simon horse Simon Square), also the ancestress of the great producer Rough Shod II.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: November 18, 2020
Race record
8 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$1,282,302
2002:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Alabama Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1, 9FD, Arlington Park)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old filly (2002)
As an individual
A smoothly-made bay mare with prominent withers and short cannons, Farda Amiga typically came from well off the pace; her trademark was a long, sustained drive reminiscent of her maternal grandsire, Pleasant Colony. She had a sensible disposition.
As a producer
Farda Amiga has produced 11 named foals in the United States and Brazil; her most recent known produce is a 2019 colt. Her best runner is Group 2-placed Un Grand Ami, a son of Vettori; her only other winner thus far is the 2009 Smart Strike colt Smart Farda.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Farda Amiga was bred by Virginia Kraft Payson in the name of her Payson Stud. She was purchased from the 2000 Keeneland September yearling sale for US$45,000 by Jose de Camargo’s Santa Escolastica Stable and raced for a partnership consisting of Camargo, Julio Camargo of Old Friends Inc., and Marcos Simon of Winner Silk Inc.. She was trained by Paulo Lobo and was ridden to her Kentucky Oaks win by Chris McCarron. She was sent to Brazil in 2011.
Pedigree notes
Farda Amiga is inbred 5x4 to unbeaten champion Ribot, a three-time leader of the combined English/Irish general sire list. She is a half sister to Forever Beautiful (by Giant’s Causeway), dam of multiple stakes winner Homeland Security (by Smart Strike).
Fly North, the dam of Farda Amiga, won the restricted Ontario Debutante Stakes as a juvenile. She is out of the winning Temperence Hill mare Dry North, a half sister to 1992 European Horse of the Year St. Jovite (by Pleasant Colony), multiple Grade 2 winners Salem Drive (by Darby Creek Road) and Lac Ouimet (by Pleasant Colony), and Grade 3 winner L’Carriere (by Carr de Naskra), a popular campaigner on the New York circuit. Dry North is also a half sister to Charette (by Chief’s Crown), dam of stakes winner Powder (by Broad Brush) and second dam of Grade 2 winner One Caroline.
Dry North and her siblings were produced from Irish-bred Northern Sunset (by Northfields), the 1995 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Northern Sunset, in turn, is out of the Ballymoss mare Moss Greine, a half brother to stakes winners Prince of Greine (by Arctic Prince) and Time Greine (by Arctic Time). The female line traces back to Simon’s Shoes (by the St. Simon horse Simon Square), also the ancestress of the great producer Rough Shod II.
Books and media
- Video footage of Farda Amiga being shown by a handler as a broodmare can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtLRl2aiQ_o“.
- Footage of Farda Amiga’s Kentucky Oaks victory can be accessed as part of Christina Moore’s article “Six Unforgettable Editions of the Kentucky Oaks,” posted April 29, 2018, at America’s Best Racing (https://www.americasbestracing.net/the-sport/2018-six-unforgettable-editions-the-kentucky-oaks).
Fun facts
- Farda Amiga’s two victories prior to the Kentucky Oaks were on turf. Her only previous start on dirt had been a closing fourth in the Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1).
- Because of Farda Amiga’s Brazilian connections (her owners and trainer were all from that country), her edition of the Kentucky Oaks was nationally televised in Brazil. Her win touched off exuberant celebrations both in the Churchill Downs winner’s circle and across Brazil’s racing community. In the Alabama and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, her fans cheered her on with cries of “Fly, Farda, fly!”
- Farda Amiga’s name translates from Portuguese as “friendly silks” and alludes to the partnership for which the filly raced.
Last updated: November 18, 2020