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Mares on Monday: Southlawn Finds the Green in Fair Grounds Oaks

3/27/2023

Going into 2023, Southlawn had an uninspiring 1-for-5 record with only a maiden win at Ellis Park to her credit. At 3, she has been a different filly. After blitzing an allowance-optional-claiming field by eight lengths on February 17, she stepped up to Grade 2 company in the Fair Grounds Oaks Presented by Fasig-Tipton on May 25. While only five fillies contested the prize, the field contained three potential Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) in 2023 Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (USA-G2) winner Pretty Mischievous, 2022 Golden Rod Stakes (USA-G2) winner Hoosier Philly, and Silverbulletday Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (USA-L) winner The Alys Look. Southlawn had no trouble dusting all three in a professional performance, defeating Pretty Mischievous by 3¼ lengths with The Alys Look another 3¾ lengths further back in third; The Alys Look, in turn, had 8¼ lengths on Hoosier Philly.

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Southlawn is the 48th stakes winner and 25th graded stakes winner for the late Pioneerof the Nile, who etched his name into the Thoroughbred history as the sire of 2015 American Triple Crown winner and American Horse of the Year American Pharoah. A son of 2003 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Empire Maker (by 1990 Kentucky Derby, USA-G1, and Breeders’ Cup Classic, USA-G1, winner Unbridled) out of the Lord At War mare Star of Goshen, Pioneerof the Nile ran second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby after winning the 2008 CashCall Futurity (USA-G1) and the 2009 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) and consistently sired horses capable of excelling in the 9-10 furlong range.

Southlawn is the second winner from as many foals of racing age from Mo d’Amour, who has since produced an unnamed 2021 colt by Quality Road and a 2023 colt by Constitution. A daughter of 2010 American champion 2-year-old male Uncle Mo, Mo d’Amour won the listed Busher Stakes as a 3-year-old in 2016 and placed in five other stakes races, including two graded events. Southlawn is one of 11 stakes winners thus far for Uncle Mo as a broodmare sire.

Mo d’Amour was produced from Neverthesame, an unraced daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner and two-time Chilean champion sire Scat Daddy. The last-named stallion is the source of another American Triple Crown connection as he sired 2018 hero Justify. The next dam in Southlawn’s tail-female line is multiple Group 2-placed listed stakes winner Salut d’Amour (by multiple juvenile Group 1 winner Danehill Dancer), a half sister to 2007 Classic Trial Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Regime (by Golan). If not stellar in its performance, this is a family with a respectable record and could upgrade quickly as Mo d’Amour, Neverthesame and another of Neverthesame’s daughters, Itsinthestars (by Astrology) remain in production and are seeing quality sires.

A US$290,000 Keeneland September purchase for Robert Masterson, Southlawn is almost certain to be headed to the Kentucky Oaks. Based on her bloodlines and her most recent performances, that is a reasonable decision in what seems a wide-open year for 3-year-old fillies.

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Mares on Monday: On a Mission to Canadian Classics?

3/13/2023

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While the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (USA-G3) is generally the showcase of Tampa Bay Downs’ winter/spring meeting, the track hosts some nice turf racing as well. One of the meet’s graded stakes is the Florida Oaks (USA-G3), which on March 11 drew a competitive field of 12 3-year-old fillies. The one most recently in the news was Tampa-based Dreaming of Snow, who upset 2022 American champion 2-year-old filly Wonder Wheel in the Suncoast Stakes on February 11, but after setting the pace through three-quarters of a mile, she faded rapidly and ended up last. Her place in the spotlight was taken by another Tampa regular, Mission of Joy, who nailed down her third straight win over the course with a strong closing run that saw her home first by a neck. Her time for one and one-sixteenth miles over firm turf was a smart 1:41.12

Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm, Mission of Joy had one of the strongest pedigrees of any of the race’s entrants. She is a daughter of the late Kitten’s Joy, a two-time leader of the American general sire list and a perennial leader among North American turf sires. On the distaff side, she hails from a strong Canadian family that entered North America via Auburn’s Pride, an English-bred daughter of 1954 English champion older male and two-time English champion sire Aureole (by Hyperion).

Auburn’s Pride ended up being exported to Venezuela in 1974, but she did produce one stakes winner among her seven North American foals in New Pride (by Julmar), who took the Buttons and Bows Handicap at Exhibition Park in 1974 as a 3-year-old. More importantly, Auburn’s Pride left behind New Pride’s year-older half sister, Hanging Round, a Kentucky-bred daughter of 1968 Belmont Stakes winner and American co-champion 3-year-old male Stage Door Johnny.

Hangin Round failed to win or place in five starts, but after coming into the hands of Ontario breeder Mrs. George T. Coker, she produced four stakes winners and was honored as Canada’s 1980 Broodmare of the Year. The most notable of the quartet was two-time Canadian champion filly Rainbow Connection (by Halo), in turn the dam of three-time Canadian champion Rainbows for Life (by Lyphard), 1990 CIGA Prix de l’Opera (FR-G2) winner Colour Chart (by Mr. Prospector), and 1994 Cup and Saucer Stakes (CAN-R) winner Always a Rainbow (by Mr. Prospector). Exported to eastern Europe, Rainbows for Life became a champion sire in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, while Colour Chart is the dam of 2001 American champion 2-year-old filly Tempera (by A.P. Indy) and multiple French Group 3 winner Equerry (by St. Jovite).

Hangin Round’s 1984 daughter by Vice Regent, Hangin on a Star, also proved a classy race mare in Canada, taking the 1987 Breeders’ Stakes (the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown). As a broodmare for Sam-Son, she produced 1993 Canadian champion 2-year-old male Comet Shine (by Fappiano) and Misty Mission (by Miswaki), winner of the 2000 Wonder Where Stakes (the third leg of Canada’s Triple Tiara series). Hangin on a Star is also the second dam of 1999 Derby Trial Stakes (USA-G3) winner Patience Game (by Woodman)

Misty Mission took up where her dam left off as a broodmare, producing two-time Canadian champion filly Irish Mission (by Giant’s Causeway), two-time Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap (USA-G3) winner French Beret (by Broad Brush), and 2018 West Virginia Senate President’s Cup Stakes winner Mythical Mission (by Giant’s Causeway). In addition, she is the dam of Smart Mission, a Smart Strike filly who won both her starts before being forced to retire from racing. Smart Mission produced Mission of Joy as her third foal and has since produced an unnamed 2-year-old filly by Omaha Beach and a yearling filly by Union Rags.

As the Florida Oaks is a turf race and does not carry points toward the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1), it seems unlikely that Mission of Joy will be pointed in that direction. That does not mean that Mission of Joy will be absent from the North American classic scene, however, Although she finished ninth in her sole try on Woodbine’s Tapeta surface—in her first race—she has clearly matured since then, and the Woodbine Oaks and the other Canadian Triple Tiara races (the Bison City Stakes over Fort Erie’s Polytrack surface and the Wonder Where Stakes on Woodbine’s turf course) could be logical targets, as could the Breeders’ Stakes, also on turf. There are also important stakes for 3-year-old turf fillies coming up later in the season, so Mission of Joy’s connections have a number of potential targets. With a pedigree that points toward continued improvement as she continues to mature, that makes Mission of Joy an interesting miss to keep an eye on as 2023 progresses.

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Mares on Monday: Dorth Vader Strikes in Davona Dale Stakes

3/6/2023

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Prior to the Davona Dale Stakes Presented by FanDuel TV (USA-G2) at Gulfstream Park on March 4, undefeated Red Carpet Ready was the choice to follow up on the good impression she had made in the Forward Gal Stakes (USA-G3) on February 4. After the race, the headlines were about previously unheralded Dorth Vader, whose last outing was an unplaced run in the Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Pressing Red Carpet Ready through a half mile in :45.06 and six furlongs in 1:10.02, Dorth Vader rolled on by in upper stretch and was long gone by the time Guns n’ Graces launched a furious stretch run to overhaul the leg-weary Red Carpet Ready for the place. The Michael Yates trainee hit the wire 4¾ lengths in front, completing the mile in 1:37.23 and giving her trainer his first graded stakes victory. She also earned 50 points toward a starting berth in in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1).

Dorth Vader is a daughter of hot young sire Girvin (Tale of Ekati x Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon), who also saw his daughter Faiza win the Santa Ynez Stakes (USA-G2) over the weekend. (As a member of Bob Baffert’s barn, Faiza is not eligible to the Kentucky Oaks due to a trainer suspension.) The Davona Dale winner is the fifth stakes winner for her sire, currently sixth on the second-crop sire list and now standing his first Kentucky season at Airdrie Stud after beginning his stud career at Ocala Stud in Florida. Himself a winner of the 2017 betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (USA-G1), Girvin has already proven able to throw speed and should be capable of siring horses comfortable with at least the 8-9 furlong range.

On the distaff side, Dorth Vader is the sixth foal, fifth winner, and first stakes winner for her dam, Hardcore Candy, who has since produced the unraced juvenile filly Theforcebewithyou (by Air Force Blue) and a yearling filly by Adios Charlie. A stakes-placed daughter of 2000 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Yonaguska, Hardcore Candy is a half sister to listed stakes winner Chestnut Lady (by Horse Chestnut).

Hardcore Candy is out of the Thunder Gulch mare Its a Girl, whose half sister Go for it Lady (by Mr. Prospector) is the dam of multiple Grade 1-placed Grade 3 winner Spring Meadow (by Meadowlake), winner of the 2003 Las Flores Handicap (USA-G3). The dam of Its a Girl and Spring Meadow, Ladyago, is a stakes-winning daughter of Northern Dancer and a half sister to stakes-placed Aspiring Diva (by Distant View), dam of 2011 Matron Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Emulous (by Dansili) and Prix Gontaut-Biron (FR-G3) winner First Sitting (by Dansili) and second dam of 2015 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes (IRE-G2) winner Brooch (by Empire Maker). Ladyago, in turn, is out of 1984 Shuvee Handicap (USA-G2) winner Queen of Song (by His Majesty), a full sister to 1977 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner and Classic sire Cormorant.

Although Dorth Vader is not closely inbred, her pedigree stands as a testimony to the rapid spread of Mr. Prospector’s influence through the American breeding population. It has been less than 50 years since Mr. Prospector’s first foals were born in 1976, yet he appears four times in the fifth generation of the pedigree of Dorth Vader, a foal of 2020—twice through daughters and twice through sons. In addition, Dorth Vader carries a sex-balanced 5x5 cross to Storm Bird, Girvin’s direct male-line ancestor and the broodmare sire of Thunder Gulch.

Dorth Vader was probably undone in the Gasparilla by deep conditions along the rail and had legitimate room for improvement on getting a fast track and a better trip, but Red Carpet Ready also had some excuse in the Davona Dale as she was used hard to get and keep the early lead and never had any chance for a breather. With an uninspiring final quarter in :27.21, though, both are going to need to show some improvement next out to be up to the usual standard for a Kentucky Oaks winner. Still, both are worth keeping an eye on, as well as Guns n’ Graces, who made up about four lengths on Dorth Vader during her closing run and, as a daughter of Gun Runner out of an Empire Maker mare, is bred to relish more distance. If the Florida filly division has not been overly inspiring thus far, it is at least competitive and should provide for some fun racing between now and the Kentucky Oaks.

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Mares on Monday: Southlawn Finds the Green in Fair Grounds Oaks

Mares on Monday: On a Mission to Canadian Classics?

Mares on Monday: Dorth Vader Strikes in Davona Dale Stakes

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