It is relatively uncommon for a stallion to come up with two graded or group stakes winners in the same week, and for this reason, such an accomplishment is usually touted in the following week's stallion advertisements. Similar doubles for a female family are also uncommon but tend to get less attention. Nonetheless, astute observers of the bloodstock scene will already have noted that the Round Table mare Friendly Circle came up with such a double among her descendants recently. On March 17, Friendly Circle's great-granddaughter Humorada Negra scored in the Premio Arturo A. Bullrich (ARG-G3). Four days later, her fifth-generation descendant Wells Bayou went gate to wire in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (USA-G2).
A foal of 1971, Friendly Circle flashed talent as a juvenile, winning the Rare Treat Stakes (USA-G3), but ended up scoring in only three of her 23 starts. She proved a better broodmare than race mare, producing 1997 American champion older female Hidden Lake (by Quiet American), English Group 3 winner Ginistrelli (by Hoist the Flag), and listed stakes winner Midway Circle (by Alydar). Unfortunately, Hidden Lake was a disappointing broodmare, leaving it to the lesser racers among Friendly Circle's fillies to carry on the family.
Of those, Huddle (by Damascus) is the second dam of Grade 3 sprint winner More Smoke, but her branch of the family has not carried on. The branch descended from What Can I Do (by Mr. Leader) has had more success. The dam of I Can Do It All (by Linkage), a champion juvenile in the Dominican Republic), What Can I Do also produced stakes-placed Lynx (by Mountain Cat), whose daughter Uva Preta (by Dodge) became a Group 3 winner in Brazil. In addition, What Can I Do produced the Distorted Humor mare Hail to Humor, who now has two Group winners to her credit: Humorada Negra and multiple Argentine Group 1 sprint winner Humor Acido, both by the Southern Halo horse Emperor Richard.
Wells Bayou descends from Huddle's unraced full sister Syrian Circle, whose only black-type runner was the stakes-placed Lear Fan filly Miasma. Miasma, in turn, produced Saratoga stakes winner Queen of the Creek (by Theatrical) but, more importantly, is the dam of Mien (by Nureyev), dam of 2008 American champion 3-year-old male Big Brown (by Boundary) and Canadian Grade 3 winner Archaggelos (by Temple City).
Two other daughters of Miasma have produced listed stakes winners: Espial (by Banker's Gold) is the dam of Sky's Goldmaker (by Sky Mesa), while Theater Fan (by Theatrical) is the dam of Broadway Missile. A third daughter, Campy (by Theatrical), failed to produce a stakes winner but is responsible for Whispering Angel, a daughter of Hard Spun who won two of her three starts before producing Wells Bayou (by Lookin At Lucky) as her first foal. Whispering Angel has since produced the 2018 Karakontie colt Romy and a 2020 filly by Army Mule.
While this family has tended more toward speed, Big Brown is proof that it can come up with a horse capable of staying the American classic distance of 10 furlongs. With a win at 9.5 furlongs now under his belt and a Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner for a sire, Wells Bayou would be a hot prospect for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1) even if the race were being run at its traditional time. Because of the Derby having been delayed to September 5 by the COVID-19 pandemic, his prospects may be still brighter, given the tendency of Lookin At Lucky's Northern Hemisphere stock to improve with maturity. A Classic win for him would add to the reputation of an already solid family whose circle of influence continues to widen.
A foal of 1971, Friendly Circle flashed talent as a juvenile, winning the Rare Treat Stakes (USA-G3), but ended up scoring in only three of her 23 starts. She proved a better broodmare than race mare, producing 1997 American champion older female Hidden Lake (by Quiet American), English Group 3 winner Ginistrelli (by Hoist the Flag), and listed stakes winner Midway Circle (by Alydar). Unfortunately, Hidden Lake was a disappointing broodmare, leaving it to the lesser racers among Friendly Circle's fillies to carry on the family.
Of those, Huddle (by Damascus) is the second dam of Grade 3 sprint winner More Smoke, but her branch of the family has not carried on. The branch descended from What Can I Do (by Mr. Leader) has had more success. The dam of I Can Do It All (by Linkage), a champion juvenile in the Dominican Republic), What Can I Do also produced stakes-placed Lynx (by Mountain Cat), whose daughter Uva Preta (by Dodge) became a Group 3 winner in Brazil. In addition, What Can I Do produced the Distorted Humor mare Hail to Humor, who now has two Group winners to her credit: Humorada Negra and multiple Argentine Group 1 sprint winner Humor Acido, both by the Southern Halo horse Emperor Richard.
Wells Bayou descends from Huddle's unraced full sister Syrian Circle, whose only black-type runner was the stakes-placed Lear Fan filly Miasma. Miasma, in turn, produced Saratoga stakes winner Queen of the Creek (by Theatrical) but, more importantly, is the dam of Mien (by Nureyev), dam of 2008 American champion 3-year-old male Big Brown (by Boundary) and Canadian Grade 3 winner Archaggelos (by Temple City).
Two other daughters of Miasma have produced listed stakes winners: Espial (by Banker's Gold) is the dam of Sky's Goldmaker (by Sky Mesa), while Theater Fan (by Theatrical) is the dam of Broadway Missile. A third daughter, Campy (by Theatrical), failed to produce a stakes winner but is responsible for Whispering Angel, a daughter of Hard Spun who won two of her three starts before producing Wells Bayou (by Lookin At Lucky) as her first foal. Whispering Angel has since produced the 2018 Karakontie colt Romy and a 2020 filly by Army Mule.
While this family has tended more toward speed, Big Brown is proof that it can come up with a horse capable of staying the American classic distance of 10 furlongs. With a win at 9.5 furlongs now under his belt and a Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner for a sire, Wells Bayou would be a hot prospect for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1) even if the race were being run at its traditional time. Because of the Derby having been delayed to September 5 by the COVID-19 pandemic, his prospects may be still brighter, given the tendency of Lookin At Lucky's Northern Hemisphere stock to improve with maturity. A Classic win for him would add to the reputation of an already solid family whose circle of influence continues to widen.
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