Aidan O'Brien's powerful racing stable has another Group I winner in Air Force Blue, who powered his way into strong consideration for next year's European mile Classics with a good score in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (IRE-I). The War Front colt also brings the family of Cinegita back into the spotlight, though this is a family that has been more active on both sides of the Atlantic than many might realize.
A daughter of Secretariat and the Sadair mare Wanika, Cinegita took after her speedy broodmare sire in performance, winning the 7-furlong Railbird Stakes (USA-III) as a 3-year-old in 1980. Her best racing daughter, Storm Star (by Storm Bird), was fairly similar in proclivities but more precocious, winning the 1985 Pritchard Services Cherry Hinton Stakes (ENG-III) and placing against colts in the Gimcrack Stakes (ENG-II). Cinegita also produced the impossibly named Mr. Prospector mare Syourinomegami, a multiple Japanese stakes winner, and her Grade III-placed full brother Choctaw Ridge, a champion sire in Brazil.
Storm Star became a successful broodmare, producing 1991 Best Turn Stakes (USA-III) winner Dodge (by Mr. Prospector) and multiple listed stakes winner Captain Starbuck (by Cure the Blues), but her full sister Starlet Storm (unbeaten in two starts but not a stakes winner) did still better, producing the brilliant Flanders (by Seeking the Gold), the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1994. After capping her juvenile season with a dead-game victory over future champion Serena's Song (whose family had its own weekend triumph thanks to Honor Code's win in the Whitney Stakes, USA-I), Flanders was forced into retirement by injury but went on to produce 2000 American champion 3-year-old filly Surfside (by A.P. Indy) and 2010 New Orleans Handicap (USA-II) winner Battle Plan (by Empire Maker). Surfside is the dam of 2014 Cougar II Handicap (USA-IIIA) winner Irish Surf (by Giant's Causeway) and the second dam of 2014 Prix d'Arenberg (FR-III) winner High Celebrity, and Flanders is also the second dam of 2013 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (USA-IIA) winner Open Water (Include---Biscayne Bay, by A.P. Indy).
Starlet Storm's other foals include Engaging (by Private Account), dam of 2007 Louisville Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-II) winner Fiery Pursuit (by Carson City) and stakes winner Stage Trick (by Distorted Humor), and Circle of Gold, a full sister to Flanders. Circle of Gold never made it to the races and failed to produce any stakes winners, but her listed stakes-placed daughter Chatham (by Maria's Mon) has made up for her dam's failings with Air Force Blue, her fifth foal. Circle of Gold is also the second dam of 2015 stakes winner Miss Double d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro---Lost Gold, by Dynaformer).
Returning to Cinegita, she has two other daughters worth mentioning: Western League (by Gone West), dam of multiple Grade II winner My Boston Gal (by Boston Harbor) and third dam of 2014 Eddie D. Stakes (USA-IIIT) winner Home Run Kitten, and Illustrated (by Deputy Minister), second dam of 2013 Gran Premio Nacional Augusto B. Leguia (PER-I) winner Overbrook (Flanders Fields---Mar Brava, by Cat Thief). Given the number of well-bred granddaughters and great-granddaughters of Cinegita out there, it looks as though it's only a matter of time before this family comes up with some more good ones.
A daughter of Secretariat and the Sadair mare Wanika, Cinegita took after her speedy broodmare sire in performance, winning the 7-furlong Railbird Stakes (USA-III) as a 3-year-old in 1980. Her best racing daughter, Storm Star (by Storm Bird), was fairly similar in proclivities but more precocious, winning the 1985 Pritchard Services Cherry Hinton Stakes (ENG-III) and placing against colts in the Gimcrack Stakes (ENG-II). Cinegita also produced the impossibly named Mr. Prospector mare Syourinomegami, a multiple Japanese stakes winner, and her Grade III-placed full brother Choctaw Ridge, a champion sire in Brazil.
Storm Star became a successful broodmare, producing 1991 Best Turn Stakes (USA-III) winner Dodge (by Mr. Prospector) and multiple listed stakes winner Captain Starbuck (by Cure the Blues), but her full sister Starlet Storm (unbeaten in two starts but not a stakes winner) did still better, producing the brilliant Flanders (by Seeking the Gold), the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1994. After capping her juvenile season with a dead-game victory over future champion Serena's Song (whose family had its own weekend triumph thanks to Honor Code's win in the Whitney Stakes, USA-I), Flanders was forced into retirement by injury but went on to produce 2000 American champion 3-year-old filly Surfside (by A.P. Indy) and 2010 New Orleans Handicap (USA-II) winner Battle Plan (by Empire Maker). Surfside is the dam of 2014 Cougar II Handicap (USA-IIIA) winner Irish Surf (by Giant's Causeway) and the second dam of 2014 Prix d'Arenberg (FR-III) winner High Celebrity, and Flanders is also the second dam of 2013 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (USA-IIA) winner Open Water (Include---Biscayne Bay, by A.P. Indy).
Starlet Storm's other foals include Engaging (by Private Account), dam of 2007 Louisville Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-II) winner Fiery Pursuit (by Carson City) and stakes winner Stage Trick (by Distorted Humor), and Circle of Gold, a full sister to Flanders. Circle of Gold never made it to the races and failed to produce any stakes winners, but her listed stakes-placed daughter Chatham (by Maria's Mon) has made up for her dam's failings with Air Force Blue, her fifth foal. Circle of Gold is also the second dam of 2015 stakes winner Miss Double d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro---Lost Gold, by Dynaformer).
Returning to Cinegita, she has two other daughters worth mentioning: Western League (by Gone West), dam of multiple Grade II winner My Boston Gal (by Boston Harbor) and third dam of 2014 Eddie D. Stakes (USA-IIIT) winner Home Run Kitten, and Illustrated (by Deputy Minister), second dam of 2013 Gran Premio Nacional Augusto B. Leguia (PER-I) winner Overbrook (Flanders Fields---Mar Brava, by Cat Thief). Given the number of well-bred granddaughters and great-granddaughters of Cinegita out there, it looks as though it's only a matter of time before this family comes up with some more good ones.
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