In 1914, Regret became the first horse to sweep Saratoga's top three races for juveniles---the Sanford Stakes, the Saratoga Special, and the Hopeful Stakes. Name the last horse to complete the same triple.
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On July 24, Moira starred in two acts of a two-part play set at the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser. In Act I, the temperamental filly played the diva in the paddock, managing to lose one hind shoe and bending the other beyond the ability of the paddock blacksmith to fix in the time available. After a brief consultation with trainer Kevin Attard, the filly went to the post with both hind feet unshod. That led to Act II, in which the barefooted filly made a walk in the park of Canada's top filly Classic. Assuming the lead around the final turn, Moira drew off effortlessly to win by nearly 11 lengths in 1:49.78. It was the third win from four starts for the daughter of Ghostzapper, whose only loss came in last year's Mazarine Stakes (CAN-G3) when she was beaten half a length by Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Mrs. Barbara.
Moira descends from 1940 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Damaged Goods through her great-granddaughter Begum (by Alydar). Blind from birth, Begum never raced but produced two multiple graded-placed listed stakes winners in Binalong (by Known Fact) and Songlines (by Diesis). Songlines, in turn, produced stakes winner Make My Heart Sing (by King of Kings) and is the third dam of 2012 Donn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Hymn Book, 2012 Maker's 46 Mile Stakes (USA-G1) winner Data Link, and Grade 3 winner Strike the Bell. Begum is also the dam of stakes-placed Badawi (by Diesis), dam of Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Badminton (by Zieten) and the third dam of English Group 2 winner Gustavus Weston. Begum has also had success through her three unraced daughters, beginning with Arjunand. A full sister to Songlines and Badawi, Arjunand is the dam of listed stakes winners Dynamist and Dyna's Destiny, both by Dynaformer, and is also the second dam of 2020 Astra Stakes (USA-G3) winner Ms Peintour. Begum is also the dam of Sahibah (by Deputy Minister), dam of 2008 Las Palmas Handicap (USA-G2) winner Roshani (by Fantastic Light). Rajmati, Begum's 1993 daughter by Known Fact, also did well during her time in the paddocks, producing 2000 Hollywood Oaks (USA-G2) winner Kumari Continent (by Kris S.) and 2008 La Habra Stakes (USA-G3) winner Passion (by Came Home). The last-named mare is the dam of Grade 2-placed multiple listed stakes winner Devine Aida (by Unbridled's Song), who produced stakes winner Jungle Cry (by Animal Kingdom) as her second foal and Moira as her third. Devine Act's more recent foals are Moira's 2020 full brother Runaway Charlie (now working toward his first start), a 2021 filly by Ghostzapper that died, and a 2022 colt by Sir Prancealot. Begum is not in the class of the great matriarchs of the breed as yet, but with her descendants breeding on through all six of her daughters, her burgeoning family is certainly moving in the right direction. As for Moira, she is still maturing mentally and physically in the manner of most of the Ghostzappers, which generally need some time to reach their best. That may not be good news for the colts in the Queen's Plate on August 21, for Moira still had enough energy left after her runaway in the Oaks to push her people around and leap into the bushes around the winner's circle during the post-race ceremony. A decision regarding the Queen's Plate is still pending, but if the feisty filly goes there, she is likely to ensure that the race is no walk in the park for any other horse. On July 16, Mo Strike took the next step up in his brief but promising career to win the Sanford Stakes (USA-G3) from 11 rivals. Just how good his field was remains to be seen, as summer juvenile stakes races often have fields in which three-quarters of the contestants are either still maidens or have only a maiden special weight win to their names. Nonetheless, the Uncle Mo colt got the job done with a flourish at the end and is likely to target the venerable Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) in his next outing, a seven-furlong race that should be easily within his scope.
On the distaff side of his pedigree, Mo Strike is a fourth-generation descendant of the Buckpasser mare Passing Look, a product of E. P. Taylor's Maryland operation whose family has done good work without reaching the heights of the top matriarchies. Produced from the stakes-winning Sir Gaylord mare Gay Meeting and a half sister to 1977 Canadian Turf Handicap (USA-G3) winner Gay Jitterbug (by Northern Dancer), Passing Look won four of 30 starts and collected two stakes placings during her racing career. This was far from a great record, but as a well-bred daughter of Buckpasser, she was well worth a place in Taylor's broodmare band. She delivered on the opportunities she was provided, producing three stakes winners as well as Look North (by Northern Dancer), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Raja's Revenge (by Raja Baba) and second dam of 2000 San Vicente Stakes (USA-G2) winner Archer City Slew (by Slew City Slew). Among Passing Look's stakes winners, Trumpet's Blare (by Vice Regent) took pride of place by winning the 1989 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (USA-G1). As a broodmare, however, Trumpet's Blare was a disappointment, foaling only three winners from 10 named foals. Her Grade 3-winning full sister Passing Vice was only a modest improvement in the paddocks, becoming the second dam of English Group 3 winner Crime Scene, a horse best known for finishing second in the 2009 Melbourne Cup (AUS-G1). In My Cap, the third of Passing Look's stakes winners, never won a graded stakes but was much the most consistent of the trio and was ranked near the top of the Canadian-based fillies of her year at both 2 and 3. She was also the best producer of the three, throwing nine winners (including four stakes-placed runners) from 13 named foals, and has become the primary conduit for the family through her daughters. She began with stakes-placed In on the Secret (by Secretariat), who produced 2002 Oaklawn Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G3) winner Ask Me No Secrets (by Capote), and continued with stakes-placed Bright Feather (by Fappiano), dam of 2000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1) winner Albert the Great (by Go for Gin) and listed stakes winners Watch the Bird (by Rahy) and Sheer Bliss (by Relaunch). Marie J (by Mr. Prospector), another stakes-placed daughter of In My Cap, has also contributed to the family, becoming the second dam of 2020 American champion turf female Rushing Fall (by More Than Ready). Alleynedale, a daughter of In My Cap by Unbridled, got into the act by producing 2012 Autumn Stakes (CAN-G2) winner James Street (by El Prado), and the last of In My Cap's stakes-producing daughters is unraced Favorite Feather (by Capote). Bred to Smart Strike, she produced Grade 1-placed stakes winner Featherbed, a mare who now has two Grade 3 winners to her credit: Dynamic Impact (by Tiznow), winner of the 2014 Illinois Derby (USA-G3), and Mo Strike. The family of Passing Look has not shown strong tendencies in any direction, tending to be flexible to the influence of its mates, and Mo Strike has one of those "could be anything" pedigrees that could produce brilliant speed or classic stamina---or both. If he proves to be one of those horses who can train on to carry precocious speed beyond sprint distances, he may well be worth more than a passing look. A thoroughly contrary horse whose name alluded to insanity, this tough customer faced off against a full brother in a major stakes race when he was 8 and his brother was 3. He won, leaving his younger brother up the track. Who was he, and what was the race in which this sibling rivalry took place?
For longtime racing fans, it cannot be but sad to see the historic Suburban Stakes (formerly Handicap) reduced to a Grade 2 race and drawing a five-horse field. Nonetheless, the three-horse battle to the finish on July 8 was as thrilling as any on the race’s heyday, and it was the improving Dynamic One who got his nose down right on the line to score his first graded victory in the 10-furlong test.
Racing for owner-breeder Phipps Stable in partnership with Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, Dynamic One has always had the bloodlines to be something special. A son of 2012 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Union Rags, Dynamic One is a great-great-grandson of the great Personal Ensign, one of the great treasures of the Phipps family’s racing history. The American champion older female of 1988 after winning a spine-tingling decision over 1988 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Winning Colors in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1), Personal Ensign retired unbeaten from 13 starts. As a broodmare, Personal Ensign was equally memorable. The dam of three Grade 1 winners, she was named the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year for 1996. That was the year that her daughter My Flag (by the Phippses’ champion 2-year-old male and 1989 Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer) won the Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1) and ran third in the Belmont Stakes. My Flag never earned a championship although she had also won the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) as well as the 1996 Ashland Stakes (USA-G1) and Gazelle Handicap (USA-G1), but she was easily the best runner among Personal Ensign’s daughters. She is also one of four of the great mare’s daughters to produce at least one graded stakes winner. The others are Salute (by Unbridled), dam of 2014 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mr. Speaker (by Pulpit) and Grade 3 winners Fire Away (by War Front) and Vigilantes Way (by Medaglia d’Oro); Title Seeker (by Monarchos), dam of Grade 3 winners Seeking the Title (by Seeking the Gold) and Title Ready (by More Than Ready; and Pennant Champion, dam of Grade 3 winner Animal Spirits (by Arch). The best of My Flag’s 11 named foals was her second, Storm Flag Flying (by Storm Cat), who became the third generation of her female line to win a Breeders’ Cup race when she duplicated her dam’s win in the Juvenile Fillies in 2002. The victory lifted her to a title as American champion 2-year-old filly, and, after fracturing a hind leg at 3, she came back to win the 2004 Personal Ensign Handicap (USA-G1) as a 4-year-old—an especially nice touch, considering that Personal Ensign overcame a similar injury to become a champion. Storm Flag Flying failed to produce a stakes winner among her eight named foals, although her Grade 3-placed full sister On Parade is the dam of 2009 Dixie Stakes (USA-G2) winner Parading (by Pulpit) and the granddam of Grade 3 winner Performer; a half sister, stakes winner With Flying Colors (by A.P. Indy) is the dam of 2017 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G3) winner Teresa Z. (by Smart Strike). Over the last year, however, Storm Flag Flying’s daughters have begun taking up the slack. Last year, Playtime (by Street Cry) became the dam of Appalachian Stakes (USA-G2) winner Jouster (by Noble Mission). This year, it was Beat the Drums’s turn as Dynamic One, her third foal, became her first winner and first stakes winner. Beat the Drums has a 2021 Ghostzapper colt and a 2022 Street Sense filly waiting in the wings, and Playtime is most recently the dam of a 2020 West Coast filly and a 2022 Curlin colt. Storm Flag Flying has two other well-bred daughters in production in Sea Trial (2011, by Unbridled’s Song) and Dance Club (2016, by Candy Ride), so there is every chance that further good horses will be forthcoming to bolster this branch of the family. As for Dynamic One, he will likely next target the Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1), which will be contested at Saratoga over the same distance on September 3. A win there would give him a “Win and You’re In” slot for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA-G1) and a chance at becoming the fourth member of his distinguished family to win a Breeders’ Cup race. The great Citation holds the American record for number of stakes races won in a single calendar year with 16. What champion is in second place behind him?
On July 2, Olympiad continued his rise in the older male ranks with a powerful victory over Grade 1 winners Americanrevolution and Mandaloun in the Stephen Foster Stakes (USA-G2) at Churchill Downs. After being lightly raced at 2 and 3, the four-year-old son of Speightstown has put it all together to be undefeated in five starts this year, four of them in graded stakes. His next target may be a Grade 1 win in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, and if he makes the step up, a golden opportunity awaits at the end of the year, for the Stephen Foster win guaranteed him a slot in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1), to be held this year at Keeneland.
Bred by Emory Hamilton, Olympiad is from a family developed by Hamilton since her acquisition of an elegant bay yearling filly by Blushing Groom from the Dr. Fager mare Remedia. Bred by the King Ranch, the filly had less than ideal forelegs, and Blushing Groom was still too early in his stud career to make it obvious what kind of sire he was going to be. Hamilton, though, could trace her own bloodlines back to King Ranch founder Richard King, and she was intimately familiar with the King Ranch pedigrees and the horses they produced. She bought the filly for US$100,000 from the 1980 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July select yearling sale, named her Too Chic, and turned her over to trainer Jim Maloney. For Hamilton (then still known by her maiden name, Alexander) and Maloney, Too Chic won four of eight races at 3 including the 1982 Maskette Stakes (USA-G1). Too Chic produced two Grade 1 winners with her first two foals, both by Mr. Prospector, and they were the best of her producing daughters as well. Queena, the more consistent of the two, waited until age 4 to get good and was voted an Eclipse Award in the older female division at age 5 after winning three Grade 1 races in 1991. She produced 2000 Early Times Hollywood Derby (USA-G1) winner Brahms (by Danzig), 2003 Tempted Stakes (USA-G3) winner La Reina (by A.P. Indy), and stakes winner Olympic (by Danzig) and is the second dam of 2013 Swaps Stakes (USA-G2) winner Chief Havoc (by Giant's Causeway). Queen's elder sister Chic Shirine was more precocious but much less consistent, with her one big win coming in the 1987 Ashland Stakes (USA-G1). In the paddocks, she produced 1994 Ladies Handicap (USA-G2) winner Tara Roma and 1995 True North Handicap (USA-G2) winner Waldoboro, both by Lyphard. Tara Roma, in turn, is the dam of 2001 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G1) winner Serra Lake (by Seattle Slew) and multiple Grade 3 winner Cappuchino (by Capote). In addition, she is the second dam of Grade 3 winner Coal Play and the third dam of 2015 Travers Stakes (USA-G1) winner Keen Ice and Grade 3 winner Crewman (by Candy Ride). Tara Roma's full sister Mayan Maiden has also contributed to the family, becoming the second dam of 2016 Del Mar Oaks (USA-G1) winner Harmonize (by Scat Daddy) and 2010 Bowling Green Handicap (USA-G2) winner Al Khali (by Medaglia d'Oro). None of Chic Shirine's foals by other sires achieved much on the track, but three more of her daughters have become noteworthy producers. Chic Corine, an unraced daughter of Nureyev, produced 2014 TVG Diana Stakes (USA-G1) winner Somali Lemonade (by Lemon Drop Kid) and listed stakes winner Rasta Farian (by Holy Bull) and is the second dam of French Group 3 winner Baraan (by Dalakhani); in addition, she is the third dam of 2017 British Champions Sprint Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Librisa Breeze (by Mount Nelson). Chic Shirine's last foal, the Giant's Causeway mare Enchanted Rock, also became a Grade 1 producer, foaling multiple Grade 1 winner Verrazano (by More Than Ready) and 2012 Risen Star Stakes (USA-G2) winner El Padrino (by Pulpit). In between Chic Corine and Enchanted Rock, Chic Shirine produced Flying Passage, a 2000 daughter of A.P. Indy who won one of her six starts. While she did not come up with a Grade 1 winner among her 10 named foals, she did produce multiple Grade 2 winner Hungry Island (by More Than Ready) and 2011 Hal's Hope Stakes (USA-G3) winner Soaring Empire as well as Flying Dixie (by Dixieland Band), dam of 2019 Woodward Stakes (USA-G1) winner Preservationist (by Arch). Flying Passage's Grade 3-placed daughter Tokyo Time (by Medaglia d'Oro) is the dam of Olympiad, and another daughter, Divine Rule (by Empire Maker), has also joined the ranks of graded or Group stakes producers tracing to Chic Shirine, foaling 2022 UAE Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-G3) winner Azure Coast (by Street Sense). Chic Shirine's family has yet to come up with a first-rate stallion in its ranks, but in all other respects, its production record has been admirable. Much of the credit for its success must be given to Hamilton, who while selling the colts has retained the fillies for her own broodmare band and knows the subtleties of their conformations and temperaments over generations as well as their performance records. That knowledge has paid off in yet another high-class runner, who is rising toward the top in Olympic style. This stallion became a champion general sire and broodmare sire, but he first attracted notice with a freshman sire title that came to him courtesy of a pair of racetrack disqualifications announced 15 days after the conclusion of the year in which he became the champion freshman sire in his country. The loss of the purse money earned by the disqualified runner dropped the apparent freshman sire leader to third place in the standings, leaving the subject of this question with the title. Who was the stallion who inherited the title that helped him rocket up the stallion ranks, and who was the horse who lost the title based on the DQs?
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AuthorI'm Avalyn Hunter, an author, pedigree researcher and longtime racing fan with a particular interest in Thoroughbred mares and their contributions to the history of the breed. Categories
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