It is not a positive comment on the current state of American racing that a $750,000-added Grade 1 race could draw only six starters with a single Grade 1 win between them, but such was the case in the Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare on November 25. Nonetheless, the race did come up with an interesting winner in Godolphin’s 4-year-old colt Proxy, who turned in a determined performance in his thirteenth lifetime start and his first start back after finishing third in the Stephen Foster Handicap (USA-G2) in June. Stalking the pace throughout, Proxy wore down a game West Will Power (winner of the Hagyard Fayette Stakes, USA-G2, in his last outing) to win edging away by three-quarters of a length.
A son of Tapit, Proxy is from the family of Scotch Verdict, whose family rose to prominence in the 1960s. A daughter of two-time American champion Alsab, Scotch Verdict never raced but produced three stakes-winning fillies in 1967 Ramona Handicap winner Desert Trial (by 1960 Everglades Stakes winner Moslem Chief, a son of Alibhai), 1970 Monmouth Oaks winner Kilts n Kapers (by 1964 Ohio Derby winner National, a son of Nashua), and open stakes winner Memory Garden (by Roberto). All three had some significance as broodmares, beginning with Desert Trial, whose four stakes winners included 1973 American champion 3-year-old filly Desert Vixen (by In Reality) and 1975 Dwyer Handicap (USA-G2) winner Valid Appeal (by In Reality), a perennial leading regional sire in Florida. Desert Vixen, in turn, produced 1982 Grand Prix de Deauville (FR-G2) winner Real Shadai, the Japanese champion sire of 1993, and her half sister Desert Royal (by Rexson) also got into the family act by becoming the second dam of multiple New Zealand Group 2 winner Millennium (by Prized).
Scotch Verdict’s other two stakes-winning daughters did not equal Desert Trial as broodmares but still had their moments. Kilts n Kapers produced 1977 Sorority Stakes (USA-G1) winner Stub (by In Reality), a filly that, sadly, died while still in training. Another daughter of Kilts n Kapers, Seattle Kaper (by Seattle Slew) helped make up the loss by producing 1997 Senorita Stakes (USA-G3) winner Kentucky Kaper (by The Prime Minister). As for Memory Garden, she is the second dam of 2003 Prêmio Presidente Luis O. de Barros (BRZ-G2) winner Puro Brilho (by Nugget Point) and 2010 Niigata Daishoten (JPN-G3) winner Golden Dahlia (by Fuji Kiseki) and the third dam of 2021 Premio Benito Villanueva (URU-G3) winner Don Pata (by Aerosol).
Scotch Verdict’s other foals include Secret Verdict (by 1960 San Carlos Handicap winner Clandestine, a son of Double Jay), who ran third in the 1969 Coaching Club American Oaks and Cotillion Handicap before producing 1980 Golden Rod Stakes (USA-G3) winner Remote Ruler (by King Emperor) and multiple stakes winners Secret’s Out (by Royal Saxon) and A Realgirl (by In Reality). Secret Verdict is also the second dam of three listed stakes winners.
Summer Legend (Raise a Native x Scotch Verdict) won two of 11 starts before retiring to the paddocks, where she too proved a good broodmare with three stakes winners to her credit: 1989 Mazarine Stakes (CAN-G3) winner Legarto (by Roberto); Nafees (by Raja Baba), dam of listed stakes winners Persistence (by Arctic Tern) and Snowy Owl (by Storm Bird) and Group 3-placed restricted stakes winner Camilla Blu (by Storm Bird); and Lean Cuisine (by In Reality), dam of listed stakes winner Health Farm (by Pleasant Colony). Lean Cuisine is also the second dam of multiple Italian Group 3 winner Dream Impact (by Royal Academy) and 2006 Arlington Oaks (USA-G3) winner Cryptoquip (by Cryptoclearance) and the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Rocketry (by Hard Spun), 2003 Mazarine Breeders’ Cup Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Dream About (by Cherokee Run), and 2015 Connaught Cup Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Lockout (by Limehouse).
Three of Summer Legend’s non-stakes-winning daughters are also of some importance. Summer Spectacular (by Spectacular Bid) is the dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Real Display (by In Reality), while Summer in Seattle (by Seattle Slew) is the second dam of 2006 Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes (USA-G3) winner U D Ghetto (by Honour and Glory).
Tamaral, a full sister to Summer in Seattle, won both her starts and produced 1992 Thomas D. Nash Memorial Handicap (USA-G3) winner Danc’n Jake (by Affirmed), but her greater significance is through her listed stakes-placed daughter Adventurous Di (by Private Account), who produced multiple Grade 1 winner Panty Raid (by Include), 2011 Delaware Oaks (USA-G2) winner St. John’s River (by Include), and French listed stakes winner Franc (by Woodman).Panty Raid, in turn, is the dam of Proxy and of his year-older half sister Micheline (by Bernardini), winner of the 2021 Hillsborough Stakes (USA-G2). Panty Raid produced a dead foal in 2019 and was not covered that spring, but she has since produced an unnamed yearling colt by Frosted and a weanling filly by Into Mischief.
Proxy had a history of running “in spurts” during his five career graded stakes placings, according to trainer Michael Stidham, so it will be interesting to see if he has developed the mental maturity to duplicate his effort in the Clark in future races. In the meantime, he has added another top-level win to a family whose record certainly deserves a favorable verdict from any unbiased judge.
A son of Tapit, Proxy is from the family of Scotch Verdict, whose family rose to prominence in the 1960s. A daughter of two-time American champion Alsab, Scotch Verdict never raced but produced three stakes-winning fillies in 1967 Ramona Handicap winner Desert Trial (by 1960 Everglades Stakes winner Moslem Chief, a son of Alibhai), 1970 Monmouth Oaks winner Kilts n Kapers (by 1964 Ohio Derby winner National, a son of Nashua), and open stakes winner Memory Garden (by Roberto). All three had some significance as broodmares, beginning with Desert Trial, whose four stakes winners included 1973 American champion 3-year-old filly Desert Vixen (by In Reality) and 1975 Dwyer Handicap (USA-G2) winner Valid Appeal (by In Reality), a perennial leading regional sire in Florida. Desert Vixen, in turn, produced 1982 Grand Prix de Deauville (FR-G2) winner Real Shadai, the Japanese champion sire of 1993, and her half sister Desert Royal (by Rexson) also got into the family act by becoming the second dam of multiple New Zealand Group 2 winner Millennium (by Prized).
Scotch Verdict’s other two stakes-winning daughters did not equal Desert Trial as broodmares but still had their moments. Kilts n Kapers produced 1977 Sorority Stakes (USA-G1) winner Stub (by In Reality), a filly that, sadly, died while still in training. Another daughter of Kilts n Kapers, Seattle Kaper (by Seattle Slew) helped make up the loss by producing 1997 Senorita Stakes (USA-G3) winner Kentucky Kaper (by The Prime Minister). As for Memory Garden, she is the second dam of 2003 Prêmio Presidente Luis O. de Barros (BRZ-G2) winner Puro Brilho (by Nugget Point) and 2010 Niigata Daishoten (JPN-G3) winner Golden Dahlia (by Fuji Kiseki) and the third dam of 2021 Premio Benito Villanueva (URU-G3) winner Don Pata (by Aerosol).
Scotch Verdict’s other foals include Secret Verdict (by 1960 San Carlos Handicap winner Clandestine, a son of Double Jay), who ran third in the 1969 Coaching Club American Oaks and Cotillion Handicap before producing 1980 Golden Rod Stakes (USA-G3) winner Remote Ruler (by King Emperor) and multiple stakes winners Secret’s Out (by Royal Saxon) and A Realgirl (by In Reality). Secret Verdict is also the second dam of three listed stakes winners.
Summer Legend (Raise a Native x Scotch Verdict) won two of 11 starts before retiring to the paddocks, where she too proved a good broodmare with three stakes winners to her credit: 1989 Mazarine Stakes (CAN-G3) winner Legarto (by Roberto); Nafees (by Raja Baba), dam of listed stakes winners Persistence (by Arctic Tern) and Snowy Owl (by Storm Bird) and Group 3-placed restricted stakes winner Camilla Blu (by Storm Bird); and Lean Cuisine (by In Reality), dam of listed stakes winner Health Farm (by Pleasant Colony). Lean Cuisine is also the second dam of multiple Italian Group 3 winner Dream Impact (by Royal Academy) and 2006 Arlington Oaks (USA-G3) winner Cryptoquip (by Cryptoclearance) and the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Rocketry (by Hard Spun), 2003 Mazarine Breeders’ Cup Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Dream About (by Cherokee Run), and 2015 Connaught Cup Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Lockout (by Limehouse).
Three of Summer Legend’s non-stakes-winning daughters are also of some importance. Summer Spectacular (by Spectacular Bid) is the dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Real Display (by In Reality), while Summer in Seattle (by Seattle Slew) is the second dam of 2006 Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes (USA-G3) winner U D Ghetto (by Honour and Glory).
Tamaral, a full sister to Summer in Seattle, won both her starts and produced 1992 Thomas D. Nash Memorial Handicap (USA-G3) winner Danc’n Jake (by Affirmed), but her greater significance is through her listed stakes-placed daughter Adventurous Di (by Private Account), who produced multiple Grade 1 winner Panty Raid (by Include), 2011 Delaware Oaks (USA-G2) winner St. John’s River (by Include), and French listed stakes winner Franc (by Woodman).Panty Raid, in turn, is the dam of Proxy and of his year-older half sister Micheline (by Bernardini), winner of the 2021 Hillsborough Stakes (USA-G2). Panty Raid produced a dead foal in 2019 and was not covered that spring, but she has since produced an unnamed yearling colt by Frosted and a weanling filly by Into Mischief.
Proxy had a history of running “in spurts” during his five career graded stakes placings, according to trainer Michael Stidham, so it will be interesting to see if he has developed the mental maturity to duplicate his effort in the Clark in future races. In the meantime, he has added another top-level win to a family whose record certainly deserves a favorable verdict from any unbiased judge.
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