Medaglia d'Oro (USA)
Foaled April 11, 1999 – Living
El Prado (Ire) x Cappucino Bay (USA), by Bailjumper (USA)
Family 9-b
Foaled April 11, 1999 – Living
El Prado (Ire) x Cappucino Bay (USA), by Bailjumper (USA)
Family 9-b
An exceptionally consistent racehorse who finished worse than second only twice in his career, Medaglia d'Oro was the best racing son of El Prado on dirt and has also been his best sire son on that surface as well as succeeding with turf horses. While best remembered as the sire of the magnificent American fillies Rachel Alexandra and Songbird, he has proved capable of getting top runners of both sexes and has had some success with European and Australian runners as well.
Race record
17 starts, 8 wins, 7 seconds, 0 thirds, US$5,754,720
2002:
2003:
2004:
Assessments
Rated at 122 pounds in the Mile and Intermediate categories on the 2003 International Classifications for his performances in the Whitney Handicap and Pacific Classic, respectively. 11 pounds below overall highweight Hawk Wing (who also topped the Mile category) and 5 pounds below top-rated dirt males Candy Ride (tied with Falbrav as the highweight in the Intermediate category) and Mineshaft.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Dubai World Cup, 6 pounds below overall highweight Ghostzapper (who was also the top dirt male and topped the Mile and Intermediate categories).
As an individual
An exceptionally handsome, beautifully balanced dark bay or brown horse standing 16.2 hands, Medaglia d'Oro is difficult to fault as a specimen of the American classic-type runner except for being slightly back at the knee.
As a stallion
Medaglia d'Oro tends to sire a good-sized horse and to pass on his own good looks. As of December 12, 2022, he has sired 167 stakes winners worldwide.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Astern (AUS), Bar of Gold (USA), Bolt d'Oro (USA), C. S. Silk (USA), Cambier Parc (USA), Champagne d'Oro (USA), Coffee Clique (USA), Elate (USA), Gabby's Golden Gal (USA), Golden Sixty (AUS), Higher Power (USA), Lochte (USA), Marketing Mix (CAN), Mshawish (USA), Passion for Gold (USA), Plum Pretty (USA), Rachel Alexandra (USA), Songbird (USA), Souper Escape (USA), Vancouver (AUS), Violence (USA), Warrior's Reward (USA), Wonder Gadot (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Olympiad (USA), Santin (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Medaglia d'Oro was bred by Albert Bell and Joyce Bell. He was owned by Edmund A. Gann. He was trained by Robert “Bobby” Frankel. He entered stud in Kentucky in 2005 at Stonewall Farm. He was purchased by Darley in June 2009 and moved to Darley at Jonabell. He has also shuttled to Darley Kelvinside in Australia.
Pedigree notes
Medaglia d'Oro is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to multiple Grade 3 winner Naples Bay (by Giant's Causeway). Both were produced from restricted stakes winner Cappucino Bay, whose sire Bailjumper (by Damascus) was a multiple Grade 2 winner at 3.
A half sister to listed stakes winner Maharesred (by Maheras), Cappucino Bay is out of the winning Silent Screen mare Dubbed In, whose full sister Voice Over is the dam of 1980 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Travelling Music (by Spring Double) and the second dam of seven stakes winners including 1993 Premio Ricardo Ortiz de Zevallos (PER-G1) winner Mistic and Grade 3 winner Farmonthefreeway. Dubbed In, in turn, is out of the unraced Restless Wind mare Society Singer, whose dam Social Position (by Ribot) is a half sister to Year Around (by Hill Prince), dam of Grade 2 winner Nordic Prince (by Nearctic), and to Miss Exquiste (by Roi Dagobert), dam of 1979 Puerto Rican champion imported male Lazy Eyes (by Marshua's Dancer).
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Darley at Jonabell in 2009. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 7, 2023
Race record
17 starts, 8 wins, 7 seconds, 0 thirds, US$5,754,720
2002:
- Won Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won San Felipe Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Aqueduct)
2003:
- Won Whitney Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Oaklawn Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Oaklawn Park)
- Won Strub Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Pacific Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Del Mar)
2004:
- Won Donn Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1, 2000mD, Nad al Sheba)
Assessments
Rated at 122 pounds in the Mile and Intermediate categories on the 2003 International Classifications for his performances in the Whitney Handicap and Pacific Classic, respectively. 11 pounds below overall highweight Hawk Wing (who also topped the Mile category) and 5 pounds below top-rated dirt males Candy Ride (tied with Falbrav as the highweight in the Intermediate category) and Mineshaft.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Dubai World Cup, 6 pounds below overall highweight Ghostzapper (who was also the top dirt male and topped the Mile and Intermediate categories).
As an individual
An exceptionally handsome, beautifully balanced dark bay or brown horse standing 16.2 hands, Medaglia d'Oro is difficult to fault as a specimen of the American classic-type runner except for being slightly back at the knee.
As a stallion
Medaglia d'Oro tends to sire a good-sized horse and to pass on his own good looks. As of December 12, 2022, he has sired 167 stakes winners worldwide.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- 2nd on the North American general sire list in 2015; 4th in 2017; 6th in 2011 and 2014; 8th in 2019; 10th in 2016.
- 3rd on the North American broodmare sire list in 2022.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 2015; 4th in 2017; 6th in 2014; 7th in 2016 and 2019; 8th in 2009; 9th in 2011.
- 7th on the American broodmare sire list in 2022.
Notable progeny
Astern (AUS), Bar of Gold (USA), Bolt d'Oro (USA), C. S. Silk (USA), Cambier Parc (USA), Champagne d'Oro (USA), Coffee Clique (USA), Elate (USA), Gabby's Golden Gal (USA), Golden Sixty (AUS), Higher Power (USA), Lochte (USA), Marketing Mix (CAN), Mshawish (USA), Passion for Gold (USA), Plum Pretty (USA), Rachel Alexandra (USA), Songbird (USA), Souper Escape (USA), Vancouver (AUS), Violence (USA), Warrior's Reward (USA), Wonder Gadot (CAN)
Notable progeny of daughters
Olympiad (USA), Santin (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Medaglia d'Oro was bred by Albert Bell and Joyce Bell. He was owned by Edmund A. Gann. He was trained by Robert “Bobby” Frankel. He entered stud in Kentucky in 2005 at Stonewall Farm. He was purchased by Darley in June 2009 and moved to Darley at Jonabell. He has also shuttled to Darley Kelvinside in Australia.
Pedigree notes
Medaglia d'Oro is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to multiple Grade 3 winner Naples Bay (by Giant's Causeway). Both were produced from restricted stakes winner Cappucino Bay, whose sire Bailjumper (by Damascus) was a multiple Grade 2 winner at 3.
A half sister to listed stakes winner Maharesred (by Maheras), Cappucino Bay is out of the winning Silent Screen mare Dubbed In, whose full sister Voice Over is the dam of 1980 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Travelling Music (by Spring Double) and the second dam of seven stakes winners including 1993 Premio Ricardo Ortiz de Zevallos (PER-G1) winner Mistic and Grade 3 winner Farmonthefreeway. Dubbed In, in turn, is out of the unraced Restless Wind mare Society Singer, whose dam Social Position (by Ribot) is a half sister to Year Around (by Hill Prince), dam of Grade 2 winner Nordic Prince (by Nearctic), and to Miss Exquiste (by Roi Dagobert), dam of 1979 Puerto Rican champion imported male Lazy Eyes (by Marshua's Dancer).
Books and media
- Footage of Medaglia d'Oro's win in the 2003 Whitney Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hXGQECC42M.
- Thoroughbred Daily News provides a video look at Medaglia d’Oro at age 20 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6U6fyYc0UM.
Fun facts
- Medaglia d'Oro's name means “medal of gold” in Italian.
- Medaglia d'Oro earned the top Beyer Speed Figure for any 3-year-old of 2002 with a 120 in the Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2).
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Darley at Jonabell in 2009. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 7, 2023