Sharpen Up (GB)
March 17, 1969 – March 23, 1992
Atan (USA) x Rocchetta (GB), by Rockefella (GB)
Family 5-i
March 17, 1969 – March 23, 1992
Atan (USA) x Rocchetta (GB), by Rockefella (GB)
Family 5-i
Sharpen Up was one of the better juveniles of his year in England, but his lack of stamina and an offbeat pedigree limited his initial appeal as a stallion. He took advantage of his early opportunities, however, and worked his way up the sires' ladder. While always best known as a sire of speed and precocity, he proved to be capable of getting top runners up through middle distances and continued his branch of Native Dancer's male line through his champion sons Diesis and Kris.
Race record
8 starts, 5 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, £19,888
1971:
1972:
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 127 pounds as a juvenile.
As an individual
A strongly-built, well-made chestnut who was considered exceptionally handsome, Sharpen Up stood 16.1 hands. He toed out slightly in front but had a smooth action. He was courageous and honest on the race course but made no pretense of staying more than sprint distances.
As a stallion
Sharpen Up led the 1988 juvenile sire list in England. He was second on the general sire list in France in 1987 and reached the same position on the English/Irish sire list in 1989; he was also fifth on the English/Irish list in 1995, eighth in 1994 and ninth in 1993. According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, he sired 395 winners (61.1%) and 80 stakes winners (12.4%) from 646 named foals. Thoroughbred Times' records indicate that he sired 81 stakes winners (12.5%), while Richard Ulbrich's Peerage of Racehorses and Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (Churchill, Reichard and Rogers) credit him with 83 stakes winners (12.8%). Sharpen Up was not at all prepotent for his own muscular physique and threw many foals that were plain, angular and lacking in substance, though many shared his efficient way of going nonetheless. Sharpen Up is a Brilliant/Classic chef-de-race in the Roman dosage system.
Notable progeny
Bequest (USA), Conveyor (USA), Diesis (GB), Dream Deal (USA), Epsiba (GB), Exactly Sharp (USA), Ghanayim (USA), Kris (GB), Pebbles (GB), Sanglamore (USA), Selkirk (USA), Sharpo (GB), Trempolino (USA)
Connections
Sharpen Up was bred and owned by Mimi van Cutsem and was trained by her husband, Bernard van Cutsem. After being syndicated at an initial valuation of £150,000, he entered stud at Side Hill Stud, Newmarket, England, in 1973. He moved to Gainesway Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1980 and remained on the stallion roster there until he was pensioned following the 1989 breeding season due to declining fertility. He remained at Gainesway as a pensioner until his death in 1992, when he was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Sharpen Up is inbred 5x3 to 1933 English dual Classic winner and six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion. He is a half brother to Boldetta (by Bold Lad [Ire]), dam of multiple New Zealand Group III winner Volare (by Avaray) and second dam of 1997 Premier's Champion Stakes (SAF-I) winner Rarotonga Treaty.
Sharpen Up's dam Rocchetta (by the good Hyperion horse Rockefella) never won but is a full sister to Outcrop, winner of the 1963 Park Hill Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks, and to Riches, dam of Group III-placed stakes winner Richboy (by Princely Gift), second dam of 1978 Derby Italiano (ITY-I) winner Elgay and third dam of Australian Group II winner Exclusive Halo and Australian Group III winner Miss Jugah. Rocchetta is also a half sister to stakes winners Shamrock Star and Star Combine (both by Rock Star) and to Matchmo (by Match II), dam of English Group III winner Syrona (by Salvo) and third dam of 1987 Prix Morny (FR-I) winner First Waltz.
Rocchetta and her siblings were produced by Chambiges (by Majano), who was never broken to race and was imported to England from her native France at a cost of 85 guineas. Chambiges' dam Chanterelle, a daughter of 1933 Prix du Cadran winner Gris Perle and the Pharos mare Shah Bibi, was a winner on the flat and over hurdles
Books and media
Fun facts
Race record
8 starts, 5 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, £19,888
1971:
- Won Middle Park Stakes (ENG-I, 6FT, Newmarket)
- Won Hyperion Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Ascot)
- Won Seaton Delaval Stakes (ENG-III, 5FT, Newcastle)
1972:
- 2nd Greenham Stakes (ENG-III, 7FT, Newbury)
- 2nd July Cup (ENG-II, 6FT, Newmarket)
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 127 pounds as a juvenile.
As an individual
A strongly-built, well-made chestnut who was considered exceptionally handsome, Sharpen Up stood 16.1 hands. He toed out slightly in front but had a smooth action. He was courageous and honest on the race course but made no pretense of staying more than sprint distances.
As a stallion
Sharpen Up led the 1988 juvenile sire list in England. He was second on the general sire list in France in 1987 and reached the same position on the English/Irish sire list in 1989; he was also fifth on the English/Irish list in 1995, eighth in 1994 and ninth in 1993. According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, he sired 395 winners (61.1%) and 80 stakes winners (12.4%) from 646 named foals. Thoroughbred Times' records indicate that he sired 81 stakes winners (12.5%), while Richard Ulbrich's Peerage of Racehorses and Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (Churchill, Reichard and Rogers) credit him with 83 stakes winners (12.8%). Sharpen Up was not at all prepotent for his own muscular physique and threw many foals that were plain, angular and lacking in substance, though many shared his efficient way of going nonetheless. Sharpen Up is a Brilliant/Classic chef-de-race in the Roman dosage system.
Notable progeny
Bequest (USA), Conveyor (USA), Diesis (GB), Dream Deal (USA), Epsiba (GB), Exactly Sharp (USA), Ghanayim (USA), Kris (GB), Pebbles (GB), Sanglamore (USA), Selkirk (USA), Sharpo (GB), Trempolino (USA)
Connections
Sharpen Up was bred and owned by Mimi van Cutsem and was trained by her husband, Bernard van Cutsem. After being syndicated at an initial valuation of £150,000, he entered stud at Side Hill Stud, Newmarket, England, in 1973. He moved to Gainesway Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1980 and remained on the stallion roster there until he was pensioned following the 1989 breeding season due to declining fertility. He remained at Gainesway as a pensioner until his death in 1992, when he was euthanized due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Sharpen Up is inbred 5x3 to 1933 English dual Classic winner and six-time English/Irish champion sire Hyperion. He is a half brother to Boldetta (by Bold Lad [Ire]), dam of multiple New Zealand Group III winner Volare (by Avaray) and second dam of 1997 Premier's Champion Stakes (SAF-I) winner Rarotonga Treaty.
Sharpen Up's dam Rocchetta (by the good Hyperion horse Rockefella) never won but is a full sister to Outcrop, winner of the 1963 Park Hill Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks, and to Riches, dam of Group III-placed stakes winner Richboy (by Princely Gift), second dam of 1978 Derby Italiano (ITY-I) winner Elgay and third dam of Australian Group II winner Exclusive Halo and Australian Group III winner Miss Jugah. Rocchetta is also a half sister to stakes winners Shamrock Star and Star Combine (both by Rock Star) and to Matchmo (by Match II), dam of English Group III winner Syrona (by Salvo) and third dam of 1987 Prix Morny (FR-I) winner First Waltz.
Rocchetta and her siblings were produced by Chambiges (by Majano), who was never broken to race and was imported to England from her native France at a cost of 85 guineas. Chambiges' dam Chanterelle, a daughter of 1933 Prix du Cadran winner Gris Perle and the Pharos mare Shah Bibi, was a winner on the flat and over hurdles
Books and media
- Sharpen Up is one of 75 Thoroughbred stallions profiled in Tony Morris' The Stallions (The Crowood Press, 1990).
- Sharpen Up is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
- Sharpen Up probably owed his existence to family sentiment on the part of Mimi van Cutsem, whose parents had stood Atan while the horse was in the United States. Van Cutsem was the only breeder to send the stallion a mare with any significant credentials during the two years Atan spent in Ireland.