Manila (USA)
February 5, 1983 – February 28, 2009
Lyphard (USA) x Dona Ysidra (USA), by Le Fabuleux (FR)
Family 16-g
February 5, 1983 – February 28, 2009
Lyphard (USA) x Dona Ysidra (USA), by Le Fabuleux (FR)
Family 16-g
One of two first-class sons of Lyphard foaled in the same year (the other was his European counterpart, Dancing Brave), Manila failed to win at 2 but turned in a championship season as a 3-year-old, sealing a six-race win streak and an Eclipse Award with a stirring Breeders’ Cup Turf victory over future turf champion Theatrical. He seemed prepared to repeat his title at 4 when injury intervened. Unfortunately, he was a much better runner than sire.
Race record
18 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,692,799
1986:
1987:
Honors
Assessments
Co-highweighted at 124 pounds with Dahar on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male turf horses of 1986, 1 pound above Theatrical, Damister, and Last Tycoon in a contentious turf division.
Co-highweighted at 127 pounds with divisional champion Theatrical on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male turf horses of 1987, 5 pounds above the next highest-weighted horses, Dance of Life, Sharrood, and Zoffany.
As an individual
A handsome, well-balanced, smoothly made bay horse with powerful hindquarters, Manila fractured a cannon bone following his win in the Arlington Million, ending his racing career.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Manila sired 200 winners (37.9%) and 20 stakes winners (3.8%) from 528 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/YarisSever/Index):
Notable progeny
Bien Bien (USA), Great Palm (USA), Time Star (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Aquarelliste (FR), Casual Look (USA), Eishin Champ (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Manila was bred by Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. Following his 2-year-old season, he was purchased by Bradley M. Shannon, who raced Manila for the rest of his career. Following his sale, the colt was trained by Leroy Jolley. He was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Turf score by José Santos. Manila entered stud in Kentucky in 1988 at Lane’s End Farm. In 1997, he was exported to Turkey, where he died of an aortic rupture in 2008.
Pedigree notes
Manila is inbred 4x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a full brother to Sister Sass, second dam of South African Group 2 winner Daring Dave and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Jaja Chaboogie. He is also a half brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Stately Don (by Nureyev).
Manila is out of Dona Ysidra, a winning half sister to 1972 French champion 2-year-old male Targowice (by Round Table) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Rondeau (by Round Table). Dona Ysidra is also a half sister to Martessana (by Sir Ivor), dam of stakes winner Reassert (by Assert; dam of listed stakes winner Mr. Technique, by Smart Strike) and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Criminal Defence. In addition, she is a half sister to Royal Honoree (by Round Table), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Honoria (by Danzig), listed stakes winners Gdansk’s Honour and Sesaro (both by Danzig), and stakes winner Don Hernando (by Conquistador Cielo); second dam of Grade/Group 2 winners Composer and King Ivor and Grade/Group 3 winners Snake Eyes and Linney Head; and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner General Quarters and Grade/Group 2 winners A Shin Top and Unitarian. Finally, Dona Ysidra is a half sister to Bucks Belle, third dam of two-time Turkish champion Damista.
Dona Ysidra and her siblings are out of stakes-placed Matriarch (by Bold Ruler), a half sister to 1961 Tropical Park Handicap winner Bourbon Prince (by Princequillo) and 1964 Mademoiselle Stakes winner Dedicated A. (by Dedicate; dam of the minor stakes winner Dedicated Too, by Nevada Battler). Matriarch, in turn, is out of stakes-placed Lyceum (Bull Lea x Colosseum, by Ariel), whose stakes-placed full sister Lea Lark is the dam of 1956 American champion 2-year-old filly Leallah (by Nasrullah) and her multiple stakes-winning full sister Lea Lane.
Books and media
NBC’s footage of Manila’s win in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr-cqrEXig8.
Fun facts
Last updated: March 15, 2024
Race record
18 starts, 12 wins, 5 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,692,799
1986:
- Won Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-G1, 12FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- Won United Nations Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FT, Atlantic City; new course record 1:52-3/5)
- Won Cinema Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hollywood)
- Won Lexington Stakes (USA-G2, 10FT, Belmont)
- Won Ballantine's Scotch Classic Stakes (USA-G3, 11FT, The Meadowlands)
- 2nd Saranac Stakes (USA-G2, 8FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Forerunner Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FT, Keeneland)
1987:
- Won Budweiser-Arlington Million (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- Won United Nations Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FT, Atlantic City)
- Won Early Times Turf Classic Stakes (USA-L, 9FT, Churchill Downs; equaled course record 1:48-4/5)
- Won Elkhorn Stakes (USA-L, 9FT, Keeneland; new course record 1:48-2/5)
- 2nd Bernard Baruch Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Saratoga)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2008)
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1986)
- Eclipse Award runner-up, American Horse of the Year (1986)
- Eclipse Award runner-up, American champion turf male (1987)
Assessments
Co-highweighted at 124 pounds with Dahar on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male turf horses of 1986, 1 pound above Theatrical, Damister, and Last Tycoon in a contentious turf division.
Co-highweighted at 127 pounds with divisional champion Theatrical on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male turf horses of 1987, 5 pounds above the next highest-weighted horses, Dance of Life, Sharrood, and Zoffany.
As an individual
A handsome, well-balanced, smoothly made bay horse with powerful hindquarters, Manila fractured a cannon bone following his win in the Arlington Million, ending his racing career.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Manila sired 200 winners (37.9%) and 20 stakes winners (3.8%) from 528 named foals of racing age.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 4th on the French broodmare sire list in 2001.
Per the Jockey Club of Turkey (https://www.tjk.org/EN/YarisSever/YarisSever/Index):
- 7th on the Turkish general sire list in 2002 and 2003; 9th in 2001.
- 6th on the Turkish broodmare sire list in 2010; 7th in 2012; 9th in 2013.
Notable progeny
Bien Bien (USA), Great Palm (USA), Time Star (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Aquarelliste (FR), Casual Look (USA), Eishin Champ (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Manila was bred by Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. Following his 2-year-old season, he was purchased by Bradley M. Shannon, who raced Manila for the rest of his career. Following his sale, the colt was trained by Leroy Jolley. He was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup Turf score by José Santos. Manila entered stud in Kentucky in 1988 at Lane’s End Farm. In 1997, he was exported to Turkey, where he died of an aortic rupture in 2008.
Pedigree notes
Manila is inbred 4x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a full brother to Sister Sass, second dam of South African Group 2 winner Daring Dave and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Jaja Chaboogie. He is also a half brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Stately Don (by Nureyev).
Manila is out of Dona Ysidra, a winning half sister to 1972 French champion 2-year-old male Targowice (by Round Table) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Rondeau (by Round Table). Dona Ysidra is also a half sister to Martessana (by Sir Ivor), dam of stakes winner Reassert (by Assert; dam of listed stakes winner Mr. Technique, by Smart Strike) and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Criminal Defence. In addition, she is a half sister to Royal Honoree (by Round Table), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Honoria (by Danzig), listed stakes winners Gdansk’s Honour and Sesaro (both by Danzig), and stakes winner Don Hernando (by Conquistador Cielo); second dam of Grade/Group 2 winners Composer and King Ivor and Grade/Group 3 winners Snake Eyes and Linney Head; and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner General Quarters and Grade/Group 2 winners A Shin Top and Unitarian. Finally, Dona Ysidra is a half sister to Bucks Belle, third dam of two-time Turkish champion Damista.
Dona Ysidra and her siblings are out of stakes-placed Matriarch (by Bold Ruler), a half sister to 1961 Tropical Park Handicap winner Bourbon Prince (by Princequillo) and 1964 Mademoiselle Stakes winner Dedicated A. (by Dedicate; dam of the minor stakes winner Dedicated Too, by Nevada Battler). Matriarch, in turn, is out of stakes-placed Lyceum (Bull Lea x Colosseum, by Ariel), whose stakes-placed full sister Lea Lark is the dam of 1956 American champion 2-year-old filly Leallah (by Nasrullah) and her multiple stakes-winning full sister Lea Lane.
Books and media
NBC’s footage of Manila’s win in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr-cqrEXig8.
Fun facts
- Manila was named for the capital city of the Philippines, the home country of his breeder’s family. His dam, Dona Ysidra, was named for his breeder’s great-aunt, said to have been the founder of the family fortune.
- The Manila Stakes is a one-mile grass race for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park. As of 2023, it is listed as a Grade 3 race.
Last updated: March 15, 2024