It might not have been an earthquake, but Seismic Beauty’s easy win in the Santa Margarita Stakes (USA-G2) on Sunday at Santa Anita surely registered with those keeping an eye on the older female division in the United States. A daughter of the late Uncle Mo, the Bob Baffert trainee led throughout in her stakes debut to score by five lengths over stablemate Splendora for MyRacehorse.com and Peter Leidel, Never out of the money in six lifetime starts, the bay filly has won three times and has earned US$236,840.
Bred by 2500 Determined Stud, Seismic Beauty is the first foal produced from Knarsdale, whose sire Medaglia d’Oro needs no introduction. Stakes-placed as a 5-year-old, Knarsdale was purchased from the 2020 Keeneland November mixed sale for US$430.000 with Seismic Beauty in utero and recouped most of her purchase price when Seismic Beauty sold for US$400,000 at the same venue a year later. Seismic Beauty proved a successful pinhook when resold for US$550,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale, and Knarsdale finished buying herself out with her next foal, the Bernardini colt Cincazul, who went for US$500,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale and has now won two of his three starts. Since then, Knarsdale has produced the 2023 Essential Quality filly Steel Magnolia (a US$225,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling who has yet to race) and a 2024 full sister to Seismic Beauty and was bred back to Charlatan.
Knarsdale is out of Secret File, who was runner-up in the 2011 Gardenia Stakes (USA-G3) at Ellis Park as a 4-year-old. She was keeping some excellent company that day; in that race, the daughter of two-time American champion sire Smart Strike was beaten three lengths by future two-time American champion female sprinter Groupie Doll and finished 3¾ lengths ahead of Stage Magic, now famous as the dam of 2018 American Triple Crown winner Justify. This is a case where careful examination of a race record turns up a hint of more ability and class than a bare reading of the record’s summary might indicate.
Secret File, in turn, was produced from Emery Board, who won the listed Go for Wand Stakes at Delaware Park 2001 and was third in the same year’s Florida Oaks (USA-G3). Sired by 1996 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Grindstone, Emery Board is a half sister to 1998 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G3) winner Chilito (by Strawberry Road) and multiple listed stakes winner Once a Sailor (by Vice Regent). Emery Board is also a half sister to stakes-placed Embraceable (by Dehere), dam of Canadian restricted stakes winners Retraceable (by Medaglia d’Oro; dam of Grade 2-placed stakes winner Another Miracle, by American Pharoah) and Maritime Passion (by Stormy Atlantic; dam of 2016 Highlander Handicap, CAN-G2, winner Passion for Action, by Speightstown). In addition, Emery Board is a half sister to Jealous and Jaded (by Jade Hunter), dam of 2009 Black-Eyed Susan (USA-G2) winner Payton d’Oro (by Medaglia d’Oro).
Emery Board and her siblings are out of 1986 Tempted Stakes (USA-G3) winner Cosmic Tiger (by 1978 Sapling Stakes, USA-G1, winner Tim the Tiger, by Nashua), a half sister to the minor stakes winner El Perico (by Drone) and to Hawaiian Joss (by Hawaii), dam of 1994 Gardenia Handicap (USA-G3) winner Alphabulous (by Alphabatim; dam of restricted stakes winner Fabulous Broad, by Broad Brush). Cosmic Tiger is also a half sister to Heavenly Storm (by Storm Bird), dam of German listed stakes winner Henessy (by Alkalde), and to Codetogo (by Lost Code), dam of stakes winner Cedar Knolls (by Broad Brush). Produced from the winner Cosmic Law (by Delta Judge), Cosmic Tiger is from a family tracing back to the mid-twentieth-century foundation mare Your Hostess.
A big, long-striding filly, Seismic Beauty was given plenty of time to grow into her frame without being pushed, and that time appears to have paid off. She will likely step up to Grade 1 company in her next outing, and the results of that race will probably go a long way in determining whether she will play a part in this season's year-end championships.
Bred by 2500 Determined Stud, Seismic Beauty is the first foal produced from Knarsdale, whose sire Medaglia d’Oro needs no introduction. Stakes-placed as a 5-year-old, Knarsdale was purchased from the 2020 Keeneland November mixed sale for US$430.000 with Seismic Beauty in utero and recouped most of her purchase price when Seismic Beauty sold for US$400,000 at the same venue a year later. Seismic Beauty proved a successful pinhook when resold for US$550,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale, and Knarsdale finished buying herself out with her next foal, the Bernardini colt Cincazul, who went for US$500,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale and has now won two of his three starts. Since then, Knarsdale has produced the 2023 Essential Quality filly Steel Magnolia (a US$225,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling who has yet to race) and a 2024 full sister to Seismic Beauty and was bred back to Charlatan.
Knarsdale is out of Secret File, who was runner-up in the 2011 Gardenia Stakes (USA-G3) at Ellis Park as a 4-year-old. She was keeping some excellent company that day; in that race, the daughter of two-time American champion sire Smart Strike was beaten three lengths by future two-time American champion female sprinter Groupie Doll and finished 3¾ lengths ahead of Stage Magic, now famous as the dam of 2018 American Triple Crown winner Justify. This is a case where careful examination of a race record turns up a hint of more ability and class than a bare reading of the record’s summary might indicate.
Secret File, in turn, was produced from Emery Board, who won the listed Go for Wand Stakes at Delaware Park 2001 and was third in the same year’s Florida Oaks (USA-G3). Sired by 1996 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Grindstone, Emery Board is a half sister to 1998 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G3) winner Chilito (by Strawberry Road) and multiple listed stakes winner Once a Sailor (by Vice Regent). Emery Board is also a half sister to stakes-placed Embraceable (by Dehere), dam of Canadian restricted stakes winners Retraceable (by Medaglia d’Oro; dam of Grade 2-placed stakes winner Another Miracle, by American Pharoah) and Maritime Passion (by Stormy Atlantic; dam of 2016 Highlander Handicap, CAN-G2, winner Passion for Action, by Speightstown). In addition, Emery Board is a half sister to Jealous and Jaded (by Jade Hunter), dam of 2009 Black-Eyed Susan (USA-G2) winner Payton d’Oro (by Medaglia d’Oro).
Emery Board and her siblings are out of 1986 Tempted Stakes (USA-G3) winner Cosmic Tiger (by 1978 Sapling Stakes, USA-G1, winner Tim the Tiger, by Nashua), a half sister to the minor stakes winner El Perico (by Drone) and to Hawaiian Joss (by Hawaii), dam of 1994 Gardenia Handicap (USA-G3) winner Alphabulous (by Alphabatim; dam of restricted stakes winner Fabulous Broad, by Broad Brush). Cosmic Tiger is also a half sister to Heavenly Storm (by Storm Bird), dam of German listed stakes winner Henessy (by Alkalde), and to Codetogo (by Lost Code), dam of stakes winner Cedar Knolls (by Broad Brush). Produced from the winner Cosmic Law (by Delta Judge), Cosmic Tiger is from a family tracing back to the mid-twentieth-century foundation mare Your Hostess.
A big, long-striding filly, Seismic Beauty was given plenty of time to grow into her frame without being pushed, and that time appears to have paid off. She will likely step up to Grade 1 company in her next outing, and the results of that race will probably go a long way in determining whether she will play a part in this season's year-end championships.
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