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Mares on Monday: My Mane Squeeze Heats Things Up for Cool Mood

9/23/2024

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​My Mane Squeeze is not a top-class filly, but she is excellent evidence that a combination of solid talent and smart spotting can create a creditable and profitable racing career. Starting out in New York-bred company, she won four of six starts including three consecutive stakes wins before finding upper-tier open company and perhaps the 9-furlong distance a bit too tough for her in the Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2), in which she was eighth. Wisely steering away from the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1), trainer Michael Maker spotted her in the Eight Belles Stakes presented by Sysco (USA-G2) on the Oaks undercard and saw her come home first by two lengths at a shade under 7-1 odds.

It has taken four more tries for My Mane Squeeze to come back to the winner’s circle, but she has grabbed a check in every race since the Eight Belles and earned a Grade 1 placing to boot. On September 21, she finally took the lioness’s share of the purse in the Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes (USA-G3) and did so with a flourish, winning the 7-furlong test by five lengths. Her lifetime record is now 12-6-1-3 with earnings of US$988,460 for owner-breeder William Butler and his partner, WinStar Farm.

A daughter of 2018 Xpressbet Florida Derby (USA-G1) winner Audible (by Into Mischief), My Mane Squeeze is a fifth-generation descendant of 1969 Canadian Oaks winner Cool Mood. A daughter of Northern Dancer out of 1954 Acorn Stakes winner Happy Mood, by Mahmoud, Cool Mood was inbred 4x2 to Mahmoud and had a good bit of the toughness and soundness associated with that sire’s progeny, making 41 starts over three seasons of racing. As a producer, she distinguished herself by throwing two Canadian Broodmares of the Year in Shy Spirit (by Personality) and Passing Mood (by Buckpasser). Together, these two half sisters accounted for Canadian Triple Crown winners With Approval (Caro x Passing Mood) and Izvestia (Icecapade x Shy Spirit) and six other stakes winners.

Cool Mood had three other stakes-producing daughters, among them the 1977 Apalachee mare Moody Maiden. Much less talented than her dam, Moody Maiden won just one of her 16 starts. She produced six winners from her nine foals with the last of them, the Tejabo filly Nothing Special, proving to be an improvement on her name. In a 30-start career, Nothing Special won a restricted stakes race at Laurel, placed in six other stakes races including the 1999 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (USA-G2), and earned US$266,590. In addition to that, Nothing Special improved on her dam’s produce record with eight winners from her 11 foals, including 2010 Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1) winner Haynesfield (by Speightstown).

Mama Theresa, Nothing Special’s 2003 filly by Carson City, wasn’t a patch on Haynesfield, but she placed in a couple of stakes for New York-breds and amassed earnings of US$240,898 during a 25-start career, good enough to rank her as the second best of her dam’s runners. As such, she was a good bargain for Butler, who paid US$65,000 for her at the 2005 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. Since the end of her racing career, Mama Theresa has produced seven New York-bred winners for Butler that have collectively earned US$1,122,285 in purses, not to mention awards from the New York-bred program. The best of the group on the track is the 2017 Freud mare A Freud of Mama, the winner of two New York-bred stakes and third in the 2019 Matron Stakes (USA-G3). Three of Mama Theresa’s daughters have produced winners for Butler including In Spite of Mama (by Speightstown), who produced six-time New York-bred stakes winner Rotknee (by Runhappy) as her second foal and My Mane Squeeze as her fourth.

As a prospective foundation mare, Mama Theresa would not have garnered any interest from a big-name program, but for a regional breeder like Butler, she is a jewel: a consistent producer of winners and of daughters that can produce winners. That two of her daughters are now stakes producers, with one the dam of a multiple graded stakes winner, is icing on a very sweet cake. Add in the fact that My Mane Squeeze will very likely become a millionaire in her next start, and it seems safe to say that, in New York at least, a family that began with a cool mood has become quite hot.
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Mares on Monday: G1 Dreams Come True in France and Canada

9/16/2024

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​Few mares can claim two new Grade/Group 1 winners from their families within the space of a week, but Chapel of Dreams has just joined that number. On September 8, her great-grandson Tribalist earned his first Group 1 score with an upset in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (FR-G1). On September 14, another great-grandson, Win for the Money pulled an upset of his own in the Rogers Woodbine Mile Stakes (CAN-G1).

A parlay on these two horses would have yielded a pretty payoff; Tribalist was 25-1 in the Moulin, while Win for the Money went off at 13.65-to-1. But for Chapel of Dreams, the odds were a lot shorter that she would come up with another top-level winner among her descendants before too long. Her family is relatively young but has already been a marked presence on the international scene.

Chapel of Dreams had every right to become both a good race mare and an important broodmare. A half sister to the brilliant Storm Cat (by Storm Bird), who won the 1985 Young America Stakes (USA-G1) and ran second by inches in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (USA-G1) before becoming a two-time American champion sire and seven-time American champion juvenile sire, she is by the breed-shaping sire Northern Dancer out of multiple Grade 2 winner and “Genetic Gem” Terlingua, by Secretariat out of the wickedly fast Crimson Saint. Chapel of Dreams’s other close relatives include multiple Grade/Group 1 winner and successful international sire Royal Academy (Nijinsky II x Crimson Saint) and Pioneering (Mr. Prospector x Terlingua), a good sire in the United States and Brazil.

Less precocious but more durable than Storm Cat, Chapel of Dreams made 24 starts, winning seven, and reached her peak as a 4-year-old of 1988. That year, she won five stakes races including the Palomar Handicap (USA-G2) at Del Mar and the Wilshire Handicap (USA-G2) at Hollywood. At season’s end, the Daily Racing Form rated her at 8 pounds below American champion turf female Miesque on its Free Handicap for the turf female division. She was at her best from a mile to a mile and one-sixteenth but placed three times in Grade 1 races over a mile and one-eighth.

As a producer of black-type winners, Chapel of Dreams was a disappointment. Of her 10 named foals, seven started and six won, but none earned stakes brackets. Her strength as a broodmare was not in the production of top racehorses but as a source of good broodmares. Of her six daughters, four became the dams of graded or Group stakes winners, and all four have had at least one daughter go on to produce a graded or Group stakes winner of her own.

Of the daughters of Chapel of Dreams, Wiener Wald has been the most prolific source of stakes winners. A 1992 daughter of Woodman, Wiener Wald failed to gain a placing in five tries but made up for it by producing 2008 Racing Post Trophy (ENG-G1) winner Crowded House (by Rainbow Quest) and his listed-stakes-winning full brother On Reflection. She is also the dam of the Silver Hawk mare Argent du Bois, whose nine named foals include 2004 American Invitational Oaks (USA-G1) winner Ticker Tape (by Royal Applause; second dam of English Group 2 winners Skims, by Frankel, and War Decree, by War Front) and 2017 Prix Maurice de Gheest (FR-G1) winner Brando (by Pivotal). Through her stakes-placed daughter Sant Elena (by Efisio), Argent du Bois is the second dam of 2012 Prix Morny (FR-G1) winner Reckless Abandon (by Exchange Rate) and French Group 3 winner Erasmo (by Oasis Dream).

2024 has been a fruitful year for Wiener Wald’s branch of the family, as two more of her daughters have contributed to the production of top-level horses this year. One is Bering Island (by Bering), the second dam of Champions Mile (HK-G1) winner Beauty Eternal (Starspangledbanner x Ithacan Queen, by Savabeel x Bering Island). The other is Fair Daughter (by Nathaniel), who produced Tribalist as her first foal after being covered by Farhh.

Win for the Money descends from another daughter of Chapel of Dreams, Child Bride (by Coronado’s Quest). The youngest of Chapel of Dreams’s daughters, Child Bride produced 2011 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (USA-G2) winner Juniper Pass (by Lemon Drop Kid). Win for the Money, a son of the Tapit horse Mohaymen, is Child Bride’s grandson through her War Chant daughter Mayakoba and is a half brother to multiple stakes winner Price Talk (by Kitten’s Joy).

At this time, it is not inconceivable that Tribalist and Win for the Money may meet up in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1), which is said to be under consideration by the connections of both. A win by either would reflect great credit on their mutual great-granddam, who if not herself 100 percent the stuff that dreams are made of has, through her daughters, proven herself to be the stuff that dreams can be built on.
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Mares on Monday: Tenma Continues Anne Campbell's Success with Juveniles in Del Mar Debutante

9/9/2024

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​Following her win in the Sorrento Stakes (USA-G3), Nooni was expected to be the headliner in the FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante Stakes (USA-G1) on September 7 at Del Mar. Instead, it was her less-heralded stablemate Tenma who got the job done for trainer Bob Baffert, running down Vodka With a Twist in the final strides to win by a nose. She is now two-for-two lifetime with career earnings of US$225,000, still some way from winning out the US$850,000 she cost Baoma Corporation when purchased from the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Bred by celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s B Flay Thoroughbreds, Tenma is a daughter of 2015 American champion 2-year-old male and 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1) winner Nyquist. Tenma is her sire’s fourth Grade 1 winner of 2024, following Shoemaker Mile Stakes winner Johannes, Ogden Phipps Stakes Presented by Ford winner Randomized, and Spinaway Stakes winner Immersive.

On her distaff side, Tenma is a fifth-generation descendant of 1999 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Anne Campbell. An attractive, sweet-natured mare who was a minor stakes winner in Florida during her own racing days. Anne Campbell earned her honors by producing multiple Grade 1 winners Desert Wine (by Damascus) and Menifee (by Harlan), the latter a huge stud success in South Korea. She also produced English listed stakes winner Arsaan (by Nureyev), dam of multiple Chilean Group 2 winner Rock Star Show (by Lear Fan) and second dam of 2013 Majorica Stakes (SAF-G1) winner Blueridge Mountain (by Giant’s Causeway).

Mr. P’s Princess, Anne Campbell’s 1993 daughter by Mr. Prospector, never raced but became her best producing daughter. The dam of 2000 European champion 2-year-old male Fasliyev (by Nureyev) and 2006 Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Kamarinskaya (by Storm Cat), she also produced Butterfly Cove. A full sister to Kamarinskaya, Butterfly Cove never raced but is the dam of 2010 European champion 2-year-old filly Misty for Me (by Galileo) and 2015 Prix Marcel Boussac-Criterium des Pouliches (FR-G1) winner Ballydoyle (by Galileo). The former is the dam of 2017 European champion 2-year-old male U S Navy Flag (by War Front), multiple Group 1 winner Roly Poly (by War Front), 2016 Autumn Miss Stakes (USA-G3) winner Cover Song (by Fastnet Rock), and listed Irish stakes winner Greenfinch (by Justify). The latter is the dam of 2023 Snow Fairy Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Red Riding Hood (by Justify) and listed Irish stakes winner Monday (by Fastnet Rock).

Twirl, a full sister to Misty for Me and Ballydoyle, was not as talented a racer, winning a listed Irish stakes and placing twice in Group 3 races. She was also less distinguished as a producer, with only one winner from five named foals of racing age, but her unraced 2017 daughter by Tapit, Amagansett, came through by producing Tenma as her first foal. Herself an US$875,000 purchase for Bobby Flay from the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale, Amagansett has since produced a 2023 colt by Munnings that is cataloged as Hip 1069 at this year’s Keeneland September sale and may well supply some fireworks on day four. The mare proved barren to her 2023 mating with Not This Time and was sold to Japanese interests for US$400,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November mixed sale.

Given the history of the branch of Anne Campbell’s family that traces through Mr. P’s Princess and with a juvenile champion as a sire, it should surprise no one that Tenma has proven a high-class 2-year-old. The question now is whether she can build on her success and become the fourth member of her immediate family to earn a juvenile championship. The next two months will tell.
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Mares on Monday: Ando Soltera Is a Beauty in Chile

9/2/2024

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​On August 31, Ando Soltera streaked across the line first in the second leg of Chile’s Triple Crown for fillies, the Premio Mil Guineas Maria Luisa Solari (CHI-G1). Bred and owned by Haras Dadinco, the filly rebounded neatly from a ninth-place run in the Premio Arturo Lyon P. (CHI-G1) to run her record to four wins from five starts.

Ando Soltera is the first Grade/Group 1 winner for Scat Daddy’s son Flameaway, who is represented by six stakes winners thus far in 2024. A dual Grade 3 winner over 8.5 furlongs during his own racing days, Flameaway is out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare Vulcan Rose, whose granddam is Flame of Tara, discussed in more detail in connection with Kin’s Concerto’s win in the Woodbine Oaks (CAN-R) (see “Mares on Monday: Kin’s Concerto Shows Spark of an Old Flame in Woodbine Oaks,” July 22, 2024).

On the dam’s side, Ando Soltera is a fourth-generation descendant of 1982 American champion sprinter Gold Beauty, a daughter of Mr. Prospector who inherited much of her sire’s brilliant speed. She died when she was only 11, but not before producing two high-class runners. One was Dayjur (by Danzig), whose brilliance was such that he earned champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year honors in England in 1990 in addition to a title as the year’s champion English sprinter. The other was Maplejinsky (by Nijinsky II), who proved herself to be one of the best American sophomore fillies of 1988 by winning the Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1) and the Alabama Stakes (USA-G1).

Maplejinsky produced only one stakes winner, but that stakes winner was 1994 American champion older female Sky Beauty (by Blushing Groom), herself the dam of English Group 3 winner and successful Argentine sire Hurricane Cat (by Storm Cat) and the third dam of 2015 Indian Horse of the Year Quasar (by Seeking the Dia) and 2012 CashCall Futurity (USA-G1) winner Violence (by Medaglia d’Oro. Maplejinsky is also the dam of Our Country Place (by Pleasant Colony), dam of 2005 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1) winner Pleasant Home and two-time First Flight Handicap (USA-G2) winner Country Hideaway (both by Seeking the Gold); second dam of multiple Grade 1 winners Pine Island (by Arch) and Point of Entry (by Dynaformer); and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Guarana (by Ghostzapper). In addition, Maplejinsky is the dam of Silence Beauty (by Sunday Silence), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati and 2017 Westchester Stakes (USA-G3) winner Tale of Silence, both by Tale of the Cat.

Crimson Maple, Maplejinsky’s 2003 daughter by Blushing Groom’s son Rahy, is closely related to Sky Beauty but was not so talented. A winner on the track, she is the dam of multiple stakes winner Goldwood (by Medaglia d’Oro). She also produced unraced Malibu Maple (by Malibu Moon), who was exported to Chile in 2016. For Haras Dadinca, Malibu Maple produced multiple Chilean Group 2 winner Toy Soltero and Ando Soltera as her second and third foals. Waiting in the wings is Ando Soltera’s 2022 full brother Bacan Soltero, as yet unraced.

There are several months of racing remaining prior to Chile’s top race for 3-year-old fillies, Las Oaks (Chilean Oaks, CHI-G1), which traditionally runs late in December. On paper, Ando Soltera looks like a reasonably good candidate to stay out the 2000-meter distance, even though she appeared to lose enthusiasm while well out in front during the final furlong of the 1600-meler Mil Guineas. That appeared to be more a matter of mental maturity than tiring, however, though her half brother Toy Soltero (perhaps showing the influence of his sire, the Storm Cat horse Van Nistelrooy) is essentially a miler. Regardless, Ando Soltera has already proven herself a credit to her family, and any future triumphs will only add luster to an already beautiful pedigree.
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    Author

    I'm Avalyn Hunter, an author, pedigree researcher and longtime racing fan with a particular interest in Thoroughbred mares and their contributions to the history of the breed.

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