A savory herb from the mint family, marjoram adds an often overlooked but tasty note of its own to soups, stews, vegetables, and poultry dishes. The herb’s namesake filly, Marjoram, also belongs to a noteworthy family, and if her performance in last Saturday’s Senorita Stakes (USA-G3) is any indication, she may be on the verge of adding her own sort of distinction to the family annals.
Unleashing a sharp kick between horses in the stretch of the 6½ furlong race on Santa Anita’s famous downhill course, Marjoram put the memory of a terrible trip in her first venture over the course behind her as she nipped favored Light Won Up on the wire. The winner of two of her three lifetime starts and with excuses aplenty in the other, the daughter of Quality Road appears to have a bright future in the sprint ranks for breeder-owner Juddmonte Farms and trainer Michael McCarthy.
A full sister to 2025 Mahony Stakes (USA-G3) winner Spiced Up, who likewise scored his biggest win going short on turf, Marjoram is from the family of Coup de Genie, which, in turn, is a branch of a most distinguished clan tracing back through Coup de Folie, Raise the Standard, and Natalma—all modern matriarchs in their own right—to Almahmoud, perhaps the most important American-born mare of the twentieth century. Sired by Mr. Prospector and, thus, a full sister to 1989 French champion juvenile male and important sire Machiavellian, Coup de Genie was rated the best French juvenile of her sex after winning the 1993 Prix Morny (FR-G1) and Prix de la Salamandre (FR-G1) against colts, and her success in the breeding shed was also a close parallel to her brother’s. She produced four stakes winners, headed by 2003 Prix Marcel Boussac (FR-G1) winner Denebola (by Storm Cat), whose granddaughter Senga won the 2019 Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks, FR-G1).
Glia, a daughter of A.P. Indy, couldn’t match Denebola in talent but won listed stakes in both France and the United States and was G2-placed. She produced six foals, of which the most important has been her firstborn, the Touch Gold mare Soothing Touch. Unable to win in six starts, Soothing Touch produced multiple Grade 1 winner Emollient (by Empire Maker) as her first foal, and Emollient is, in turn, the dam of 2022 Prix de Malleret (FR-G2) winner Raclette (by Frankel) and French listed stakes winner Ardent (by Frankel). Soothing Touch is also the dam of the stakes-winning half brothers Courtier (by Pioneerof the Nile) and Hofburg (by Tapit), both of which are showing promise as sires in South America.
Soothing Touch is also the dam of daughters who are breeding on, most notably Emollient’s full sister, Calm Water. Unable to win in eight tries, Calm Water is the dam of 2024 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner Laurel River (by Into Mischief), a fragile but talented horse who is now at stud in Japan. Cardamom, a two-time winner by Pioneerof the Nile, hasn’t been represented by anything in that league yet, but with Spiced Up and Marjoram already on her produce record, she is off to an excellent start. Since Marjoram’s birth, she has foaled the 2024 Into Mischief filly Velvet Spice (who has yet to race) and has a yearling colt and a suckling filly by Flightline.
So far, Marjoram’s speed figures have improved with every start of her brief career, and there is no evidence that she has reached her ceiling yet. If she continues improving, she may be a spicy addition to a lively female sprint division, as well as an excellent future addition to the Juddmonte broodmare band.
Unleashing a sharp kick between horses in the stretch of the 6½ furlong race on Santa Anita’s famous downhill course, Marjoram put the memory of a terrible trip in her first venture over the course behind her as she nipped favored Light Won Up on the wire. The winner of two of her three lifetime starts and with excuses aplenty in the other, the daughter of Quality Road appears to have a bright future in the sprint ranks for breeder-owner Juddmonte Farms and trainer Michael McCarthy.
A full sister to 2025 Mahony Stakes (USA-G3) winner Spiced Up, who likewise scored his biggest win going short on turf, Marjoram is from the family of Coup de Genie, which, in turn, is a branch of a most distinguished clan tracing back through Coup de Folie, Raise the Standard, and Natalma—all modern matriarchs in their own right—to Almahmoud, perhaps the most important American-born mare of the twentieth century. Sired by Mr. Prospector and, thus, a full sister to 1989 French champion juvenile male and important sire Machiavellian, Coup de Genie was rated the best French juvenile of her sex after winning the 1993 Prix Morny (FR-G1) and Prix de la Salamandre (FR-G1) against colts, and her success in the breeding shed was also a close parallel to her brother’s. She produced four stakes winners, headed by 2003 Prix Marcel Boussac (FR-G1) winner Denebola (by Storm Cat), whose granddaughter Senga won the 2019 Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks, FR-G1).
Glia, a daughter of A.P. Indy, couldn’t match Denebola in talent but won listed stakes in both France and the United States and was G2-placed. She produced six foals, of which the most important has been her firstborn, the Touch Gold mare Soothing Touch. Unable to win in six starts, Soothing Touch produced multiple Grade 1 winner Emollient (by Empire Maker) as her first foal, and Emollient is, in turn, the dam of 2022 Prix de Malleret (FR-G2) winner Raclette (by Frankel) and French listed stakes winner Ardent (by Frankel). Soothing Touch is also the dam of the stakes-winning half brothers Courtier (by Pioneerof the Nile) and Hofburg (by Tapit), both of which are showing promise as sires in South America.
Soothing Touch is also the dam of daughters who are breeding on, most notably Emollient’s full sister, Calm Water. Unable to win in eight tries, Calm Water is the dam of 2024 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner Laurel River (by Into Mischief), a fragile but talented horse who is now at stud in Japan. Cardamom, a two-time winner by Pioneerof the Nile, hasn’t been represented by anything in that league yet, but with Spiced Up and Marjoram already on her produce record, she is off to an excellent start. Since Marjoram’s birth, she has foaled the 2024 Into Mischief filly Velvet Spice (who has yet to race) and has a yearling colt and a suckling filly by Flightline.
So far, Marjoram’s speed figures have improved with every start of her brief career, and there is no evidence that she has reached her ceiling yet. If she continues improving, she may be a spicy addition to a lively female sprint division, as well as an excellent future addition to the Juddmonte broodmare band.
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