June 28 brought one of the most spectacular cards of the Argentine racing season, the Gran Premios Estrellas, which are the national equivalent of the Breeders’ Cup. Hosted this year at Palermo, the seven races of the Estrellas—six of them at Group 1 level—will undoubtedly have a significant effect on 2025 voting in the Pellegrini Awards, Argentina’s year-end championships. The impact is particularly heavy on the juvenile divisions, whose members became 3-year-olds on July 1.
Charm, winner of the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile Fillies (ARG-G1), has already been profiled in connection with her win in the Gran Premio de Potrancas (ARG-G1) (see “Mares on Monday: A Charming Contender for a Pellegrini Award," June 1, 2025) and may well have sealed the two-year-old filly championship. Now a Group 1 winner on dirt and turf, her only misstep was a second-place finish in the Premio Eliseo Ramirez (ARG-G2), a half-length behind Tiz Joy.
Drive Joy, winner of the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile (ARG-G1), has less of a lock on his division, as he was soundly beaten into third last out in the Gran Criterium (ARG-G1). Nevertheless, he looked quite solid in his dirt debut after making his first four starts on turf, and he previously won the Premio Raul y Raul E. Chevalier (ARG-G2) on the grass in April. He also has a pedigree that suggests that he will be an intriguing Classic prospect to watch in the 2025/26 season for Argentine-3-year-olds, with an intriguing Canadian connection through his female family.
Drive Joy is by Grade 1-placed Fortify, a son of Distorted Humor who has finished six times among Argentina’s top five sires and is currently second on the 2025 general sire list. His firepower as a sire may be partly due to his wonderful female family, which is a branch of the fabulous La Troienne clan developed by Ogden Phipps and then by William S. Farish. Fortify’s male line, which traces back to Mr. Prospector through Forty Niner, includes the South American champion sires Roar (Argentina), Jules (Brazil), and Apprentice (Peru) as well as the important Argentine sire and broodmare sire Luhuk.
Drive Joy’s broodmare sire is another overachieving stallion, 2001 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner City Zip, a Carson City half brother to Ghostzapper who was noted for his versatility as a sire. But there is nothing overachieving about Drive Joy’s female family. Descended from 1973 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Square Angel, this matriarchy has not previously had Group 1 success in Argentina, but it has accomplished plenty elsewhere in the world.
A strong-bodied daughter of 1964 Belmont Stakes winner Quadrangle, Square Angel was produced from one of E. P. Taylor’s foundation mares, Nangela, who could trace her tail-female line back to the great English race mare Pretty Polly. Square Angel was no Pretty Polly, but after being sold to General Preston Gilbride for CAN$20,000 as a yearling, she had enough talent to win the 1973 Canadian Oaks and three other Canadian stakes races. Taylor, knowing a good broodmare prospect when he saw one, repurchased her following her racing career and bred four stakes-winning daughters from her, three of whom went on to be Grade/Group 1 producers.
Pride of place among Square Angel’s daughters surely belongs to Kamar (by Key to the Mint), who followed in her dam’s hoof prints by winning the 1979 Canadian Oaks and a Sovereign Award as Canadian champion 3-year-old filly. She was still better as a producer, earning honors as the 1990 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year after foaling 1984 Canadian champion 3-year-old male Key to the Moon (by Wajima), multiple Grade 1 winner Gorgeous (by Slew o’ Gold), 1990 Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) winner Seaside Attraction (by Seattle Slew), and 1986 Princess Margaret Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Hiaam (by Alydar). All three of Kamar’s stakes-winning daughters have had importance as broodmares, and their descendants have taken Grade/Group 1 races in England, France, and the United Stakes.
Kamar’s 1989 Nijinsky II filly, Jood, was much less accomplished as a racer, posting two thirds while racing in England, but she more than made up for that in the paddocks by producing 2001 European Horse of the Year Fantastic Light (by Rahy) and listed stakes winner Hi Dubai (by Rahy). Jood’s daughters have successfully transplanted Kamar’s family into the Southern Hemisphere. Drive Joy is the only foal of Hi Dubai’s French-bred daughter Zip Drive (by City Zip), but Jood is also the dam of Wanice (by Mr. Prospector), dam of multiple Argentine listed winner Anees (by Harlan’s Holiday) and second dam of 2013 B.T.C. Cup Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Your Song (by Fastnet Rock). In addition, Jood is the dam of Daanet al Dunya (by Rahy), dam of 2015 Pago Pago Stakes (AUS-G2) winner Tarquin (by Hard Spun) and second dam of multiple Australian Group 2 winner Character.
Just how much distance Drive Joy will want may be open to some question, but he is obviously fully capable at a mile, and Kamar’s family has repeatedly shown the ability to go classic distances. He will be one to keep an eye on as the foals of the 2022 Argentine crop moves toward their country’s Classics.
Charm, winner of the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile Fillies (ARG-G1), has already been profiled in connection with her win in the Gran Premio de Potrancas (ARG-G1) (see “Mares on Monday: A Charming Contender for a Pellegrini Award," June 1, 2025) and may well have sealed the two-year-old filly championship. Now a Group 1 winner on dirt and turf, her only misstep was a second-place finish in the Premio Eliseo Ramirez (ARG-G2), a half-length behind Tiz Joy.
Drive Joy, winner of the Gran Premio Estrellas Juvenile (ARG-G1), has less of a lock on his division, as he was soundly beaten into third last out in the Gran Criterium (ARG-G1). Nevertheless, he looked quite solid in his dirt debut after making his first four starts on turf, and he previously won the Premio Raul y Raul E. Chevalier (ARG-G2) on the grass in April. He also has a pedigree that suggests that he will be an intriguing Classic prospect to watch in the 2025/26 season for Argentine-3-year-olds, with an intriguing Canadian connection through his female family.
Drive Joy is by Grade 1-placed Fortify, a son of Distorted Humor who has finished six times among Argentina’s top five sires and is currently second on the 2025 general sire list. His firepower as a sire may be partly due to his wonderful female family, which is a branch of the fabulous La Troienne clan developed by Ogden Phipps and then by William S. Farish. Fortify’s male line, which traces back to Mr. Prospector through Forty Niner, includes the South American champion sires Roar (Argentina), Jules (Brazil), and Apprentice (Peru) as well as the important Argentine sire and broodmare sire Luhuk.
Drive Joy’s broodmare sire is another overachieving stallion, 2001 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner City Zip, a Carson City half brother to Ghostzapper who was noted for his versatility as a sire. But there is nothing overachieving about Drive Joy’s female family. Descended from 1973 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Square Angel, this matriarchy has not previously had Group 1 success in Argentina, but it has accomplished plenty elsewhere in the world.
A strong-bodied daughter of 1964 Belmont Stakes winner Quadrangle, Square Angel was produced from one of E. P. Taylor’s foundation mares, Nangela, who could trace her tail-female line back to the great English race mare Pretty Polly. Square Angel was no Pretty Polly, but after being sold to General Preston Gilbride for CAN$20,000 as a yearling, she had enough talent to win the 1973 Canadian Oaks and three other Canadian stakes races. Taylor, knowing a good broodmare prospect when he saw one, repurchased her following her racing career and bred four stakes-winning daughters from her, three of whom went on to be Grade/Group 1 producers.
Pride of place among Square Angel’s daughters surely belongs to Kamar (by Key to the Mint), who followed in her dam’s hoof prints by winning the 1979 Canadian Oaks and a Sovereign Award as Canadian champion 3-year-old filly. She was still better as a producer, earning honors as the 1990 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year after foaling 1984 Canadian champion 3-year-old male Key to the Moon (by Wajima), multiple Grade 1 winner Gorgeous (by Slew o’ Gold), 1990 Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) winner Seaside Attraction (by Seattle Slew), and 1986 Princess Margaret Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Hiaam (by Alydar). All three of Kamar’s stakes-winning daughters have had importance as broodmares, and their descendants have taken Grade/Group 1 races in England, France, and the United Stakes.
Kamar’s 1989 Nijinsky II filly, Jood, was much less accomplished as a racer, posting two thirds while racing in England, but she more than made up for that in the paddocks by producing 2001 European Horse of the Year Fantastic Light (by Rahy) and listed stakes winner Hi Dubai (by Rahy). Jood’s daughters have successfully transplanted Kamar’s family into the Southern Hemisphere. Drive Joy is the only foal of Hi Dubai’s French-bred daughter Zip Drive (by City Zip), but Jood is also the dam of Wanice (by Mr. Prospector), dam of multiple Argentine listed winner Anees (by Harlan’s Holiday) and second dam of 2013 B.T.C. Cup Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Your Song (by Fastnet Rock). In addition, Jood is the dam of Daanet al Dunya (by Rahy), dam of 2015 Pago Pago Stakes (AUS-G2) winner Tarquin (by Hard Spun) and second dam of multiple Australian Group 2 winner Character.
Just how much distance Drive Joy will want may be open to some question, but he is obviously fully capable at a mile, and Kamar’s family has repeatedly shown the ability to go classic distances. He will be one to keep an eye on as the foals of the 2022 Argentine crop moves toward their country’s Classics.
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