Following his powerful win in the Gran Premo Gran Criterium (ARG-G1) on May 25, Caballeriza Grupo 4’s Earth God appears to have laid claim to leadership among Argentina’s juvenile males. The son of Cosmic Trigger has also established himself as the latest star for the family of Empiric, a modern Argentine foundation mare.
Foaled in 1966, Empiric (Voodoo x Empress, by British Empire) had relatively modest antecedents by both bloodlines and racing performance, and she produced only six named foals. Five, though, were fillies, and they proved to be a fountain of class for the breeding program of Haras Abolengo. All five have figured in the pedigrees of multiple major winners in the Southern Hemisphere.
Emboscada, a 1971 daughter of 1967 Polla de Potrillos (Argentine Two Thousand Guineas) winner Gran Atleta, was the first of the quintet, which was later graced by multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Espadana (by El Virtuoso) and stakes winner Escolastica (by Great Host). She produced Encapuchado (by Farnesio), winner of the Premio General Lavalle (ARG-G3), and Argentine stakes winner Escalante (by El Virtuoso). Her daughter Escalada (a full sister to Escalante) made quite a name for herself as a broodmare in Peru, producing 1987 Peruvian Horse of the Year Tex Fina (by Utopico), 1993 Premio O.S.A.F. (PER-G1) winner Tucson, and two other stakes winners. Another daughter, Emece (by Liloy), produced multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Emigrant (by Candy Stripes), and a third, Embouche (by Ringaro), produced 1993 Grande Prêmio Barão de Piracicaba (BRZ-G1) winner Endurance (by Equalize).
Esencia, a full sister to Escalante and Escalada, did not achieve such heights during her own producing career; her best runner was 1996 Premio Loteria Nacional (ARG-G3) winner Esnaola (by Ringaro). Esnaola, though, turned out to be a first-rate broodmare, producing 2005 Argentine champion older female Halo Ola, 2003 Gran Premio Suipacha (ARG-G1) winner and noteworthy speed sire Sebi Halo, and 2009 Gran Premio Estrellas Mile (ARG-G1) winner Snapy Halo, all by Southern Halo. Esnaola is also the second dam of 2012 Premio Fortunato Damiani (ARG-G3) winner Renacere and the third dam of 2024 Premio Arturo R. y Arturo Bullrich (ARG-G2) winner Olimpica Hit.
Esnaola’s full sister Encantada is the dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Encandiladora (by Equalize), whose successes may have inspired the mating of Esencia to Equalize in 1997. The resulting filly, Estadista, managed to won only one of her 11 starts, and her record as a broodmare was not overly inspiring either, as Group 3-placed Easy On (by Easing Along) was the best of her five named foals. Esthetically, Estadista’s 2006 daughter by the Hennessy horse Sunray Spirit, never made it to the track at all, but her multiple Group 3-placed daughter Earthshine has brought this branch of Empiric’s family back to the top by producing Earth God as her fifth foal and fifth winner.
Six generations is a long time for any major family to maintain top-level production, but Empiric’s family still seems to be going strong in Argentina and has also had some high-class representatives in South Africa. This clan is still awaiting its first major breakthrough in North America, but for now, it continues to be an important lineage in the Southern Hemisphere and one that could come up with an international star at any time.
Foaled in 1966, Empiric (Voodoo x Empress, by British Empire) had relatively modest antecedents by both bloodlines and racing performance, and she produced only six named foals. Five, though, were fillies, and they proved to be a fountain of class for the breeding program of Haras Abolengo. All five have figured in the pedigrees of multiple major winners in the Southern Hemisphere.
Emboscada, a 1971 daughter of 1967 Polla de Potrillos (Argentine Two Thousand Guineas) winner Gran Atleta, was the first of the quintet, which was later graced by multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Espadana (by El Virtuoso) and stakes winner Escolastica (by Great Host). She produced Encapuchado (by Farnesio), winner of the Premio General Lavalle (ARG-G3), and Argentine stakes winner Escalante (by El Virtuoso). Her daughter Escalada (a full sister to Escalante) made quite a name for herself as a broodmare in Peru, producing 1987 Peruvian Horse of the Year Tex Fina (by Utopico), 1993 Premio O.S.A.F. (PER-G1) winner Tucson, and two other stakes winners. Another daughter, Emece (by Liloy), produced multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Emigrant (by Candy Stripes), and a third, Embouche (by Ringaro), produced 1993 Grande Prêmio Barão de Piracicaba (BRZ-G1) winner Endurance (by Equalize).
Esencia, a full sister to Escalante and Escalada, did not achieve such heights during her own producing career; her best runner was 1996 Premio Loteria Nacional (ARG-G3) winner Esnaola (by Ringaro). Esnaola, though, turned out to be a first-rate broodmare, producing 2005 Argentine champion older female Halo Ola, 2003 Gran Premio Suipacha (ARG-G1) winner and noteworthy speed sire Sebi Halo, and 2009 Gran Premio Estrellas Mile (ARG-G1) winner Snapy Halo, all by Southern Halo. Esnaola is also the second dam of 2012 Premio Fortunato Damiani (ARG-G3) winner Renacere and the third dam of 2024 Premio Arturo R. y Arturo Bullrich (ARG-G2) winner Olimpica Hit.
Esnaola’s full sister Encantada is the dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Encandiladora (by Equalize), whose successes may have inspired the mating of Esencia to Equalize in 1997. The resulting filly, Estadista, managed to won only one of her 11 starts, and her record as a broodmare was not overly inspiring either, as Group 3-placed Easy On (by Easing Along) was the best of her five named foals. Esthetically, Estadista’s 2006 daughter by the Hennessy horse Sunray Spirit, never made it to the track at all, but her multiple Group 3-placed daughter Earthshine has brought this branch of Empiric’s family back to the top by producing Earth God as her fifth foal and fifth winner.
Six generations is a long time for any major family to maintain top-level production, but Empiric’s family still seems to be going strong in Argentina and has also had some high-class representatives in South Africa. This clan is still awaiting its first major breakthrough in North America, but for now, it continues to be an important lineage in the Southern Hemisphere and one that could come up with an international star at any time.
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