On March 2, White Abarrio guaranteed himself a slot in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1) with a businesslike win in the Curlin Florida Derby (USA-G1). While many observers have noted that Charge It might have won if he had raced less greenly in the stretch, White Abarrio still stands as the winner and is the latest major star for a family that has been producing good horses for some time.
A son of the Tapit stallion Race Day (a multiple Grade 2 winner over 9 furlongs), White Abarrio is from the female family of the Coaltown mare Miss Newcastle. This family was reviewed in 2019 and 2020 (see "Mares on Monday: A Graded Stakes Double Puts Coals on the Fire for Miss Newcastle," September 30, 2019, and "Mares on Monday: Dr. Post Might Kick Off a Fiesta," April 27, 2020), but in view of White Abarrio's accomplishment, an update on the branch of the family tracing to Miss Newcastle's daughter Faneuil Girl seems to be in order.
Sired by the prolific Nantallah stallion Bolinas Boy, Faneuil Girl was a full sister to multiple stakes winners Faneuil Hall and Faneuil Boy, but the best she could do on the track was a placing in a small stakes at Ruidoso Downs as a 2-year-old. She was a much better producer than racer, foaling five stakes winners including 1984 Matron Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fiesta Lady (by Secretariat). Fiesta Lady did not train on at 3 and was a disappointing broodmare but is the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Thorn Song (by Unbridled's Song) and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Mary Delaney (by Hennessy), dam in turn of multiple Grade 3 winner Dr. Post (by Quality Road).
The second-best runner among Faneuil Girl's foals was Faneuil Lass, who won the 1982 Princess Stakes (USA-G3) and Railbird Stakes (USA-G3) at Hollywood as a 3-year-old. Sired by the obscure Somebody II (whose sire, the Court Martial horse Wilkes, was a three-time champion sire in Australia), Faneuil Lass produced 1989 Los Angeles Handicap (USA-G3) winner Sam Who (by Lypheor). More importantly for the future, she produced Breeze Lass, whose sire, 1976 Queens County Handicap (USA-G3) winner It's Freezing (by T. V. Commercial) was an honest., hardy racehorse and a prolific sire of hard-knocking winners.
Breeze Lass raced only twice, winning once, so she was not exactly a sterling example of her sire's hardiness. She was, however, a prolific broodmare, producing 13 named foals. All of those foals started, and 11 were winners. Most had a bit of speed, though not much class; the best of the bunch as a racehorse was Afleet Lass (by Northern Afleet), who won a minor stakes at Calder and was listed-placed before producing stakes winner Honor the Fleet (by To Honor and Serve).
Breeze Lass produced three broodmare daughters of some importance. The most accomplished has been Irmadohomemra (by Candy Stripes, an important Argentine-based son of Blushing Groom), who produced five Brazilian stakes winners including multiple Group 1 winner Juno (by Setembro Chove, a Group 1-winning son of the Mr. Prospector horse Fast Gold), the Brazilian champion 2-year-old filly of 2014/2015. Juno was unable to transfer her best form to North America but placed in three graded stakes at Santa Anita. Through another daughter, Group 2-placed Emily (by Confidential Talk), Irmadohomemra is the second dam of 2017 Grande Prêmio Immensity (BRZ-G1) winner Love 'n' Happiness (by Setembro Chove).
Breeze Lass's second important broodmare daughter is Bluegrass Belle (by Unbridled's Song), dam of 2019 Eddie D. Stakes (USA-G2) winner Pee Wee Reese (by Tribal Rule). The third is Grand Breeze (by multiple Grade 1 winner Grand Slam, by Gone West). The dam of Cool Cowboy (by Kodiak Kowboy), a multiple Group 3 winner in Dubai, Grand Breeze is the second dam of White Abarrio through her daughter Catching Diamonds (by Into Mischief), who was bred at age 3 after running unplaced three times and produced White Abarrio as her first foal. The first daughter of Into Mischief to produce a Grade 1 winner, Catching Diamonds has since produced Cage Match, a 2020 colt by Gormley, and a 2021 colt by Lord Nelson. She was bred to Lord Nelson for 2022.
While White Abarrio has proven himself capable at up to 9 furlongs, his ability to get one more furlong in top company may be open to question, given that Faneuil Girl's family has been more inclined to produce horses adept at sprint and intermediate distances than those preferring longer trips. A final furlong run in :14.09 after a reasonably paced journey is also not too reassuring for a horse seeking to stretch out for a longer trip. Still, he has done what has been asked of him up until now with competence, and that is enough to make White Abarrio both a legitimate Kentucky Derby horse and the latest star from a solid family that keeps on quietly producing good runners.
A son of the Tapit stallion Race Day (a multiple Grade 2 winner over 9 furlongs), White Abarrio is from the female family of the Coaltown mare Miss Newcastle. This family was reviewed in 2019 and 2020 (see "Mares on Monday: A Graded Stakes Double Puts Coals on the Fire for Miss Newcastle," September 30, 2019, and "Mares on Monday: Dr. Post Might Kick Off a Fiesta," April 27, 2020), but in view of White Abarrio's accomplishment, an update on the branch of the family tracing to Miss Newcastle's daughter Faneuil Girl seems to be in order.
Sired by the prolific Nantallah stallion Bolinas Boy, Faneuil Girl was a full sister to multiple stakes winners Faneuil Hall and Faneuil Boy, but the best she could do on the track was a placing in a small stakes at Ruidoso Downs as a 2-year-old. She was a much better producer than racer, foaling five stakes winners including 1984 Matron Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fiesta Lady (by Secretariat). Fiesta Lady did not train on at 3 and was a disappointing broodmare but is the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Thorn Song (by Unbridled's Song) and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Mary Delaney (by Hennessy), dam in turn of multiple Grade 3 winner Dr. Post (by Quality Road).
The second-best runner among Faneuil Girl's foals was Faneuil Lass, who won the 1982 Princess Stakes (USA-G3) and Railbird Stakes (USA-G3) at Hollywood as a 3-year-old. Sired by the obscure Somebody II (whose sire, the Court Martial horse Wilkes, was a three-time champion sire in Australia), Faneuil Lass produced 1989 Los Angeles Handicap (USA-G3) winner Sam Who (by Lypheor). More importantly for the future, she produced Breeze Lass, whose sire, 1976 Queens County Handicap (USA-G3) winner It's Freezing (by T. V. Commercial) was an honest., hardy racehorse and a prolific sire of hard-knocking winners.
Breeze Lass raced only twice, winning once, so she was not exactly a sterling example of her sire's hardiness. She was, however, a prolific broodmare, producing 13 named foals. All of those foals started, and 11 were winners. Most had a bit of speed, though not much class; the best of the bunch as a racehorse was Afleet Lass (by Northern Afleet), who won a minor stakes at Calder and was listed-placed before producing stakes winner Honor the Fleet (by To Honor and Serve).
Breeze Lass produced three broodmare daughters of some importance. The most accomplished has been Irmadohomemra (by Candy Stripes, an important Argentine-based son of Blushing Groom), who produced five Brazilian stakes winners including multiple Group 1 winner Juno (by Setembro Chove, a Group 1-winning son of the Mr. Prospector horse Fast Gold), the Brazilian champion 2-year-old filly of 2014/2015. Juno was unable to transfer her best form to North America but placed in three graded stakes at Santa Anita. Through another daughter, Group 2-placed Emily (by Confidential Talk), Irmadohomemra is the second dam of 2017 Grande Prêmio Immensity (BRZ-G1) winner Love 'n' Happiness (by Setembro Chove).
Breeze Lass's second important broodmare daughter is Bluegrass Belle (by Unbridled's Song), dam of 2019 Eddie D. Stakes (USA-G2) winner Pee Wee Reese (by Tribal Rule). The third is Grand Breeze (by multiple Grade 1 winner Grand Slam, by Gone West). The dam of Cool Cowboy (by Kodiak Kowboy), a multiple Group 3 winner in Dubai, Grand Breeze is the second dam of White Abarrio through her daughter Catching Diamonds (by Into Mischief), who was bred at age 3 after running unplaced three times and produced White Abarrio as her first foal. The first daughter of Into Mischief to produce a Grade 1 winner, Catching Diamonds has since produced Cage Match, a 2020 colt by Gormley, and a 2021 colt by Lord Nelson. She was bred to Lord Nelson for 2022.
While White Abarrio has proven himself capable at up to 9 furlongs, his ability to get one more furlong in top company may be open to question, given that Faneuil Girl's family has been more inclined to produce horses adept at sprint and intermediate distances than those preferring longer trips. A final furlong run in :14.09 after a reasonably paced journey is also not too reassuring for a horse seeking to stretch out for a longer trip. Still, he has done what has been asked of him up until now with competence, and that is enough to make White Abarrio both a legitimate Kentucky Derby horse and the latest star from a solid family that keeps on quietly producing good runners.
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