Sookera was a champion when racing, but she was more important for the genetic legacy she left behind. A successful producer during her own broodmare career, she is the second dam of three even more outstanding broodmares in 2006 English Broodmare of the Year Hasili, 2008 English Broodmare of the Year Arrive, and the high-class Brazilian-based matron Dissemble.
Race record
5 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
1977:
Honors
Irish champion 2-year-old filly (1977)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds by Timeform, 8 pounds below the top-rated juvenile filly, Cherry Hinton.
Co-highweight with Fairy Bridge among juvenile fillies on the Irish Free Handicap for juveniles of 1977.
Ranked second among juvenile fillies on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1977, though five pounds below champion Cherry Hinton.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare, Sookera was strongly made with a powerful hind leg.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Sookera produced 13 named foals, of which 10 started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Sookera was bred by the British Bloodstock Agency and Robert Sangster. She raced in Sangster's colors. After beginning her broodmare career for Sangster, she was sold to Juddmonte Farms.
Pedigree notes
Sookera is inbred 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and 5x5x5 to Nasrullah's sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the track and a two-time champion sire in England. She is a half sister to Mexican stakes winner Young Spirit (by Bold Bidder).
Sookera was produced from the winner Irule, whose full sister I Assume produced stakes winner Nile Empress (by Upper Nile). Irule is also a half sister to stakes winner I'll Be Around (by Isgala); to stakes-placed I'm a Pleasure (by What a Pleasure), dam of 1984 Jerome Handicap (USA-G1) winner Is Your Pleasure (by Accipiter) and second dam of five stakes winners including multiple Brazilian Group 1 winner Little Baby Bear, 2000 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (USA-G1) winner I Believe in You, and Grade 3 winner First American (a good sire in Brazil); to I Encompass (by No Robbery), dam of Grade 3 winner I Enclose (by Cormorant) and stakes winner I Take All (by Imasmartee); and to I'm Worldly (by Dr. Fager), dam of 1984 Wood Memorial Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Leroy S. (by Honest Pleasure).
Irule and her siblings were produced from the winning Round Table mare Iaround, a half sister to 1959 Paumonok Handicap winner Isendu (by Inyureye) and multiple stakes winner Ifabody (by Brookfield). Produced from the Heliopolis mare Itsabet, Iaround is also a half sister to Iaway (by Intent), dam of stakes winner Cracker Bon Bon (by Kirrary) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Peanut Butter Onit; to Is Certain (by No Robbery), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Royal (by Young Emperor) and stakes winner In True Form (by Imasmartee); and to Ironically (by Intent), dam of multiple stakes winner Imsodear (by Chieftain) and second dam of 1975 American champion 2-year-old filly Dearly Precious and Grade 3 winners I'm On Top and Immense. Through the last-named mare, Ironically is the ancestress of 2000 European Horse of the Year and three-time American champion sire Giant's Causeway, of three-time Chilean champion sire Tumblebrutus and of European Classic winners Marvellous, Gleneagles, and Joan of Arc.
Last updated: September 26, 2023
Race record
5 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds
1977:
- Won William Hill Cheveley Park Stakes (ENG-G1, 6FT, Newmarket)
- Won Chesham Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Ascot)
- 2nd Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G3, 6FT, The Curragh)
Honors
Irish champion 2-year-old filly (1977)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds by Timeform, 8 pounds below the top-rated juvenile filly, Cherry Hinton.
Co-highweight with Fairy Bridge among juvenile fillies on the Irish Free Handicap for juveniles of 1977.
Ranked second among juvenile fillies on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1977, though five pounds below champion Cherry Hinton.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare, Sookera was strongly made with a powerful hind leg.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Sookera produced 13 named foals, of which 10 started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Resooka (1980, by Godswalk) is the dam of 1994 Premio Umbria (ITY-G3) winner Thousla Rock (by Thatching) and is the second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Hawksley Hill. She is also the third dam of Irish Group 2 winner Benbaun.
- Field Dancer (1981, by Northfields) won the 1985 Hardwicke Cup, a listed race in Ireland, and was Group 3-placed. She is the second dam of French Group 3 winner Camporese and the third dam of Group 1-placed French Group 3 winner Camprock.
- Kerali (1984, by High Line) produced stakes winners Hasili (by Kahyasi), the 2006 English Broodmare of the Year, and Arrive (by Kahyasi), the 2008 English Broodmare of the Year. She is also the dam of Dissemble (by Ahonoora), dam of 2005 American champion turf male Leroidesanimaux (by Candy Stripes), 2002 Grande Prêmio São Paulo (BRZ-G1) winner Uapybo (by Blush Rambler), and 1998 Grande Prêmio Henrique de Toledo Lara (Cidade Jardim) (BRZ-G3) winner Disport (by Blue Stag). In addition, Kerali is the dam of English hurdle stakes winner Kerawi (by Warning); stakes-placed Skiable (by Niniski), dam of Grade 2 winner Three Valleys (by Diesis) and second dam of multiple Australian Group 3 winner Scissor Kick; Jiving (by Generous), dam of English stakes winner Excusez Moi (by Fusaichi Pegasus); Kid Gloves (by In the Wings), dam of Grade 2 winner Treat Gently (by Cape Cross); and Kalima (by Kahyasi), dam of Australian Group 3 winner Jet Away (by Cape Cross).
- So Factual (1995, by Known Fact) won the 1995 Nunthorpe Stakes (ENG-G1) and two other stakes races. He sired only one stakes winner from 121 named foals.
- Bold Fact (1995, by Known Fact) won the 1997 TNT International July Stakes (ENG-G3) and five listed events. He sired two stakes winners from 199 named foals.
Connections
Sookera was bred by the British Bloodstock Agency and Robert Sangster. She raced in Sangster's colors. After beginning her broodmare career for Sangster, she was sold to Juddmonte Farms.
Pedigree notes
Sookera is inbred 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and 5x5x5 to Nasrullah's sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the track and a two-time champion sire in England. She is a half sister to Mexican stakes winner Young Spirit (by Bold Bidder).
Sookera was produced from the winner Irule, whose full sister I Assume produced stakes winner Nile Empress (by Upper Nile). Irule is also a half sister to stakes winner I'll Be Around (by Isgala); to stakes-placed I'm a Pleasure (by What a Pleasure), dam of 1984 Jerome Handicap (USA-G1) winner Is Your Pleasure (by Accipiter) and second dam of five stakes winners including multiple Brazilian Group 1 winner Little Baby Bear, 2000 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (USA-G1) winner I Believe in You, and Grade 3 winner First American (a good sire in Brazil); to I Encompass (by No Robbery), dam of Grade 3 winner I Enclose (by Cormorant) and stakes winner I Take All (by Imasmartee); and to I'm Worldly (by Dr. Fager), dam of 1984 Wood Memorial Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Leroy S. (by Honest Pleasure).
Irule and her siblings were produced from the winning Round Table mare Iaround, a half sister to 1959 Paumonok Handicap winner Isendu (by Inyureye) and multiple stakes winner Ifabody (by Brookfield). Produced from the Heliopolis mare Itsabet, Iaround is also a half sister to Iaway (by Intent), dam of stakes winner Cracker Bon Bon (by Kirrary) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Peanut Butter Onit; to Is Certain (by No Robbery), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Royal (by Young Emperor) and stakes winner In True Form (by Imasmartee); and to Ironically (by Intent), dam of multiple stakes winner Imsodear (by Chieftain) and second dam of 1975 American champion 2-year-old filly Dearly Precious and Grade 3 winners I'm On Top and Immense. Through the last-named mare, Ironically is the ancestress of 2000 European Horse of the Year and three-time American champion sire Giant's Causeway, of three-time Chilean champion sire Tumblebrutus and of European Classic winners Marvellous, Gleneagles, and Joan of Arc.
Last updated: September 26, 2023