By Heather Anderson
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Belouni (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) in the Woodhaven S. at Aqueduct.
Belouni Finds His Haven at Aqueduct
Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Michael Kisber and William Rucker's Belouni ran out a 1 1/2-length winner of Aqueduct's Woodhaven S. last Saturday (video). The son of Vienna View (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) was making his second U.S. start.
Bred by Le Thenney and offered by Arcadia Elevage, the colt brought €20,000 as an Arqana October yearling from future trainer Christophe Escuder. He would subsequently win two of his four starts for Scuderia Il Fino culminating with a second in the Listed Criterium de Lyon last September. Sent back through the Arqana ring, he attracted a bid of €180,000 during the Arc Sale from Hubert Guy before joining the Chad Brown barn.
One of four winners for his placed dam, Belouni is followed by a 2-year-old colt by Sommerabend (GB). He is kin to numerous top-level winners including Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {GB}), Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Teppal (Fr) (Camacho {GB}), and the In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) foals–Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}), With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), and We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}).
Deceased in 2020, the Danehill Dancer (Ire)-line stallion Fast Company now has two stakes winners to his name in the U.S. (14%), with the Woodhaven scorer joining 2018 GI Arlington Million hero Robert Bruce (Chi). Altogether, the former Darley stallion has eight winners out of 14 runners (57%).
Glen Hill Homebred Brings Frankel West
Wide West (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) led gate-to-wire to take a Gulfstream Park all-weather allowance optional claimer by a neck last Saturday and put a second notch in her win column in the process (video). The Tom Proctor trainee is bred and raced by Craig Bernick's Glen Hill Farm.
Wide West was shipped Stateside before ever racing, and got off the mark sprinting over the Gulfstream Park all-weather in August of 2022. One start later, she was a good fourth in the Hollywood Beach S. there, and Saturday's tally was her sixth start.
A half-sister to GI Santa Anita Oaks winner Crisp (El Corredor), Deer Valley was picked up by Glen Hill Farm for $340,000 out of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2015. She would go on to win a Monmouth Park stakes in the orange, black and white Glen Hill colours back in 2017, and Wide West is her first foal. Her juvenile Kingman (GB) colt is named King Julien, and she was covered by both Candy Ride (Arg) and Quality Road last spring. GI Futurity S. hero Whywhywhy (Mr. Greeley) and multiple graded winner Spellbinder (Tale Of The Cat), both sires, are under the third dam.
Few stallions are more sought after on an international stage than Juddmonte's Frankel, and Wide West is one of 25 winners from 43 runners (58%) in America. Of his nine stakes winners (21%) in the U.S., five are graded winners led by GI Belmont Oaks heroine McKulick (GB).
#2 WIDE WEST ($8) goes wire to wire to win race 10 at Gulfstream Park. The daughter of Frankel was ridden by Edwin Gonzalez and is trained by Thomas Proctor. Watch more on @FanDuelTV and wager at https://t.co/nBYFHiPrdh. pic.twitter.com/iMNzAMe6JA
— TVG (@TVG) April 22, 2023
Showcasing Colt All The Rage At Keeneland
Wesley Ward unveiled favoured Fandom (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) at Keeneland on Thursday, and the Stonestreet Stables silksbearer did not disappoint, reporting home 6 3/4 lengths to the good of his nearest rival (video).
Part of the Chasemore Farm breeding programme, the March foal sold for 170,000gns during Book 2 of the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale to Barbara Banke's agent Ben McElroy. His year-younger half-sister is by Masar (Ire), while their dam, the Chasemore homebred Brogan (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), won over 1400 metres at Haydock as a juvenile. Brogan is a half-sister to none other than 2022 Cartier Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus), one of the leading fancies for the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas in one week's time.
Twenty-two progeny of Whitsbury Manor Stud's Showcasing have competed in the U.S., with an even 50% winning at least once. His quartet of stakes winners in that jurisdiction stands at four (18%), with Prize Exhibit (GB), Projected (GB), and Bodhicitta (GB) all striking at Grade II level.
King For A Day
Already featured in Making Waves this February, Turf King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) maintained his perfect record with a narrow score in a one-mile Keeneland grass allowance for trainer Chad Brown and Wise Racing (video) on Friday.
The relative of Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) is one of 26 winners from 49 runners (53%) for his Juddmonte sire in the U.S. Seven of Kingman's get (13%) have won stakes, among them multiple Group 1 winner Domestic Spending (GB), who is also trained by Brown.
From an international standpoint since the turn of the year, five of Kingman's progeny have take black-type races led by Group 1 winner Schnell Meister (Ger) in the G2 Yomiuri Milers Cup in Japan. Remarquee (GB) claimed the G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury, and 'TDN Rising Star' Epictetus (Ire) and Laurel (GB) both won listed races in England. In France, Sauterne (Fr) landed the Listed Prix du Pont Neuf earlier this past week.
The Keeneland Spring Meet ends with a 📸 finish!
#3 TURF KING noses out #5 More Than Looks to complete the meeting. @Tyler_Gaff up for Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/pqEH8APQWo
— TVG (@TVG) April 28, 2023
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