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 Romagna Mia in the Dowager S. at Keeneland last weekend.
Mia All Class In Dowager
Team Valor International's Romagna Mia (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) won the Dowager S. at Keeneland on Sunday (video). It was the GI Beverly D. S. third's second graded/group score, having taken the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio in 2022.
Bred by Cavendish Bloodstock, the Graham Motion trainee was a 3,000gns buy-back as a yearling, before selling for €29,000 to Valfredo Valiani at Arqana's 2-Year-Old Breeze-Up Sale. Racing in the colours of Scuderia Dell'Avvocato, her Italian career was highlighted by her Lydia Tesio victory, prior to selling for €500,000 to Juergen Albrecht out of the 2022 Arqana Vente d'Elevage. Her dam's latest foals are a yearling colt by Expert Eye (GB) and a weanling filly by Magna Grecia (Ire). This is the extended family of G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Blue Duster (Danzig), and her descendants include GI Man o'War S. hero Highland Chief (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}).
The late Coolmore sire Mastercraftsman has 13 winners from 29 runners in the U.S. (45%). Five of his six stakes winners in that jurisdiction have won at the graded level including dual Grade I winner A Raving Beauty (Ger) and GI Matriarch S. victress Off Limits (Ire).
Watch the full replay as ROMAGNA MIA (GB) proves best in the @roodandriddle Dowager (G3)! pic.twitter.com/rOVvMuH08B
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 22, 2023
Surf's Up For Invincible Spirit Filly
La Nora, LLC's Ocean Spirit (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) made her third start a winning one at Horseshoe Indianapolis earlier this week for trainer Ignacio Correas (video). Originally unplaced at Aqueduct for trainer Wesley Ward in the colours of Stonestreet Stables, the filly was bred by Peter Winkworth.
Originally a 480,000gns yearling when joining the Stonestreet fold at the Tattersalls October sale in 2021, the bay changed hands for $75,000 out of the Keeneland April Horses-of-Racing-Age Sale this spring. The first foal out of Sparkling Surf (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Ocean Spirit is followed by Kingman (GB) half-sister Ocean Mermaid (GB) who was second in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies S. at Gulfstream Park earlier this year, as well as an Oasis Dream (GB) yearling half-sister and a weanling half-brother by Palace Pier (GB). Second dam Shimmering Surf (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) won the G3 Pinnacle S. and also foaled G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Kitesurf (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
The Irish National Stud's Invincible Spirit has sired 27 winners from 63 runners (43%) in the U.S. Of his seven stakes winners there, three have earned a graded brass ring, among them GI Turf Classic S. winner Digital Age (Ire) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile victor Vale Of York (Ire).
#4 OCEAN SPIRIT ($4) was full of run in the stretch and goes right on by the leaders to win race 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Vincent Cheminaud was in the irons for Ignacio Correas, IV.
Watch more on @FanDuelTV and wager at https://t.co/nBYFHiPrdh. pic.twitter.com/ogkK95OrN0
— TVG (@TVG) October 23, 2023
Repeat Winner
Siena Farm, Michael Kisber, Peter Deutsch and The Elkstone Group's Queen Of The Mud (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) upped her record to two wins in three starts after taking a Keeneland allowance on Sunday (video). The Graham Motion trainee landed a Belmont affair in September.
Klaravich Stables' multiple graded winner Technical Analysis (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) put her mark on the Listed Athenia S. during the Belmont at the Big A meet on Friday for trainer Chad Brown (video). The Rabbah Bloodstock-bred mare, who has also placed twice at the highest level, was taking her sixth stakes and first since the Listed De La Rose S. in August.
(3) Queen of the Mud (IRE) surges to victory in the night cap at Keeneland. (5) Just a Care (IRE) takes second and (2) Hurricane Debbie comes in third. pic.twitter.com/CCCMQ4V6Sn
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 22, 2023
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