by B. Jason Brooks
Thoroughbred Daily News columnist and pedigree expert Sid Fernando wrote in July that “through the years there have been many beneficiaries of Phipps breeding… These families have given past and present breeders a deep foundation on which to build upon and create their own top-class horses, and that is one of the important legacies of the Phippses.”
Fernando was right, and the success of the Phipps female families has continued, as evidenced by graded stakes wins this year, Grade I and Group 1 wins globally, and the large number of Breeders' Cup entries with Phipps bloodlines.
Through the first 10 months of this year, horses from Phipps female families have won 36 graded stakes races in the U.S. and Canada, with 13 of them having Phipps mares among their first three dams. Seven of them, including Flightline, have won Grade I races.
The influence of the Phipps female families is also being experienced globally, with 15 Grade I or Group 1 wins this year. Seven of them have occurred outside of North America, with Group 1 wins in England, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile (all “top tier” Part I countries as identified by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities).
In addition to the female families, Phipps-bred sires Mr Speaker, Point of Entry, and Pure Prize have been represented this year by four graded stakes winners in the U.S. and one in Japan, with the most notable being multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Lotus Land (Point of Entry).
This influence is further evident in the pedigrees for the 177 entries at the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships in which 15 entries are from Phipps female families and three sired by Phipps-bred stallions. These 18 horses with Phipps bloodlines make up more than 10% of all Breeders' Cup entries. And this influence is spread throughout the Friday and Saturday cards, with 13 of the 14 races featuring one or more horses with Phipps bloodlines.
The Phipps female family tracing back to foundation La Troienne mare Baby League has an impressive seven entries. They include two-time Breeders' Cup champion Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), Grade I winners Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke), Forte (Violence), Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), and Shirl's Speight (Speightstown), and graded stakes-placed Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Shoplifter (Super Saver).
Eight other Phipps female families will also be represented. The Phipps family tracing back to foundation mare Lady Pitt will be represented by Flightline (Tapit), the family of Marguerite de Valois (Fr) by 2021 Breeders' Cup champion Aloha West (Hard Spun), the family of Belle Histoire by Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the family of Big Hurry by Flash of Mischief (Into Mischief), the family of Businesslike by Mo Stash (Mo Town), the family of Dorine (Arg) by Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), the family of Miss Disco by Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), and the family of Ten Cents a Dance by Chain of Love (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).
Phipps-bred sires are represented by three entries, including Three Technique (Mr Speaker), O Besos (Orb), and multiple graded-stakes winner Red Knight (Pure Prize).
This banner year on the track is coupled with an impressive seven yearlings from Phipps female families who have sold for $1 million or more in the U.S. and Australia. And at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton and Keenland sales–both of which feature multiple broodmares from Phipps families–the demand for Phipps bloodlines will be on full display.
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