Making Waves: Ashes To Gold For Belardo Gelding

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at the success of European-based sires in North America, on a semi-weekly basis. This column (Feb. 26-Mar. 5) is highlighted by the victory of Gold Phoenix in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. at Santa Anita on Saturday, Mar. 4.

One of several Europeans to cause a stir Stateside on Saturday, Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) became the first top-level winner for his sire with a neck victory in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. (video).

Offered by co-breeder/owner Jim Ryan's Milltown Stud as a yearling during the Goffs Sportman's Sale in 2019, Gold Phoenix was a €24,000 buyback. However, the future GII Del Mar H. scorer broke his maiden at first asking in the colours of the late Dr. Tan Kai Chah, who bred the colt with Ryan in the name of Mighty Universe, Ltd., going seven furlongs over the Dundalk all-weather in February of 2021 for trainer Kieran Cotter. That half-length victory resulted in a change of scenery and new connections, and the gelding has been a California resident for eight of his nine Stateside appearances since. Bearing the colours of Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, LLC and Marsha Naify for trainer Phil D'Amato, the 5-year-old is a son of Magnifica, who Ryan acquired for $70,000 out of the 2014 Keeneland November Sale in foal to Bellamy Road.

A product of Palisade (Gone West) and Mizzen Mast, just like G1 Stewards' Cup winner Sea Defence and GII Raven Run S./GII Buena Vista H. heroine and GI Santa Monica H. second Jibboom, Magnifica is kin to G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Al Bahathri (Blushing Groom {Fr}). In foal to Lucky Vega (Ire), she has a yearling full-brother to the Kilroe winner.

Belardo, who is standing his first season at Bearstone Stud in the UK, has only had seven runners across the United States, but four have won (57%). Besides Gold Phoenix, Belardo's other stakes winner on those shores is Bellabel (Ire), who captured the GII San Clemente S. and run second in the GI Del Mar Oaks and third in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

'Faith' In The Blood

Prior to Gold Phoenix's heroics in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. in California, his grandsire was represented by GIII Honey Fox S. heroine Faith In Humanity (Fr) in Florida (video). Although the margin was only a neck, the 4-year-old filly, who carries the Klaravich Stables silks like other Lope De Vega (Ire)-sired luminaries Newspaperofrecord (Ire) and GIII Waya S. second Capital Structure (GB), was taking her second graded victory after the GIII Pebbles S. during the Belmont at Aqueduct meet last autumn.

A product of Ecurie des Monceaux and Lordship Stud, Ltd., the daughter of Sharavana (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was snapped up for €240,000 out of the Arqana Deauville September Yearling Sale in 2020 by Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock. Put into training with Chad Brown, she won a maiden special weight at Monmouth Park last July, ran second in the Riskaverse S. at Saratoga in August, and bounced back to win the Pebbles in September. Faith In Humanity, who is followed by the Churchill (Ire) juvenile half-sister Caty Fish (Fr), an €80,000 Arqana October Yearling Sale alum to Nicolas Clement, is kin to juvenile Group 1 winner Indonesienne (Ire) (Muhtathir {GB}) and G1 French 1000 Guineas heroine Matiara (Bering {GB}).

The leading sire at Ballylinch Stud, Lope De Vega has enjoyed a fruitful association with North American turf racing, with 29 of his progeny winning at least one race from 62 runners (46%). Of his 16 stakes horses, five (8% of 62 runners) have won stakes led by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winners Newspaperofrecord and Aunt Pearl (Ire).

Mylady Is The One

Mylady (Ger) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}), already a group winner in her native land, got the job done by three-quarters of a length in the 1 3/8-mile GIII The Very One S. at Gulfstream Park (video), starting a graded race double for trainer Chad Brown, who would take the GIII Honey Fox S. later on the Mar. 4 card.

Bred by Michaela Faust's Gestut Karlshof, the grey did not meet her reserve as a €20,000 buyback at the Baden-Baden October Mixed Sale in 2020, and she was sent to the yard of Markus Klug, where she promptly won both of her juvenile starts, including a listed stake. Successful at Group 3 level at three, she was also placed in the G2 German 1000 Guineas, and the G1 German Oaks later that season. Unplaced in the GI E. P. Taylor S. last October, she remained in North America and was transferred to the Chad Brown barn in the interim.

Her unraced dam, Minoris (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), was acquired by HFTB Racing Agency for €3,500 out of the Arqana February Mixed Sale in 2018, prior to being put in foal to The Grey Gatsby. The winner, the first foal of her dam, is from the extended family of young sire and G1 Sprint Cup and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. hero Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}). She has a pair of Counterattack (Aus) half-brothers born in 2020 and 2021 named Missouri (Ger) and Maigret (Gre), respectively.

Part of a quartet of stakes winners–three group–internationally for The Grey Gatsby, Mylady is his only runner Stateside.

Nickeled, Dimed, and 'Quatt'ared

Previously mentioned in the inaugural Making Waves column is Red Baron's Barn LLC & Rancho Temescal LLC's Quattroelle (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}). She ran out a half-length winner of the one-mile GII Buena Vista S. (video) over the turf at Santa Anita Park on Saturday for trainer Jeff Mullins. It was her second graded score after she signed her name to the GIII Megahertz S. honour roll in early February, also at that Southern California venue.

Her Tally-Ho Stud-based sire's U.S. and Canadian standings feature 11 winners from 21 runners (52%), 12 stakes horses to runners (57%), and four stakes winners to runners (19%) with Grade I winner Going Global (Ire) his best runner to date.

Mic Drop In New Orleans

Trying the turf at the Fair Grounds for the first time on Mar. 2, Microphone (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) eked out a head victory going 8 1/2 furlongs over the firm turf course there with Deshawn Parker in the irons for trainer Ethan West on Thursday.

From the same family as G1 Coronation S. victress Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and bred by Philippa Cooper's Normandie Stud, the gelding was originally picked up from agent John Troy for 160,000gns out of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 by Peter Brant's White Birch Farm. A winner at first asking at Tampa in January of 2022 for trainer Chad Brown, he made five other starts in the green on green colours with several placed efforts. Sent through the 2022 Keeneland November Sale by EliTE Sales, the then-4-year-old caught the eye of Marc A. Wampler, the racing and bloodstock manager of racing syndicate Pocket Aces Racing, who bought Microphone for $30,000. Microphone's Mar. 2 victory was his second start in the Pocket Aces silks.

Out of the 2009 G2 Lancashire Oaks second Fallen In Love (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Microphone is a half-brother to GII Red Smith S. hero Serve The King (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who was also second in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. in America, and G3 Prix de Flore heroine Loving Things (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who was placed in the Lancashire Oaks seven years after her dam. Fallen In Love's latest is the 2-year-old filly Loves Loving (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}).

His Highness The Aga Khan's stallion Siyouni has had 36 runners in American and Canada to date, with a baker's dozen of winners (36%). Four of those are stakes winners (11%), and three have won Grade III's–Sacred Life (Fr), La Signare (Fr), and Love And Thunder (Ire).

Sunnyside Up For Gleneagles Colt

The consistent Scramble (Gleneagles {Ire}), a homebred product of Peter and Bonnie McCausland's Erdenheim Farm Thoroughbreds in Pennsylvania, had never been off the board in five starts, and put it all together to take a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park on Friday (video) for Barclay Tagg.

Scramble is the first foal of the well-tried Tilly's Chilli (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}), who won the 2400-metre Listed Grand Prix de Lyon in France. Picked up by Erdenheim Farm out of the 2018 Tattersalls December Mares Sale for 400,000gns, she visited the court of Gleneagles that year and returned to the States in foal to that dual Guineas hero. Tilly's Chilli's latest is a 2-year-old colt by Curlin named Bandoola. Two of her half-sisters have thrown stakes winners, the best of the them Fast Company (Ire)'s Red Onion (GB), who claimed the Listed Prix Herod. German Group 1 winner Neatico (Ger) (Medicean {GB}) is under the third dam, as is the G1 French Oaks-placed G2 Prix de Sandringham scorer Volta (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).

Based at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, Gleneagles has accumulated 24 stakes winners worldwide (14 group), and his record in North America stands at nine winners out of 16 runners (56%). Although he has just one stakes winner to date in that locale, he made it count, as it is 2022 GI Man o'War S. victor Highland Chief (Ire).

Motorious Full Of Merit

Anthony Fanticola's Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) found the downhill turf course at Santa Anita to his liking and scampered home a 2 1/4-length victor in the GIII San Simeon S. over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Sunday (video).

Bred by Kirtlington Stud and Mary Taylor, the bay was offered by the former during Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, and brought 55,000gns from trainer Stuart Williams. Making his first seven starts for Opulence Thoroughbreds, he won two of them, a brace of seven-furlong all-weather handicaps in the second half of 2021. Sent back through the ring by Diomed Stables during the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale that October, he was knocked down to Craig Rounesfell's Boomer Bloodstock for 220,000gns and made his way to the barn of Phil D'Amato. Although it took a few starts to find his stride in California, the gelding won a pair of optional claimers at Del Mar and Santa Anita in December and January, respectively. Second in the Clocker's Corner S. on Jan. 29, the San Simeon was his first try in graded company.

First-born of the dual Group 3-placed Squash (GB) (Pastoral Pursuits {GB}), Mortorious's full-brother Haymaker (GB) has won twice in 11 starts, and his 2-year-old Advertise (GB) half-brother was a 135,000gns Tattersalls December foal that blossomed into a 500,000gns Tattersalls October yearling purchase by Richard Knight. Part of 17 reoffered by the sales company due to non-payment, the colt has yet to race. His dam foaled a colt by Sergei Prokofiev in 2022. The last-named sold to Tally-Ho Stud for 82,000gns as a Tattersalls December foal. GI Donn H. hero and Claiborne stallion Lea is under the fourth dam, the placed High Savannah (GB) (Rousillon).

Now a resident of France's Haras de Faunes after starting his stallion career in England, Muhaarar has 20 stakes winners to his credit after Motorious's win. Nine of his get are graded/group winners, led by G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Eshaada (GB). From just 12 runners, the bay has seven winners in America (58%). Besides Motorious, his Stateside stakes winners include multiple graded winner Bran (Fr), GIII San Francisco Mile hero Evening Sun (GB), and Listed PG Johnson S. heroine Be Your Best (Ire), who was also third in the GIII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont.

Kingman Filly Paints A Masterpiece In Florida

The progeny of Juddmonte stallion Kingman (GB) continued their love affair with the firm surface at Gulfstream on Sunday, with his filly Queen Picasso (GB) running out a half-length winner of a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight (video).

Trained by transplanted Frenchman Christophe Clement, the Siena Farm, Michael Kisber, Peter Deutsch and The Elkstone Group-owned 3-year-old was bred by Dermot Farrington and Canning Downs. Part of The National Stud draft of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, the daughter of the stakes-placed Aris (Ire) (Danroad {Aus}) was knocked down for 200,000gns by Bradley Weisbord and Liz Crow's BSW Bloodstock/Crow Euro Venture. A half-sister to G1 Prix de la Foret winner and sire Aclaim (Ire), Queen Picasso is from the same family as Classic winner Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Arc scorer Montjeu (Ire), et al. Her dam's 2021 filly by Advertise (GB) was consigned to the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 by West Park Farm, but was a 280,000gns RNA.

As of Wednesday morning 24 of the Juddmonte stallion's 46 American runners (52%) have won. Of his 12 stakes horses, seven (15% of runners) are stakes winners anchored by three-time Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB).

'Buzz' Sets The Tone In California Curtain Raiser

Opening Santa Anita's Sunday card, Phil D'Amato trainee Buzz Of New York (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) parlayed a stalking trip into a 1 1/2-length tally in an allowance optional claimer going a mile over the grass.

Campaigned Stateside by the familiar connections of dual graded heroine Quattroelle and GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. hero and now Tara Stud stallion River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) in Red Baron's Barn LLC and Rancho Temescal LLC colours, the 5-year-old mare was a private purchase. She raced six times in her native Ireland without a win for Mark Dobbin and trainer Johnny Murtagh, but she was not keeping poor company in her nascent career, as she was left in the wake of future G1 Prix de Diane heroine Joan Of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in a March 2021 Curragh maiden among those six starts.

Bred by Ronan Fitzpatrick, the 5-year-old never graced a sales ring, and is the first of four foals and only winner from three to race out of Buzz Off Barroso (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}), who did not win until her 4-year-old year. From the same family as four-time Group 1 winner and one-time sire Barney Roy (GB), as well as celebrated short-tracker Gordon Lord Byron (Ire) (Byron {GB}), Buzz Of New York has a Coulsty (Ire) yearling half-brother.

The well-traveled Toronado is now a permanent resident at Swettenham Stud in Australia after stints in England and France. From limited representation–only to grow rarer as his Northern Hemisphere runners dwindle–he has sired five winners from 12 runners (41%) in the United States. However, two of the five are stakes winners (16% of runners)–the GI Manhattan S. and GI United Nations S. hero Tribhuvan (Fr) and dual stakes winner Tuned (GB).