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 Mawj in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Cup S. presented by Dixiana Farms at Keeneland last weekend.
Classic Filly Comes Good At Keeneland
Godolphin homebred Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), already a winner of the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, doubled her top-level tally in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland on Saturday and gave trainer Saeed bin Suroor his 500th group/graded win in the process (video).
A half-sister to Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), an Eclipse Award champion in the U.S. and soon to be a Darley stallion, as well as the stakes winner Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) who was twice group placed, Mawj is followed by a juvenile filly by Mastercraftsman (Ire) and a weanling filly by Dubawi. Her dam is a half-sister to G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner and sire Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), and her great granddam is the Italian champion Proskona (Mr. Prospector).
One of 18 worldwide Group 1 winners for her former Darley reverse shuttle sire, Mawj is one of three Grade I winners in the U.S. after GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner-turned-sire Outstrip (GB) and Mischief Magic (Ire), who landed the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Exceed And Excel's 42 Stateside runners have resulted in 23 winners (55%) and 11 stakes winners (26%).
Beautifully controlled by @oismurphy! Mawj wins the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland for Saeed bin Suroor… pic.twitter.com/Qt7xnQBoIF
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 14, 2023
Luck O' The Irish For Ten Sovereigns Colt
Robert and Lawana Low's Irish Gent (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) became the 24th winner for his sire at third asking when taking an off-turf affair during the Belmont at the Big A meeting for trainer Todd Pletcher (video).
Bred by Denis McCarthy, the dark bay made €130,000 as a Goffs November foal when purchased by Pier House Stud. his value rose appreciably to €500,000 when he was sent back through that ring during the Orby Sale, where Jacob West picked out the son of Indigo Butterfly (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) on behalf of the Lows. The third and last reported foal from his dam is a relative of G1 Jebel Hatta hero Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and that gelding's full-sister With The Moonlight (Ire), who was a three-time group/graded winner and third in the GI E. P. Taylor S.
Coolmore's Ten Sovereigns already has three stakes winners in his first crop of 2-year-olds internationally. Represented by just three runners in the U.S. so far, Irish Gent is the stallion's first American winner.
Brant Runner Collects In New York
Peter Brant homebred Francesco Clemente (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) won a Belmont at the Big A contest for Chad Brown on Thursday (video).
A winner of his first three starts for John and Thady Gosden in the UK last year, the White Birch Farm-bred earned black-type with a second in the Listed Festival S. in May. The half-brother to the multiple stakes winner and multiple group-placed Abingdon (Street Cry {Ire}) was switched to the U.S. after a start in the Listed Wolferton S. at Royal Ascot. His dam Justlookdon'touch (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a half-sister to the influential champion Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), and produced Dubawi full-siblings as her latest foals–a 3-year-old colt named Howeitat (Ire) and a 2-year-old filly christened Birkin (Ire).
Darley's Dubawi now has 37 winners from 77 runners in the U.S. (48%). His 19 North American stakes winners (25%) are anchored by three-time Grade I winner In Italian (GB).
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