Making Waves: No Concrete Fears For Smart Filly

   In this new semi-weekly series, the TDN takes a look at the notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column, Feb. 11-17, is highlighted by the victory of Manhattan Jungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) in the Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 11.

No Concrete Fears For Smart Filly

The best performance of the week was Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Manhattan Jungle adding to her resume in the Sweet Life S. going down the hill at Santa Anita. A three-quarter length winner for trainer Michael McCarthy, the 3-year-old filly was second in the Blue Norther S. on New Year's Eve.

One of seven black-type winners for her Rathasker-based sire, Manhattan Jungle is the best of a trio of winners from just five runners in America. Her sire's best progeny is undoubtedly G1 Nunthorpe S. heroine Winter Power (Ire), and he stands for €6,500 this year.

Bred by Patrick Headon of Wraymount Stud and a €20,000 Goffs Sportman's Sale yearling buy by Lemos De Souza and his partner, trainer Amy Murphy, the filly made her first two starts winning ones in France for Murphy, De Souza and co-owners Daniel Macauliffe and Anoj Don in April. Stepped up to listed company, the result was the same in Vichy's Prix des Reves d'Or, but the silks were different, as by this point Aron Wellman's Eclipse had snapped up Manhattan Jungle and left her in Murphy's care.

Although she found the waters too deep in Royal Ascot's G2 Queen Mary S., Manhattan Jungle was only a length back in second to the future G1 Prix Morny third and G1 Middle Park S. second The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})–a full-brother to crack sprinter Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})–in the G3 Prix de Cabourg on Aug. 2. Fourth in the Morny, and back in the placings after setting the pace to be third in the G3 Prix Eclipse on Sept. 17, the Murphy trainee was unplaced in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland after a busy season in November and transferred to McCarthy.

Her dam, the Acclamation (GB) mare Skylight (Ire), won once in six starts, taking out the one-mile Selling S. over the Lingfield all-weather for trainer Mick Channon. The third foal and winner for her dam, Manhattan Jungle has a Sioux Nation 2-year-old half-sister, as well as a yearling half-brother by Shaman (Ire). The Sioux Nation filly, also consigned by Wraymount, made €90,000 on the bid of Emma Chilcot & Get in the Game at the Goffs Sportman's Sale last September.

An honourable mention, is the late Galileo (Ire)'s 3-year-old daughter Juniper's Moon, who graduated by three-parts of a length going 1 1/16 miles on grass in her third try at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday (video). The Coolmore great's 359 stakes winners (241 group/graded), feature 26 in Canada and North America, with 15 at the Grade I tier. Juniper's Moon is one of 61 North American winners from 171 runners.

Bred by Carolyn and Fletcher Gray and foaled in Kentucky, the chestnut was part of the Blandford Stud consignment at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and brought $725,000 from J.R. International Holdings. Second when unveiled over the Aqueduct turf in November for Team Spoor and Anthony Dutrow, she was sixth at that track stepping up to 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Nov. 25.

Related to the late GII Jim Dandy S. hero-turned sire Laoban (Uncle Mo), she is out of GI Cotillion S., GI Delaware H., and GI Spinster S. heroine I'm A Chatterbox (Munnings), who was also placed five times at the graded level and was third in the GI Kentucky Oaks of 2015. I'm A Chatterbox was covered by Into Mischief last spring.

Kingman's Florida Double

Florida was the place to be on Thursday, as Juddmonte stallion Kingman (GB) sired a brace of new maiden winners.

William K. Werner's 3-year-old filly Grace Darling (Ire) struck by two lengths in the day's fifth race going 7 1/2 furlongs at the Hallandale Beach oval (video) under Tyler Gaffalione, who would also be aboard Kingman's other winner on the day, Turf King. The GII Edgewood S. at Churchill in May is next for Kingman's 22nd American winner according to current trainer Brian Lynch.

Bred at trainer Dermot Weld's Springbank Way Stud, she made her first two starts at Naas in Weld's silks. Sixth versus males in her six-furlong July debut, the daughter of former Weld trainee and G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial heroine Stormfly (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) improved to third going that same trip there behind Dower House (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and subsequent listed heroine Spirit Gal (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who has Guineas aspirations for Charles Fipke. From the family of dual hemisphere Group 1 winner and sire Ivanhowe (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB), Grace Darling was acquired privately by her current connections, and is followed by the juvenile colt Wasp (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}).

Grace Darling | Ryan Thompson

In the day's finale, Ridgemont Stud-bred Turf King (Ire), out of another Acclamation (GB) mare in Sweet Acclaim (Ire), closed to take a one-mile all-weather feature by a neck for the Chad Brown barn at first asking (video). Offered by David Cox's Baroda Stud at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale in 2021, the colt was picked up for €100,000 by Niall Brennan, who sent him through the 2022 OBS March Sale. After breezing a furlong in :10.1, he made $180,000 on the bid of Wise Racing, and now carries their colours.

Placed third in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. in England, Sweet Acclaim also placed at the graded level Stateside, in the GIII Appalachian S., GIII Violet S., and the GIII Old Forester Mint Julep H., but did manage a stakes victory over the Ellis Park turf. From the extended family of three-time GI Breeders' Cup Mile heroine Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa), she was picked up for $600,000 out of the 2016 Keeneland November Sale by Craig Roscoe. Turf King is her third foal, third to race and third winner. She has a juvenile filly by Lope De Vega (Ire) yet to come, and a yearling filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire).

The March-foaled Turf King gives Kingman a total of 23 winners from 45 runners Stateside (51%). Sprinkled liberally among them are seven stakes scorers (15% stakes winners to runners), led by three-time Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB), who was also trained by Brown. Residing at Banstead Manor Stud in England, the 12-year-old has 54 worldwide black-type winners and stands for £125,000 this season.