Making Waves: Saratoga Graded Winner For Ten Sovereigns

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Zulu Kingdom at Saratoga.

Ten Sovereigns's Zulu Kingdom Best In With Anticipation

The undefeated Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) made his American bow in style to take the GIII With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga by a neck on Aug. 29 (video). The Chad Brown trainee races in the silks of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso.

Ecurie Peregrine SAS bred the son of Zindziswa (Smart Strike), who bolted up by 3 1/2 lengths in a Saint-Cloud maiden in June for trainer Andre Fabre in the colours of his wife Elisabeth. Already a half-brother to Listed Prix Turenne hero Zulu Warrior (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), the colt is followed by a half-brother by Magna Grecia (Ire). His granddam, the Zieten mare Zinziberine, won the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and G3 Prix Eclipse, before foaling a trio of stakes winners anchored by Group 3 winner and sire Zanzibari (Smart Strike).

The star turn in the U.S. for young Coolmore sire Ten Sovereigns, Zulu Kingdom is one of five winners from seven runners there (71%). The son of No Nay Never, whose eldest foals are 3-year-olds, has another quartet of black-type placers, among them the graded placed pair of Mansa Musa (Ire) and Kalispera (Ire).

Flavien Prat ties the record for most stakes wins in a Saratoga season with 15! He did it aboard ZULU KINGDOM in the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes for trainer Chad Brown! 🎉 What a ride, what a season! pic.twitter.com/SJSyqWuhFF

— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 29, 2024

Cathkin Peak Pillar To Post In John's Call

Flying P Stable's Cathkin Peak (Ire) (Alhebayeb {Ire}) led a procession home in the John's Call Stakes at Saratoga in late August (video). The Mike Maker trainee was bred by G. Kinch in Ireland.

The 6-year-old son of Drumcliffe Dancer (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) has spent all barring one start in the U.S., and was picked up by Johnny Murtagh for €17,000 out of the Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale before running fourth in his only Irish start at Navan. He won the Listed Eddie Logan Stakes, as well as placing five times at the graded level, including a third in the GI Hollywood Derby. The gelding is also a half-brother to El Astronaute (Ire) (Approve {Ire}), who was a stakes winner and third in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. This is the family of G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Silver Frost (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}).

Meelin Stud's Alhebayeb has a 100% strike rate of both winners and stakes winners from limited American opportunities. Besides Cathkin Peak, his only other runner in that locale is the stakes winner and multiple graded placed Talk Or Listen (Ire).

Jockey @jose93_ortiz 🇵🇷 went right to the front aboard #6 Cathkin Peak (IRE) ($9.90) and never looked back in a blowout win in the John's Call Stakes at #Saratoga for trainer Michael Maker. pic.twitter.com/QaOjrCfjEk

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 21, 2024

Siyouni Filly Hands Repole Another Winner On Travers Day

Just 55 minutes prior to the victory of Fierceness (City Of Light) in the GI Travers Stakes, Repole Stable's High Handed (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) steamed home a winner for trainer Kevin Attard at Woodbine (video).

Bred by Bjorn Nielsen, who is better known as the owner/breeder of star stayer and current National Stud resident Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), this filly placed in two of her four UK starts for her breeder when trained by Brian O'Rourke. After selling for €250,000 at the 2023 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale to Mike Repole's operation, the dark bay was making her first U.S. appearance on Travers Day. The 14th and final foal out of Hoity Toity (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) who died in 2023, High Handed is a half-sister to none other than blue hen producer Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Coronation Stakes, and the dam of Galileo (Ire) Group 1 winners Minding (Ire), Tuesday (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire). Minding has already earned Group 1 producer status as the dam of G1 National Stakes hero Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

The Aga Khan Studs' stallion Siyouni has accrued a record of 18 winners from 42 runners in North America (43%). His best progeny in that sphere include Grade III winners Sacred Life (Fr), La Signare (Fr), and Love And Thunder (Ire).

Mehmas Miss Graduates At Woodbine

LNJ Foxwoods-owned French Laundry (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}) duly trotted up at the second time of asking at Woodbine for trainer Josie Carroll last weekend (video).

A daughter of Ile Flottante (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), the filly was bred by the Ile Flottante Syndicate, and changed hands for 75,000gns when bought by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale before selling for 190,000gns when sold to Solis/Litt on behalf of LNJ Foxwoods at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale last year. Already a half-sister to stakes winner Rising Star (GB) (Fast Company {Ire}) and to the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1000 Guineas) third Aquila Reale (GB) (New Bay {GB}), French Laundry is a granddaughter of G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Aqaarid (Nashwan).

Tally-Ho Stud's Mehmas has been going from strength to strength as a sire, and 16 of his 25 North American runners (64%) have found pay dirt. Of his five stakes winners in America, two have won at the Grade I level–Going Global (Ire) and Chez Pierre (Fr).

Make Believe's Vina Arana Takes Spa Maiden

MHM Stables and Sterling Stables' Vina Arana (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) relished the firm Saratoga turf en route to victory for trainer Jack Sisterson last week (video).

Funcheon Bloodstock bred the daughter of Sunset Dazzle (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), and she blossomed from a €20,000 RNA as a Goffs November foal to a €30,000 Goffs Sportsman's yearling when picked up by Kevin Ross Bloodstock in 2022. The bay did take third in this year's G3 Mutamakina Stakes in May in her fourth and final appearance for Ben Halsall and trainer Henry de Bromhead. Purchased privately by these connections, Vina Arana was making her first American start. Second dam Sunset Avenue (Street Cry {Ire}) was a half-sister to stakes winner and dual Grade II-placed True Cause (Storm Cat), while the G3 Blandford Stakes-winning third dam Dearly (GB) (Rahy) is a half-sister to GI Frizette Stakes heroine Balletto (UAE) (Timber Country).

Ballylinch Stud's Make Believe now has two winners from seven starters (29%) in the U.S. Overall, the son of Dubawi (Ire) has been represented worldwide by 12 stakes winners, with his best the three-time Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire), now a stallion for Nurlan Bizakov at Montfort et Preaux under the Sumbe banner in France.

VINA ARANA 🍷 (@BallylinchStud Make Believe) makes a deep impression on 🇺🇸 debut @Saratogaraces1 for MHM & Sterling Stables @JackSisterson @Tyler_Gaff 🥂 Private purchase earlier this year from @HenrydeBromhead @brhals @annarossKRB 🤝 pic.twitter.com/ZQT6GNnViE

— Alex Elliott (@A_C_Elliott) August 24, 2024

Roman Candle Filly Hits The Jackpot At Del Mar

Bottle Rocket (Fr) (Roman Candle {GB}), who races in the silks of BHMFR, LLC, won second out at Del Mar for trainer Leonard Powell recently (video). The Anita Nesser-bred filly is her dam Lawnmower (Red Rocks {Ire}) only foal to date. Fourth dam Dayanata (Ire) (Shirley Heights {GB}), herself a full-sister to star sire Darshaan (GB) among others, produced multiple group winner Courteous (GB) (Generous {Ire}), third in the GI Canadian International, while another offspring, the Barathea (Ire) filly Portmanteau (GB) is the dam of multiple Group 1 winner and sire Hunter's Light (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

The somewhat obscure stallion Roman Candle, by Le Havre (Ire), now has one winner from two runners in the States (50%). A winner of the G2 Prix Greffulhe in 2019, he stood at Haras de la Hetraie this season for €2,800.

Repeat Winners:

Beaute Cachee (Fr) (Literato {Fr}) captured her fourth American stakes race with a neck score in the GII Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga (video). Trained by Chad Brown for Louis Lazzinnaro LLC, Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb, the gray won the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland, as well as the GIII Matchmaker Stakes earlier in the year.

Bridlewood Farm and Madaket Stables LLC's No Show Sammy Jo (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) returned a winner in a Colonial Downs contest in late August (video). The 4-year-old filly, who is trained by Graham Motion, was a Belmont maiden winner last year.