freshman sires

Following the completion of the last major 2-year-old sale of the season in each of the past two years, we looked at the potential success of the freshman sires by creating a handicapping event, noting both times that the freshman sires of 2018 and 2019 were very competitive bunches, i.e., many of them were capable of rising to the top five or so of their contemporaries after a few crops had raced. This year there was a substantial wrinkle in the process. Because of the Covid-19 situation, the sales season...

Spendthrift Farm's Cinco Charlie (Indian Charlie) was represented by his first winner Tuesday when Patricia and Daniel Yates' Big On Big scored a hard-fought victory in his career debut. Showing a mostly pedestrian local worktab until perking up with a five-furlong bullet in 1:02 4/5 (1/7) July 18, the dark bay took a late punch to be 28-5 at the off and led narrowly as the middle marker in a three-way pace duel through a sharp :22.40 quarter. Starting to find a bit of daylight past a :47.26 half, he...

Coolmore's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Sussex S. hero The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who operated at an initial fee of €25,000, became the latest European freshman sire off the mark when Aidan O'Brien trainee Finest (Ire) graduated in Friday's Well Done To All Frontline Staff From Limerick Racecourse Fillies Maiden at Limerick. 1st-Limerick, €11,000, Mdn, 7-17, 2yo, f, 6f 150yT, 1:25.45, gd. FINEST (IRE) (f, 2, The Gurkha {Ire}--Pearl Grey {GB} {SW & GSP-Eng}, by Gone West) was caught out by the intricacies of Bellewstown when fifth...

Becoming the latest freshman sire to get off the mark in Europe, Kildangan Stud-based The Last Lion (Ire) (by Choisir {Aus}), who stands at a fee of €7,500, joined the club at Hamilton on Wednesday. He was represented by the 2-1 favourite Kraken Power (Ire) in the British Stallions Studs EBF Maiden S., where the June 15 Pontefract second struck the front two out and was firmly in command for a 3 1/2-length dismissal of Abduction (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}). 5th-Hamilton, £6,400, Mdn, 6-24, 2yo, 6f 6yT, 1:11.63, g/s. KRAKEN POWER...

Hugues Rousseau and Didier Guillemin's Healey (Fr) (Morandi {Fr}), who ran unplaced in a five-furlong claimer at Chantilly in his May 13 debut, stepped forward to cause an upset in Friday's Prix Hyper U Gujan Mestras, upped to six furlongs at Bordeaux's La Teste de Buch venue, and become the first winner for his Haras du Mont Goubert-based freshman sire (by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). 1st-La Teste de Buch, €14,000, Mdn, 6-19, 2yo, c/g, 6fT, 1:19.34, sf. HEALEY (FR) (c, 2, Morandi {Fr}--Bashasha, by Kingmambo) ran unplaced in a five-furlong...

Haras de Colleville has the bragging rights after Alain Chopard's 2-year-old filly Livachope (Fr) provided their resident first-season sire Goken (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) with the first black-type available for the current crop in Chantilly's Listed Prix la Fleche on Sunday. Flashing early speed from her wide draw to move to the rail and the lead under Anthony Crastus, the May 13 course-and-distance maiden scorer was in front the whole way up the five-furlong straight and despite drifting right in the last furlong held on to beat fellow filly Pom Malpic...

Derrinstown Stud-based freshman sire Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) got off the mark when Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Live Stream (Ire) annexed Friday's British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice S. over six furlongs at Kempton. 2nd-Kempton, £6,400, Nov, 6-12, 2yo, f, 6f (AWT), 1:12.70, st/sl. LIVE STREAM (IRE) (f, 2, Awtaad {Ire}--Fluvial {Ire}, by Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was positioned in a close-up third along the fence after a sharp getaway in this debut. Shaken up approaching the quarter-mile marker, the the 7-2 chance quickened to challenge passing the...

Xtrema (Exaggerator) rallied to a convincing first-out score to give her freshman sire (by Curlin) his first winner while going out for the same connections that campaigned the 2016 GI Preakness S. hero. Breaking as the 21-10 second choice in a five-horse group, the $55,000 KEESEP grad tracked a speed duel from a distant third through a sharp :21.75 quarter. Appearing one-paced on the turn, the chestnut came alive entering the final furlong and blew past the tiring pace actors outside the sixteenth pole to score by four lengths over...

1st-Nantes, €14,000, Mdn, 6-9, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.59, g/s. FOREFRONT (IRE) (c, 2, Estidhkaar {Ire}--Archange {Fr}, by Arcano {Ire}) ran seventh in a winner-producing maiden over six furlongs at Saint-Cloud in his May 12 debut and duly obliged as the 9-5 favourite here to become the first winner for Tara Stud-based freshman sire Estidhkaar (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Breaking ahead of all 10 rivals to gain an immediate lead, he held sway throughout and lengthened clear of toiling rivals in the straight to easily dismiss Another Hot Topic (Ire) (Rio de...

Haras de Grandcamp-based freshman sire Martinborough (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) registered his first winner when his gelded son Central Park West (Fr) posted a half-length verdict at Dieppe. 1st-Dieppe, €16,000, Mdn, 6-8, 2yo, c/g, 5 1/2fT, 1:05.55, g/s. CENTRAL PARK WEST (FR) (g, 2, Martinborough {Jpn}--Rapid Transaction, by A.P. Indy) occupied a stalking role behind the leaders through halfway in this debut. Coming under pressure to close passing the quarter-mile marker, the 13-10 favourite went third approaching the eighth pole and found another gear inside the final 100 metres to...

Golden Melody (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), a William Haggas-trained newcomer, became the first winner for her Kildangan Stud-based freshman sire (by Lope de Vega {Ire}) with a 2 1/4-length success over six furlongs at Haydock. 6th-Haydock, £6,400, Nov, 6-7, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:15.03, g/s. GOLDEN MELODY (IRE) (f, 2, Belardo {Ire}--Chanter {GB}, by Lomitas {GB}) was well away to stalk the leaders in a handy fourth through halfway in this first go. Shaken up when angled into an open lane passing the quarter-mile marker, the 4-1 chance seized control approaching the...

Racing in the colours of trainer Michael Bell's son Nick, The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) became the first winner for his Ballyhane Stud-based freshman sire (by Kodiac {GB}), posting a new track record at Great Yarmouth. 3rd-Great Yarmouth, £6,400, Nov, 6-3, 2yo, 5f 42yT, :59.00 (NTR), g/f. THE LIR JET (IRE) (c, 2, Prince of Lir {Ire}--Paper Dreams {Ire}, by Green Desert) was well supported at 9-2 for this extended five-furlong test and duly delivered to provide a first winner for his Ballyhane Stud-based freshman sire (by...