By Brian Sheerin
Dubawi (Ire), the world's most successful active stallion, achieved another major milestone on Saturday by siring his 250th individual stakes winner.
Away from all the bright lights and razzmatazz of a big festival, Godolphin homebred Lake Lucerne, who began her career with John Gosden, achieved that landmark success when running out a cosy winner of the Albert M Stall Memorial S. at Fair Grounds for Brendan Walsh and Tyler Gaffalione.
That victory means that Dubawi has now achieved 599 stakes wins in total. A whopping 53 horses by him have scored at the highest level, with many serving to harden Dubawi's reputation as a sire of sires, which leading bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud has explained is one of the most pleasing aspects of the evergreen 21-year-old's influence.
He said, “Dubawi is just an unbelievable stallion. To be a sire of sires, which he is, it's unprecedented really. Dubai Millennium (GB) was a very special horse for everyone at Godolphin and it's wonderful that the line is continuing. We have Dubawi and his sons who will continue.
“You've got New Bay (GB), Zarak (Fr), Night Of Thunder (Ire) and lots of other young sires coming through like Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Space Blues (Ire) who are all by him. There's a lot to look forward to.”
Stroud added, “I don't think you could ever get tired of speaking about a stallion who is so on top of his game like Dubawi is. He has been a consistent sire at the highest level. We are just very privileged to have had stallions like Galileo (Ire), and now Sea The Stars (Ire), Frankel (GB) and Dubawi in Europe.”
Stroud has bought a large portion of Godolphin's yearlings at public auction in recent years and, alongside Sheikh Mohammed, returned to the market at Book 1 at Tattersalls last year to snap up 14 yearlings to the tune of just over 13,000,000gns by the dominant stallion. Put simply, there are few people better qualified to comment on the success Dubawi is having than he is.
However, while Stroud admits that what Dubawi has achieved already is astounding, he said that he firmly believes that the ink is still wet on his story.
He explained, “It's a great landmark for him to have achieved but, in racing, you never look backwards and always push forward. Yes, 250 is great, but there is still more to come from him. I firmly believe that the trajectory that he is on, it will continue to go upwards.
“The great thing about Dubawi is his versatility. He can get top-class horses over six furlongs, a mile or any distance. It's remarkable really. Another thing, they all seem to have very good minds. They have wonderful temperaments.”
Of the 250 individual stakes winners sired by Dubawi, 132 were colts or geldings and, in terms of Group or Graded winners, 98 have been achieved by colts or geldings and 65 by fillies or mares.
Stroud also acknowledged the huge significance surrounding the fact that milestone winner Lake Lucerne was bred by Godolphin and carried the famous royal blue silks to victory on Saturday.
He said, “Yes, it's quite fitting as the homebreds are the backbone to the Godolphin operation. They are key to any successful racing operation. The homebreds are the spine.”
Providing an update on Dubawi, who is set to stand for a whopping £350,000 this year, Stroud added, “He is really good, really well, and understandably has a fantastic book of mares to look forward to this year.”
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