Danzig
One of the world’s top sprints, the Group 1 Darley July Cup, has become something of a gift race for the descendants of the great sire Danzig. Danzig himself sired no fewer than six winners of this 1200m championship –Agnes World, Anabaa, Elnadim, Green Desert, Hamas, and Polish Patriot. Another son, Danehill, sired 2001 winner Mozart, while Danehill’s son Choisir sired the 2010 hero Starspangledbanner.
It was a case of the more things change the more they stay the same in the 2015 July Cup, which was run at Newmarket on the afternoon of Saturday, 11 July. The race was won by Muhaarar – a son of former July Cup winner Oasis Dream, whose sire Green Desert is a July Cup winning Danzig son.
Green Desert himself has exerted a considerable influence on the top sprint, with his sons Owington and Oasis Dream winning in 1994 and 2003 respectively. Another Green Desert son, Invincible Spirit, got on the winner’s board when his offspring Fleeting Spirit and Mayson scored in 2009 and 2011 respectively.
All in all, this shows quite a remarkable influence on arguably Europe’s top sprint for a stallion who himself spent his entire stud career in North America. While it is unusual for one of the world’s top races to become all but the sole property of one sire and his heirs, it is not unheard of as the below examples underline.
Investec Derby
Sadler’s Wells
Another major race which has been dominated by one major sire and his stallion sons in recent times is the Investec Derby. The Epsom classic roll of honour has invariably been dominated by the Sadler’s Wells dynasty. Since 2005, the Derby has been four times by a son of Montjeu (Motivator, Authorized, Pour Moi, Camelot), and three times by a Galileo colt (New Approach, Ruler Of The World, Australia), while Sadler’s Wells himself is broodmare sire of 2010 Derby hero Workforce. Sadler’s Wells himself was responsible for a pair of Derby winners in Galileo and High Chaparral, and had numerous Derby placed runners to his credit.
However, as successful as the Sadler’s Wells clan have been in the Epsom Derby, they have been even more prolific in the Irish equivalent. Twice Sadler’s Wells colts finished 1-2-3 in the Irish Derby (in 1999 and 2002), while Sadler’s Wells sired six Irish Derby winners. His sons In The Wings, Galileo and Montjeu have all sired winners of the Irish Derby, with 1999 Derby hero Montjeu having no fewer than four Irish Derby winners to his credit. Galileo, whose son Teofilo sired the ill-fated Derby winner Trading Leather, is himself also sire of four Irish Derby winners, and he should still build further on his already formidable record in the Irish classic.
Japanese Derby
The legendary Sunday Silence dominated Japanese racing as none before him. The Sunday Silence legacy can be well and truly viewed in the results of the Japanese Derby (Tokyo Yushun). Since 1995, the Derby has been won 12 times by a son/grandson of the 1989 Kentucky Derby/Preakness Stakes winner, whose runners have dominated the Japanese classics since the mid 1990’s.
Sunday Silence’s greatest son, former Japanese Triple Crown winner Deep Impact, has shown signs of becoming a truly legendary sire. Already champion sire on three occasions (and currently topping the Japanese sires premiership for 2015), Deep Impact himself has dominated the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), with his daughters winning the 1600m classic from 2011-2014 (and while Deep Impact failed to sire the winner this year, his daughters Culminar and Countess Thule did manage to run 2-3.)
Golden Slipper
Danehill
Not surprisingly, given his staggering influence “Down Under”, Danehill and his heirs have dominated Australia’s greatest 2yo contest, the Golden Slipper. Danehill, who himself sired five winners of the world’s richest 2yo race, is the male line ancestor of no fewer than 11 Slipper winners and his sons and grandsons continue to dominate one of the world’s most prestigious races. He is also the broodmare sire of Slipper winners Sepoy (Elusive Quality) and Vancouver (Medaglia D’Oro), who were victorious in 2011 and 2015 respectively.
Golden Slipper entries for 2016 are dominated by Danehill line descendants –his champion son Exceed And Excel (recently represented by his 100th stakes winner) has a staggering 52 entries for the Slipper next year, while Danehill’s brilliant grandson Snitzel has no fewer than 106 Golden Slipper possibilities, and Australian champion sire elect Fastnet Rock has 86.
Danehill’s Slipper winning son Flying Spur is himself the broodmare sire of Slipper winner and hot young sire Sebring (More Than Ready) who has 77 entered for the 2016 Slipper.
SA Grade One contests
Asbestos
While few, if any, sires, can match the feat of siring five consecutive Grade One winners (Asbestos sired five consecutive Cape Derby winners from 1946-1950), a few South African based sires have built up remarkable success rates in a number of important local features.
One such example is that of the late, great Jet Master, whose progeny (Pocket Power-3 times, River Jetez and Past Master) won the Gr1 J&B Met from 2007-2011. In the 1960’s, Pent House had three SA Derby winners in 4 years – Bridesman (1965), Appointment (1966) and Home Guard (1968), while sire of the moment Silvano has been represented by three Vodacom Durban July winners (Bold Silvano, Heavy Metal, and Power King) in six years.
Elliodor (Lyphard-Ellida)
The late Elliodor was another local sire whose descendants enjoyed a particular success with a major race, namely the Gr1 Paddock Stakes. Elliodor himself sired four Paddock Stakes winners from 1992-2002 (Perfect Order, Double D’Or, Dollar Fortune and Crimson Palace), and his son Model Man had another two to his credit (Model School and League Title). Elliodor is also the broodmare sire of 1999 Paddock Stakes winner Dog Wood, and, it is safe to say, he certainly made an enormous contribution to what is arguably South Africa’s most important contest for fillies and mares.
