Lope de Vega (Shamardal – Lady Vettori)
The catalogue for next week’s 2016 National Yearling Sale includes a number of blue blooded yearlings, whose top class international female lines recently received major overseas updates.
Former French Derby winner Lope De Vega, sire of lot 15, is one of the most exciting young sires currently standing in Europe. A son of the outstanding Giant’s Causeway son Shamardal, Lope De Vega’s first crop of foals included the champions Belardo and Hero Look, and a further three other group winners. His current crop of 3yos include the highly regarded classic hope, Blue De Vega. Lope De Vega’s recently high class performers include the Australian group winners French Fern and Santa Ana Lane –and he has now a total of 27 stakes horses from his first two full crops of racing age. The sire, who is responsible for lot 15 at the National Sale, currently stands for a fee of €45,000 –or more than R740 000!
Another pedigree with a major international update is that of lot 64, a filly by the much lamented Sail From Seattle, whose current 2yos include the promising sorts Pacific Spirit, Seattle Singer and Storm Clipper, among others. This well related filly, whose numerous high class relatives include the Breeders’ Cup Mile winners Miesque, Karakontie, Six Perfections, and successful local sire Judpot, is from the same family as 2016 G1 Dubai Turf hero Real Steel.
This wonderful family, also responsible for the G1 winning fillies East Of The Moon and Tapestry, is also responsible for lot 440 in the catalogue. Lot 440, a beautifully bred filly (who is inbred to Pasadoble) is out of a mare by emerging broodmare sire Elusive Quality –damsire of such G1 winners as Guelph and No Nay Never among others.
The family of lot 109, a daughter of the late, great Kahal, proved very popular at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale –with a colt by Redoute’s Choice being knocked down for AUS $1.5 million. That pricey colt, and lot 109, are both out of daughters of the Seattle Slew mare Super Selection –a three parts sister to dual G1 winner Slew City Slew, sire of Horse Of The Year Win City and legendary US galloper Lava Man.
Var is the sire of lot 138, a half brother to G1 Champions Cup hero Ivory Trail. From the mighty Best In Show family, this well bred colt’s fourth dam Stolen Date is also the dam of Hong Kong Horse Of The Year Designs On Rome –who recently won his sixth G1 victory when victorious in the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup.
Belonje, lot 195, is from one of the best families in the stud book and traces back directly to Northern Dancer’s great daughter Fanfreluche. A son of exciting sire Philanthropist, Belonje is from the family of champion sires Encosta De Lago and Flying Spur, as well as champion 2yo and leading sire Holy Roman Emperor. The latter is a full brother to G3 winner Milanova, who fetched AUS$5 000 000 at the Inglis Broodmare Sale, who produced Sunday’s impressive Listed Salsabil Stakes winner Pretty Perfect.
Tapit, the sire of lot 258, has headed the US sires List for the past two years, with his progeny wracking an accumulate total of $35.2 million in the past 2 years alone! The great son of Pulpit is second on the US General Sires List so far this year, with his runners having amassed more than $6.59 million. Tapit 3yos having dominated the 2016 Triple Crown preps with his runners having captured such important races as the G1 Arkansas Derby, G2 Rebel Stakes, G2 UAE Derby, G2 Fountain Of Youth and G3 Holy Bull Stakes in 2016 –and Tapit looks set to add to a tally which has seen his progeny lift classic races such as the G1 Belmont Stakes (Tonalist) and G1 Kentucky Oaks (Untapable).
Both lots 322 and 323 (both by popular champion What A Winter) are from the famed Queen Of Light family (which has enjoyed success in South Africa with the likes of G1 winner and R3 million Captain America. This is also the family of the brilliant Danehill Dancer mare Esoterique, winner of both the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G1 Sun Chariot Stakes in 2015.
Lot 324 Be The Right, a colt by G1 winning young sire Byword, received a major boost this year when his close relative Capitalist won the world’s richest 2yo race, the G1 Golden Slipper. One of two Slipper winners in this family, Capitalist has now won four of five outings and earned over $3.4 million.
Another yearling to receive a handsome boost to his pedigree page, was lot 329, a colt named The Puma. This Mogok colt is from the same family as last week’s G1 Apple Blossom Handicap heroine Forever Unbridled and her G1 Ballerina Stakes winning own sister Unbridled Forever. The pair are both out of G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever.
Triple G1 winning sire Oratorio, whose progeny have been in huge demand this year, is the sire of lot 397 –a colt whose dam is a half sister to the dam of exported Guineas hero Noah From Goa. From the family of the great mare Gladness, this colt is also closely related to 2016 G2 Godolphin Mile winner One Man Band.
Two Colours, a Twice Over filly catalogued as lot 429, is from the same family as leading sire Centaine as well as 2016 G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes winner Almighty Girl.”
