Noble Tune, a son of Unbridled’s Song ex Serna’s Cat (Storm Cat) is a half brother to Gr1 Honor Code
Rathmor Stud showed off its exciting young stallion Noble Tune to a large crowd on Sunday -and few sires, if any, in recent times have retired to stud with a more exciting resume. Not only was Noble Tune a top class racehorse, he has a superb pedigree, which seems to improve on an almost weekly basis.
A top class juvenile
Noble Tune won his maiden over 1700m before going on to make it two in a row with a facile two and a half length score over multiple graded stakes winner Notacatbutallama in the Gr3 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park. Making his next appearance in the $1 million Gr1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf, Noble Tune ran on strongly to finish well for second place behind the victorious George Vancouver.
Amongst those beaten by Noble Tune that day were such high class performers as Balance The Books (G2 With Anticipation Stakes), Dundonnell (G2 Sprint Cup), Helene Super Star (G2 UAE Derby, G1 Champions and Chater Cup), Joha (G1 Breeders Futurity) and Fantastic Moon (G3 Solario Stakes).
The colt, who was trained by Chad Brown, trained on well to land the G2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs where he defeated subsequent G1 Secretariat Stakes winner Admiral Kitten (at level weights) by 1.75 lengths. Noble Tune, who made all his starts on turf, retired to stud having won four times and earned just under $500 000 in prize money.
Fappiano male line
Noble Tune is son of the great sire Unbridled’s Song, a precocious and top class racehorse, whose five victories included the G1 Breeders Cup Juvenile (over Hennessy), G1 Wood Memorial Stakes and G1 Florida Derby. The son of Unbridled went on to become one of the best stallions to stand in North America during the early part of the 21st century, with his 100 plus stakes winners including no fewer than 17 G1 winners. Among the top horses sired by Unbridled’s Song were the Breeders Cup winners Midshipman, Unbridled Elaine and Unrivaled Belle, champions Embur’s Song and Will Take Charge, and Gr1 winners Buddha, Cross Traffic, Graydar, Magnificent Song, Octave, Splendid Blended and Thorn Song.
A highly successful sire of sires, Unbridled’s Song’s top stallion sons include Dunkirk, North America’s Leading First Crop Sire of 2013, while other Grade One producing sons of Unbridled’s Song include First Defence (sire of US Champion Close Hatches), Old Fashioned and Rockport Harbor. Three sons of Unbridled’s Song, Dunkirk, Old Fashioned and Zensational, are currently in the top ten on North America’s Leading Third Crop Sires Log.
The Fappiano (sire of Unbridled) male line has been incredibly potent in North America, with recent champions including not only American Pharoah, but also the likes of outstanding racehorse and sire Candy Ride, sire of leading first crop sire Twirling Candy and champion 2YO Shared Belief.
Storm Cat female line
Noble Tune, whose dam is by Storm Cat-one of the most influential stallions of the 21st century, has an equally successful female line.
Remarkably, the stallion’s first three stakes winning dams are by Storm Cat, Mr Prospector and Rahy.
Serena’s Cat, dam of Noble Tune, won four including the Klassy Briefcase Stakes, but her main claim to fame as come as a superb broodmare. Not only is she the dam of the Breeders Cup runner up Noble Tune, but her son, Honor Code (A P Indy), currently ranks as among the very best horses currently in training in North America.
An original favourite for the 2014 Kentucky Derby, Honor Code was forced to miss that race as a result of injury, but has returned bigger and better at four when his wins have included the Gr1 Metropolitan Handicap. Honor Code, who ranks as one of the most attractive stud prospects of 2014, has amassed prize money of over $1 million, and he rates as a leading contender for the Breeders Cup championships later in the year. His next appearance could come in the Gr1 Whitney Handicap on August 8th.
Her popularity comes as no surprise, for not only is Serena’s Cat an outstanding broodmare she is also one with a superb pedigree.
By a legendary sire, Serena’s Cat’s dam is the stakes winning, and $1 million yearling buy, Serena’s Tune. The latter’s seven wins included three in stakes races, and the Mr Prospector daughter quickly went on to success at stud. Not only is Serena’s Tune the dam of Serena’s Cat, but her Vindication son Vocalised was himself a high class performer, winning both the G3 Greenham Stakes and G3 Tetrarch Stakes and he now stands at stud in Ireland.
Vocalised’s small first crop included the talented filly Steip Amach, winner of the G3 Killavullan Stakes.
In the money in 32 of her 38 outings, Serena’s Song was Champion at 3, and won no fewer than 13 G1 races. Her victories included a rare triumph over colts in the G1 Haskell Invitational, while other major races won by Serena’s Song included the Oak Leaf Stakes, Gazelle Stakes, Santa Anita Oaks, Mother Goose Stakes, and Hempstead Handicap.
She proved equally prolific at stud, with Serena’s Song producing five individual stakes winners including G1 Coronation Stakes winner Sophisticat.
This is also the family of the recently retired high class Australian performer Puissance De Lune, who earned over $870 000 in stakes, and Iffraaj’s multiple G1 winning daughter Rizeena.
