Wonderful broodmares

[Henri Jooste 40]

I came accross this article yesterday

Remarkable Broodmares

June 21st, 2012 - Sarah Whitelaw (Sportingpost)

When Great Heavens (Galizzz) won the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes last Thursday, the 3yo filly became the eighth stakes winner for her dam, Magnificient Style.

Magnificient Style, herself a high-class racemare who won the G3 Musidora Stakes, has produced all of:

NATHANIEL (Galizzz) – King George and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

PERCUSSION (Sadler’s Wells) – Yorkshire Cup

PLAYFUL ACT (Sadler’s Wells) – Fillies Mile

ECHOES IN ETERNITY (Spinning World) – Park Hill Stakes

CHANGING SKIES (Sadler’s Wells) - The Very One Stakes

PETARA BAY (Peintre Celebre) – Feilden Stakes

STYLESTICK (Storm Cat) – Green River Stakes

GREAT HEAVENS (Galizzz) – Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes

Remarkably, of Magnificient Style’s eight stakes winners, five are group/graded winners, and two, Nathaniel and Playful Act, are G1 winners. It is quite a feat for a broodmare to produce as many as eight WINNERS, much less at stakes level.

While Magnificient Style has yet to produce as many G1 winners as such broodmare legends as Fall Aspen, Toussaud or Hasili or leave behind an important sire son, she has certainly established herself as one of the most prolific broodmares of her generation simply by the number of black type performers she has to date produced.

So how many other mares in history have produced as many as eight stakes winners? The small number of famous broodmares to produce as many as five stakes winners really puts into perspective the remarkable achievement by Magnificient Style (Silver Hawk).

One mare whose progeny exceeded the tally of eight stakes winners racked up Magnificient Style, was Grey Flight. Ancestress of top SA sire National Assembly, as well as promising young sire Philanthropist, Grey Flight bred a phenomenal nine stakes winners! The daughter of Mahmoud ‘s tally included champion US sire What A Pleasure (Bold Ruler) and champion filly Misty Morn.

Another blue hen who threw eight stakes winners was Courtly Dee (Never Bend). Her daughters produced the dams of leading sires Green Desert and Arch.

Legendary mare, Urban Sea, threw eight stakes winners, equal to Magnificent Style, but outdid that mare by throwing two true legends of the turf in Galizzz and Sea The Stars. In Galizzz, Urban Sea produced a world leading sire, whose progeny continues to make their mark, both on the track and at stud.

The great US broodmare, Up The Flagpole (Hoist The Flag) was another phenomenal mare. Producer of seven stakes winners, Up The Flagpole (whose sire was a truly great broodmare sire), left behind three G1 winners. She is also the granddam of US Horse of the Year and leading sire, Mineshaft (A P Indy).

Prior to Urban Sea, a mare who really left her mark on the European Derbies was Athasi. Remarkably, Athasi bred no fewer than three sons who won both the Irish Derby and St Leger, and one, Trigo, who also won the Epsom Derby. In total, Athasi produced six stakes winners.

The great mare Eight Carat bred five G1 winners, and her daughters also proved immensely important in the Australian stud book. She is described by many experts as the greatest broodmare of all time in Australasia.

La Troienne, possibly the greatest broodmare of all time, bred five stakes winners: Bimelech, Black Helen, Biologist, Big Hurry, Bee Ann Mac, and two of her foals, Bimelech and Black Helen, were champions. However, it was through the deeds of her daughters that La Troienne made her reputation. La Troiennes daughters produced such stars as Horse of the Year Busher, champion racemare Searching and G1 winner Cohoes , and her descendants continue to feature in G1 races around the world.

The mighty racemare Dahlia widely disproved the idea that a heavily mare will fail at stud. She raced in five different countries, from 2 to 6, and still produced six stakes winners, four of which won G1 races, and another who produced subsequent St Leger winner, Nedawi.

Champion filly, Miesque, bred five stakes winners, two of which were classic races. Among her foals are the champion sire, Kingmambo, French 1000 Guineas winner East of the Moon and G1 sire Miesque’s Son. She is also the dam and granddam of SA sires Judpot and Miesque’s Approval, respectively.

Height of Fashion was another top mare on the track, who duplicated her success at stud. She bred six stakes winners including the G1 winners Nashwan and Nayef. Four of her sons have sired G1 winners, and she is also ancestress of champion US mare, Lahudood (Singspiel).

Battle Creek Girl, dam of successful SA sire Parade Leader, is another to have bred six stakes winners. Her tally includes the graded winning brothers Parade Ground and Parade Leader, and champion 2yo filly, Wavering Girl.

Another great broodmare was Bride Elect, dam of former SA champion sire Royal Prerogative. She bred six stakes winners, including St Leger winner, Hethersett.

The great Hasili, granddam of young SA sire Ideal World, herself has produced seven stakes winners to date, of which two won Breeders Cup races, and FIVE won G1 races. Remarkably, it is Hasili’s G2 winner, world leading sire Dansili, who looks to be the most important of Hasili’s progeny, at this stage.

In South Africa, the two most famous broodmares, arguably, were Drohsky and Sister Sublime.

Drohsky produced four stakes winners, but she achieved her fame through her daughters and granddaughters.

Sister Sublime likewise “onlyâ€

[Rich 1]

some others who produced 5SW+ are:

My Tricia bred 5SW (2G1)

Review bred 5SW (4G1)

Hunza bred 5SW (2G1)

Ripeck bred 6SW (2G1)

Dark Jewel bred 5SW (3G1)

Selene 5SW (4G1)

Scapa Flow bred 5SW (3G1)

Phase bred 5SW (3G1)

Banja Luka bred 6SW (1G1)

A number of other broodmares produced 4SW or less but are influential through their daughters which I find of greater importance with regards to passing forward their genes.

[Forrest 78]

Henri,

I know with urban sea for example, her first and second dams had a lot big black type in the family prior to her doing her impressive stint.

Is this the case with all these great broodmares,or were there any that improved the family out of sight?

[Henri Jooste 40]

That is a very good question Forrest. All of the mares except one came from good black type families. The only one that came from a weak female family for generations was the South African mare Drohsky and she certainly upgraded the family out of sight. Her daughters also proved to be terrific broodmares.

The other South African mare mentioned Soho Secret also resurrected a dormant family that did go back to strong English roots. Soho Secret was a stakes winner herself (10 races)and her first dam though not a black type producer won 12 races in the USA. The third dam Smart Secret was winner and also failed to produce a black type horse. Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck is an immediate member of this family and could just be the sire to take over from his sire More Than Ready in Australia (Vinery). Check out his pedigree and now solid black type pedigree.

[Forrest 78]

That is a very good question Forrest. All of the mares except one came from good black type families. The only one that came from a weak female family for generations was the South African mare Drohsky and she certainly upgraded the family out of sight. Her daughters also proved to be terrific broodmares.

The other South African mare mentioned Soho Secret also resurrected a dormant family that did go back to strong English roots. Soho Secret was a stakes winner herself (10 races)and her first dam though not a black type producer won 12 races in the USA. The third dam Smart Secret was winner and also failed to produce a black type horse. Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck is an immediate member of this family and could just be the sire to take over from his sire More Than Ready in Australia (Vinery). Check out his pedigree and now solid black type pedigree.

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Its good to know that although most of these well related mares would only exchange hands for big money,every now and then , there is a sniff for the smaller player, that may want resurrect the family deeds.

Of course, I assume that the mare in question was let go after inferior results,but it is also possible that they toughed it out to reap the rewards?

PLUCK; now that is a serious black type family!