The Triple Crown trail moves to Maryland this weekend where the 1900 metre G1 Preakness S. takes the spotlight as the shortest race in the series. The card kicks off at 12.30am AEST with the Sir Barton S., one of nine Thoroughbred stakes races on the card. The Preakness is set for 8.47am AEST.
As is often the case on big days, six of the nine stakes have at least one runner who could provide an update to an Australasian page. Some runners have deep connections to the region with their close family members spending time as breeding stock in Australia and New Zealand.
American Pharoah hits new milestone in Preakness
The headlining race on the card sees 10 entries lining up to win the second leg of the Triple Crown in the G1 Preakness S. Ram (USA) becomes American Pharoah’s (USA) first US Classic runner after winning an Allowance on the G1 Kentucky Derby card by 3.5l two weeks ago. Ram is a half-brother to three stakes horses, led by Spendthrift Farm’s Grade 2 winner Coal Front (USA) (Stay Thirsty {USA}) among five winners from five to race out of his dam.
American Pharoah (USA) | Standing at Coolmore
Spendthrift Farm co-owned Keepmeinmind (USA) (Laoban {USA}) is looking to rebound from his seventh place finish in the G1 Kentucky Derby as one of three runners from that race coming in here. Keepmeinmind is one of two stakes performers for Inclination (USA) (Victory Gallop {Can}) alongside Grade 2-placed In Jack’s Memory (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}). Inclination’s two stakes winning half-siblings include the grandam of Spendthrift’s Grade 2 winner Secret Message (USA) (Hat Trick {Jpn}).
Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (USA) (Protonico {USA}) is looking to secure the second leg of the Triple Crown from post position four. Medina Spirit’s extended family includes multiple Grade 1 winner High Yield (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}), G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Forest Flower (USA) (Green Forest {USA}), G1 British 2000 Guineas Night Of Thunder (Ire), and Canadian Horse of the Year Catch A Glimpse (USA) (City Zip {USA}).
Lidari family member among Sir Barton entries
Kicking off Saturday’s Pimlico card in the number one hole is The King Cheek (USA) (Laoban {USA}) in the Sir Barton S. Out of a War Chant (USA) mare, The King Cheek is from the family of G2 Blamey S. winner Lidari (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) and Australian runner Laristan (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}).
Co-owned by names familiar to Australian racing in SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Stonestreet Stables (alongside Madaket Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm, and Robert E. Masterson) is Hozier (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}). A heavy favourite in this race at 2/5 on the morning line, Hozier is the only named foal out of multiple Graded stakes winner Merry Meadow (USA) (Henny Hughes {USA}). The colt was a US$625,000 (AU$808,656) Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling and finished second in the G2 Rebel S. in March during his first taste of stakes action.
Myself descendent among Gallorette entries
Toronado’s (Ire) Tuned (GB) lines up in the third stakes race of the day, the G3 Gallorette S. over 1700 metres. Fourth in two stakes races this year, the Al Shaqab Racing homebred is searching for her first stakes victory here. She is out of US Champion Grass Female Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune {USA}) with her family also including German Champion Brisanto (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
A mainstay on the female turf seen over the last two seasons Feel Glorious (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) is looking to get her first Graded stakes win. The 5-year’s stakes placed grandam Ego (GB) (Green Desert {USA}) is a half-sister to Listed Sky High S. winner Single (High Chaparral {Ire}). Their dam Myself (GB) (Nashwan {USA}) was imported to New Zealand before the 2002 breeding season, where she had six foals between her time in that country and Australia. Also in the family under Feel Glorious’ fourth dam is G2 Zipping Classic winner Au Revoir (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), G3 Arawa S. winner Volks Lightning (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), and Ascot 1000 Guineas winner Adornment (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
Sir Percy’s (GB) Flighty Lady (Ire) comes into the Gallorette with a win in her first US start last month. The Group 1-placed 4-year-old sees stakes horses under each of her first four dams with Hong Kong Group 1 winner Giant Treasure (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}) among those under her third. Others on the page also include Hong Kong Horse of the Year Military Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), G2 Zipping Classic third Big Orange (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) and popular Australian visitor Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}).
Extrasexybigdaddee brings New Zealand connections to James W. Murphy
By former Australian shuttler Congrats (USA), Extrasexybigdaddee (USA) is among the runners in the James W. Murphy S. over 1600 metres on turf. His grandam She’s Pretty Too (USA) (Housebuster {USA}) is a half-sister to G2 Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic winner Kaatoon (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}) with their dam Toonsie (USA) only foaling She’s Pretty Too outside New Zealand.
Toonsie had five winners from her five to race with that group including Kaatoon’s multiple Group 2-placed Black Panther (NZ) and their stakes-placed half-brother Cross Roads (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Kaatoon was the only filly from the foals Toonsie had while in New Zealand with Kaatoon’s runners including Group 3-placed Aotearower (NZ) (Shamardal {USA}). Kaatoon has an unnamed 2-year-old Tavistock (NZ) colt, a yearling filly by Per Incanto (USA), a weanling by Vadamos (Fr), and was bred back to Per Incanto last year.
Casual represents Australia in Skipat
Out of multiple Grade 1 winner Lady Tak (USA) (Mutakddim {USA}) comes Runhappy Skipat S. runner Casual (USA) (Curlin {USA}). Lady Tak’s grandam saw granddaughter Deanna’s Bird (USA) (Storm Bird {USA}) exported to Australia in the 1990s. The mare had five mares in the country including stakes winner Cannyanna (Canny Lad), who is also the dam of Geelong Classic winner Milestone (Redoute’s Choice). Another of Deanna’s Bird’s daughters produced Group 3 winner Load And Lockett (Serheed {USA}) and stakes winner Kim Uma (Umatilla {NZ}).
Might And Power relative runs in Dinner Party
Looking to keep his North American record perfect in his first stakes attempt is the Peter Brant homebred Kuramata (Ire) (Australia {GB}). The 4-year-old will be stepping up to the Grade 2 level in the Dinner Party S., though he has plenty of pedigree behind him to give him the class to do it. His grandam Bastet (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) is a half-sister to two-time Australian Horse of the Year Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Their dam Benediction (Ire) (Day Is Done {Ire}) started her broodmare career in New Zealand, where she was a two-time New Zealand Broodmare of the Year with those awards coming after she was exported to the Northern Hemisphere. Benediction is also the dam of multiple stakes winner Matter Of Honour (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}) and other Southern Hemisphere runners under her name include four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Fastnet Rock), and multiple Group winners Time For War (Snitzel) and Hiflyer (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
