Cover image courtesy of Valachi Downs
The G1 Stradbroke H. win of Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) on Saturday added another black-type highlight to her dam Baggy Green's page that already contains the Group 1 successes of her half-sisters Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}), added since she was purchased by Valachi Downs' owner Kevin Hickman from Curraghmore's Gordon Cunningham in 2017.
Having happened upon a family which has produced three individual Group winners, Valachi Downs is now embarking on creating its own legacy, with Tofane's sister, foaled last year, a key part of a long-term plan, along with Baggy Green.
Tofane (NZ) wins the G1 Stradbroke H. | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
"Gordon Cunningham initially bought her as a broodmare and he sold her to Kevin (Hickman) when she was in foal to Pins. At that stage, there was no Youngstar, no Funstar and no Tofane," Valachi Downs General Manager, Gareth Downey, said.
"You always hope one might pop up in the family somewhere but you don't expect three Australian Group 1 winners."
Cunningham had sourced Baggy Green off the track for $23,000 from the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale in 2013. Bred to an overseas covering of her dam Starspangled (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), by Galileo (Ire), she had initially been purchased and raced by Dermot Farrington, who paid $130,000 for her at the 2010 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. Baggy Green won one of her 11 starts for the late Guy Walter and boasted substantial broodmare appeal on her pedigree.
Baggy Green | Image courtesy of Valachi Downs
"Gordon loves his breeding and he knows the European and UK form incredibly well. The second dam, User Friendly, was obviously an absolute standout, winning five Group 1s. Gordon sent me a video the other day of her winning the 1982 Oaks and she was obviously very high class," Downey said.
"The combination of Galileo and that mare appealed so much to Gordon and hence there is the quality of that family coming through.
"While we celebrate owning a mare like that, I do feel a bit sorry for Gordon. I'm sure he would be delighted to still own her."
Valachi Downs General Manager, Gareth Downey
A dual Group 1-winning star
While Cunningham sold Baggy Green, he retained Tofane, putting her in training with Michael Moroney and Pam Gerrard. Australian-based clients of Moroney's purchased her privately after an impressive trial win at Te Teko early in her 3-year-old season.
Tofane has since gone on to be a star, winning six of her 21 starts, including the 2020 G1 All Aged S., where she defeated six Group 1 winners. Saturday's victory in the G1 Stradbroke H. took her career earnings past $2.2 million.
Her owners had entered her in the recent Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, and only withdrew her at the last moment after she showed she was back in top form when running second in the G3 BRC Sprint. There are now suggestions that Moroney may target her at the 2021 G1 Cox Plate.
Green legacy lives on
As for her dam, since being purchased by Valachi Downs, Baggy Green has produced three foals.
Bradman (NZ) (Pins), now a 3-year-old gelding, has won one of his 11 starts for Awapuni trainer Royden Bergerson, while unraced 2-year-oldd Benaud (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) was purchased for NZ$280,000 by John O'Shea and Laurel Oak Bloodstock from the Valachi Downs draft at last year's New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Benaud (NZ) as a yearling
Baggy Green then missed to So You Think (NZ) but provided Valachi Downs with a very valuable addition when she foaled an Ocean Park (NZ) filly last year.
"We now have the full sister to Tofane. With any mare like this, you want as many fillies as possible," Downey said.
"We now have the full sister to Tofane. With any mare like this, you want as many fillies as possible." - Gareth Downey
"I haven't seen Tofane (up close), as that was when Gordon bred her, but this filly looks more like what you would expect from the pedigree."
"She looks like a middle-distance/Classic type of horse, not the sprinter-miler that Tofane has proven to be. She's a pretty elegant looking filly that should take a bit of time. She's very well put together."
Downey said there is no chance the filly will see a sales ring.
"Kevin's strategy is to keep every filly and sell the colts. With a mare like her, we want to develop as much family as possible and it is already an amazing family. We will keep this filly and every other filly we are lucky to get from her," he said.
"Kevin's strategy is to keep every filly and sell the colts. With a mare like her (Baggy Green), we want to develop as much family as possible and it is already an amazing family." - Gareth Downey
As Baggy Green missed to both Ocean Park (NZ) and Savabeel last year, Hickman will have to wait another year for another foal and while a mating back to Ocean Park would seem the logical path, Downey said no firm decision had been made.
"We are not sure. She went to him last year a couple of times and didn't get in foal. She carries Sadler's Wells and Danehill in her pedigree, so that does limit her options in terms of duplicating either of them," he said.
"Ocean Park is an obvious one, but there are a few other options. We are going through our mating plans now."
