Germany
Alpinista registers Group 1 hat trick
Alpinista’s (GB) (Frankel {GB}) domination of Germany continued on Sunday when the filly scored in the G1 Allianz-Grosser Preis Von Bayern.
Beating Mendocino (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) by 0.75l, it was Alpinista’s third consecutive Group 1 win in Germany and the fifth stakes win in a row for the British-based filly. A fourth generation homebred for Kirsten Rausing, she is one of six Group 1 winners and 24 stakes winners for Frankel (GB) in 2021.
A granddaughter of British and German champion and Group 1 winner Albanova (GB) (Alzao {USA}), she’s the fourth straight generation of her family to win a stakes as well. In addition to her five stakes performers, Albanova also produced Australia winner My Sanctuary (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who has an Australian-bred More Than Ready (USA) 3-year-old filly named Zentimes, and a pair of Pierros to come. The mare returned to Pierro last season as well.
Italy
Ardakan runs away with Beradelli
Reliable Man’s (GB) Ardakan (GB) took no prisoners on Sunday when the juvenile colt blitzed to a 6l win in the G3 Premio Guido Berardelli to give Reliable Man his 45th stakes performer.
It was a maiden-breaking run for the colt, who had finished on the board in his first two career starts without visiting the winner’s enclosure before Sunday’s race. The race behind him was a closer affair with Crystal Drake (Ity) (Full Drago {Ity}) finishing a head in front of Wonka Willy (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) for third.
Ardakan is out of German stakes winner Alaskakonigin (Ger) (Sternkonig {Ger}), who also produced stakes winner Alaskasonne (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). Alaskakonigin is one of four stakes performers for her own dam, who also produced one other stakes winner and two other stakes placed runners. With Ardakan’s Sunday victory, Westbury Stud resident Reliable Man now has 12 Group winners and 17 stakes winners.
United States
Rockefeller 84th Group winner for Medaglia D’Oro
One start after finishing fourth to likely Champion 2-Year-Old Corniche (USA) (Quality Road {USA}), Rockefeller (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) added a first stakes win to his record in the G3 Nashua S. at Belmont Park.
Owned in part by SF Racing and Starlight Racing, the US$750,000 (AU$1 million) yearling added a second win in three career starts to his record with the 2.75l victory over Cooke Creek (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}). The win made him the 84th Graded stakes winner for Darley’s former shuttle stallion Medaglia D’Oro.
“He kept at it. He’s a very talented horse. He’s still learning but he has a lot of talent. I think he’s going to be a nice horse. It was great to get the mount,” said jockey Luis Saez.
Rockefeller is out of the Grade 1 winner Dance To Bristol (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) and comes from the family of the G1 Caulfield Cup second Blair House (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Those on his page also include Group 1-winning runners Chief Honcho (USA) (Chief’s Crown {USA}), Poet’s Voice (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), and Mozu Katchan (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}).
Essential Quality to stand for US$75,000
Essential Quality (USA) (Tapit {USA}), last year's Champion 2-Year-Old and winner of this year's G1 Belmont S. and G1 Runhappy Travers S., will begin his stud career next year at a fee of US$75,000 (AU$101,000), Darley in America announced.
Essential Quality concluded his racing career with a third-place effort in Saturday's G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.
Essential Quality (USA), Standing at Darley America in 2022 | Image courtesy of Godolphin
“His body of work is just tremendous: an Eclipse champion at two, a Classic winner at three, a son of Tapit with a fantastic female family,” said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox. “He's already generated quite a lot of interest and we couldn't be more excited about him retiring to Jonabell Farm.”
Essential Quality won eight of 10 starts, including last year's G1 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile and G1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, as well as this year's G2 Jim Dandy S. and G2 Toyota Blue Grass S. He retires with earnings of US$4,755,144 (AU$6.4 million).
