Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Dawn Service (Justify {USA}) made his Melbourne debut on Saturday in the Listed Exford Plate, and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt certainly left an impression as he bravely surged down the vast Flemington straight to claim his stakes victory at start four.
With his gleaming chestnut coat, it’s no surprise to many that he’s a son of Coolmore’s sire sensation, Justify (USA). However, Dawn Service also boasts an equally talented dam in Sunlight (Zoustar).
The Thoroughbred Report spoke with Bruce Slade of Kestrel Thoroughbreds, who co-purchased Dawn Service for $1.4 million at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, to find out what, beyond his deep pedigree, made the colt so attractive.
Son of two guns
In thoroughbred breeding, the adage ‘breed the best to the best’ is a commonly followed approach. It sounds simple, right? Two superior racehorses should produce a horse with the power of a V8 turbo engine, but it often doesn’t work out that way—it’s never quite that simple.
However, in the case of Dawn Service, it seems to have worked. His sire, Justify (USA), a son of the G1 Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy (USA), became the 13th horse to secure the North American Triple Crown, which consists of the G1 Kentucky Derby, the G1 Preakness S., and the G1 Belmont S.
Justify (USA) | Standing at Coolmore America
Retired to Coolmore Stud and shuttling to Australia for four seasons, Justify has produced the likes of Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Learning To Fly and the supremely talented Storm Boy in the Southern Hemisphere.
To date, Justify has sired 36 stakes winners worldwide, including City Of Troy (USA), victor of the G1 Derby at Epsom Downs, the G1 International S., the G1 Eclipse S., and the G1 Dewhurst S.
Among his other progeny is the talented filly Opera Singer (USA), a dual Group 1 winner; the Breeders’ Cup champions Just F Y I (USA) and Hard To Justify (USA); and Group 1 winners Aspen Grove (USA) and the now-retired Arabian Lion (USA).
While Dawn Service’s sire alone offers plenty of reason for optimism, his dam was also a Champion. Sunlight, trained by the Tony and Calvin McEvoy, was a gifted 2-year-old, winning the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, the G2 Silver Slipper, and the G2 Magic Night S. She was also placed in the G1 Golden Slipper and the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S.
Sunlight when racing | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
As a 3-year-old, Sunlight added the G1 Coolmore Stud S. to her résumé, beating her paternal brothers Zousain and Lean Mean Machine at Flemington. Returning to Flemington in the autumn, the filly claimed victory in the G1 Newmarket H. and later took the G1 William Reid S. at Moonee Valley.
After retiring with 11 victories, Sunlight was purchased for $4.2 million by Tom Magnier at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and was sent to Justify in her first season. The resulting foal? Dawn Service.
Really smart colt
Bred by Katom, Dawn Service was presented by Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was purchased by Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
Dawn Service as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Slade told TTR AusNZ, “It was a fantastic result for Sunlight. A very positive sign for her early in her career. She was such a top race mare, and now she’s produced a really smart one in her first foal, Dawn Service.”
Dawn Service debuted at Randwick-Kensington in July over 1100 metres, finishing third, beaten by his paternal brothers Clear Proof and Axius. Waterhouse and Bott then sent him to Hawkesbury for a 1300-metre maiden, where he was a dominant 4l winner.
Staying at 1300 metres in BM72 company at Rosehill, Dawn Service was upstaged on that occasion, but the form was franked when the winner, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), went on to claim the G3 Up And Coming S. in his next start.
Adrian Bott and Bruce Slade | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Dawn Service then headed to Melbourne for the Listed Exford Plate and aided by a peach of a ride from Blake Shinn, the colt couldn’t be caught by Comanche Miss (Castelvecchio) and Daggers (I Am Invincible).
“Dawn Service is a horse that Adrian (Bott) has said all along has an incredible recovery time,” Slade explained.
“He’s able to sustain that speed, which he’s probably inherited from Sunlight, and the influence of Justify has allowed him to carry that speed a little further.
“He’s (Dawn Service) able to sustain that speed, which he’s probably inherited from Sunlight, and the influence of Justify has allowed him to carry that speed a little further.” - Bruce Slade
“I think we saw that on Saturday, and I believe Gai (Waterhouse) and Adrian think he’ll be just as effective over a mile. I feel the result wasn’t a fluke.
“They’ve both really liked the horse for a long time and always commented on his remarkable recovery. He should be a real chance for the (G1) Caulfield Guineas.”
“He (Dawn Service) should be a real chance for the (G1) Caulfield Guineas.” - Bruce Slade
Physical matches the page
A thoroughbred can have all the ‘blueblood’ breeding in the world, but if the horse doesn’t have the physical attributes to match their pedigree, his or her chances of success on the racetrack can be compromised.
Being an elite thoroughbred is much like being a top human athlete. You don’t see the average joe winning gold in the 100-metre sprints at the Olympics or the recently completed Diamond League.
Certain physical characteristics help a racehorse cross the finish line first, along with tailored training, nutrition, and, of course, the traits that can only be measured on the racetrack - heart and courage.
Dawn Service after winning the Listed Exford Plate at Flemington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Dawn Service certainly had the pedigree, but did he have the physique to match? Slade explained, “He had that natural strength from Sunlight. He was a Justify, but not as tall as some of the others you see.
“Dawn Service is more medium-sized, very square with a great hock, and has a bit more muscle tone and strength to him.
“He looked like the perfect combination of Sunlight and Justify. Justify, of course, won the Kentucky Derby and was a Triple Crown winner, while Sunlight was an elite sprinter through and through.
“It seems we’ve got a horse who sits between his parents in terms of physical attributes. Hopefully, he can emulate them and add a Group 1 to his CV down the track as well.”
“He (Dawn Service) looked like the perfect combination of Sunlight and Justify. Hopefully, he can emulate them and add a Group 1 to his CV down the track as well.” - Bruce Slade
The price you pay!
So far, the story of Dawn Service makes breeding look simple - the best bred to the best, a $1.4 million yearling, a winner, and now a stakes winner - all ticks. However, as Slade explained, it’s not that straightforward. There’s expectation and pressure on the trainers due to Dawn Service’s pedigree and price-tag.
There will always be critics eager to dismiss him, ready to claim, “Elite mares don’t make good broodmares.” But the way Dawn Service and his dam Sunlight have started, it doesn’t get much better.
Sunlight when sold at the 2020 Magic Millions National Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“I think everyone sort of walks into the ring expecting a horse with Dawn Service’s pedigree to fetch somewhere around that $1 million and upwards mark,” Slade told TTR AusNZ.
“As soon as you pass the seven-figure mark, there are only a few people who operate at that level, and as you get further between $1 million and $2 million, the pool gets even smaller.
“So, you never really know where people will stop, but we expected we’d have to pay upwards of $1 million for him. We’re just so grateful - it’s not easy to buy those horses and then find success with them.
“... we expected we’d have to pay upwards of $1 million for him (Dawn Service). We’re just so grateful - it’s not easy to buy those horses and then find success with them.” - Bruce Slade
“You need the right support, and we’ve got a great group of owners involved. Dawn Service races for Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock, and we couldn’t have purchased him without the support of Sir Owen and Steve O’Connor.
“Yulong, Coolmore, and several other very good clients are also involved. It was a wonderful result - a stakes win in the spring - and hopefully there are more good wins ahead for them.”
