Cover image courtesy of Darley
Split between Victoria and New South Wales, Darley’s star-studded broodmare band will yet again mostly visit the homegrown talent on the Darley roster this season, and Managing Director Andy Makiv was pleased to report on where some of their top mares were going, including a cohort of 20 booked in for Too Darn Hot (GB).
Working holiday for Too Darn Hot
After missing the shuttle last year and having another stellar season of results, it’s fair to say that many were very much looking forward to Too Darn Hot’s return down under this season. Thirty mares have announced to the studbook that they travelled to England to visit the young sire in 2024 and have returned in foal, with three foals reported on the ground this spring so far.
At $275,000 inc GST and serving a maximum book size of 100 (plus the service being auctioned for the Catwalk Foundation), he is only available to the select few, but those with the money and the marepower - including connections of Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) - haven’t shied away.
Too Darn Hot (GB) | Standing at Darley
Makiv explained that the book size was to look after the stallion, who had a busy breeding season in the Northern Hemisphere; “We’ve had a lot of mares to consider due to his popularity and with what he’s achieved. As a busy shuttle stallion with a sizable book in the UK, we see him as effectively on a working holiday out here. We certainly don’t want to overtax him but are also mindful that his book size needs to make the trip worthwhile and also help him continue his climb to the global superstar he is becoming.
"We’ve had a lot of mares to consider due to his (Too Darn Hot) popularity and with what he’s achieved." - Andy Makiv
“We plan to send 20 Godolphin mares of the 100 mares booked, and the mares of significance include In Secret, Alizee, Circular, Lyre, Willowy, and Zapateo.”
A homebred winner of G1 The Galaxy, Zapateo (Brazen Beau) had travelled to Europe last year to visit Dubawi (Ire) and is due to foal in early September. Triple Group 1 winner Alizee (Sepoy) and G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre (Lonhro) are both empty going into this season, so will be top of the list for Too Darn Hot’s covering shed, as is Circular (Street Cry {Ire}), the dam of fellow Darley stallion Cylinder.
Zapateo | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Anthony and Sam Freedman have taken over the care of Lyre’s 2-year-old filly Ladhar (Exceed And Excel), since they already trained her older brother Wiser.
G1 VRC Oaks winner Willowy (Kermadec {NZ}) will have to wait until mid season for a turn, as she is due in foal to Street Boss (USA) for late September.
“It seems our best mares are going to Too Darn Hot, but there is some method to the mares selected,” Makiv said.
Bred by Segenhoe Thoroughbreds and Saconi Thoroughbreds, In Secret (I Am Invincible) was one of the Godolphin team’s few forays into the sales ring and it proved extremely prosperous, with the filly landing five stakes races, including the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and the G1 Newmarket Handicap. She was covered by Zoustar in 2024 in her first season at stud and produced a colt last week.
Consistent producers to kick off Broadsiding and Traffic Warden
Standing alongside his sire, Broadsiding has been another hot commodity for his first season at stud, with Makiv sharing that Darley are sending him 12 mares from his full first book.
“We’re sending a few of our older, well credentialed, established mares, like Earthquake, Guelph, and Efficiently,” he said. “We try to give our first season sires around 12 mares - Traffic Warden has 13 on his matings list.”
Andy Makiv | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Announced at $66,000 inc GST, Broadsiding was fully booked almost on the day of his fee announcement, and Makiv is pleased to send the four-time Group 1 winner the likes of Efficiently (Exceed And Excel), the dam of Traffic Warden, who was one of the group that travelled to visit Too Darn Hot last spring. Blue Diamond victress Earthquake stayed home and patronised Anamoe, whose first yearlings head to the sales this year.
Efficiently’s 3-year-old filly Immerse (Frosted {USA}) has joined the stable of Tony and Calvin McEvoy this season and was a winner at her first start for the partnership, breaking her maiden at Ballarat on August 7. Her 2-year-old Exploit (Street Boss {USA}), a full brother to Traffic Warden, will be trained by Chris Waller.
Broadsiding | Standing at Darley, image courtesy of Sportpix
Some of the crosses sent Broadsiding’s way are replicating what has worked for Too Darn Hot, but Makiv has also looked to his dam’s side for inspiration.
“Being out of a Street Cry mare, we also consider what might have worked with Street Cry,” he said. “He is such an exciting horse when considering matings with such an amazing pedigree. By Too Darn Hot, out of a Street Cry mare out of a Redoute’s Choice mare, out of a zabeel mare. Unbelievable really.”
Four-time Group 1-winning Guelph (Exceed And Excel), dam of Encryption, rounds out the trio of top selections for Broadsiding, continuing the Exceed And Excel theme.
“He’s (Broadsiding) a very good looking horse, he’s got oodles of quality, so quite like his father and very good behind the saddle.” - Andy Makiv
“Being such a quality horse, it was easy to find mares for him. He was very popular as well in terms of the market, so although we would of course always find room for our mares we did have to consider our matings carefully as he filled within days. He’s a very good looking horse, he’s got oodles of quality, very much in so many ways to his father."
Traffic Warden, standing for $22,000 inc GST, has been equally popular.
“He’s fully booked also,” Makiv shared. “He booked up quite quickly after word spread following parades. The Hunter Valley was a great place for him to stand. He is similarly bred to Cylinder standing in Victoria, effectively in reverse, so it was ideal to stand those exceptional colts in different states.”
“He (Traffic Warden) booked up quite quickly after word spread following parades.” - Andy Makiv
Makiv confirmed that consistent older mares would be sent Traffic Warden’s way to ensure he gets off on the right foot.
“We’re sending him a couple of wonderful producers, like Dazzler and Yavanna,” he said. “Dazzler is the dam of Bivouac, and Yavanna has produced five stakes horses for us, so hopefully they will kick him off nicely.”
Traffic Warden | Standing at Darley, image courtesy of Sportpix
Yavanna (Redoute’s Choice) has three stakes winners amongst eight foals to race, including Group 1-winning Kementari (Lonhro), Telperion, and Too Darn Hot filly Silmarillion, plus the stakes performers Valaquenta (Street Boss {USA}) and Palurien (Reset). Vana, her Pinatubo (Ire) juvenile, has been sent to Chris Waller, alongside Dazzler’s (More Than Ready {USA}) 2-year-old Sequinned (Pinatubo {Ire}).
Early yearlings continue the Anamoe hype
Roster star Anamoe, who again commands a fee of $110,000 inc GST, this season has continued to impress, with Makiv describing his first yearlings as “exceptional.”
“He’s probably had the nicest foals into weanlings, into early yearlings that we can remember on our farms,” Makiv said. “So we’re very excited for him. And I think the market has seen that as well, as he’s more popular this year than ever. People have identified him as a horse that’s throwing a magnificent type. I expect him to have a terrific yearling sales season next year, and then it’s down to whether or not they can run on the track. The ultimate prize is the winning post.”
“I expect him (Anamoe) to have a terrific yearling sales season next year, and then it’s down to whether or not they can run on the track.” - Andy Makiv
Thirteen of Anamoe’s first weanlings were offered at public auction earlier this year, with 11 finding buyers at a pleasing median of $200,000, and top price of $360,000 for a daughter of Listed Debutante Stakes winner Kiki Express (Sepoy).
Anamoe | Standing at Darley
“But from everything that we've seen so far, we could not have been more pleased,” Makiv continued. “His types are exceptional, his fertility is exceptional. He's getting really well patronised by the leading breeders that are sending multiple mares, so he will cover a very strong book again this year. He hasn't done much wrong since the day he was born.”
“He (Anamoe) hasn't done much wrong since the day he was born.” - Andy Makiv
This season, the Darley mares bound for Anamoe include Calliope (Exceed And Excel), the Group 2-winning dam of standout juvenile Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) and multiple Group winner Kallos (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), dual Listed winner Athiri (Lonhro), who is expecting a foal by Street Boss this spring, and Ultra (Not A Single Doubt), a full sister to Extreme Choice.
Godolphin purchased Ultra as a yearling for $600,000 from Yulong’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, and her first foal, a 2-year-old Frankel (GB) filly named Culture, has been assigned to Joseph Pride.
“We're finding it difficult to squeeze people in,” Makiv said. “Some of the bigger farms are sending quite big numbers.”
Second season Cylinder maintaining momentum
While the hype is normally just around the first season sires and the heavy hitters, Makiv was happy to share that other stallions like Cylinder are still getting well supported as they progress through their career.
Standing his second season at $44,000 inc GST, G1 Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder’s first foals arrive this spring, with one reported at the beginning of the season out of Poet’s Voice (GB) mare Isabella, a half-sister of Keep The Faith, sire of dual Group 1 winner Trust In A Gust.
Cylinder | Standing at Darley
“We've certainly been conscious of getting him a good running style of mares, like Dathanna and Thalia,” Makiv said.
“We've certainly been conscious of getting him (Cylinder) a good running style of mares.” - Andy Makiv
Dathanna (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the dam of the precocious Gaeilge (Exceed And Excel), who debuted with a second placing in the $160,000 Kirkham Plate behind fellow Blue Army juvenile Comedy (Snitzel). Gaeilge has been sent to the stables of Anthony and Sam Freedman, along with his full sister Emerald Isle.
The dam of Comedy, Thalia (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) has also produced the stakes winners Bacchanalia (Exceed And Excel) and Aquitaine (Exceed And Excel), and will be high in Cylinder’s book, having missed to him on a late cover last season. Comedy has joined Joseph Pride's stable.
Comedy | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Cylinder will also be visited by Estaminet (Lonhro), the dam of stakes winner Bistro (Street Boss {USA}) and dual Group 3-placed Snack Bar (Frosted {USA}), who was recently acquired by Darby Racing for $155,000 via Inglis Digital.
She will be joined by Group 3 winner Pohutukawa (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), whose 3-year-old Ohope (I Am Invincible) broke his maiden in his first start for new trainer Michael Freedman last Tuesday.
“There’s also Flexible, who’s a sister to Willowy, and Iolanthe, who was a $950,000 yearling out of Arcadia Dream,” Makiv said. “He has a good spread.”
Established sires holding their own
Fresh from a terrific racing season with three Group 1 winners, Harry Angel (Ire) deservedly returns at $66,000 inc GST, and Makiv has matched G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner Kiamichi (Sidestep) to him this season. Having delivered a foal by Anamoe in 2024, she is currently in foal to Blue Point (Ire).
Harry Angel | Standing at Darley
Joining her will be Listed-winning Va Via (Astern), who travelled over to Too Darn Hot in 2024 and has returned in foal, due in early October.
Bivouac hit the ground running with his first 2-year-olds, scoring three stakes winners including the Group 2 winners Beiwacht and Intention. His fee remains at $55,000 inc GST for a second year, and his season has already taken a flying start thanks to new winners Carsolio and Expulsion.
In his 2025 book will be G2 Edward Manifold Stakes winner Thermosphere (Exosphere), whose first foal Aperitas (Exceed And Excel) has been placed in the Michael Freedman stable, News Story (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}), dam of stakes winner Zeitung (Exceed And Excel), and Illustrate (Street Cry {Ire}), dam of Blue Diamond winner Daumier.
Bivouac | Standing at Darley
“For Bivouac and Cylinder, we often look for mares whose families work well with Exceed And Excel,” said Makiv. “The Exceed And Excel–Street Cry cross is very strong. Then we see the opportunity to send a mare like Illustrate to Bivouac to capitalise on that nick.
“By virtue of being empty last year, she went over to visit Too Darn Hot when he didn’t travel, and this year she can go to Bivouac. Sending the mother of a Blue Diamond winner highlights our belief in Bivouac.”
"Sending the mother of a Blue Diamond winner highlights our belief in Bivouac." - Andy Makiv
With two sons on the roster, Street Boss seems to have his legacy set in stone at Darley, but Makiv thinks there could be more stallion sons in the pipeline to come. G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (fillies) winner Exploring (Brazen Beau) is a feature mare in his 2025 book.
Street Boss (USA) | Standing at Darley
“We’ve had such an unbelievable run with him recently,” Makiv said. “Tentyris is one of our leading 3-year-olds now. He’s probably the best stallion of all of them, but because he’s a little bit subfertile, people tend to forget about him. His fee is actually unbelievable value.
“He’s (Street Boss) probably the best stallion of all of them.” - Andy Makiv
“He's got more (sire sons) to come, I would have thought. We've got Tentyris who could end up at stud, we've got a magnificent crop of now 2-year-olds. I think it's a really strong crop. He’s now 21, but I think he’s got a couple of really exciting years ahead of him still to come.”
