Genuine racehorses: The D’Argento story continues to build momentum

Cover image courtesy of Bowness Stud

Progressive West Australian 3-year-old filly Ladies Pro (D’Argento) achieved back to back Listed victories on Saturday when taking all before her in the Listed Belmont Classic, displaying the same grit that carried her sire to G1 Rosehill Guineas glory eight years ago.

Jockey William Pike credited the Listed Belmont Oaks victress with the willingness and relaxation to make the distance - and the turn of foot to be just as dominant over shorter trips. These are all attributes that Bowness Stud’s D’Argento has been imparting on his stock since retiring to stud in 2020, and Bowness owner James Daly is pleased to see them consistently display those traits on the track.

“We couldn't be more proud of the progress D'Argento is making as a sire,” he said. “From the beginning, we believed he was a horse whose progeny would continue to improve with maturity and time, and it's incredibly rewarding to see that patience being rewarded.

“He's always stamped his stock with quality, and we've had a lot of faith in his ability to consistently produce genuine racehorses.”

The opportunity to breed a genuine racehorse is presented again in the 2026 breeding season, with D’Argento standing his seventh season for a fee of $16,500 (inc GST).

Consistency where it counts

“This season has been particularly exciting,” said Daly. "Ladies Pro's outstanding back to back victories in the Belmont Oaks and Belmont Classic have given D'Argento further black type recognition, while his progeny continue to perform consistently across Australia and overseas.”

It has been a strong third season of runners for D’Argento, with 52 winners recorded on Australian soil, taking his total to 68 winners worldwide from 118 to race. There is an almost even split in his winners between colts and fillies.

Amongst that number are 10 stakes performers, headed by Ladies Pro and Listed Galilee Series Final winner Statuario, who ran second to Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}) in the G1 South Australian Derby and third in the G2 Alister Clark Stakes.

While the Rosehill Guineas was his top performance, it shouldn’t be forgotten that D’Argento was a metropolitan winner at two. Five of his offspring have hit the board in their juvenile season, including recent Hawkesbury winner Scuro Star. Three of his stakes horses have earned their black-type at two; Silva ‘n’ Suave was beaten a head in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic, while Sequista and Rag Queen both placed in Inglis’s feature race series.

“With 68 individual winners from 118 runners worldwide, an overall winners to runners strike rate of 57.6%, and almost $6.8 million in progeny earnings, his results continue to build year after year,” Daly said.

“His success has also extended internationally, most notably in Hong Kong where four winners from just five runners have earned over $1 million, highlighting the versatility and toughness of his stock.”

D’Argento’s progeny overseas have recorded wins in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, making their mark from small numbers; from five runners in Hong Kong, he has sired four winners, and three have won in the Philippines from four to race. His second runner in New Zealand, Amira d'Argento, is a three-time winner up to metropolitan class.

“One statistic we believe deserves particular attention is his winners to runners percentage this season among Australia's third season sires,” Daly said. “At 52.5%, D'Argento currently ranks fifth on that table, ahead of several highly commercial and heavily supported stallions including Too Darn Hot, Castelvecchio, Blue Point, Zousain, Super Seth, Pierata, Alabama Express, and Microphone.

“That is a remarkable figure when viewed alongside the size of the books those stallions have received and reinforce the consistency D'Argento is achieving.”

That strike rate for the 2025/26 season is also better than the seasonal strike rates for nine of the current top 10 stallions in Australia, including Champion Sire elect Snitzel, Zoustar, I Am Invincible, and Street Boss (USA).

Strength, substance, scope

Daly touches on the physical traits that D’Argento has been passing on to his offspring, on top of his temperament and ability.

“D'Argento’s progeny are consistently recognised for their strength, substance and athleticism, with deep girths, plenty of muscle, good bone and a very willing, trainable attitude,” he said.

The market started to take notice of these traits once again, with a top yearling price in 2026 of $200,000 and an average over $48,000, lifting by more than $20,000 from the 2025 sales season. Notable names amongst the buyers of D’Argento’s stock in 2026 are Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Darby Racing, Annabel and Rob Archibald, and Richard and Chantelle Jolly.

“From our own experience preparing them for sale, they're very straight-forward,” said Daly. “They settle quickly into the routine, thrive on the feed and make the yearling prep process simple.”

These attitudes are part of the picture that sets them up for success on the track.

Real Australian talent

D’Argento has produced 320 foals across his first three crops of racing age, and his current rising 2-year-olds and soon to be yearlings number 150, meaning he has consistently produced the numbers to continue his momentum in the years until his crop conceived in 2026 reach the sales ring and the race track. He performed at a remarkable 95.4% fertility rate in 2025, and covered 72 mares last spring.

“From a breeding perspective, D'Argento has been a pleasure to stand,” Daly said. “His temperament is exceptional and he is an uncomplicated, easy horse to handle.

“He is a very fertile stallion and as an outcross to many of Australia's dominant sire lines, he offers breeders tremendous mating flexibility while contributing toughness and soundness, making him an attractive option for a wide variety of mares.”

Like his sire So You Think (NZ), D’Argento has been successful with a range of damsire lines; his stakes horses have been out of mares by sires such as Pierro, Dash For Cash, Showcasing (GB), Sebring, High Chaparral (Ire), Galileo (Ire), and I Am Invincible. His progeny out of Pierro mares - like Ladies Pro - have a 100% strike rate to date.

His stakes-winning dam Fullazz is a daughter of leading broodmare sire Redoute’s Choice and brings in the only presence of Danehill (USA) on his page, making it easy for him to mesh with the domestic broodmare population. In fact, 37 of his winners to date feature Danehill in their page at a winning strike rate of 59.7%.

D’Argento’s page itself continues to develop and reveals what other nicks and crosses could work with him. In just the last three racing seasons, the page has expanded to include G1 Toorak Handicap winner Attrition (Churchill {Ire}), Listed Blue Diamond Preview (colts & geldings winner) Alibaba (Alabama Express), and Western Australian dual Listed-winning sprinter Wind And The Lion (Written By).

“We really value that D'Argento is Australian bred, raced and owned, coming from a prolific and highly commercial pedigree,” Daly said.

“As a family operation, we stand D'Argento at Bowness Stud and Watershed Farm, and we're fortunate to own him in partnership with John and Helen North. Between us, we've continued to back D’Argento strongly with our mares throughout the past six breeding seasons, and all remain heavily invested in his future success.

“We're excited to continue supporting him as his momentum continues to build.”

The best is yet to come

For the Bowness Stud team, there is a real sense that D’Argento is on the cusp of reaching the next level as his stock continues to mature.

“Another reason we're so excited about D'Argento's future is that his story is still unfolding,” Daly said. “While he's already producing stakes performers and building an impressive winners to runners record, many of his first and second crop horses are only now beginning to reach the stage of their careers where they're showing their true potential.

“We also know the quality of many of the yearlings we've sold over the years that are yet to race. With stronger books of mares every year and many of those progeny in the hands of outstanding trainers and passionate owners, we believe there's every reason for his momentum to continue building.”

The future is exciting when you stand a horse like D’Argento. It’s a journey that the Bowness Stud team are looking forward to sharing with the breeders, owners, and trainers who have already supported him, and those who will support him in the years ahead.