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First season sire Ardad records his first Group One winner while Olympic Glory, Mehmas and Kitten's Joy all add to their Group One tallies
First for Ardad
Perfect Power (2 c ex Sagely by Frozen Power) became the first Group One winner for first season sire Ardad (Kodiac) when he won Sunday’s Prix Morny (Gr 1, 1200m) at Deauville. Trained by Richard Fahey, Perfect Power took the lead in the final 50 metres and pulled away to score by a length and a quarter from the Andre Fabre-trained Trident (Wootton Bassett). Perfect Power was bought for £110,000 at the Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale earlier this year by Blandford Bloodstock, who also bought his sire at the 2016 sale. Perfect Power is the first winner out of his dual winning dam and is from the family of Group One winners Sagamix (Linamix), Sagacity (Highest Honour), Sageburg (Johannesburg), Japan (Galileo) and Mogul (Galileo).
Ardad, who has sired 16 winners so far in his first crop, stands at Overbury Stud where his fee in 2021 was set at just £4,000.
Two for Olympic Glory
Former Arrowfield shuttler Olympic Glory (Choisir) sired his second Group One winner on Sunday when Grand Glory (5 m ex Madonna Lily by Daylami) won the Prix Jean Romanet (Gr 1, 2000m) at Deauville. Under Cristian Demuro, Grand Glory got up in the final strides to beat Audarya (Wootton Bassett) by a short head. Thundering Nights (Night Of Thunder) was a length and a quarter further back in third. Grand Glory is one of nine stakes winners by Olympic Glory while Watch Me is his sire's other Group One winner.
Two for Mehmas
Last year’s European champion first season sire Mehmas (Acclamation) recorded his second Group / Grade One winner on Saturday when Going Global (3 f ex Wrood by Invasor) won the Del Mar Oaks (Gr 1, 9f). The Irish-bred filly pulled clear in the closing stages to beat Closing Remarks (Vronsky) by a length and she is now unbeaten in four starts in the US having begun her career in Europe. Mehmas stands at Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland. He sired 55 first crop winners in Europe last season and was leading first season sire by both earnings and winners. His first Group One winner was last season’s Middle Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) winner Supremacy and he has sired 14 stakes winners to date.
15 for Kitten’s Joy
The Hill ‘N’ Dale Farm-based Kitten’s Joy (El Prado) notched up Grade One winner number 15 on Saturday when the John Sadler-trained Tripoli (4 c ex Love Train by Tapit) won the Pacific Classic Stakes (Gr 1, 10f) at Del Mar. The colt ran on well in the closing stages and defeated long time leader Tizamagician (Tiznow) by a length and a quarter. The colt was bought for US$450,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by his trainer and bloodstock agent David Ingordo and he has now won four of his 14 career starts and over US$800,000 in prize money.
Kitten’s Joy’s Grade One winners include former Twin Hills shuttler Bobby’s Kitten as well as Roaring Lion. He has sired 104 stakes winners overall.
99 for Into Mischief
Spendthrift Farm’s champion sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) notched up stakes winner number 99 when the Bob Baffert-trained Private Mission (3 f ex Private Gift by Unbridled) won the Torrey Pines Stakes (Gr 3, 8f) at Del Mar on Saturday. Under Flavien Prat, the filly ran away to a six and a half length victory over I’m So Anna (Fast Anna). Into Mischief’s stakes winners are headed by ten Grade One winners in Gamine, Goldencents, Authentic, Practical Joke, Covfefe, Mia Mischief, Audible, Mandaloun, Mischievous Alex and Dayoutoftheoffice.
48 for Quality Road
The Lane’s End Farm-based sire Quality Road (Elusive Quality) recorded his 48th stakes winner on Saturday when Astronaut (4 c ex Armanda by Acatenango) won the the Del Mar Handicap (Gr 2, 11f) at Del Mar. Trained by John Shirreffs, Astronaut was a 24-1 shot and scored a half-length victory over Master Piece (Mastercraftsman).