Saturday delivered another exciting instalment of early spring racing with three stakes races for 3YO’s and once again all of them were won by new first time stakes-winners that were virtually unsighted at two and we also had a new G1 winner, whose path to the top has been anything but smooth.
The $750,000 Group I MVRC Moir Stakes (1000m) was won by 7YO Snitzel gelding Baraqiel, who was bought for a modest $150,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions making him the second cheapest of seven Snitzel yearlings in the Arrowfield draft for the Gold Coast that year, read about him here.
Interestingly the same draft also produced GI winner Profondo, who topped the sale at $1.9million and now stands at Windsor Park Stud in NZ and triple G1 winner Hitosu, who sold for just $100,000 and stands at Arrowfield. Whether you are looking for a hidden bargain or the obvious standout, the Arrowfield draft is never short of options that can deliver.
Baraqiel is the 24th G1 winner for champion sire Snitzel and is a three-quarter brother to G1 ATC Australian Oaks winner Autumn Angel being from G3 winning Hussonet (USA) mare Angel of Mercy, whose dam is a half-sister to four time G1 winner Divine Madonna.
It’s a female family that started in South Australia and was nurtured initially by Mill Park and their clients before others such as Arrowfield and Darley jumped on board. A top class 2YO colt for Godolphin last season Tentyris, is another current star from the family and he also claims My Madonna as his third dam.
Baraqiel is the 27th G1 winner for Hussonet as a broodmare sire and his stats with Snitzel are as follows, 20 winners from 24 runners with Baraqiel the only G1 winner and one of only two SW’s (8% SW to runner).
If we look more broadly at sons of Redoute’s Choice over Hussonet (USA) mares there are 86 winners from 121 runners that include 11 SW’s (9% SW to runner) with two more G1 winners besides Baraqiel in Autumn Angel and Extreme Choice.
Also looking at Redoute’s Choice directly over Hussonet (USA) mares reads 23 winners from 29 starters with six SW’s (20% SW to runner) headed by G1 winners King’s Legacy and Majmu.
The $300,000 Group II ATC Furious Stakes (1200m) produced a maiden win for Apocalyptic, read about her here, also check out her Crystal Ball story for a more in depth look at her pedigree.
Apocalyptic is the 15th stakes-winner for fertility challenged Extreme Choice, whose stats are always a hot topic, so let’s check them out. With five crops to race so far, he has had 93 winners from 134 runners, so nearly 70% winner to runner and his 15 SW’s give him 11.2% SW to runner.
Extreme Choice has only ever had four foals from mares by champion US sire Medaglia D’Oro (USA) and all of them have raced and won with Apocalyptic the first SW.
Her dam Shadow is an unraced grand-daughter of dual G1 winner Virage de Fortune and she in turn is a grand-daughter of the great champion mare Emancipation, so Apocalyptic has a lot going for in the pedigree department and take a look at the sires down her tail female line Exceed and Excel, Anabaa (USA), Kenmare (Fr), Bletchingly – top class!
The $175,000 Listed MVRC Mitchel McKenzie Stakes (1200m) was won on debut by talented Deep Field colt Rosberg, who is quite clearly his father’s son in terms of type and talent, read about him here.
Rosberg is the 40th SW for now pensioned Champion HK Sire Deep Field and is another good result for Newgate Farm’s practice of purchasing quality Black Type performed mares from North America.
He is the first SW for his dam Sheer Pleasure (USA), who won three Listed races at Santa Anita and was also Group placed there as well, so while US Black Type can often be misleading and needs to be taken with a large grain of salt, hers is the real deal.
Pedigree wise, she is from a less than fashionable side of the tracks and in contrast to the previous horse Apocalyptic the sires running down the tail female line of Rosberg are hardly household names - Birdonthewire, Blare of Trumpets, Assault Landing??
Being completely free of Danehill blood and possessing such an outcross pedigree might make this guy a very appealing stallion prospect for the future.
The Listed $175,000 MVRC Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) was won by a real up and comer in Alpha Sofie who came down from Queensland and was having her first run in Melbourne for new trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, read about her here.
Alpha Sofie is the 26th SW for Capitalist and like Apocalyptic has a 4 x 4 double cross of Danehill and also like her, she has a dual Group I winner as her third dam and in this case it’s Victory Vein, who was Champion 2YO Filly of her year.
She is the 57th SW as a broodmare sire for Danzig stallion Hard Spun, who shuttled to Darley Australia for six seasons with his best offspring here being G1 winning milers Le Romain and Gatting.
Her sire Capitalist has had a fee reduction this year dropping to $44,000, so just for the record let’s take a look at his stats – 64% winners to runners and 4.4% SW to runner.
