Grade 1 Success in the US for Australian-Bred Daughter of Animal Kingdom

Mark Smith - Sunday June 21

After leaving Australia as a maiden after three starts, the 6yo mare Oleksandra is now a Grade 1 winner in America after staging a last to first performance in the $250,000 Jaipur Stakes on the turf at Belmont on Saturday.

The former Bjorn Baker-trained daughter of Animal Kingdom (USA) placed in all three starts, at Hawkesbury, Randwick and Newcastle before her owner/breeder Team Valor sent her to Neil Drysdale in California.

Last season she staked a claim as one of the best females on turf with wins in the  Grade III Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland and the Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga.

The lone female facing seven male rivals in the Jaipur Stakes, Oleksandra came from the tail of the field under Joel Rosario to defeat Kanthaka, a son of the former Spendthrift shuttler Jimmy Creed (USA), by a neck with Texas Wedge (Colonel John) one and a quarter length back in third.

It advances her record to an impressive 7 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $537,353

"She put up a great performance and did well in the end," Rosario told Blood-Horse. "She's an amazing horse."

Advertisement

The Jaipur Stakes is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and Oleksandra earned a paid, automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on November 7.Animal Kingdom (Mark Smith)

A half-sister to two winners including the stakes-placed Hostwin Galaxy (Redoute’s Choice), Oleksandra is out of the top-class South African mare Alexandra Rose (Caesour) who won the Group II Greyville Golden Slipper and the Grade III Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita and was runner-up in the Group 1 Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth.

Oleksandra carries the silks of her 2011 Kentucky Derby and 2013 Dubai World Cup winning sire Animal Kingdom (USA) who shuttled to Arrowfield Stud for five seasons and is now at stud in Japan.

His final Australian crop are yearlings and include at full-brother to Oleksandra who was catalogued for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale but was withdrawn. He has already been named Prince Alexander.

Oleksandra becomes the second winner at the highest level for Animal Kingdom after the ATC Australian Derby hero Angel Of Truth.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Future Bright for Danica Guy
Group Three winner Lupo Solitario has returned to New Zealand, and the care of his former trainer Danica Guy, following a six-month racing stint in Hong Kong, while the stable are also excited about a first starter this weekend by Justify (USA).
Promising Winner for Yes Yes Yes
Relocated to Gooree Stud this spring, Everest hero Yes Yes Yes has kept doing what he does best in racking up winners with the Ciaron Maher trained four year-old Flamboyant Lad opening his account at Geelong on Friday.
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Now Triple G1 Oaks Winner for Coolmore
Already a winner of the Group I Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks, expensive blueblood Frankel filly made it a treble of G1 Oaks races when landing the Group I Yorkshire Oaks (1m4f) overnight.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G2 Silver Shadow Stakes - Darley Princess Series
We've emerged from the worst of winter, but Sydney's wettest spring in a couple of decades is going to ensure a squelchy track for Saturday's Royal Randwick meeting if it even goes ahead.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 22
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Second Stakes-winner for Palace Pier
Kingman’s champion son Palace Pier (GB) only shuttled for one season to Darley Australia with his first 2YO’s to race here this season and in Europe he’s doing a pretty good job with his second stakes-winner emerging overnight at York.
One to Watch – Geelong
Rosemont Stud’s Hanseatic had a promising debut winner at Sandown on Wednesday in Humble Trader and he kept up the good work at Geelong on Friday when his stakes-placed filly Rohesia cast off maiden status in style.
Aussie Mare Asfoora Triumphs in G1 York Nunthorpe
Victorians breeders celebrated overnight with Aussie bred and owned Flying Artie mare Asfoora returning to her dazzling best to win the Group I Nunthorpe Stakes (5f) at York  with a scintillating performance.
Widden Parade Braves the Rain
Widden Stud’s annual series of stallion parades in the ‘Valley of Champions’ kicked off as scheduled on Thursday with the reigning Champion Australian Sire Zoustar the centre of attention, while the world’s fastest horse Cogburn (USA) also made his debut in Australia.
Exclusive opportunity to purchase nomination in Too Darn Hot
Exciting racing and breeding prospects – plus a nomination in Champion First and Second Season Sire Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) – headline a diverse catalogue of 302 lots for the Inglis Digital August (Late) Online Sale.