Stakes Double for Frankel – World’s Best

Tara Madgwick - Friday December 22

The most successful sire in 2023 for stakes-winners is the mighty Frankel and the Juddmonte based son of Galileo added to the tally overnight with a pair of new stakes-winners in Ardent and Jeff Koons with his half dozen yearlings to be offered at Magic Millions sure to be a hot commodity.

A homebred three year-old filly for Juddmonte trained by Andre Fabre, Ardent was a two time winner coming into the Listed Prix Petite Etoile (1900m) at Deauville and scored a three-quarter length win as favourite.

Ardent is a full sister to Group II winner Raclette and is the fourth winner from four to race from dual US Group I winner Emollient, whose other two winners are also Group placed.

Advertisement

The Frankel x Empire Maker nick is super successful with nine winners from 10 runners and eight of the winners are Black Type performers, five of them stakes-winners! So 90% winner to runner and 50% SW to runner.

Making it a double of new stakes-winners for Frankel was Irish bred three year-old Jeff Koons, who scored a length win in the Qatar Derby at his first run in the region after previously being trained by John and Thady Gosden. Purchased privately by Blandford Bloodstock for Wathnan Racing, Jeff Koons has won two of eight starts.

Jeff Koons is closely related to Frankel’s Group II winner Spirit Dancer and is the first winner from Group II winning Dubawi mare Quidura.

The Frankel x Dubawi nick has produced 31 winners from 40 starters with 10 stakes-winners including four Group I winners!

Ardent and Jeff Koons bring the lifetime tally of stakes-winners for Frankel to 135 and 41 of them have come in 2023, 11 of them Group I winners!

The next best sire in terms of stakes-winners is Dubawi with 39 stakes-winners, eight of them Group I winners.

Advertisment
More Reading...
New Stakes-Winner for Zoustar
The $150,000 Listed Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) provided reigning champion sire Zoustar with a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding Multinational led for home and could not be caught.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 2
Here is the full list of 29 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Blueblood Fillies From $3million Mares
Tom Magnier has been notable for his purchase of elite race fillies and broodmares in recent years to enhance the stellar Coolmore broodmare band and two of his $3million plus mare purchases have produced stunning fillies this spring.
Who Was Flight?
A G1 race since 1984, the Flight Stakes is a race won by special fillies - often the ones who go on to do extraordinary things on the track against all comers as older mares and that's as it should be as Hall Of Fame legend Flight exemplified that style of thoroughbred.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
We had three heats for 2YO’s run at Warwick Farm on Friday morning over 815m with winners by Farnan, Ole Kirk and Kia Ora Stud’s first season sire Captivant, while Stay Inside had an impressive trial winner at Murray Bridge.
Recent success highlights Inglis Digital October (Early) Sale
A range of exciting racing and breeding prospects – as well as a number of in-form racehorses and shares in Stakes winners – headline the Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale.
Kiwi Sires a Recipe for NZB Ready to Run Sale Success
Much of the NZB Ready to Run Sale’s extraordinary success has been underpinned by the stallions that have stood in New Zealand in recent decades.
Captivant Colt Shines at Warwick Farm Trials
Captivant’s burgeoning reputation for producing precocious 2YOs took another leap forward at today’s Warwick Farm trials, with Courthezon powering to victory in Heat 10.
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Melody Belle Daughter Set for Long Awaited Debut
It will be a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at The Valley on Friday night when Lyrics ‘N’ Song, a daughter of their former multiple Group One winner Melody Belle, makes her debut.