Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Thursday August 24

Arrowfield and Darley Studs will be hoping the career of Dubai World Cup hero Animal Kingdom (USA) mirrors that of another World Cup winner, Street Cry (IRE).

Street Cry (IRE) spent four seasons shuttling to Darley Stud before staying in Kentucky for two years.

With success on both sides of the equator, he returned the conquering hero with a fee to match.

After standing at a fee of $16,500, the son of Machiavellian was bumped up to $110,000 and the year after that $137,500.

One of the mares that visited him that year was Hold To Ransom (USA).

A $95,000 Keeneland September Yearling sale purchase, Hold To Ransom (USA) proved a very useful performer on the track highlighted by 5-length triumph in the Listed Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The daughter of Red Ransom (USA) has proved just as affective in the breeding barn.

Her first foal was the dual Group III winner Retrieve (Rahy) who was runner-up in the 2011 Group I Rosehill Guineas to Jimmy Choux and to Shamrocker in the Group I AJC Australian Derby.

Believe it or not, Retrieve is still plying his trade around Great Britain.

Last week the 10yo finished down the track in a restricted race at Bath. He did win a claimer on the all-weather at Wolverhampton in June, one of five starts he made that month.

Advertisement

The second foal of Hold To Ransom (USA) was the Exceed And Excel filly Reparations who kept her dam’s record perfect with three Listed Stakes wins in Melbourne for Lee and Anthony Freedman.

The result of Street Cry’s mating with Hold To Ransom (USA) was Abduction who won two of 11 starts including the Listed Reginald Alen Quality at Rosehill.

She was also second in the Group II Wakeful Stakes and fifth in the Group I Victoria Oaks.

Three years later, Godolphin sent Hold To Ransom (USA) to Animal Kingdom (USA) in his first season.

The result is Animalia who will be vying to become his sires first stakes winner in Australia and his dam’s fourth, when he contests Saturday’s Group III Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

Animalia earned his place off the back of a facile 7-length win at Gosford at his most recent start.

The Ming Dynasty is chockful of quality with any number of progressive types and shapes as every bit as competitive as the other 3yo stakes race on the card, the Group II San Domenico Stakes.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
A Passion That Lasts a Lifetime
A passion for pedigrees and thoroughbreds is often one that lasts a lifetime and so it has been for one of the co-breeders of Bravery, who contacted me this week following our earlier and very well read story on current 2YO star Cool Archie.
Frosty Girl impressive on debut
The Chris Waller-trained Frosty Girl made the perfect start to her career when coming from last to land the Asahi Super Dry Plate (1300m) on debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
New Winner for Bivouac
Godolphin have been  enjoying a winning run with their late season juveniles and it continued at Geelong on Thursday where Bivouac gelding Loving opened his account.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 4
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
Wootton Bassett 2YOs on the March
Wootton Bassett’s star Northern Hemisphere two year-old Albert Einstein has been ruled out of Royal Ascot with a sprained joint that will require a few weeks off, but the red hot sire added two more talented debut winning juvenile colts at The Curragh overnight.
Blueblood Import - American-Bred Jillaroo Records First Win
Purchased at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Ciaron Maher, the now 4yo mare Jillaroo (USA) (Curlin) initially started her racing career in the United States but after an Australian debut second at Caulfield in early May, recorded her maiden victory at Doomben.