Breeding Snippets - July 31

By Rob Courtney 

From the enduring legacy of Tardina Stud and the late Tony Parker, to another exciting winner from the famed Under Cover Lover family, this week's racing once again highlighted the depth of New Zealand's broodmare bands. 

Bijou continues Tardina Stud's enduring legacy

Tardina Stud co-founder Tony Parker passed away some time ago, but the influence of his many years as a prominent northern breeder still lives on, and there was no better example than last Friday night when Bijou won on debut for trainer Tony Herlihy.

The What The Hill – Yagunnakissmeornot two-year-old filly, bred by Tardina Stud and still raced by the stud, has a lot to live up to in terms of her breeding.

Her dam won 17 races, banking $195,000, and Bijou is her fourth foal.

Full sister Kiss And Run (5 wins and $129,000) is already at stud as a broodmare and was last served by Volstead as a maiden mare.

The Rizzler (by Creatine) is a qualified trotter in the Diamond Racing stable but is yet to race, while Tardina has a weanling colt by Tactical Approach on the ground.

Second dam Dutch Annie won four races before going to the broodmare paddock, where nine of her 10 foals qualified to race. Besides Yagunnakissmeornot, Hillbilly (6 wins and $102,000), Nortie Nortie (8 wins and $96,000), The Player (6 wins) and Hot Pants (4 wins) have all made significant contributions to this family's pedigree.

All of this stems from the Gee Whiz mare Miss Whiplash (13 wins and $152,000), who was trained by legendary horseman P. T. Wolfenden.

At stud, Miss Whiplash was just as successful, with all 10 of her foals making it to the races, while several of her daughters bred on with distinction.

Madam Heidi, Playmate Of The Year, Emma Hamilton and Wanna Play all fit comfortably into that category, producing multiple winners and giving the family a strong commercial following.

Bijou has the credentials to go a long way and already looks a valuable broodmare in the making.

Dance Hall Girl follows another Under Cover Lover success

Dance Hall Girl was a hot favourite at Addington on Sunday and had no trouble justifying that quote, leading throughout and proving too strong at just her second start.

Yet another promising type by the great Lazarus, she is the fifth foal and fourth winner from her Mach Three dam Speights Girl, who won six races from just 17 starts.

First foal Bubbled Up (by American Ideal) won two races and has already left the promising filly Nothing But You (2 wins to date) as her first offspring.

Second foal Ab Fab has won six races with a best mile rate of 1:54.5, while Dawson won three races in New Zealand before adding another seven victories in Australia, taking his earnings to $119,000.

Second dam Exotic Lover won the Yearling Sales Series Fillies Final as a two-year-old in 2007, accounting for her $110,000 in earnings from just 11 starts. At stud she has now left eight winners, headed by Match In Heaven (by Somebeachsomewhere), winner of 24 races and $369,000. Abraxas (15 wins) was another outstanding performer when Tim Butt was breeding from Exotic Lover.

Of course, Exotic Lover was another grand-producing daughter of Under Cover Lover, a family that has consistently produced high-class fillies who have gone on to become outstanding broodmares.

Dance Hall Girl looks as though she might be headed in that same direction.

Bord De La Mer extends the Under Cover Lover dynasty

There was plenty of hype surrounding the debut of Bord De La Mer for his high-profile ownership group last week and, in the end, his favouritism was fully justified, proving too good in the hands of junior driver Seth Hill for trainer Benny Hill.

By the "hot" sire Downbytheseaside, the three-year-old is the second foal of the late Firenze Amore (American Ideal – Castellina Lover) and her second winner.

First foal Captain Amore (by Captain Crunch) has won three races and was recently sold to America. Breeders Dolan, Adamson and Murtha also have a two-year-old filly by Captain Crunch showing promise at the North Canterbury trials, sadly the last progeny before Firenze Amore was lost.

Her dam, Castellina Lover, won seven races on both sides of the Tasman from just 26 starts and has since made a tremendous success of her broodmare career.

Her first foal was Recco Lover (by Bettor's Delight), winner of eight races, but the family reached another level when third foal Amore Vita (by Art Major) hit the track. The Group-winning filly won 18 races and $669,000, recording a brilliant 1:50.5 mile. Tragically, she passed away before producing a foal.

Foal number four Amore Infida (by Captaintreacherous) won four races from 20 starts with a best winning mile rate of 1:51.9. She is now leased to John and Katrina Price, for whom she has a Bettor's Delight filly on the ground and is back in foal to the champion sire.

Breeders Dolan and Adamson have retained a two-year-old filly from Castellina Lover by Tall Dark Stranger named Amore Bella, while they also have a weanling filly by Captaintreacherous.

Third dam Delizioso (In The Pocket – Vain Franco) won four races for breeder Graham Pearson before leaving seven winners and was a full sister to Under Cover Lover.

That makes Bord De La Mer a very close relation to Dance Hall Girl, featured earlier in this week's snippets.

JT Boe continues a family rich in Group performers

There are some good judges suggesting JT Boe is an open class horse in waiting.

The Always B Miki five-year-old has now won 10 of his 23 starts, banking $124,000, and looks set to get his opportunity against the "big boys" during the spring.

His dam Better Think Twice won nine races but has produced only two live foals, both winners. The other is Captain Zenzi (by Captain Crunch), a one-race winner.

Second dam Rona Lorraine (Christian Cullen – Inspiring Dash) won a Group 1 race among her three victories, earning $133,000.

She went on to leave six winners as a broodmare, with Better Think Twice arguably her best performer.

This was a highly commercial family at the yearling sales for many years, with Rona Lorraine being a half or full sister to another six winners. However, one in particular elevated the pedigree to another level.

Venus Serena won 16 of her 34 starts, earning $796,000 for owner Bob Sandford and trainer Geoff Dunn.

At stud she has continued the family tradition, leaving performers including Laver (10 wins) and Arden's Ace (20 wins + $454,000).

Now owned by prominent Tapanui breeder John Stiven, Venus Serena is also the dam of Arden's Memory (5 wins) and Ebony Arden (4 wins), both helping keep the family firmly in the headlines.

Not that this pedigree needed any assistance, with the likes of Tokyo Rose (13 wins to date and a 1:48.7 performer) and, historically, Trident (13 wins and $225,000) flying the flag with distinction.

B Envious gives Always B Miki another timely winner

Plenty of Kiwi breeders will welcome the return of high-profile stallion Always B Miki for the upcoming breeding season after he missed the previous term.

He produced several winners over the weekend, including the maiden success of B Envious, who broke through at just his fourth start for the Baynes family.

He also has the pedigree to suggest there is much more to come.

Dam Envious (Changeover – Especial Franco) won six races and B Envious is her first winner from her second foal. The breeders have a yearling full sister on the ground, while the mare has since been served by Huntsville.

Second dam Especial Franco, by noted broodmare sire Falcon Seelster, never raced but produced six winners, headed by Expressionist (29 wins and $285,000).

This family was particularly prominent throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Third dam Egmont Lobell, by another outstanding broodmare sire in Mark Lobell, won 14 races in Australia before returning to New Zealand to leave high-class performers headed by open class pacer Tower Of Strength (11 wins) for a young Peter Blanchard.

An unraced daughter, Equus Franco (also by Falcon Seelster), left Flem N Em, who won eight races in New Zealand before recording a brilliant 1:49.6 mile in America.

The progress of B Envious will be watched with interest. As we become more familiar with the stock of Always B Miki, he looks likely to get even better with time on his side.

(Story reprinted with permission from NZ Standardbred Breeders Association)