Checking In On: High Priced Craven Breeze Up Sale Graduates

We travel to England for our third edition of this series, to check on graduates of the Tattersall Craven Breeze Up Sale.

While this year’s 2-year-olds will go through the ring this week, 25 of the 30 2-year-olds to sell for 200,000 guineas or more at this sale over the past two years have hit the track. Among the most successful have been Group 1 placed Stormy Antarctic, European stakes winner Mokarris and U.S. stakes winner Fact Finding.

Learn more about what all 30 horses have been up to since the Breeze Up sale in today’s blog.

2015 Craven Breeze Up Sale

War Front sired the 2015 sales topper.

’13 Rehear (War Front x Rehear – Coronado’s Quest colt) – The U.S.-bred topper from the 2015 edition of the sale when bringing 360,000 guineas has not been named yet. He was purchased in 2015 by Jamie McCalmont and AC Elliott.

Aljuljalah (Exchange Rate x Ruler’s Charm – Cape Town filly) – The U.S.-bred filly has won one of eight races with three second place finishes. Her only career win so far came at Newmarket by a length in September of 2015. She last raced on Oct. 27, 2017.

Jackfish (Exceed and Excel x Torentosa – Oasis Dream colt) – A French-bred colt, Jackfish has made four starts with three on-the-board finishes. He last raced in March 2016 when he was second by a neck in a maiden at Deauville.

Elusive Dane (Elusive Quality x Shady Reflection – Sultry Song colt) – A 300,000 guineas purchase, U.S.-bred Elusive Dane was bought by Gerard Hourigan. According to Equineline and Racing Post, the colt hasn’t yet raced.

Sparte Quercus (Canford Cliffs x Khaizarana – Alhaarth colt) – According to Equineline, this Irish-bred colt is unplaced in one start.

Experto Crede (Exceed and Excel x Shepherdia – Pivotal gelding) – This Irish-bred went through the ring intact but was gelded after his second start.  He won his first start by 1 1/4 lengths, was last in a Group 2, gelded and spent a few races not hitting the board before getting his groove back. After a July 2016 win, he was sold and moved to trainer John Moore in January and has raced three times in Hong Kong without much success.

Istiqlaal (Oasis Dream x Independence – Selkirk colt) – British-bred Istiqlaal was bought by Godolphin at this sale, made one start for them where he finished last then was sold. He spent this past winter racing in Dubai and was never able to finish better than ninth with his last start record on Racing Post coming in December.

The Perfect Show (Showcasing x Nizhoni – Mineshaft gelding) – Another British-bred gelding, The Perfect Show was gelded after his third start, a second in a Haydock maiden in September 2015. That was his best finish to-date with the gelding finishing ninth, fourth, and sixth in three starts since then. He last raced on Oct. 15, 2016.

Spennithorne (Shamadal x Two Marks - Woodman filly) – This Irish-bred filly has done well for Godolphin, hitting the board twice before breaking her maiden in August 2015. She made two more starts after that, finishing second a month later then winning her final start. She hasn’t raced since that September 2015 victory.

Tesoro (Galileo x Theann – Rock of Gibraltar filly) – An Irish-bred Galileo filly, it took Tesoro five starts to break her maiden. After that December 2015 race, she ran twice last year with two off-the-board finishes and hasn’t run since July 13, 2016.

Tesoro's full sister, Grade 1 winner Photo Call

Beauty Night (Showcasing x Night Symphonie – Cloudings gelding) – Gelded after going winless in his first three starts, British-bred Beauty Night won his first start after that notification and hit the board again a month later. He had three off-the-board finishes after that and hasn’t been in a race since August of last year.

Petite Martinique (Lope de Vega x Saik - Riverman colt) – Bought by Jamie McCalmont, Petite Martinique has not yet raced according to Equineline.

Stormy Antarctic (Stormy Atlantic x Bea Remembered - Doyen colt) – The most successful of this group is British-bred Stormy Antarctic. He won his maiden in his third start, followed that up with another victory then finished second by a head to Johannes Vermeer in a Group 1 at the end of his 2-year-old year. He started his 3-year-old season off with a win in the Group 3 Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes, put in his first truly bad run when 11^th in the 2,000 Guineas but bounced back to finish second in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat. He didn’t do too well in his last two outings of the season but in his first start this year as a 4-year-old, he was beaten by only a short head in the listed Betway Doncaster Mile on April 1.

2016 Craven Breeze Up Sale

Eaton Square (Invincible Spirit x Loch Jipp – Belong to Me gelding) – Trained by John Gosden for the Coolmore partnership, Eaton Square won his debut last July by a neck and was second his time out. The British-bred stepped up to the group level and finished seventh in October

Fact Finding (The Factor x Sweet Belle – Deputy Commander colt) – After selling here, the U.S.-bred colt returned to his land of birth where he won his first three races. That started with a 2 ¼ length win at Saratoga followed by a Keeneland allowance victory and ended with a stakes win in the Smooth Air Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He spent one race on the Kentucky Derby trail when running in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes but those thoughts were finished when he finished midpack, nine lengths behind the winning McCraken. He hasn’t worked in the last 60 days according to Equibase.

Fact Finding

Rodaini (Exchange Rate x Blessings Count - Pulpit colt) – Rodaini won his first four starts at sprint distances last spring and fall but when the U.S.-bred colt stepped up to a mile in his next two starts he proved that even though his damsire is Pulpit, that may not be his best distance. He is making his seasonal debut on April 19 in the bet365 European Free Handicap at seven furlongs at Newmarket.

Via Serendipity (Invincible Spirit x Mambo Light – Kingmambo colt) – This British-bred has made three starts and while he didn’t win the first two he didn’t put in bad performances when finishing third both times. Third time was a charm for him when he won a maiden at Newmarket in late September in his final performance of the year, going seven furlongs. He holds entries in the April 22 Group 3 JLT Greenham Stakes and an early entry in the Group 1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas Stakes on May 6.

Armandihan (Zoffany x Flying Flag - Entrepreneur gelding) – This Irish-bred finished third his first two starts but after finishing sixth in his seasonal debut this year, he was gelded less than a week later. So far that seems like it may have worked with Armandihan finishing second of 12 in a Redcar maiden on April 17.

’14 Rainbow Luck (More than Ready x Rainbow Luck – Honour and Glory colt) – This U.S.-bred colt was bought by C. Gordon-Watson Bloodstock and has not yet been named or started according to Equineline.

More Than Ready

Hermeneutics (Scat Daddy x Rosangela – El Prado gelding) – This U.S.-bred gelding has finished last in two starts and second to last in one other. Racing Post doesn’t note that he was gelded during his racing career so it looks like he had that equipment change made before he ever came to the races. He last raced on January 16.

City Limits (Nathaniel x Wait It Out - Swain colt) – Owned by Michael Tabor, this British-bred hasn’t done too well on the track yet with a seventh and a pair of fifths in his first three starts. He last raced on Sept. 21.

Always Thankful (Showcasing x Thankful - Diesis filly) – Off the board in her first two starts, this British-bred seems like she may have come on as a 3-year-old, finishing second by half a length in her seasonal debut on April 11.

Mokarris (More Than Ready x Limonar – Street Cry colt) - A winner in his debut, the U.S.-bred has flirted with the group stakes level throughout his career. At Royal Ascot last year, that didn’t work too well with a 16^th place finish but he won the listed TKP Surfacing Rose Bowl Stakes in his next out followed by a second in the Group 2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes in August. Last out, he finished midpack in the Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes as his final start of the year. He hasn’t yet made a run in 2017 but does hold three entries, including in both the British and Irish versions of the 2,000 Guineas.

Ghaseedah (Kyllachy x Represent – Exceed and Excel filly) – The British-bred filly’s only start so far came on Nov. 30, 2016 when she was eighth of 12 in a Kempton maiden.

Bithynia (Kodiac x Alexander Confranc – Magical Wonder filly) – The Irish-bred filly has run 10 times and been close to a win in six of those but hasn’t yet found the winner’s enclosure. She was sold to Stewart Brown on Dec. 10 and switched from Hugo Palmer’s yard to David Evans, where she’s finished on the board in three of four starts. She last raced on January 18.

Timeless Flight (Helmet x Kathy’s Rocket – Gold Legend colt) – Finishing second in his debut by half a length, Timeless Flight won his next two starts by a combined length. He was ninth of 11 in his last start, coming on Oct. 22, 2016.

Hydroxide (Lope de Vega x Craighall – Dubawi colt) – This colt has been a bridesmaid in all five of his starts, finishing second three straight times and then third in the next two. He’s run from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles but still hasn’t found the winner’s circle, last trying to break his maiden on April 17.

Ejaaby (Helmet x Vivid Blue – Haafhd colt) – The colt made two starts as a 2-year-old, nearly breaking his maiden in November when second. The British-bred returns to the track for his 3-year-old debut on April 19 at Wolverhampton.

Broken Stones (Requinto x Positive Step - Footstepsinthesand colt) – A winner in his debut, the Irish-bred has shown stakes talent when finishing third in the Group 2 Arqana July Stakes in his second start before winning his third start. He hasn’t raced since that win on July 23, 2016.

Mordin (Invincible Spirit x Bryanstown – Galileo colt) – According to Equineline, the Irish-bred colt has yet to race.