Weekly spotlight on breeding

Breeding authority Peter Wharton presents all the harness racing news on breeding from Australia, New Zealand and North America every Friday brought to you by Garrard’s Horse & Hound.

Copy That’s Premiere

Champion New Zealand pacer Copy That, who won the Wondai’s Mate (Listed) at Albion Park, after appearing to be hopelessly out of it at one stage, has now won 20 races and $482,897 in stakes and is regarded as a warm favourite for the $250,000 The Rising Sun.

He ranks as a four-year-old half-brother by American Ideal to promising three-year-old filly Toni Street (1:59.2), a NZ Sires’ Stakes finalist.

Lively Nights, the dam of Copy That, won seven races, earned $45,268 and took a record of 1:58.4 and was a smart racemare in her own right. She was a half-sister to the NSW winner Mont Ventoux (1:55.5) and Voluntad 1:56.4 (8 NZ wins), being by Live Or Die from White Nights, by Road Machine from B G Star, by Butler B G from Proud Star, by Mercedes from Miranda Star.

This has been one of the most successful branches of the Lady Clare family, Miranda Star being a half-sister to Miranda Belle, dam of a grand pacer and NZ Cup winner in Luxury Liner 1:56.9 ($1.7 million).

Christopher Vance (NZ Cup and Miracle Mile), the Hunter Cup winner Surprise Package, Mi Muchacho (Auckland Cup), Manning (WA Pearl) and Vance Glory (NZ Franklin Cup) are among many good winning members of Copy That’s family.

Loorrim Lake in 1:50.9

Loorrim Lake, a son of the American sire Roll With Joe, who stood at Alabar Bloodstock and is now in America, has been one of the stars of the winter racing in Sydney.

He won three races – all at Group level – from 1609 to 2540 metres at Menangle and Bankstown. His winning run in the Group 3 NSW Golden Mile at Menangle in 1:50.9 was a new lifetime mark.

Loorrim Lake is closely related to a smart pacer in Bettor Bet Black, who won 29 races including the Newcastle Mile twice and the NSW Winter Championship for $455,809 in stakes.

Loorrim Lake is by Roll With Joe from Jethros Madam, by Fake Left, a Cam Fella horse who headed the Australian sires’ list in six consecutive seasons. Jethros Madam 1:59.8 ($101,681), who won the QBred Triad 3YO Final, was out of Madam Ex, a noted producer and by Entrepreneur from Little Daigal, by Gyration, a son of the Hall of Fame mare Argent, a dual Derby and Oaks winner.

Madam Ex was the dam of the QBred Triad winner Bistro Lady 2:00;1 ($217,845), Ex Factor (1:56.9) and Exclusif, who became the dam of Bettor Bet Black and also of a top Tasmanian pacer in Taurisi 1:55.3 ($124,724). Bistro Lady left four winners including Bistro Maid (8 wins), who, in turn, was the dam of Artful Maid (1:54.1), Bonnies Cam (1:57.7) and the two-year-old Arnold Street (1:58.7), all Albion Park winners.

Loorrim Lake ranks as a half-brother to Justatic (1:55.4), the winner of three at Albion Park.

Classic winning line

The Launceston Belmont winner Flo Jo Carvalho, is a daughter of the Ticket To Heaven mare Flo Jo Fernandez, a classics winner herself and who left a string of classic winners.

They include the Tasmanian Sires Stakes champions Thirsty Mach 1:54 ($127,296) and Chopstix Boris 1:56.4 ($101,311), the McKillop 4YO Classic winner Four Ex Dan 1:53.2 ($138,280) and Lilbitachicknfried 1:52.3 ($138,110).

Rohan Hillier, who bred and part-owns Flo Jo Carvalho (by Betting Line), drove her to win the Belmont.

Flo Jo Fernandez ranks as a sister to the Tasmanian Oaks winner Ticket Flow and a half-sister to Here For The Party 1:56.8 ($101,851) and the Vicbred finalist Chocaladante, being out of Flo Jo Torado, an Evicus Stakes winner by Torado Hanover from Naomi’s Gold, by the A. G. Hunter Cup winner Golden Alley.

By Renaissance Man

Fifty Five Reborn, a double winner at Gloucester Park recently, continues to prove herself in the top bracket among the mares in WA. She has now won 12 races and $146,843.

Fifty Five Reborn is a member of one of NZ’s most successful families, being a four-year-old Renaissance Man mare from the unraced Arma Fifty Five, a Bettor’s Delight mare who is also the dam of the Westsired 3YO Classic winner Arma Einstein (1:56.9), a winner at Pinjarra earlier this week.

Arma Fifty Five was out of the Group placed Arma Xceptional (1:57.9), a Live Or Die half-sister to the 2012 2YO Filly of the Year Arma Xpress 1:56.5 ($279,890), who won seven races as a juvenile including two Group 1’s. At the stud Arma Xpress has left a smart youngster in American Arma 1:56.7 (five wins from seven starts) and the Gloucester Park winner Arma Veyron (1:59.4), now racing in Victoria’s Sunraysia district.

Arma Xcellent, a sister to Arma Xceptional, figures as the dam of the Ashburton Winter Cup winner Sans Le Sou (1:56).

Their dam, Arma Antoinette (2:01.4), won one race but she left five winners. She was by Holmes Hanover from Arma Class (2:00.6), a half-sister to the outstanding NZ racemare Armalight (1:55.4), who won 18 races including the NZ Cup, Auckland Cup and NZ Oaks and $277,520.

Other members of this family, which was really established by the broodmare gem Ar Miss, were the Miracle Mile winner Spankem (1:47.7), Thumpem (1:52.3), Masked Crusader (APG 2YO Final), Sand Pebbles (NSW Ladyship Mile), Masterson (1:50.2), Strong Don (Vic. Sapling) and Al Guerrero, who won on the same night at Gloucester Park as Fifty Five Reborn.

Menangle winner from good broodmare

Never Been Said, a Well Said six-year-old and a winner at Menangle in a career-best 1:50.7, is out of Muscle Beach, a Breeders Crown champion with a record of 1:56.6 who is proving a successful broodmare.

Muscle Beach is also the dam of the Albion Park winner Written In Red 1:54.8 ($194,624), Muscle Mach (1:51.5), a Menangle winner now racing in America and his siblings Pumpniron (1:55.6) and the recent Melton three-year-old victor Melody Beach (1:58.2).

Muscle Beach was a Mach Three mare from the American-bred Beach Dahrlin (1:56.4), by Beach Towel from Sweet Dahrlin (1:55.8), by Nero. Muscle Beach has since produced a weanling filly by Sweet Lou.

Muscle Beach was a half-sister to Shezaheartbreaker, dam of this year’s NSW provincial winner To The Lookout (2:00.2), and to the American-based Pleasure Beach, dam of The Bethinator 1:50.2 ($130,404).

Their dam, Sweet Dahrlin, left four inside 2:00 and is the grand-dam of the world champion Sweet Lou (1:47), now making his mark as a sire in both America and Australasia.

Albion Park winners closely related

Two very promising young pacers to win on the same night at Albion Park last weekend were Racy Roxy and Fond Memories, both bred by Kevin and Kay Seymour and from the same maternal family.

Racy Roxy, a two-year-old filly, comfortably defeated older, more experienced rivals after being sternly tested in the early part. She has now won two of her four starts.

By the Inter Dominion and Little Brown Jug champion Mr Feelgood, Racy Roxy is out of the dual QBred Triad winner Rani Major 1:55.7 ($246,434), by Art Major from a fine racemare in Rhapsody In Red 1:56.8 ($167,715), by Fake Left from Charming Reminder, by Vanston Hanover from the grand producer Call Girl, by Tempest Hanover.

Rani Major, dam of Racy Roxy, ranks as a sister to the Group 3 winner Raring To Go 1:56.1 ($217,988) and a half-sister to the QBred and Paleface Adios Classic winner Red Charmer 1:55.2 ($159,024), Reds Good To Go (1:54.4) and Rich Heritage 1:56.3 ($176,528), a QBred Breeders Classic winner and dam of Remember Ruby (1:54.6) and Heritage Beach (1:56.8).

Fond Memories, a four-year-old mare who won the Qred Triad as a three-year-old, has now won eight races and $119,119 and holds a record of 1:53.9.

She is by Mach Three from a top racemare in Forever After 1:56.2 ($172,808), a QBred Triad champion by Presidential Ball from Girl From Ipanema (1:57.6), also a Triad winner by Vanston Hanover from the Queensland Oaks winner Goldrush Girl TT1:55.3 ($151,612), a half-sister by Transport Chip to Charming Reminder, the third dam of Racy Roxy.

Forever After, who left four sub 2:00 winners, was a half-sister to the QBred Triad and Paleface Adios Classic victor Guitarzan 1:56.9 ($216,956), the brilliant but ill-fated Famous Forever 1:57.8 (now a 1:51 sire) and Faith Prevails (1:58.1), dam of the high class pacers Fame Assured 1:50.8 (a winner of 22 races and $264,437), the Triad winner Frankie Rocks 1:52.2 (22 wins and $253,772) and Feel The Faith 1:53.1 (17 wins and $171,323).

Faith Prevails is also the dam of the Listed Victorian winner Struve (1:54.4).

La Bella Vita is well bred

One of the most capable young mares racing in Brisbane at present is La Bella Vita, who is quickly working her way to the top flight. She has won seven and been five times placed from 13 starts on Australian soil.

La Bella Vita has a wealth of blood to back up her claims to further promotion, being by the former NZ champion Changeover from Hollywood Sue, by Elsu from the Butler B G mare Hollywood Rose, dam of the millionairess and four-time Oaks winner Tupelo Rose (1:51.4).

At the stud Tupelo Rose, one of the greatest daughters of the champion sire and broodmare sire In The Pocket, left three winners including Willy Mucha (1:50.2) and was the ancestress of the North American Stakes winners Machapelo 1:51.6 ($685,227), Resistance Futile 1:49.2 ($402,109), Rockapelo 1:49.2 ($407,106), Capela (1:52.8) and the Tasmanian Derby and Melton Cup winner Maraetai 1:52.3 ($191,490).

Hollywood Sue, who won three races, was also a half-sister to the Albion Park winners Total Oblivion (1:58.1) and Cal Worthington (1:59.4) and to In Hollywood, the dam of the Northam Cup victor Our Ideal Act 1:56.9 ($113,493) and grand-dam of the exported Lynbar Rose 1:52.2 ($136,011).

Leading sire’s absence a loss

Racing at the Pacing for Pink meeting at Gloucester Park further demonstrated the loss of Alta Christiano to breeders.

With only a few representatives racing, he sired a winning double with Alta Blues and Al Guerrero, both members of his second crop.

Alta Blues, who has won nine of his 17 starts and almost $80,000 in stakes, looks one of the best young horses in WA. The four-year-old gelding is out of the Canadian-bred mare Child From The Sea (1:56.6), a half-sister by Astreos to the great Somebeachsomewhere. She left earlier winners in Grande Anse (1:57.3), who ran second in the Tasmanian Oaks and is now being bred from, and the Gloucester Park winner Mariquita Amor (1:59.9).

Mighty Ronaldo, the winner of this year’s WA Derby, the Group 1 Riverina Championship victor Techys Angel and the Group 3 Westbred winner Sheez Our Hope have been other recent winners by Alta Christiano.

In all, Alta Christiano’s progeny has earned more than $3.1 million and he has an amazing score of 75 winners from 98 starters.

By Peter Wharton for Harnesslink