A Breeding Machine


Might this be some sort of record?

Club Liquid, winner of the Listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup in South Australia yesterday, is the 17th foal of his dam Dame Ivor (USA).

Now, the Murray Bridge Gold Cup is not exactly the Caulfield Cup, but has there ever been a stakeswinner in this part of the world who was a 17th foal?

I recall Malcolm (Snippets-Finneto) was a 15th foal? But a 17th foal? Credit must go to his breeder, Mr J Lejejs of South Australia.

Club Liquid, a five-year-old gelding by Fasliyev (USA), also won the Darwin Cup earlier in the season.

He has a pedigree deeper than the Mariana Trench. His unraced dam Dame Ivor (USA) bred two stakeswinners prior to her arrival in Australia in 1996. She is a three-quarter sister to Bates Motel, Optimistic Gal and Super Asset as well as a half-sister to four stakeswinners. Contemporary international members of the family include Magna Graduate (US$2.5 million earner, pictured above), Exciting Story (G1), Aries Diamond (G1) and Our Faye (G3 in 2008).

Dame Ivor (USA) was retired as a 23-year-old after producing Club Liquid in 2003. She produced her first 15 foals without missing a year.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steve, I have a feeling the outstanding 3yo in Europe, New Approach, might be the 22nd or 23rd foal of the mare? Some of them are old enough to vote and buy alchohol (God bless the stuff) in some countries AND throw top horses!

STEVE BREM said...

New Approach's dam, whilst a grande dame par excellence, is a mere novice ... he was her 13th foal. She was 22 at the time. The way the world is going at the moment, they may as well give horses the vote ... mankind ain't doing much of a job.

STEVE BREM said...

22nd or 23rd foal ?? The sooner they put that tax on alcopops the better for you old son!

Anonymous said...

Not in this part of the world but Courtly Dee's 17th foal was the Grade 2 Peter Pan/Withers Stakes winner & former Vinery shuttler Twining, produced when his dam was 23.

All told Courtly Dee had 18 foals (8 SWs) in 19 years at stud.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the correction, I meant her age. Imagine if it was her 22nd foal.!! I posted that comment after a couple of hours of Keeneland November catalogue trawling so I may be have been punchdrunk, not just drunk, from looking at pedigrees. (Love those alchopops!!)

STEVE BREM said...

Richard: Keeneland November - I know you're a good salesman but only the super-rich could be convinced there's value there this year at the current exchange rate! It's more than 20 cents off where it was last year.

STEVE BREM said...

jh, Courtly Dee a true blue hen. I recall the very good racemare in NZ, Rainfall (Le Filou (Fr)-Raining) was a very disappointing broodmare with no black-typers in her first 9 foals but at her 10th and final attempt she produced a cracker named The Gentry when she was 24 years old. Australians never saw anything of his quality as he had a medical misadventure midway through his 3YO season (the week he was favourite to win over Horlicks in NZ's first $1m WFA race) and in subsequent seasons he was utterly unable to recapture his form. By summer of his 3YO year he had won the Great Northern Foal Stakes, NZ Derby and G1 Air NZ Stakes (defeating Our Poetic Prince) and his revered trainer, the late Ray Verner, claimed he was one of the best he trained. And the mare produced him when she was 24 !

Valerie Grash said...

Steve, any predictions on the Caulfield Cup? Can the Hussler stay 12f? Would I be crazy to think Riva San might be sitting on a big race? Do I put Mad Rush in my tris?

STEVE BREM said...

You are asking the world's worst judge. I guess from the USA you haven't seen my backside hanging out of my trousers. Loved your piece on the Breeders' Cup. I'll send you an email.

Valerie Grash said...

Thanks, Steve! :)

I must tell you, I'm in love with Australian racing (as if you couldn't tell that from my various forays into it in my blog), and a few of my colleagues are hooked too. Of course, here on the East Coast most of the big races there aren't on until 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, but there's nothing better to do after a long work week. Just a quick nap, then an enjoyable late night of race watching :)

STEVE BREM said...

Oh to have the life of an art historian !