Making Waves: No Sighs Here, Only Smiles

[Wandering Eyes]

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Sigh No More in the Boiling Springs Stakes at Monmouth.

Boiling Springs Stakes To Sigh No More

Heider Family Stables' Sigh No More ran out a 1 1/2-length winner of Monmouth Park's Boiling Springs Stakes at the end of last month (video). Conditioned by Brendan Walsh, the daughter of Starspangledbanner was making her second US start.

Bred by Barronstown Stud out of the Galileo mare Silent Thoughts, the May foal made €50,000 as a Goffs Orby yearling before winning four of her seven Irish starts for Bronsan Racing, Stride Racing and trainer Joseph O'Brien, culminating in the G3 Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown last October. The relative of G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes hero Malhub (Kingmambo) caught the eyes of Ted Durcan and David Lanigan acting for Heider Family Stables for 260,000gns at the 2024 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Sigh No More is a half-sister to Irish listed winner Neptune Rock (Muhaarar), the multiple stakes-placed Unreasonable (No Nay Never) and the No Nay Never pair of a yearling filly, and a colt foal.

Coolmore's Starspangledbanner has sired 20 winners from 34 American runners (59%). His nine stakes winners there (26%) are anchored by Grade I winners Rhea Moon and State Of Rest, with the latter in his third season at Rathbarry Stud. Starspangledbanner stands for €45,000 this year.

 

Zarak Mare Wires Foes At The Spa

Hoolie Racing Stable's In Time (Zarak) was trying 1 1/2 miles for the first time in her career on July 6, and pulled off a win for Miguel Clement at Saratoga (video).

A three-time winner in her native France including a final start at Fontainebleau in March of 2023, the daughter of two-time winner Mixed Evidence (Elusive City) was bred by J.B.S. Invest N.V. She was campaigned by Jan Romel and Pia and Joakim Brandt prior to her switch to America. One of five foals and two winners for her dam, herself a full-sister to multiple stakes winner and multiple group-placed Mixed Intention (Elusive City), In Time is kin to both G2 Queen Mary Stakes heroine Quick Suzy (Profitable) and G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Millebosc (Le Havre).

Zarak has sired 50% winners from his 10 runners in the US. Both Parnac, successful in the GII Flower Bowl Stakes, and Laurelin are stakes winners. He stands under the Aga Khan Stud banner at Haras de Bonneval for €80,000.

 

Queen Of Canada

Repole Stable's Boca Queen (Kingman) zipped to a 3 1/4-length debut victory in a seven-furlong maiden at Woodbine on July 5 (video). Part of the Flaxman Stables breeding programme, the daughter of multiple group winner Bocca Baciata (Big Bad Bob) is trained by Kevin Attard.

Knocked down for a cool €400,000 by West Bloodstock acting for Mike Repole at the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale, Boca Queen is a half-sister to listed winner and €775,000 Goffs November alumni Foniska (Galileo), as well as the unraced 2-year-old filly Botagoz (Mehmas) (€260,000 Goffs Orby pickup by Sumbe); a yearling colt by Frankel and a weanling filly by that Juddmonte sire. Dual group winner and G1 Pretty Polly Stakes runner-up Bocca Baciata is a half-sister to group winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches third Topeka (Whipper).

Juddmonte's Kingman commands a fee of £125,000 this year. Of his 79 runners in the US, 47 are winners and nine of them have made their mark at stakes level. Domestic Spending, a winner of the Manhattan, Turf Classic, and Hollywood Derby at the top table, is his local star.

 

Lovely Is As Lovely Does

Fergus Galvin and Rebecca Hillen's Loveliest (Siyouni) sailed to a five-length victory at Ellis Park on July 5 (chart). The $150,000 Keeneland September yearling was selected by Stephen Hillen and was making her first trip to the post for Eddie Kenneally.

Her dam, the Galileo mare Lovelier, won the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes and was runner-up in the G2 Kilboy Estate Stakes in Ireland. Loveliest is her second foal and first winner, while she produced a colt by Gun Runner last spring. Lovelier is a full-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner and Classic scorer Winter.

Another stallion standing under the Aga Khan Studs' umbrella, Siyouni is credited with 23 winners from 51 runners (45%) Stateside. Standing for €200,000 this term, Siyouni has a septet of stakes winners in that locale include five Grade III winners, among them the dual graded winner Sacred Life, who was twice placed at the highest level.

 

Too Darn Hot On The Double

So Darn Pretty kicked off a brace of winners for her sire in the latest Making Waves when taking a Saratoga affair for Michael Ryan on July 3 (video). Part of the Brittany Russell barn, the dark bay was bred by Centerville Bloodstock.

Although she did not meet her reserve when a 180,000gns buy-back during Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, So Darn Pretty found her way to American shores regardless and was making her third start. The seventh foal out of Zondaq (Bernardini), she is a half-sister to two-time stakes winner and GII Delaware Handicap heroine Saddle Up Jessie (More Than Ready) and the G3 Thoroughbred Stakes and G2 Gimcrack Stakes-placed King's Gamble (Kingman). Zondaq has fillies by Palace Pier and Nyquist born in 2024 and 2025. She was bred back to the latter sire this spring. Kin to five stakes winners under the second dam including GII Jessamine Stakes and GIII Wonder Again Stakes victress Sweet Melania (American Pharoah), So Darn Pretty counts blue hen Lassie's Lady (Alydar) as her fourth dam.

 

So Darn Pretty and Luis Saez take them gate to wire to score the maiden victory in the finale today at @TheNYRA #Saratoga for Mike Ryan pic.twitter.com/GkRhZRkgVj

— Brittany Russell Racing Stable (@BTRracingstable) July 3, 2025

The fourth time was the charm for Elite Heat at Horseshoe Indianapolis for Brad Cox on July 5. The Chasemore Farm-bred carries the MyRacehorse silks.

Grove Stud purchased the bay as an 80,000gns yearling out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, with Arthur Hoyeau acting for MyRacehorse, in action for the filly during the Arqana Summer Sale. Hoyeau acquired the third foal of the winning Formidable Kitt (Invincible Spirit) for €210,000. Already a half-sister to the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes third Kitteridge (Camelot), Elite Heat has a 2-year-old half-brother by Starspangledbanner, a yearling half-brother by Saxon Warrior, and a half-sister by Study Of Man born this year. Her granddam is the G2 Queen Mary Stakes victress Ceiling Kitty (Red Clubs).

Darley's Too Darn Hot is responsible for five winners from seven to race in America counting his latest duo (71%). Listed Wild Applause Stakes victress Oversubscribed was his first stakes winner in that jurisdiction. His 2025 fee at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket is £90,000.

Repeat Winners

Newstead Stables' Laurelin remained perfect in four starts with a win in the Penn Oaks at Penn National on June 27 (video). The daughter of Zarak, who is trained by Graham Motion, first featured in Making Waves when breaking her maiden in New York last October.

Lush Lips (Ten Sovereigns) added a tally in the Listed Tepin Stakes to her ledger for trainer Brendan Walsh on June 28 (video). She races for Medallion Racing, Steve Weston, Stewart Hoffman, Mrs. Paul Shanahan and Mrs. MV Magnier.

Making Waves regular Zulu Kingdom (Ten Sovereigns) reigned supreme in the GIII Manilla Stakes at Saratoga on July 4 in the colours of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and  Michael J. Caruso (video). Trained by Chad Brown, the 3-year-old ridgling is on a three-race winning streak and became a Grade I winner in the GI American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs in May.

Marksman Queen (Dubawi) carried the silks of breeder Cayton Park Stud to victory in the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park on July 5 (video). The win was the first graded victory for the Graham Motion trainee.

Arnaud Delacour trainee Evershed won her second consecutive start with a tally at Colonial Downs in Virginia in the colours of Mark Grier on July 9 (video). The daughter of Churchill and the Darshaan mare Balankiya won a Tampa Bay maiden in December.

Cheyenna Stable's Ozara (Lope De Vega) is now a dual listed winner in the U.S. after taking the De La Rose Stakes on Saratoga's opening day for trainer Miguel Clement (video). Third in both the GIII Herecomesthebride Stakes and GIII Eatontown Stakes, the consistent 4-year-old filly has now won six of her 12 lifetime trips to the post.

Zulu Kingdom | Sarah Andrew

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