Where Did They Come From?

[Wandering Eyes]

Anyone that deals in the Thoroughbred business knows that a good one can come from just about anywhere, and that truth is certainly reflected in this year’s 2000 Guineas runners, which range from homebreds to 1.6-million gns yearlings to 38,000gns foals. Here, we run through the 14 contestants of the 2000 Guineas and recap their beginnings.

CARDSHARP (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}) was bred by Godolphin and races for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. The dam, Pure Illusion (Ire) (Danehill), was sold by Godolphin at Tattersalls December two years ago in foal to Guineas winner Night of Thunder (Ire) for 18,000gns and bought by Trainers House Enterprises. B-Godolphin.

ELARQAM (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was the top-priced offering by his sire at the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, bringing 1.6-million from Shadwell and consigned by The Duke of Roxburghe’s Floors Stud out of his star mare Attraction. He is the most expensive public sales purchase in this lineup. B-Floors Farming.

EXPERT EYE (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) is a Juddmonte homebred and comes from the top-class Juddmonte family of champion and Classic winner Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy), American Grade I winners Sightseek (Distant View) and Tates Creek (Rahy) and G1 Prix de la Foret winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki). B-Juddmonte Farms.

GUSTAV KLIMT (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is a homebred for team Coolmore but his dam, Massarra (GB) (Danehill), was bought by connections for 600,000gns in 2009. Massarra, a Group 3-winning sprinter, was bred and raced by Prince Faisal out of his excellent mare Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}), the dam of sires Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB). B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt.

HEADWAY (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) was the least expensive of these Guineas runners in the sales ring, having cost Peter and Ross Doyle just 38,000gns at Tattersalls December. He was pinhooked in the same ring 10 months later for 60,000gns when bought by John and Jake Warren. B-Whatton Manor-Global Equine-L Stratton.

JAMES GARFIELD (IRE) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was a £60,000 buyback by Highclere Stud at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. B-Stetchworth & Middle Park Studs Ltd.

MASAR (IRE) (New Approach {Ire}) is a homebred for Godolphin out of its G2 UAE Derby winner Khawlah (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and is inbred to the great mare Urban Sea, who is his fourth dam as well as being the producer of grandsire Galileo. B-Godolphin.

MURILLO (Scat Daddy) was a $500,000 Keeneland November weanling. Bred by Lynch Bages, he was consigned by Eaton Sales and signed for by Hill ‘n’ Dale Bloodstock. B-Lynch Bages Ltd.

NEBO (IRE) (Kodiac {GB}) was the third-most expensive sale of Book 3 at Tattersalls October in 2016 at 75,000gns. He was consigned by Acorn Stud and purchased by Jill Lamb Bloodstock. B-Select Bloodstock & Melchior Bloodstock.

RAID (IRE) (Havana Gold {Ire}) is the best traveled horse of this bunch when it comes to sales ring visits; bought back by vendor Drumachon Stud for 18,000gns as a foal, he made 22,000gns from Jeremy Brummitt when offered by the same consignment at Book 2, and proved a good pinhook for The Bloodstock Connection when sold on for £135,000gns at Doncaster last April to David Redvers. B-James Waldron.

RAJASINGHE (IRE) (Choisir {Aus}) was a €65,000 foal turned £85,000 Doncaster yearling. He was pinhooked by Trickledown Stud and bought as a yearling by Bobby O’Ryan and Rebel Racing. B-James & Geoff Mulcahy.

ROARING LION (Kitten’s Joy) was another savvy purchase by the connections of Raid, costing $160,000 at Keeneland September. B-Ranjan Racing Inc.

SAXON WARRIOR (JPN) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is a homebred for Coolmore and is the flagbearer for the operation’s experiment with Deep Impact. Saxon Warrior is out of the speedy Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was third in 2012 G1 1000 Guineas. Maybe has logged plenty of airmiles in her second career, having produced a colt by American Pharoah in the U.S. this year. She was bred back to War Front. B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt.

TIP TWO WIN (IRE) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a homebred for Anne Cowley, who bought his dam as a 2-year-old for £9,450. B-Mrs Anne Cowley.

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