American Support For Ireland’s Phoenix

[Wandering Eyes]

The first book of this year’s G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) received a significant boost with the news that the American-based but globally reaching SF Bloodstock would commit nine mares to the Irish National Stud newcomer, who starts out in 2020 at €15,000. SF Bloodstock is a shareholder in Lope de Vega and has bred the likes of G3 Prix Djebel winner Ride Like The Wind (Ire) and this year’s G3 Round Tower S. victor Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) by him.

Explaining the decision to support Phoenix of Spain, Lope de Vega’s first Classic-winning son to retire to stud, SF’s Tom Ryan said, “We rate stallion prospects on their best performance, not their last. Phoenix of Spain showed he was a group-class colt as a 2-year-old and demonstrated he was top class by winning the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas. It’s not that long ago we bought his sire Lope De Vega after three consecutive defeats by a combined margin of 32 lengths. Class is class and we’re positive Phoenix of Spain has it in abundance.”

The mares SF Bloodstock will send to Phoenix of Spain include Last Kitten (Catienus). She is a full-sister to dual Grade I winner and stakes producer Precious Kitten and a half-sister to champion and leading sire Kitten’s Joy as well as the dam of GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Dreaming Of Anna. Last Kitten’s first two foals are the stakes winners Prissy (Unbridled’s Song) and Leadem In Ken (Sky Mesa), and she is in foal to Speightstown after producing a colt by Arrogate last year. Also currently in foal to Speightstown and set to visit Phoenix of Spain is the 7-year-old Northern Eclipse (Northern Afleet), who won five times and is from the family of Group 1 winners like General Challenge (General Meeting) and Evening Jewel (Northern Afleet).

Josette, a Danehill mare from the family of Blushing Groom and Japanese sire Agnes Digital (Jpn), is the second dam of Grade I winner and young American sire Collected (City Zip) as well as having produced three stakes horses herself, and she is barren for 2020 and foaled a Speightstown colt last year.

Raffishing Look (Kingmambo) is a dual stakes producer from the family of Group 1 winners Media Puzzle and Refuse To Bend who goes to Phoenix of Spain next year after producing a foal by Empire Maker, to whom she has been bred the past four seasons.

SF Bloodstock purchased five mares from the fall sales this year that will visit Phoenix of Spain: Lady Oak (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}), a seven-time winner who was stakes-placed and is in foal to Speightstown for $95,000; Pick Pocket (Curlin), a half-sister to stakes winners Charming Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) and Queen’splatekitten (Kitten’s Joy) in foal to Kitten’s Joy for $80,000; Salentein (War Front), an unraced daughter of the multiple Grade II winner City To City (City Zip) in foal to Kitten’s Joy for $135,000; Spinworthy (Gio Ponti), an unraced daughter of the G3 Musidora S. and G2 Sun Chariot S.-placed Spinette (Spinning World) in foal to Mastery for $90,000; and Goodthingstaketime (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) a multiple group and graded stakes-placed filly from the family of the influential producer Brocade (Habitat) in foal to Blame for $150,000.

The post American Support For Ireland’s Phoenix appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article