July was a month to remember for Klawervlei stallions. Both Captain Al and Casey Tibbs were represented by Gr.1 winners, whilst Captain Al ensured that he would not be overtaken as the leading sire of juveniles in South Africa for 2008-2009. Casey Tibbs is now in the top ten sires in the country, alongside his stablemates Captain Al and National Emblem.
Casey Tibbs has done remarkably well from limited opportunities. His son Big City Life will be a unanimous choice as champion three-year-old colt following his win in the Vodacom Durban July. The clear standout on looks before the race, Big City Life showed his class by defeating the best horses around, including multiple Horse of the Year Pocket Power. Up there throughout the race, Big City Life drew clear at the top of the straight and kept going gamely to hold off the Gr1 winning three-year-olds Zirconeum and Forest Path. Trained by Glen Kotzen, Big City Life is also now a leading contender for Horse of the Year honours at the up coming Equus Awards ceremony. His dam, Dollar Crisis, is by the deceased sprint champion Goldmark.
Big City Life - Vodacom Durban July
Casey’s Guest gave his sire another juvenile winner when winning well at just his second start. Trained by Lucky Houdalakis, the gelding produced a smart turn of foot to win going away. He looks to have a bright future and should win more races. He is out of the winning Northern Guest mare, Northern Broadway and is from the family of Serena and her Gr1 winning son Broadway Flyer.
Inkwazi gave Casey a juvenile winning double when causing an upset at Durbanville over 1400 meters. Trained by Eric Sands, Inkwazi showed considerable improvement from his debut run to defeat favourite Blood Diamond by a length and a quarter. Breaking his maiden at just his second start, Inkwazi should continue to improve when raced over further. His dam, the Barbarolli mare, won once and hails from the family of Casey Tibbs’ stablemate, National Emblem.
Other winners for leading sire Casey Tibbs last month include Dune Raider and Maroochy.
The 2008-2009 season established Captain Al as one of South Africa’s elite sires. Arguably the best source of fast, classy juveniles in the country, Captain Al had a superb July.
His son, Exhilaration, won the Gr1. Premier’s Champion Stakes in gallant fashion, holding on gamely from the promising Bulsara. Solid Choice, by champion Aussie sire Redoute’s Choice, was further back in third. Exhilaration, trained by Dominic Zaki, is clearly one of the leaders of his generation, and looks to be a major classic contender.
Exhilaration (Breeder: Mr & Mrs AJ Pauw / Owner: Mr J Dardagan)
Prior to his Gr1 success, Exhilaration had been placed in both the Nursery and Gold Medallion, and is likely to be nominated for an Equus award as best juvenile colt. His dam, Entice The Wind, is a daughter of Elliodor. Entice The Wind is a half-sister to the top-class racemare and broodmare Grecian Gale.
On the same day that Exhilaration won the Premier’s, Captain Al filly Possible Dream ran third in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes, one of South Africa’s biggest races for juvenile fillies.
Exhilaration was one of a number of promising juvenile winners for Captain Al during July. His son, Double Exposure, made a winning debut for Basil Marcus. The colt dropped off the early pace but made a late run to win going away. Marcus has done very well with the progeny of Captain Al, as he also trains (and bred) the Fillies Nursery winner Flower’s Angel. Double Exposure, who looks to have an extremely bright future, is out of Shutter Speed. The latter is a winning daughter of Damascus Gate and Cape Fillies Guineas winner In Camera.
Another impressive first out winner for Captain Al last month was Emmajo. The juvenile filly thrashed her opposition to win by nearly five lengths over 1000m at Kenilworth. She drew up to Fourth Vintage and simply turned the race into a procession.
One of a number of very promising juveniles for Captain Al, Emmajo impressed everyone who saw her by the ease of her win. She cost her owner Hassan Adams R320,000 at the 2008 Vintage Yearling Sale. Trained by Darryl Hodgson, Emmajo is out of Enchanting Queen, a three time winning daughter of Enchantment.
Another well regarded juvenile sired by Captain Al is Three Captains. Having run creditably in both the Storm Bird Stakes and Nursery, Three Captains duly followed up on his maiden win with an impressive win over subsequent winner Dee Jay West in a juvenile plate. Three Captains, trained by Paul Matchett, proved far too strong for his field, drawing off to win by two and a half lengths, despite carrying top weight. His dam, the Zimbabwean bred mare Tsitsi, is a daughter of multiple champion sire Tilden.
Townsend made it back to back wins when gamely landing the spoils in a juvenile fillies plate at Kenilworth over a mile. Trained by Justin Snaith, one of Captain Al’s biggest fans, Townsend showed plenty of heart to deny Opera Diva by a neck. Townsend showed improved form with a step up in trip, and could well contest some of the up coming fillies feature races. Her dam, Palace Gossip, was a very useful daughter of Dominion Royale who won eight races.
Captain’s Secret put an eye catching display when waltzing home in a juvenile plate by seven. The colt destroyed his opposition, and looks to have plenty more wins in the tank. Beaten just two lengths in the Somerset Plate, Captain’s Secret was coming off a run in open company. Trained by Mike Bass, Captain’s Secret was in a different league to the other runners.
A half-brother to top sprinter Narc, Captain’s Secret is out of the Our Casey’s Boy mare She’s No Secret.
Other winners for Captain Al in July were El Kapitaine, Commodity Share and Ahoy Captain.
Buy And Sell came within a neck of winning the Champions Cup and giving National Emblem another Gr1 win. The gelding was just touched off by reigning Horse of the Year Pocket Power, and Sean Tarry’s runner could have another big win in the tank.
Lucky Houdalakis has done wonders with Bismarck. The gelding won his fourth race from his last five starts when triumphant at the Vaal. He ran out a fluent winner by three and a half lengths, and should have more wins to come. Bismarck’s dam, Neptune’s Girl, is a daughter of Harry Hotspur and 13 time winner Mermaid. Bismarck has now won five races.
Like Captain Al, National Emblem is well known as a sire of speed and precocity. He was represented by a number of winning juveniles in the past season. His juvenile daughter, Roses For Lizzy, won well at just her second start, when pulling well clear of the heavily fancied de Kock filly Fort Sylvia to win by nearly four lengths. Clearly a smart filly, Roses For Lizzy is certainly bred to speedy, as her dam, Musical Sound, is by prolific speed sire Harry Hotspur. Trained by Lowan Denysschen, Roses For Lizzy is from the family of Grand Emporium and Ndabeni.
Roses For Lizzy
Ice Pageant gave National Emblem a double when winning just two races after Roses For Lizzy. The lightly raced filly moved up at the 300m and rallied to hold off the attentions of runner up Lucy Brown. It was a good win for Ice Pageant, who was making just her seventh start. Out of Northfields mare Royal Fields, Ice Pageant, from the Duncan Howells yard, is from the family of Pick Six.
Resume made it back to back wins when come out on tops in a C Division Handicap at the Vaal. The three-year-old filly won comfortably under top apprentice jockey Derreck David. Having just her fourth career outing, the Charles Laird trained filly was up with the pace and drew clear in the final stages to win by over a length. She should have more wins to come. Her dam, Enticement, is a daughter of Capture Him.
Other winners for National Emblem during July include Usimelika, Lulu Belle, Rare Distinction, National Hound and Whole Kaboodle.
The Requiem sired Carrelli won his second race when triumphant at the Vaal over 1450m recently. He comfortably defeated a large field, to win by three quarters of a length. Much improved of late, Carrelli has now won two of his last three starts. His dam, National Angel, is a three time winning daughter of National Emblem, from the family of Aquanaut.
Martinelli is the sire of Juno Beach who landed his third race recently. The gelding showed plenty of courage and determination to defeat Sternberg by a neck over 1800 meters at the Vaal. Sent off as a 50-1 shot, the ever green Juno Beach bounced back to his best here. His dam, Never Ending Story, is a three time winning half sister to Gr1 winner Readallaboutit.
The Dianne Stenger trained Celestial Moon scored gamely over a mile at Turffontein. He had to dig deep to hold off the runner up Zorba’s Tale by a neck. Always handy in the running, Celestial Moon came forward at the 300 meter mark and just held off a flying Zorba’s Tale. Now a six time winner, Celestial Moon is out of the useful racemare Celestial Flame, a daughter of the Gr1 winner and sire All Fired Up.
Other winners for Martinelli last month include Martini’s Way.
