NEWS
Lailani to be bred to Kentucky sire Rahy
Posted: Tuesday, November 06, 2001
Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum's multiple Group/Grade 1 winner Lailani (GB), unplaced as the second choice the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at Belmont Park, will be bred to Central Kentucky sire Rahy in 2002. The three-year-old daughter of Unfuwain finished eighth—10 ¼ lengths behind runaway winner Banks Hill (GB)—in the Filly and Mare Turf for her only loss of the season. Lailani had won her previous seven starts, including wins in the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, Nassau Stakes (Eng-G1) at Goodwood, and Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) at the Curragh.
"The intention is for her to be covered by Rahy and she is currently at Gainsborough Farm in Kentucky," Joe Mercer, Sheikh Maktoum's racing manager, told Racing Post. "She didn't get the best of runs in the Breeders' Cup but the ground was too firm for her. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances but she done enough for us winning three Group 1 races."
Bred in England by Sheikh Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud Management Ltd., Lailani is out of the Mr. Prospector mare Lailati, who is also the dam of stakes winner Copper Carnival. She won seven of ten career starts for $747,740 in earnings.
Rahy, a 16-year-old son of Blushing Groom (Fr), stands for $100,000 at Robert and Blythe Clay's Three Chimneys Farm near Midway. He has sired 50 stakes winners from his first nine crops, including champion Serena's Song, $7,486,957-earner and recent Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) winner Fantastic Light, and Group/Grade 1 winners Tranquility Lake, Early Pioneer, Exotic Wood, and Noverre.
