NEWS
Freshman Sire Blog: Frankly amazing
Posted: Friday, July 29, 2011 1:20 PM
by John Egan
The past week has been an amazing seven days of racing on both sides of the Atlantic. The icing on the cake was clearly Frankel’s performance in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes (Eng-G1) at Glorious Goodwood.
It was a breathtaking performance and no one can take away any of the much deserved acclamations that Frankel has received because it was only a four-horse field. The three-time Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Goldikova (Ire) had been beaten by Canford Cliffs at Royal Ascot and the four-year-old colt came into the race with a great reputation. It should not be forgotten that he was also the defending champion, as he had won the renewal of the Sussex Stakes the year before.
However, with all the talk concerning whether Frankel was overhyped after nearly being caught on the line in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-G1), and whether jockey Tom Queally could possibly get his tactics wrong again, the end result came down to what it should—the horse did all the talking.
As a son of Galileo (Ire) and therefore grandson of the late, great Sadler’s Wells, and with Canford Cliffs and Goldikova likely retired at the end of this year, I personally have reservations that we will see Frankel run at the age of four. He has the looks and pedigree to make him an outstanding stallion and I cannot see that he will need to prove anything more on the track by the time this year is out. Let’s hope I am wrong…… trust me, it happens.
On this side of the pond, Saratoga Race Course has gotten off to a cracking start. The performance of Winter Memories in the Lake George Stakes (G2), on the same day Frankel won, was terrific especially after being steadied on the home turn.
We have also seen two top-class two-year-old colts, which we may see go head-to-head in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in November. Overdriven was impressive in winning the Sanford Stakes (G2) on Sunday. He is two-for-two and it is still likely that he will improve. How good Overdriven is was shown when the horse he defeated by 3½ lengths on debut at Belmont, J C’s Pride, not only won a maiden special weight at Saratoga, but broke the five-furlong track record under a hand ride.
Also this week I am delighted to report the success of the Markel team. On Saturday, the Markel sponsored jockey, William Buick, rode Nathanial to victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Eng-G1) at Ascot. Then, on the Wednesday of Glorious Goodwood, the Markel International Maiden Fillies Stakes was run two races after Frankel’s exceptional performance. The race was won by the Darley homebred Rakasa, by Redoute’s Choice, making her debut. Of course, the hope is that she goes on to bigger and better things. To round off the week the Markel Insurance Nassau Stakes (Eng-G1) will be run on the last day of Glorious Goodwood on Saturday (July 30). The race will pit three Group 1 winning fillies--Misty For Me, Snow Fairy and Midday--against each other.
I’d like to remind readers that daily updates, links to videos, race replays, results charts and news involving freshman sires are posted to The Freshman on Facebook. To also account for the broader spectrum of interest in racing, the replays of victories by Frankel and J C’s Pride were posted on the same day as the races, and it was great to read the comments of those who are members of the page.
Although this blog and the Facebook page are geared toward informing you on matters involving freshman sires, sometimes on a week like this week, I think we just all have to take a deep breath and marvel at how great a spectacle the world of horse racing can be.
Previous Freshman Sire blogs:
Spring at last
It's a marathon, not a sprint
Alright son, you're nicked!
Remembering Rags to Riches
Is 2011 a safe bet for a Darley double?
What is your name? What is your favorite color?
A change of pace
Small victories
Spin around
The passing of a legend
Zen proves to be good karma
Let's Sheikh on it
I saw him first
Royal Ascot, Part 1
Royal Ascot babies for Thursday, Friday, Saturday
A 'Flash' of brilliance
Spa treatment
About John Egan
A native Londoner, John Egan has been a racing enthusiast from a very young age and even owned interests in Thoroughbred racehorses with his parents. After graduating from University with a business degree in 1997, John spent three years working in the London insurance market before pursuing his desire to work in the racing industry. He began work as an assistant to a trainer and was predominately based at Wolverhampton racecourse in England. After a spell in training, John then went to work for Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber's farms of Watership Down in England and Ireland before relocating to Kentucky and Lane's End Farm in 2002. After two years at Lane's End, John decided to combine his experience in the horse and insurance industries and became an equine insurance agent, which he did for three years, before making the transition to underwriter for a large multi-national insurance company. In 2008, he became underwriting manager of the Lexington office of Markel Insurance Company, which was opened in October of that year with the primarily focus of writing Thoroughbred equine mortality insurance.
With the launch of the Lexington office, John has become actively involved in Thoroughbred media to help promote Markel. He appeared on the Horse Racing Radio Network's Saturday morning show in 2009 and 2010 to discuss horses on the Kentucky Derby trail. In 2009, John also began a freshman sire competition and created a newsletter with that competition called The Freshman. That contest caught the eye of THOROUGHBRED TIMES and a partnership was formed to present the Freshman Sire Contest together in 2010. The partnership continues with the 2011 competition also being presented by Markel and THOROUGHBRED TIMES.
John lives in Lexington and is married to Melissa, who is a small animal veterinarian.
