By Brian DiDonato
Top stallion Cape Cross (Ire) (Green Desert–Park Appeal {Ire}, by Ahonoora {GB}), sire of last year's Cartier Horse of the Year Golden Horn (GB), has been retired from his duties at Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland due to fertility issues.
“We are approaching the end of March and he has failed to get a mare in foal, so it has been decided that he should be retired from stallion duties,” Sam Bullard, Darley's Director of Stallions, said of the 22-year-old. “Breeders have been kept informed throughout.”
A Sheikh Mohammed homebred out of champion 2-year-old filly Park Appeal, Cape Cross was trained by Saeed bin Suroor and carried Godolphin blue to victories in the 1998 G1 Juddmonte Lockinge S. and 1999 G2 Queen Anne S. and G2 Celebration Mile.
Retired to Kildangan Stud in Co. Kildare in 2000, Cape Cross has been responsible for no fewer than 103 black-type winners through Mar. 26, including 51 group/grade winners, 11 Group 1/Grade I winners and eight champions. His progeny have earned nearly €90 million, and broodmares by the stallion have produced the earners of another almost €27.4 million.
Beginning his career at a modest fee, Cape Cross was represented from his first crop by globe-trotting superstar Ouija Board (GB), whose long list of victories at the highest level included wins in the 2004 Epsom and Irish Oaks, 2004 and 2006 Breeders' Cup F/M Turfs, and the 2005 Hong Kong Vase. The two-time European Horse of the Year and dual Eclipse winner earned nearly €5,654,000, and is responsible for 2014 dual Derby hero Australia (GB).
Blue hen Urban Sea (Miswaki) was sent to Cape Cross in 2005, yielding another all-time great in 'TDN Rising Star' Sea the Stars (Ire). The John Oxx trainee annexed the G2 Juddmonte Beresford S. at two before a perfect six-for-six season in 2009 that saw him win the G1 2000 Guineas, G1 Epsom Derby, G1 Coral-Eclipse S., G1 Juddmonte International S., G1 Irish Champion S. and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Currently standing at the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud, Sea the Stars is already responsible for the likes of G1 Oaks heroine Taghrooda (GB) and G1 German Derby romper Sea the Moon (Ger).
Anthony Oppenheimer's Golden Horn (GB) became the latest superstar to bolster Cape Cross's already impressive C.V., as he was a clear-cut winner of last year's Investec Derby and Coral-Eclipse S. before missing by a neck in the Juddmonte International. The John Gosden pupil bounced back with scores in the QIPCO Irish Champion S. and the Arc, and was beaten just a half-length by fellow European invader Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland Oct. 31. Golden Horn took up stud duties this season at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, where he commands a fee of £60,000.
Cape Cross was ninth on the TDN's 2015 general sire list of stallions based in North America and Europe with progeny earnings of $11,422,825. One Man Band (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), winner of Saturday's G2 Godolphin Mile, is out of the MSW and MG1SP Cape Cross mare Musicana (GB).
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