Noble Tune, Half to Honor Code, Off the Mark as Sire in South Africa

Noble Tune winning the 2012 Pilgrim S. | Adam Coglianese

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Rathmor Stud freshman sire Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song–Serena's Cat, by Storm Cat) was represented by his first winner when Awesomely Tuned (SAf) graduated Wednesday afternoon in a 1200-metre turf maiden at Scottsville. Trained by Kumaran Naidoo, the bay filly was winning at her third racecourse appearance, having finished a debut fourth over the Greyville Polytrack Dec. 12 before improving one spot over course and distance Jan. 6.

Noble Tune was bred in Kentucky by Dell Ridge Farm, who acquired Serena's Cat–a grand-daughter of US champion Serena's Song (Rahy)–for $1.4 million as a weanling at the 2003 Keeneland November sale. Trained by Chad Brown, Noble Tune was a leading turf horse of his generation in 2012, winning at Grade III level before finishing second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. He added a Grade II score at three in 2013 and was sourced to stand in South Africa the following year by Alistair Brown's Equarius Bloodstock. He retired with four wins from seven starts and earnings of $491,682.

Bred on the same Fappiano–Storm Cat cross responsible for US Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), Noble Tune is a half-brother to champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Honor Code (A.P. Indy), whose first foals fetched up to $370,000 in 2017. Noble Tune's current 4-year-old Tapit half-sister sold for $3 million as a Keeneland November weanling, while $2.6-million Keeneland November purchase Declarationofpeace (War Front) won the Juvenile Turf Sprint at the 2017 Breeders' Cup meeting. His further female family includes MG1SW Sophisticat (Storm Cat) and GSW and sire Harlington (Unbridled).

Noble Tune stood for an introductory fee of R25,000 (about US$2,300) and is represented by 46 horses in his first crop. In addition to Awesomely Tuned, four of the sire's five other juveniles to start have finished second or third.

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