By Heather Anderson
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Sugaree at Keeneland over 1 1/2 miles.
Camelot Mare Thrives Over Classic Distance At Keeneland
Blue Devil Racing Stable (Holliday)'s Sugaree (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) earned her first American win in her third start there, winning by a half-length at Keeneland on April 23 (video). Trained by Arnaud Delacour, the grey won once in six starts in Ireland.
Bred by Pier House Stud, Sugaree was knocked down to Dan Hayden on a winning bid of €200,000 at the 2021 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale. She was trained in Ireland by Joseph O'Brien. The first foal and one of two winners for the multiple stakes placed Pakora (Fr) (Gentlewave {Ire}), the mare has half-brothers by Ghaiyyath (Ire) and Saxon Warrior (Jpn) yet to race born in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Pakora is a full-sister to group winner Pagera (Fr), who won the G3 Baden Racing Mercedes-Benz Stuten-Preis and was second in the GI E. P. Taylor Stakes.
Coolmore's Camelot has accumulated 11 winners from 27 runners in the U.S. (41%). His trio of stakes winners in that jurisdiction are led by Grade I winners Santa Barbara (Ire) and Athena (Ire), who both won the Belmont Oaks. The 16-year-old son of Montjeu (Ire) stands for €75,000.
SUGAREE shows determination to win at @keeneland for @delacour_arnaud and Blue Devil Racing
The Camelot (@coolmorestud) mare was purchased by Dan Hayden on behalf of Blue Devil Racing from Pier House Stud pic.twitter.com/zkLSHnBMQ0
— Goffs (@Goffs1866) April 24, 2025
Florida The Place To Be For Accent
Accent (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}), owned by Jeffrey Drown, graduated on debut going a mile at Tampa Bay Downs on April 23 (video). Trained by Chad Brown, the Fittocks Stud and Arrow Farm Stud-bred is out of Dreamlike (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
The dam of three-time American Grade I winner Program Trading (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Dreamlike has a 2-year-old colt by Too Darn Hot (GB), and she was covered by Justify last spring. Picked up by Mike Ryan for 260,000gns as a Book 1 Tattersalls October yearling, Accent counts G2 Park Hill Stakes heroine Silk Sari (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) as her dam's half-sister, and another half-sister produced G1 Kennedy Oaks winner Zardozi (Aus) (Kingman {GB}).
Darley's Pinatubo, whose eldest foals are 3-year-olds, is the sire of three winners from six runners (50%). His best in America is the GIII With Anticipation Stakes third Cavallo Bay (GB). He commands £30,000 at Dalham Hall Stud this term.
Churchill Filly Claws Out Santa Anita Score
Hronis Racing's Cat The Confidante (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) stepped up to a mile in her second start, and emerged a narrow winner at Santa Anita on April 20 (video). The Oak Hill Stud-bred filly is trained by John Sadler.
The first foal out of the placed Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) mare The Lazy Monkey (Ire), the filly is followed by the 2-year-old filly La Praga (Ire) (El Kabeir) and a yearling filly by freshman sire Starman (GB). Cat The Confidante cost €35,000 as a Goffs November Foal on the bid of Karlstown Bloodstock, and graced that ring as a yearling when selling for €70,000 at the Orby Sale, Book 1 in 2023 to BBA Ireland. The female family features GIII All Along Stakes and GIII Glens Falls Handicap victress Idle Rich (Sky Classic) and her son Talip Han (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), a champion in Turkey.
Coolmore stallion Churchill has nine winners from 22 runners (41%) in the U.S. Besides the GII Valley View Stakes winner Poolside With Slim (Ire), the son of Galileo (Ire) has three more stakes horses there, including The Foxes (Ire), second in the GI Belmont Derby. Churchill stands for €25,000 in 2025.
CAT THE CONFIDANTE (IRE) ($13.60) barely holds off Innovative in the 9th at @SantaAnitaPark. @HIBerrios masterfully handled the 3YO Churchill (Ire) (@coolmorestud) filly for trainer @sadlerracing.
It's time for the Lucky Last: https://t.co/cROASzQ2oB pic.twitter.com/WOasB1Fk5J
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 20, 2025
Hello Youmzain Colt Brings Peace To Tampa
R. T Racing Stable's Café La Paix (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) set the pace and held on for a half-length victory at Tampa Bay Downs on April 19, his fourth lifetime start (video). Trained by Leandro Moreno-Barban, the 3-year-old colt was bred by Ecurie Haras du Cadran and United Breeders Angeville Racing.
An €85,000 Arqana August yearling purchase by Nicolas Clement for RT Racing, the bay son of Ilanga (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}) is the second foal and first winner for his dam, who won the G3 Prix Texanita. His latest half-sibling is Bullet Ant (Fr) (Ardad {Ire}), a 2-year-old colt. G3 Prix de Psyche heroine Almara (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) is a half-sister to Ilanga, while under the third dam are German Group 3 winners Molly Max (Ger) (Big Shuffle) and Molly Art (Ger) (Big Shuffle).
Haras d'Etreham's Hello Youmzain sports a 66% strike rate in the U.S., with two of his three runners there finding the winner's circle. Worldwide, this second-crop sire has two stakes winners (Misunderstood {Fr} and Electrolyte {Ire}) and another four stakes horses. He stands for €40,000 this year.
Repeat Winners
The familiar duo of Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown combined with the well-bred Early Adopter (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to win a Keeneland affair on April 23 (video). Bred, like Accent, by Fittocks Stud and Arrow Farm & Stud, the 3-year-old colt was third in the GII Pilgrim Stakes last year.
Irish stakes winner Pipsy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) first featured in ths column last May, and she starred in a 5 1/2-furlong Keeneland allowance on April 19 (video). She is owned by Woodford Thoroughbreds and is trained by Will Walden.
Phil D'Amato trains Granny Budgie (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) for David A Bernsen LLC, Omar Aldabbagh and Jeffrey Lambert. The 4-year-old filly won a Santa Anita allowance just over a year ago, and doubled up at that distance on April 18 (video).
(8) Early Adopter (GB) storms down the lane to win for @jose93_ortiz! (4) King of Ashes and (6) Anegada follow. pic.twitter.com/2xOrlqhNZc
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 23, 2025
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