Another exciting prospect by Kitchwin Hills sire Dane Shadow emerged at Wyong on Wednesday when the Kris Lees-trained Race The Shadow easily won the Mainstream Taxation Maiden (1100m).
Race The Shadow, out of the Royal Academy mare Ta Ta, was having his third start, and his first for Lees, after starting his career with Mark de Montfort. The gelding’s winning time of 63.19s was less than a second outside the track record.
The win means 28% of Dane Shadow’s first crop are already winners. There are many more to come including the Rising Shadow who ran a slashing third at Moonee Valley (1200m) last Friday night. He was racing for just the second time and was beaten less than a length after coming from an almost impossible position on the turn.
Dane Shadow’s impressive statistics are becoming a real lead indicator of where this brilliant young stallion is headed. He has an average of 58 live foals running for him in each of his first four seasons at stud, but this spring he has covered a lovely book of 160 mares.
His 2009 book included Group 1 winners Eskimo Queen and La Baraka and Broodmare of the Year Shady Stream, the dam of champion Takeover Target and high-class Predatory Pricer).
The success of his progeny and the support of broodmare owners makes it plainly clear what is beginning to unfold for this blueblood son of champion sire Danehill.
Dane Shadow has 15 yearlings – 8 in the Kitchwin Hills draft – in next month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Following the Gold Coast sale, another 19 Dane Shadow yearlings – 10 in the Kitchwin Hills draft – will sell at the Inglis Classsic Yearling Sale at Newmarket.