Darley sires Medaglia D’Oro and Discreet Cat were represented by promising Kentucky bred winners on Thursday.
Godolphin colt Midsummer Fair (Medaglia D’Oro) won the Wood Ditton Stakes at Newmarket and Son de America (Discreet Cat) opening the winning account of her sire at Santa Anita.
Midsummer Fair (3c Medaglia D’Oro – Vanity Flair by Affirmed) was always prominent before clearing out to win by three lengths on debut over 1600m. He was bred by Diane Harrington and was a $290,000 buy at the 2008 Keeneland November foal sale.
The following year Sheikh Mohammed bought Medaglia D’Oro to stand at his Jonabell Farm in Kentucky.
Trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni is keen to try Midsummer Fair over further ground with a view to a possible start in the English Derby.
“The jockey (Mikael Barzalona) thinks he’s best over 1600m but I think we might look for a race at a 2000m,” Al Zarooni said. The win earned Midsummer Fair a 25-1 quote for the English Derby.
Medaglia D’Oro’s best progeny to date have been USA Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Passion For Gold.
He shuttled to Darley Australia for the first time last year and covered 97 mares at an $88,000 service fee.
Discreet Cat got off the mark right away as a freshman sire with his first starter Son de America. She won a $100,000 Santa Anita maiden by a head running the 400m in 21.40s.
Son de America (2f Discreet Cat – Elizabeth Street by Street Cry) was bred by Dixiana Farms and was an $11,000 buy at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale for clients of trainer Marcelo Polanco.
Discreet Cat (Forestry) was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed after winning his maiden by three lengths at Saratoga on the 2005 Travers Stakes undercard. He returned at three to win the G2 UAE Derby by six lengths and returned home to blitz the G2 Jerome Hcp by 10 lengths.
He signed off an unbeaten three year-old campaign with a G1 victory in the Cigar Mile equalling Easy Goer’s track-record of 1:32.40s. Discreet Cat stands at Darley Kentucky for $17,500 fee.