Z Z Dome, a 3yo Dome gelding, managed his 4th career win in the New Mexico Cup Classic Championship Colts & Geldings S, a 153k race for (surprise, surprise) New Mexico-bred colts and geldings at Zia Park last Saturday (11 Nov).
Back in January of this year he won the Pepsi Cola Handicap at Sunland Park by a neck and followed up with a 2nd place finish in the New Mexico Breeders Derby in March. After a spell on the sidelines he returned in an allowance race at Zia Park, but managed only 6th.
However, he bounced back to form in Saturday's race, winning the 6f race in 1:11.20. He was bred by Angel Parr, Frank Parr & W L Mooring. As a yearling he was sold at the August Ruidoso NM-bred Sale to Jimmy Howard for $23,000, his owner. He is trained by Todd Flincher.
He was a pretty good investment, having earned a whopping $224k. He ran 7 times, winning 4, placed 2nd once and 3rd once.
Well done Z Z Dome!
( Z Z Dome - dark bay or brown gelding - Dome x Zsa Zsa K, by Thirty Six Red)
Tuesday 13 November 2007
Wednesday 7 November 2007
Echo Of Light Retired To Stud
It is old news by now, but I wanted to put the spotlight on this horse.
Echo Of Light is my favourite out of the late Dubai Millennium's only crop, which were born in 2002. Has has been from the beginning. He is a beautiful individual and has a beautiful name to boot. He is also very much like his sire physically and in my mind he was his most brilliant son, but a quirky character did not help him to quite achieve his potential. He has done well enough, winning a few Group races, but to this day I maintain: He is better than his record suggests.
Quite a few Dubai Millenniums were taken up in my 2002 crop, including champion miler Dubawi, who was special from the start, but even Dubawi had his quirks, having a tendency to hang. It seems that most of Dubai Millennium's crop had temperament issues of one kind or another. A few of his fillies were rumoured to be divas, including the good filly Quickfire, also part of my 2002 crop.
However, Echo Of Light's quirks are probably a little more infamous than of the others, the most famous occasion was when he ran off the course at Windsor in his third outing. Needless to say, he never ran there again. He did win his next two starts, starting to show some of the promise that he had been showing at home. He was first tried in Group company in the G1 Champion Stakes at Newmarket. I was so angry when I was watching the race on telly. He was ridden like a pacemaker and I thought he was too good a horse for that. Needless to say, he tired and finished last in a race won by David Junior. Next time out was on the all-weather at Lingfield for the Summer Mile Stakes (G3), which he won without too much fuss, like a good horse should.
He plonked again though in his next race (Sussex Stakes G1), being too keen for his own good.
At 4 he started his season with another G3 win in the Strensall Stakes at York. He gave a nice front running performance. He was able to relax and won his race decisively.
Next came probably the finest performance of his career. At Longchamp (Paris) he ran a neat race and captured the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2), despite drifting left once more in the final stages. I was looking forward to the Breeders' Cup Mile, knowing that the horse had so much to give, but once more he plonked. Once again he was too keen for his own good and one must wonder whether the firm American turf would have suited him at all.
He returned to action as a five-year-old to contest the Summer Mile Stakes (G2) once more. This time he could not manage better than fourth, once again hanging violently left a furlong from home. He should have been involved in the finish.
He won a G3 at Deauville before capturing the Strensall Stakes (G3) again at York. He could manage only 5th when he attempted another Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) and bowed out in the Premio Vittorio Di Capua at San Siro race course in Italy.
He ran all races under the Godolphin banner trained by Saeed Bin Suroor.
Shortly after followed the announcement that he would be retired to stud at Darley, where he will stand for GBP 5,000 in 2008.
It is a good price and hopefully he will attract a decent sized book of mares.
Only one request to broodmare owners though: Please only send mares with a quiet relaxed disposition and preferably a sense of direction.
(Echo Of Light - 2002 bay horse - Dubai Millennium x Spirit Of Tara, by Sadler's Wells)
Echo Of Light is my favourite out of the late Dubai Millennium's only crop, which were born in 2002. Has has been from the beginning. He is a beautiful individual and has a beautiful name to boot. He is also very much like his sire physically and in my mind he was his most brilliant son, but a quirky character did not help him to quite achieve his potential. He has done well enough, winning a few Group races, but to this day I maintain: He is better than his record suggests.
Quite a few Dubai Millenniums were taken up in my 2002 crop, including champion miler Dubawi, who was special from the start, but even Dubawi had his quirks, having a tendency to hang. It seems that most of Dubai Millennium's crop had temperament issues of one kind or another. A few of his fillies were rumoured to be divas, including the good filly Quickfire, also part of my 2002 crop.
However, Echo Of Light's quirks are probably a little more infamous than of the others, the most famous occasion was when he ran off the course at Windsor in his third outing. Needless to say, he never ran there again. He did win his next two starts, starting to show some of the promise that he had been showing at home. He was first tried in Group company in the G1 Champion Stakes at Newmarket. I was so angry when I was watching the race on telly. He was ridden like a pacemaker and I thought he was too good a horse for that. Needless to say, he tired and finished last in a race won by David Junior. Next time out was on the all-weather at Lingfield for the Summer Mile Stakes (G3), which he won without too much fuss, like a good horse should.
He plonked again though in his next race (Sussex Stakes G1), being too keen for his own good.
At 4 he started his season with another G3 win in the Strensall Stakes at York. He gave a nice front running performance. He was able to relax and won his race decisively.
Next came probably the finest performance of his career. At Longchamp (Paris) he ran a neat race and captured the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2), despite drifting left once more in the final stages. I was looking forward to the Breeders' Cup Mile, knowing that the horse had so much to give, but once more he plonked. Once again he was too keen for his own good and one must wonder whether the firm American turf would have suited him at all.
He returned to action as a five-year-old to contest the Summer Mile Stakes (G2) once more. This time he could not manage better than fourth, once again hanging violently left a furlong from home. He should have been involved in the finish.
He won a G3 at Deauville before capturing the Strensall Stakes (G3) again at York. He could manage only 5th when he attempted another Prix Daniel Wildenstein (G2) and bowed out in the Premio Vittorio Di Capua at San Siro race course in Italy.
He ran all races under the Godolphin banner trained by Saeed Bin Suroor.
Shortly after followed the announcement that he would be retired to stud at Darley, where he will stand for GBP 5,000 in 2008.
It is a good price and hopefully he will attract a decent sized book of mares.
Only one request to broodmare owners though: Please only send mares with a quiet relaxed disposition and preferably a sense of direction.
(Echo Of Light - 2002 bay horse - Dubai Millennium x Spirit Of Tara, by Sadler's Wells)
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