Australian-bred South African Horse of the Year Oh Susanna added a second win in the prestigious G1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m at Kenilworth to her record on January 5.
The daughter of the late Street Cry won last year’s Paddock Stakes to launch her Group One career that also includes wins in the G1 Sun Met when she became the first 3YO filly in 113 years to achieve the feat and the G1 Woolavington 2000.
She is out of the G2 winning Touch Gold mare Sharp Susan who was originally purchased in America for $US2 million and later secured by Rupert for $A1,050,000 at the 2012 Australian Broodmare Sale.
After producing a Fastnet Rock filly in 2016 Sharp Susan was exported to Ireland where she has a Galileo filly and is in foal to Frankel.Her Fastnet Rock filly Fast Susan is likely to stay in Australia for breeding after suffering a bad injury as a weanling.
Oh Susanna is now assured of a start in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Fillies & Mares on turf at Santa Anita in November.Drakenstein Stud racing manager Kevin Sommerville said Oh Susanna had earned her spot in the Breeders’ Cup but it was no certainty she would make the trip to the US.
“A decision will be made on her next start over the next couple of days but the obvious choice is that she will attempt to go back to back in the Sun Met on 26 January,” Sommerville said.“Ultimately the decision belongs to Gaynor Rupert but we still have some serious issues in South Africa regarding quarantine laws so it’s no guarantee Oh Susanna will go to North America.”
The Paddock win showed just how worthy a contender she would be for the Breeders’ Cup as would the Queen’s Plate winner Do It Again, who was raised at Drakenstein Stud.”Do It Again edged out champion South African colt Soqrat in a G1 Queen’s Plate thriller on Saturday’s program.
