Petit Verdot and Madone break maidens
Coolmore Stud-based sire Vancouver (Medaglia d’Oro) chalked up his fourth and fifth northern hemisphere winners in America on Friday night with Madone (2 f ex Indian Love Call by Cherokee Run) breaking her maiden on debut at Del Mar, while Petit Verdot (2 c ex Endeavour Corner by Strong Hope) shed his maiden tag at Ellis Park.
Trained by Simon Callaghan, Madone stayed on well in the five and a half furlong maiden event to beat Ivy League (Medaglia d’Oro) by a length with another three and a half lengths back to Floral Essence (Candy Ride) in third.
Madone was purchased by Nicoma Bloodstock for US$70,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Weanling Sale from the Shawhan Place draft. She was then snapped up by S.R. Schwartz for US$50,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Mill Ridge Sales draft, while she was then bought by Ben McElroy for US$125,000 at the OBS March Sales this year.
The filly is the fifth winner out of Indian Love Call (Cherokee Run), who is herself out of Mood Music (Kingmambo), making her a half-sister to Listed winner Allegre (Orientate).
Mood Music herself is out of Grade 3 winner Lead Kindly Light (Majestic Light) - who is also the dam of Grade 1 winner Gold Fever (Forty Niner) and Listed scorer Emanating (Cox's Ridge) who in turn Grade 1 winner Boisterous (Distorted Humor).
Meanwhile, Petit Verdot produced an emphatic display over a mile, beating Emerald Forest (Gemologist) by six and a half lengths with another three-quarters of a length back to Curl Reiner (Wicked Song) in third.
The two-year-old colt is out of the unraced Strong Hope (Deputy Minister) Endeavour Corner, who is herself a half-sister to the dam of Grade 3 winner No Pain No Gain (Gstaad).
Further back this is the family of Grade 3 winner Statuette (Pancho Villa) and Listed winner and Grade 1-placed Tomahawk (Seattle Slew).
The son of Medaglia d’Oro’s (El Prado) first crop includes South African Grade 2 winner Mount Pleasant and he finished the season in Australia with 11 winners. The stallion will stand the 2020 season at Coolmore Stud for $30,250 (inc GST), having stood the 2019 term for $44,000 (inc GST).
