Pedigree Spotlight - Yesterday Has a Bright Future

Sheikh Mohammed's smart three year old filly Yesterday represents the latest bud on a family tree deep rooted in Thoroughbred history. A daughter of the stakes winning mare Donna Cara and Red Ransom, Yesterday has had five starts for two wins and three thirds, her most recent start resulting in an impressive Listed win at Sandown. Peter Snowdon announced that he would be putting her away for the Autumn and is confident of adding to her black type tally. Yesterday's granddam is the Hotfoot mare Corn, the dam of Maizcay and Fitting, dam of Catbird and Danbird and of Coat, dam of Pillar of Hercules. Her third dam Donna Nook was imported from England in 1975 and settled in well here, producing four stakes winners including the sires County and Dieu D'Or and the dam of Half Hennessy. While these first three generations have yielded many Aussie sires, its further back that things get interesting to pedigree enthusiasts. Donna Nook's dam Donna Lydia is out of a three quarter sister to the great Donatello II, a product of the renowned breeder and pedigree theorist, Federico Tesio. In fact, Donna Lydia is named after his wife, who was invaluable to Senor Tesio with her marvellous knowledge of the Stud Book and gift for organisation. Donatello II produced the likes of Royal Ascot Gold Cup winner Alycidon and Derby winner Crepello and went on to be the Leading Sire of Broodmares in 1953. Donatello II's fourth dam is the incomparable Pretty Polly, a racing legend in England. The winner of 22 of her 24 starts including all 9 of her juvenile starts, Pretty Polly was a relative flop as a broodmare, however her four daughters produced 24 fillies among them and founded a dynasty which includes Nearctic, best known as the sire of Northern Dancer, an indisputable giant in Thoroughbred genealogy. This ties back in with Senor Tesio, who also bred Nearctic. Incidentally, Tesio also bred the horse touted as arguably the best of the 20th Century, Ribot. He shares contention for this title with ten-time Group One winner Brigadier Gerard, who also descends from Pretty Polly. Harking back to our subject horse, Yesterday, it is good to see that not only is she providing a bright spark in the most recent edition of this line, but that her immediate family is also picking up the bit. Her half sister, SW Donna Dior is the dam of promising stayer Galileo's Daughter, who was twice Group One placed last season. Pictured is one of this family's newest additions, a Hussonet colt out of Caradon a half-sister to Yesterday.

Daka Proves He Is a Cut Above

Congratulations to Geoff and Heather Nichols, the proud owners of Daka's Gem, who earlier this month won the Ballarat Cup. The nine year old son of Sedaka, was purchased by Pedigree Dynamics after he had won an 1100m maiden at Scone and placed at both Cessnock and Newcastle. Daka's Gem was then moved to the Nichols' home state of Western Australia where he has gone on to perform amongst Group Company. Winning 11 races including the CB Cox Stakes (Gr2) and York Stakes (L/R) and placing in 5 stakes races including an exciting third place in the Fruit & Veg (Gr1), Daka's Gem has earned over $650,000.00 in prize money. Daka's Gem made the trip over to Victoria earlier this year as he was being weighted out of contention in his home state of Western Australia. With a view to making a transition to hurdling, Daka was transferred to Mornington based trainer David Brideoake. However, the planned switch to the hurdles has not yet occurred as the gelding has been racing so well on the flat. In the lead up to the Ballarat Cup, Daka's Gem turned in some unlucky but very solid performances in the Briesis, Moe and Werribee Cups as well as the Chris Isaak Handicap at Flemington on Stakes Day. With only 300m left in the race the leader kept plugging away at the same place while Daka's Gem found an extra gear and finished strongly to record a half length win. When asked about the gelding's future in hurdling David Brideoake replied "At this stage we haven't made a decision about jumping him but this win might make it a bit harder to decide" and "The Sydney and Brisbane Cups are worth thinking about. You would love a wet Brisbane Carnival. Hes a superior wet-tracker". Of his winning mount jockey Peter Mertens said "He's just very honest, he travelled perfectly in the run and gave his best when I asked him, it was a very good run".

Diana Cazadora Hunting a Win On Aussie Shores

Recent Pedigree Dynamics import Diana Cazadora has commenced training with prominent Sydney Trainer Gerald Ryan. Pictured here at Gerald's Rosehill stables, Diana Cazadora is reported to have eaten every grain she has been given since leaving quarantine, is working around the track well and Gerald is said to be very happy with the filly so far. Diana Cazadora is expected to trial in December so keep your eye out for this Group 1 winning daughter of DUSHYANTOR. We are not sure if the filly was named after the statue of Diana the Huntress that stands in Mexico City or the female Mexican Wrestler that goes by the same name but either way she has some pretty tough namesakes to live up to!

Daughter of Top South American Mare Takes Day 1 Top-price at Keeneland

Last month we brought to your attention a very exciting entry in the 2008 Breeders Cup Challenge Ladies Classic, HYSTERICALADY. Known not only for her explosive turn of foot but for her crushing victories which are usually by multiple lengths, HYSTERICALADY was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum for US$3,000,000.00 during the opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington Kentucky. John Ferguson, the Sheikh's bloodstock advisor said of HYSTERICALADY "Shes an outstandingly tough race filly & still racing sound. Shes out of a top, top South American mare, an obvious candidate really". Pedigree Dynamics has sourced not one but two outstanding broodmares that are closely related to Hystericalady however we will not be advertising them to the general public. For genuine enquiries please contact jane@pedigree-dynamics.com.au or phone her on 0414 944 094.

Cause To Celebrate

Jacob Park Thoroughbreds' Principal Danny McMillan contacted our office after taking custody of the newest addition to his broodmare band, Cause To Dream (USA), "she is lovely, thank you" he beamed. Sourced and secured by Pedigree Dynamics, Cause To Dream (USA) is a daughter of Giant's Causeway out of a half-sister to highly successful USA sire DISTORTED HUMOR, the sire of Kentucky Derby winner FUNNY CIDE. Cause To Dream is currently in foal to seven-time Group 1 winner and sire of sixty-six stakes winners GULCH, who is best known in Australia as the sire of THUNDER GULCH. Danny was not only very happy with the quality of the mare we purchased for him but also with our after sale service and the ease of dealing through Pedigree Dynamics. We wish Danny every success with his gorgeous new mare.