Michele MacDonald -
So much of what is believed and acted upon by players in Thoroughbred racing and breeding is based on stereotypes. Yet we have just been shown, yet again, that such biases can be crushed under the hooves of remarkable horses. In bursting past rivals with seemingly supersonic speed, Golden Sixty rocketed to his third career victory in the Hong Kong Mile on December 10 at Sha Tin and in the process reportedly became the highestearning racehorse in history. While earnings can be confusing to compare due to differing currencies and conversion rates, eight-year-old gelding Golden Sixty has now banked the equivalent of over US$21.4 million while making all 30 of his lifetime starts and accounting for his 26 wins on the Sha Tin turf. But could you have guessed that this record-setting grass runner, who was bred in Australia, is nonetheless the product of purely American breeding from stock who excelled on dirt? That fact makes it all the more ironic that in these days and times, when American horses are often discounted when it comes to racing on grass, the Hong Kong Jockey Club rarely buys horses in North America anymore when it aims to replenish its equine ranks.
Even more ironic in this case is that the HKJC sourced the other three-time winner of the Hong Kong Mile, Good Ba Ba, for $85,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September yearling sale with then-agent Cash Asmussen signing the ticket. Good Ba Ba was also by an American-bred sire in Lear Fan and out of an American-bred dam, Elle Meme, by American-bred Zilzal. Golden Sixty’s pedigree is much more dirt-oriented as he is by Godolphin’s stalwart Kentucky sire Medaglia d’Oro, winner of a trio of Grade 1 dirt events topped by the Travers Stakes and Whitney Handicap prior to finishing his career with a narrow loss to fellow American runner Pleasantly Perfect in the 2004 Dubai World Cup. Dam of Golden Sixty, Gaudeamus, is by Distorted Humor, a son of Forty Niner and grandson of Mr. Prospector, and out of a mare by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.
If you are thinking that Thoroughbred blood doesn’t get much more dirt-oriented than that, Golden Sixty’s pedigree also reveals that he is 4x4 to American Horse of the Year Damascus, whose storied career included wins in the Preakness, Belmont, Travers and Woodward Stakes, among other top races. Just on the slight chance you still might not be convinced, Golden Sixty is 4x5x5 to Northern Dancer, who, before he founded dynasties in Europe, made his mark by winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Florida Derby. Medaglia d’Oro descends tail male from Northern Dancer as he is a son of Irish champion juvenile El Prado, by Sadler’s Wells and he was produced by Damascus’s granddaughter Cappucino Bay. Known for his solid conformation, the 16.2-hand Medaglia d’Oro flashed his best ability from 1800m to 2000m while trained by Bobby Frankel. Yet, as a sire, Medaglia d’Oro has been able to get all kinds of runners, from crack two-yearolds such as Violence, who in turn sired last year’s American champion juvenile Forte, and Australian champion Vancouver, to outstanding fillies such as US champions Rachel Alexandra and Songbird. His progeny also include Godolphin’s Europeanbased Breeders’ Cup Turf victor Talismanic and champion American female sprinter Bar of Gold. In other words, his offspring can do just about anything, and they also tend to inherit his good looks and frame as he has sired 55 offspring who have brought $1 million or more at sales. Altogether, Medgalia d’Oro has, many times over, justified Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to acquire a majority interest in the horse in 2009, a move that put his estimated value at the time between $40 and $45 million.
The soon-to-be 25-year-old stallion, who is poised to stand the upcoming breeding season for $75,000, is responsible for his own industry amounting to around $650 million to date when considering his nearly $200 million in worldwide progeny earnings and the combined value of his offspring sold at auction. With 146 black type winners in the Northern Hemisphere and another 30 in the Southern Hemisphere following years of shuttle duty, Medaglia d’Oro is described by Godolphin as the leading active North American sire by global stakes winners. The accomplishments of world kingpin earner Golden Sixty add even more sheen to Medaglia d’Oro, as well as to Sheikh Mohammed’s vast influence on the sport worldwide. Looking at the next top earners, they all have a connection to either Godolphin or the Dubai World Cup program. Japan’s Orfevre, who banked over $19 million, is by Stay Gold, who leapt to stardom with his 2001 Dubai Sheema Classic victory. Gentildonna won the 2014 Dubai Sheema Classic and was out of a Group 1-winning mare by Sheikh Mohammed’s Danzig stallion Bertolini. Arrogate, of course, won the Dubai World Cup in a scintillating performance, whereas Winx was by Sheikh Mohammed’s homebred Dubai World Cup winner Street Cry. Rounding out the list of top earners is Godophin’s Thunder Snow, who remains the only horse to win two editions of the Dubai World Cup.
