Alumni of Bloodstock South Africa sales have enjoyed a wonderful season in 2023-2024, and BSA graduates’ great run of success continued at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday.
Bloodstock South Africa sold thoroughbreds claimed all of the G1 Douglas Whyte Stakes, G2 @Worldpool Twitter Stakes, G2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante and the Listed World Pool With Tabgold Darley on Sunday.
Brilliant two-year-old Quid Pro Quo became the first filly ever to win all of the G1 Allan Robertson Championship, G2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper and G1 Douglas Whyte Stakes when she romped home on Sunday. The Barend Botes, a certainty to be named Equus Champion 2YO Filly for 2023-2024, not only had a poor draw to overcome in the Douglas Whyte (1600m) but she also raced without front shoes. Nonetheless, the Gerald Kalil bred and owned Quid Pro Quo showed her class when routing a high-class field of two-year-old fillies. Under S’Manga Khumalo, the daughter of Lance stormed home to score by nearly a length and a half. In the process, the star filly made it five wins on the bounce, and five of just seven starts in total. Offered for sale at the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale, Quid Pro Quo, who has now banked more than R1.7 million in prize money, is out of the five time winning Delightfull Diva, a daughter of The Sheik.
Promising two-year-old Cats Pajamas claimed his first graded success when he won the G2 @Worldpool Twitter Stakes on Sunday. Trained by Frank Robinson for owner Sid Moodley, the son of Rafeef hit the front 200m from home in Sunday’s 1200m contest and stayed on, under Sean Veale, to score by just over a length. Cats Pajamas has now won twice from six starts, and was runner up in the G3 Tabgold Godolphin Barb Stakes and third in the G2 Durban Golden Horseshoe earlier in the season. Bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein, Cats Pajamas was a R600 000 purchase from the 2023 National Yearling Sale. Sunday’s winner is out of the high-class racemare Sea Cat, whose five career wins included triumphs in all of the Listed Breeders Fillies Guineas, Listed East Cape Guineas and Listed Lady’s Bracelet.
Another classy two-year-old sold off a Bloodstock South Africa auction is the Boland Stud bred Just Reckless. The latter picked up her fourth win from nine starts when she ran out an impressive winner of Sunday’s G2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante over 1200 metres. Under Tristan Godden, the Michael Miller trained filly stormed home, down the centre of the track, to get up and beat favourite Rodeo Drive by nearly two lengths. Also victorious in the G3 Tabgold Strelitzia Stakes in April, Just Reckless was a R500 000 buy from the 2023 KZN Yearling Sale. The well bred filly is a daughter of reigning champion sire Gimmethegreenlight, and the winning Silvano mare Sommersonne, with the latter a half-sister to G1 South African Fillies Sprint winner Sommerlied. Just Reckless is owned by The Racing Boys (Pty) Ltd in partnership with Sterling M Miller.
Classy three-year-old Get Impressed had started the day off well when making much of the running to land the Listed World Pool With Tabgold Darley over 1600m. Trained by Justin Snaith, the gelded son of Vercingetorix was given a superb ride by former champion jockey Keagan De Melo to land his first black type race by half a length. Bred by Millstream Farm, and owned by Greg Bortz, Gina Goldsmith and Gary Player, Get Impressed has now won four of 14 starts and he has earned R501 824 in prize money. Get Impressed, a R1 000 000 buy from the 2022 Cape Yearling Sale, is out of the three time winning Al Mufti mare So Impressed, a three-parts sister to G1 Cape Guineas winner and outstanding sire Captain Al.
