Coolmore Breeders' Handbook 2021

After missing the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons in Ireland, Starspangledbanner returned in 2016, with his fertility no longer an issue. His return has been made worthwhile by the Gr.1 Cheveley Park S. success of his daughter Millisle and by his strong team of 2020 2YOs, headed by Gr.2 winner Aloha Star. Significantly, two of his fast Group winners are out of mares by middle-distance Gr.1 winners by SADLER’S WELLS , namely HIGH CHAPARRAL and BEAT HOLLOW . This suggests that Starspangledbanner could be an ideal medium for injecting speed into daughters of HIGH CHAPARRAL , MONTJEU , GALILEO and IN THE WINGS . His sire Choisir has the Gr.3 winners Psychedelic Funk and Zihba among his foals out of daughters of GALILEO and another son of Choisir sired the Gr.1 winner Watch Me from another GALILEO mare. Choisir also had a particularly good record with MONTJEU mares, siring the American Gr.1 winner Obviously, the Hong Kong Gr.2 winner Secret Weapon and the Irish Gr.3 winner Alexios Komnenos. Choisir also sired the top-class Olympic Glory from a daughter of ALZAO (by LYPHARD ); the 2,000 Guineas runner-up Glory Awaits from a grand-daughter of DANZIG ; and the Gr.2 winner Chandlery from a daughter of MUJADIL (by STORM BIRD ). One of Starspangledbanner’s Group winners, Anthem Alexander, is out of a fast daughter of NIGHT SHIFT . NIGHT SHIFT mares also enjoyed success with Choisir and several sons of Danehill. The exceptional stallion DANEHILL will be back in the fourth generation of Starspangledbanner’s foals. The Gr.1-placed Great Wide Open, out of a DANEHILL mare, is inbred 4x2. Starspangledbanner’s sire Choisir already has a Gr.1-winning Australian 2YO and a Hong Kong Derby winner inbred 3x3. Starspangledbanner owed two of his black-type 2020 2YOs to daughters of ORATORIO and HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR . Mares by such as DANETIME , DANSILI , EXCEED AND EXCEL , FASTNET ROCK , KODIAC , MOZART and ROCK OF GIBRALTAR , create 4x3 to Danehill. There is also plenty of scope with other branches of the DANZIG line, most notably the GREEN DESERT line. Mares by CAPE CROSS , DESERT PRINCE , DESERT STYLE , INVINCIBLE SPIRIT and OASIS DREAM create only 5x4 to DANZIG . PIVOTAL sired the dam of Gr.3 winner Spangled and it is Pivotal’s son EXCELLENT ART , who sired the dam of Gr.2 winner Aloha Star. Mares by KYLLACHY and SIYOUNI are also likely to suit. He also has a Group performer out of a daughter of PEINTRE CELEBRE . MARJU mares are an option, as they have produced Group-placed Listed winners to Choisir and Danehill Dancer. Choisir’s 2017 Coventry Stakes winner Rajasinghe has a second dam by CATRAIL , who also sired the dam of one of Choisir’s Gr.2 winners in Australia. Danehill Dancer sired the Gr.1 winner Miss Beatrix from another CATRAIL mare. Daughters of GIANT’S CAUSEWAY , SHAMARDAL and FOOTSTEPSINTHESAND are options from this line, as Danehill Dancer sired the high-class Planteur from a GIANT’S CAUSEWAY mare. Starspangledbanner’s pedigree rules out very few European mares. Mares by AHONOORA , INDIAN RIDGE and INCHINOR look a sure-fire means of producing smart juveniles and sprinters and it was an INDIAN RIDGE mare which produced the Gr.1 Cheveley Park S. winner Millisle. NAMID sired the second dam of Starspangledbanner’s 360,000gns 2020 yearling. SHARPEN UP is so far back in Starspangledbanner’s pedigree that there is no obstacle to sending him mares from this male line, which has worked so well with Danehill and his sons. Mares by SELKIRK are worth trying. His Gr.2 winner Aloha Star has a grandam by HALLING . Starspangledbanner could be an interesting match for mares by several MR PROSPECTOR line stallions, such as MACHIAVELLIAN , WOODMAN and ZAFONIC (broodmare sire of Choisir’s stakes-winning daughter Meydan Princess and also broodmare sire of Danehill Dancer’s Dewhurst Stakes second Fast Company). The faster members of the BLUSHING GROOM male line represent another option for this top sprinter. He sired the useful filly Meliora from a NOVERRE mare and should also suit mares with ARAZI , RAHY or SPECTRUM blood.

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