Andrew Caulfield, April 21, 2009–Vocalised P EDIGREE INSIGHTS And Bolger isn=t unduly influenced by pedigree. While some Europeans would naturally be wary of American BY ANDREW CAULFIELD stallions which proved themselves on dirt and are largely untried in Europe, Bolger has become the first BATHWICK TYRES GREENHAM S.-G3, ,65,000, man to train European group winners by Distorted Newbury, 4-18, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:27.81, sf. Humor, Congaree and Vindication. Perhaps this year he 1--@VOCALISED, 126, c, 3, by Vindication will help several other American stallions reach this 1st Dam: Serena=s Tune (MSW, $337,260), landmark, as he has juveniles by such as Purge, Afleet by Mr. Prospector Alex, Cuvee, Lion Heart, , El Corredor, Orientate, 2nd Dam: Serena=s Song, by Roman Ruler and Toccet. 3rd Dam: Imagining, by Northfields Buying a yearling by Vindication for $560,000 has to ($560,000 yrl >07 KEESEP). O-Mrs Jackie Bolger; be considered a bold move by an Irishman, as Europe B-Hill >n= Dale Farm & Edward McGhee; T-Jim Bolger; hasn=t been a particularly productive hunting ground for J-Kevin Manning; ,36,901. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, the progeny of other stallions. Although ,75,372. *1/2 to Serena's Cat (Storm Cat), SW, sons of Seattle Slew have over 160 North American $131,029. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the graded winners to their credit, they have only around a eNicks report and 5-cross pedigree. Click for the dozen group winners in Europe. Vindication is only the Racing Post chart. sixth to hit the target in Europe, following (himself a Group 1 winner in France), Slew o=Gold, A.P. Jim Bolger isn=t a trainer hidebound by convention. Indy, Fast Play and . For a start, he subscribes to the rather old-fashioned Mention of Capote brings us neatly back to Bolger. theory that racehorses are meant to race frequently if Back in 1992, he ventured into the unknown with they are fit and well. What=s more, he=s prepared to Basim, a colt from Capote=s second crop, and the colt give his horses every opportunity to shine at two, even did so well that he ended the year rated Ireland=s best if their pedigrees are more suggestive of excellence at two-year-old. three. Caulfield cont.

www.coolmore.com Caulfield cont. In fact, European turf could represent a sensible Bolger=s Vindication colt, Vocalised, didn=t reach option for the progeny of a stallion whose short career those heights in his first season, but the colt won a was effectively ended by a suspensory injury in the maiden race on his second start of 2008. Although that February of his second season. Some of the most victory earned a Racing Post rating no higher than 80, talented Bolger clearly knew that Vocalised was much better members of than that, explaining: Vindication=s first AHe is probably still a bit green for taking the Group 1 crop, born in route just yet, and we will probably look for a softer 2005, haven=t option next time. He=s definitely a horse to bear in mind seen a lot of for next year. He was a late May foal, and there will be action either. a lot of improvement to come.@ More Happy, This enthusiasm for Vocalised has been thoroughly winner of the GII justified during April, with the three-year-old following Adirondack S., up a decisive listed victory at the Curragh with a ran only once Group 3 success in Saturday=s Greenham S. His exact after her juvenile birthday was May 30, and this unusually late foaling season and four Vindication hillndalefarms.com date adds extra merit to Vocalised=s Greenham victory. times in all. It also suggests that he will keep progressing during the Moving on to the four members of this crop which have rest of this year and beyond. attained J “TDN Rising Star” J status, they include the high-priced Maimonides, who has raced only VOCALISED, c, 2006 twice, and Noble Sound--a $2.8-million brother to Vocalised--who is unbeaten in three starts. Reason to Earn Seattle Slew When I point out that 27 of the 113 named foals in Poker Vindication=s first crop have yet to race, this isn=t meant Fair Charmer Vindication as criticism of Vindication. This statistic is mentioned Whiskey Road Strawberry Road simply as a reminder of the sizable attrition rate in Giftisa Strawberry Reason today=s industry. In fact Vindication=s 76 percent Pretty Reason runners from his first crop is entirely normal and can be Mysore expected to rise a little higher. Native Dancer Raise a Native To return to Vocalised, his next target is said to be Raise You Mr. Prospector the French 2000 Guineas. He is certainly bred well Nashua Serena’s Tune Gold Digger enough to win a Classic, as he is the third MSW, 14-7-0-0 Sequence above-average performer to emerge from the first four 4Fls, 1GSW, Serena’s Song foals out of the royally bred Serena s Tune. 1SW Rahy = Ch3yoF, MGISW In addition to being by one of the most successful 10Fls, 3GSW Imagining Northfields broodmare sires of recent decades in Mr. Prospector, 1SW 9Fls, 1Ch, 2GSW Image Intensifier Serena=s Tune is out of the champion filly Serena=s Song. This wonderful daughter of Rahy reached the The enthusiasm for Vocalised also translated into first two 29 times in an action-packed career that three members of Vindication=s third crop joining spanned 38 starts in three years. Serena=s Song has Bolger. These are Reiteration, a $340,000 buy by Tom since confirmed that a demanding racecourse career Gentry, who also signed for Vocalised; Regal Purple, a needn=t have an adverse effect on a filly=s prospects as colt inbred 2x3 to Seattle Slew; and Free Judgement, a a broodmare, as she has produced (G1 colt out of a stakes-winning Fusaichi Pegasus . Coronation S.), Grand Reward (GII Oaklawn H.) and Sadly, there are only two further crops in the pipeline, Harlington (GII Gulfstream Park H.). Serena=s Tune also as Vindication had to be euthanized in July last year. possessed plenty of talent, as she showed by winning As I=ve said, Vindication wasn=t an obvious choice to three stakes races over sprint distances. make his mark in Europe, as his brief career was spent As a son of Seattle Slew, Vindication was a natural on dirt and he was the product of two graded winners choice for a Mr. Prospector mare, as the combination of on dirt. That said, his broodmare sire Strawberry Road Seattle Slew=s sons and Mr. Prospector=s daughters has was a top-notch turf performer on three continents, and produced numerous graded winners, including Vindication was inbred 4x3 to Hail To Reason, whose Mineshaft, , Little Belle, Tempera and Golden name appears in the pedigrees of so many leading turf Opinion. The magic seems to have worked once again performers. with Vocalised.