Andrew Caulfield, October 17, 2006–Teofilo (Ire) P EDIGREE INSIGHTS The enormity of the task ahead of Teofilo mustn=t be under-estimated, as only two colts have managed to BY ANDREW CAULFIELD win even two legs of the Triple Crown since Nijinsky (Reference Point added the St Leger to his Derby DARLEY DEWHURST S.-G1, ,250,000, Newmarket, success in 1987, while Nashwan took the 2000 10-14, 2yo, c/f, 7fT, 1:26.12, gd/sf. Guineas and Derby two years later). The Triple Crown 1--TEOFILO (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire) remains an exciting possibility, though, and Teofilo=s 1st Dam: Speirbhean (Ire) (SW-Ire), by Danehill record suggests that he could develop into that 2nd Dam: Saviour, by Majestic Light one-in-a-million colt blessed with the necessary 3rd Dam: Victoria Queen, by Victoria Park brilliance, versatility and toughness. Like Nijinsky, his O-Mrs J Bolger; B/T-J Bolger; J-K Manning; ,141,950. juvenile record stands at five wins from five starts and Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, 5-5-0-0, ,349,515. both colts gained their fifth success in the G1 Dewhurst S. However, the signs are that Jim Bolger, who also Click for the Racing Post chart or the free brisnet.com bred Teofilo, isn=t looking too far ahead, as he is now catalogue-style pedigree. considering sending his star colt to France for the Criterium International on October 29. If American racing thinks it has been hard done by, Nijinsky was a member of the second crop by with only three Triple Crown winners since Citation in Northern Dancer, a winner of the first two legs of the 1948 and none since Affirmed in 1978, spare a thought Triple Crown, whereas Teofilo comes from the second for the British fans. They have been able to cheer only crop by Northern Dancer=s grandson Galileo, a winner one Triple Crown hero, Nijinsky in 1970, since Bahram of the Derby and Irish Derby. Both come from families in 1935. developed at Windfields Farm in Canada and Teofilo Jim Bolger was therefore either very confident, or also possesses the size and scope which made Nijinsky very reckless, in even daring to mention the words stand out from the crowd, especially at two. ATriple Crown@ after the admirable Teofilo=s victory over Holy Roman Emperor in the G1 National S. in There is always a worry that high-class juveniles September. which enjoy a physical advantage over most of their AIf he wants to be the next Triple Crown horse,@ rivals at two will not be as dominant at three, when Bolger ventured, Athen I=m not going to stand in his their less-mature rivals have had a chance to catch up. way!@ But that didn=t happen with Nijinsky and there is every That quote had been prompted by the fact that reason to think that Teofilo will also stay a step ahead Teofilo=s National S. success came only eight days after of the opposition. his sire, Galileo, had supplied the Trifecta in the St Galileo may be out of a daughter of the fast and Leger, the last leg of the Triple Crown and arguably the precocious Miswaki, but that daughter, the Arc winner most difficult for a modern Thoroughbred, with its Urban Sea, didn=t start to establish herself at Group 1 distance of more than 1: miles. level until the autumn of her three-year-old days. Urban Sea now has the tremendous record of having produced Want to See How six stakes winners (five of them group winners) from Your Favorite Sire Is Doing? her first seven foals, but none of the six was a stakes winner at two. Galileo, for his part, made only one Check out TDN’s Progeny PPs. appearance at two, close to the end of the Irish season, Hundreds of stallions are represented! when he destroyed the opposition in a mile maiden race at Leopardstown. www.coolmore.com The signs are that Galileo=s progeny are generally Her brother War was in fine form in the spring of going to require a little patience, too. From a first crop 1987, notably taking the GI Blue Grass S. over 1 1/8 numbering 127 foals, he had no more than 10 juvenile miles on the demotion of Alysheba. Two of Saviour=s winners in Britain and Ireland, from a total of 41 half-brothers, Judge Angelucci and Peace, also became runners, in 2005 and none of them was placed at group Grade I winners over 1 1/8 miles, with Judge Angelucci level (although Innocent Air won a Listed race). It is being good enough to finish third in the GI Breeders= proving to be a somewhat similar story this year with Cup Classic. Galileo=s second crop. He has had only 20 juvenile Saviour was bred to stay quite well, as her sire runners so far in Britain and Ireland, of which only five Majestic Light was a Grade I winner at up to 12 miles have won, and Teofilo is the only black-type winner and her dam, the tough Victorian Queen, raced with among them so far (although the unbeaten Yazamaan distinction at up to 1 3/8 miles. Victorian Queen was has also shown distinct promise). I should quickly point inbred 3x3 to Windfields, the Bunty Lawless colt who out that Galileo=s second crop, with 80 foals, isn=t carried E.P. Taylor=s colors to victory in the 1946 nearly as big as its predecessor, one consequence being Breeders= S. As Windfields raced 22 times at three and that his fee was reduced from i60,000 in 2003 to 75 times in all, it is hardly surprising that Victorian i40,000 in 2004. The breeders who used him at the Queen was tough enough to compete more than 50 reduced 2004 fee have had every reason to be glad times. they did. Galileo=s third-crop yearlings have sold very Perhaps it=s this ingrained durability--coupled with the solidly on the back of his having come up with two renowned toughness of the Sadler=s Wells clan--which classic winners, Nightime and Sixties Icon, in his first is allowing Teofilo to thrive on a schedule which would crop, and a Group 1-winning juvenile in his second. have been too demanding for many a Classic hopeful. While Galileo=s progeny mainly need some time, they are proving well worth the wait, as 16 members of his TEOFILO (IRE), c, 2004 first crop currently have Racing Post Ratings of 105 or Nearctic Northern Dancer more. One of them is Teofilo=s sister Senora Galilei, Natalma Sadler’s Wells who earned a figure of 106 with her second under a big Bold Reason Fairy Bridge weight in a good 10-furlong handicap at the Curragh in Special Galileo (Ire) July. She had previously won a handicap by eight Mr. Prospector Miswaki lengths on her reappearance at three, showing much Hopespringseternal Urban Sea Lombard (Ger) better form than she=d displayed at two. Allegretta (GB) Although Teofilo=s broodmare sire, Danehill, secured Anatevka (Ger) Northern Dancer the title of champion sire of two-year-olds on numerous Danzig Pas de Nom occasions during his globe-trotting career, he didn=t Danehill His Majesty show his best form until he was three and neither did Speirbhean (Ire) Razyana Danehill=s numerous siblings. SW-Ire, 4-1-1-0, Spring Adieu $39,215 Majestic Prince Teofilo=s family has also generally done better at Saviour Majestic Light 4Fls, 1G1SW Irradiate three than two. His dam Speirbhean was reportedly 9-3-0-0, $11,269 10Fls, 2SW Victorian Queen Victoria Park already 16.2-hands tall when she won the Derrinstown 1SP 11Fls, 3GSW Willowfield Stud 1000 Guineas Trial to earn a shot at the Irish 1000 Guineas (which was to prove her final appearance). Jim Bolger, who has trained some excellent fillies, was fulsome in his praise of Speirbhean after her Listed victory: AThis filly is up there with Give Thanks, Flame of Tara and the others,@ he claimed. AShe isn=t three yet [she was born as late as May 25] and still has a bit of maturing to do. She deserves a chance at the 1000 Guineas. The long-term plan is to bring her back here for the Irish Champion S. in September. I think she'll stay up to a mile and a half.@ Speirbhean=s brother Cornwall was also lightly raced, but showed useful form at two. Their half-brother Graduated, by Royal Academy, was a Listed winner over 1 1/8 miles in Ireland. Speirbhean didn=t win at two and neither did her dam, the Majestic Light mare Saviour, nor her second dam, the Windfields-bred Victorian Queen. Saviour won at up to 1 3/8 miles for Jim Bolger in 1990, without showing nearly as much talent as three of her siblings. .