Bill Oppenheim, June 4, 2002 – Hawk Wing

who was a son of Prince Chevalier, himself a son of FROM THE DESK OF... Prince Rose, who also sired Princequillo. So, yes, that part stays. Bill Oppenheim But there's more. Hawk Wing is by Woodman, and La Lorgnette's only other SW was Alexandrina, a BIG CLASSIC WEEKEND Conquistador Cielo who was a SW at two. Now, Conquistador Cielo is notorious (in certain circles) as a After War Emblem's win, Andrew good damsire of two-year-olds, yet this two-year-old Caulfield wrote about the power of Mr. Prospector, SW produced the 12-furlong Canadian International particularly in American racing. This coming Saturday, winner, Thornfield; OK, he was by Sky Classic, but the line goes for a huge trans-Atlantic double: War even so. Hawk Wing's three-quarters sister who was a two-year-old SW produced a Group 1 winner at 12 Emblem goes into the Belmont with a big shot to be the furlongs. Case closed: on the dam's side, he gets the first Triple Crown winner in 24 years, and Mick Kinane trip. But what really locks it up for Hawk Wing is that I has selected unlucky English 2000 Guineas second have an ante-post voucher on High Chaparral at 20-1. Hawk Wing, over stablemate and second favorite High That is the kiss of death. Chaparral, as his mount in the Epsom Derby. War Emblem, as we all know by now, is by Our GONE WEST - THE SPOILER? Emblem, a subject which has now been discussed If there is to be a spoiler to thwart 's third on the Triple Crown ( 1997, Real sufficiently, including by me, that it won't be necessary Quiet 1998), it's most likely--in my book, at least--to be to review those details this week; you should have it all the Wayne Lukas-trained Proud Citizen, second in the memorized by now. Hawk Wing is by Woodman, and Derby and third in the Preakness after what I thought there has been a lot of entertaining debate--including, was a troubled trip from an outside post. He was never no doubt, in Mick Kinane's mind--about whether he will closer than three off the rail, and I felt he would have stay 12 furlongs. Several good Woodmans have, most given War Emblem a serious fright with a better trip. notably 1991 Belmont (and Preakness) winner -- Proud Citizen is maybe not even the best of a very good crop of three-year-old colts by Gone West--a who, incidentally, was not out of a mare with an much better-known son of Mr. Prospector than was obvious staying pedigree herself. Our Emblem--this year, though he's won the GII The way I read the form book, if Hawk Wing doesn't Lexington S. and placed in the Derby and Preakness. get the trip, it will not be because of his dam's side--he It's a tossup between him and Came Home, 6-for-8 is a mortal lock to stay 12 furlongs on that side of the lifetime and a GISW at two (Hopeful) and three (Santa pedigree. The dam is La Lorgnette, winner of the 1985 Anita Derby). He's a devastating miler--unfortunately a Queen's Plate, beating the best colts in Canada over 10 category not as well served in American racing as it ought to be--and will be a hugely popular addition to furlongs. She is by Val de l'Orne out of a Nijinsky mare, the Lane's End stallion barn when his racing career is out of an Argentinian-bred mare called *La Sevillana. finished. That mare was champion two-year-old and Besides these two, let me just mention a few other three-year-old filly in Argentina in 1968-69, when she colts in this crop by Gone West. There is Castle won both the Argentine 1000 Guineas and Oaks; she Gandolfo, Group 3 winner and twice Group 1-placed at did win there at 12 furlongs, but whether that was in two, who has been 12th in the Kentucky Derby and the Oaks or not, I'm not certain. In any case, she did sixth in the French Derby this year. Two other Aidan win over that distance, and she was by Court Harwell, Champion Older Horse See Lemon Drop Kid’s first Winner of 5 Grade 1 Races foals at http://www.lanesend.com/ including the news/02foal_photos.html LEMON DROP KID Kingmambo–Charming Lassie

BOX 626, VERSAILLES, KY 40383 Defeated 21 Grade 1 Winners (859) 873-7300 FAX (859) 873-3746 E-MAIL: [email protected] Earned $3,245,370 WEB SITE: lanesend.com O'Brien trainees, G3 Tetrarch S. second Creekview and he runs in the Queen Mary), Presto Vento won Nostradamus, contested (unsuccessfully) the G1 Prix yesterday's National S.-Listed at Sandown impressively. Jean Prat at Chantilly on French Derby day last Sunday. Air Express, by Salse out of a Caucasus mare (inbred to The Corp.’s Johar (out of champion 'top and bottom'), won the 1997 Windsharp) was second in the G3 Will Rogers at Italian and German 2000 Guineas, ran second in the G1 Hollywood Park last month; and two other two-year-old St. James's Palace (to Starborough) at Royal Ascot, SW from this crop last year were Changeintheweather and surprised almost everyone by winning the G1 (Canada) and Saddad (G2 Flying Childers S. at Queen Elizabeth II S. at Royal Ascot at the end of his Doncaster). three-year-old campaign. I believe he only sired two Considering Gone West now lays seventh on the crops, standing at England's National Stud for £5,000, 2002 General Sire List, and his best son to date in and died. He wouldn't have had huge crops out of great North America, Mr. Greeley, is 11th and having his best , either. year yet, it may be that Gone West has more impact as a sire of sires than many others by Mr. Prospector. Zafonic has recovered well after a slow start, and his full brother Zamindar sired the French 1000 Guineas winner this year from his first crop. Even the previously unconsidered Pembroke, a fast dude who hadn't done much up till now, had a real speedball double on Kentucky Oaks day--the five-year-old Testify won the five-furlong GIII Aegon Turf Sprint, and the three-year-old filly Drippingindiamonds won an allowance race so impressively she got the call-up to join Bobby Frankel's barn. And this week Grand Slam, the second-best two-year-old (behind Favorite Trick) of 1997, had his first winner, by six lengths, at Churchill Downs.

ELSEWHERE ... I'm not the first person to say it, but what an impressive win that was by the Niarchos family's Sulamani over Act One in last Sunday's French Derby. The previously unbeaten Act One was five lengths clear of the third, and appeared to run his race, but Sulamani mowed him down impressively. It's a huge boost for Hernando--his second French Derby winner in three crops--and, yes, referring to my essay of a couple of weeks ago, there is a third cross of Northern Dancer; his second dam is by Northfields ... That 22-year-old overnight sensation, Night Shift, already has eight two-year-old winners this year, and is the damsire of Rag Tag (by Barathea, another sire having a much better season), who won a two-year-old stakes in Ireland this week. He's been siring some fast horses for a few years here recently, has Night Shift, but his two-year-olds are winning early and often this year ... none of them, however, looks as good as the filly Presto Vento, by a first-year sire called Air Express. Trained, like Rag Tag, by Richard Hannon (bet whatever

[email protected] www.arrowfield.com.au