Andrew Caulfield, October 13, 2009-Gitano (GB) For a start, the records show that it takes a very PEDIGREE INSIGHTS good three-year-old to defeat his elders in this BY ANDREW CAULFIELD mile-and-an-eighth contest, the only sophomores on the race=s lengthy honor roll being Tiznow in 2000 and GOODWOOD S.-GI, $305,000, OSA, 10-10, 3yo/up, Tiago in 2007. These two had, respectively, already 1 1/8m (AWT), 1:48 1/5, ft. won the GI Super Derby and the GI Santa Anita Derby. 1--#@GITANO HERNANDO (GB), 121, c, 3, by Hernando (Fr) 1st Dam: Gino's Spirits (GB) (GSW-US, SW & Gitano Hernando (GB), c, 2006 GSP-GB, $415,721), by Perugino 2nd Dam: Rising Spirits (Ire), by Cure the Blues II Flaming Page 3rd Dam: Mrs McArdy (GB), by Tribal Chief ( 40,000 yrl '07 DEAAUG). O-Team Valor Int l & Virginia Hills i = Ridin’ Easy Hernando (Fr) Gary Barber; B-Newsells Park Stud Limited (GB); Mr. Prospector T-M Botti; J-K Fallon; $165,000. Lifetime Record: Hopespringseternal Whakilyric GSP-GB, 7-4-2-0, $219,893. Werk Nick Rating: A. Lyrism Click for the eNicks report and 5-cross pedigree. Pass a Glance Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free Northern Dancer Danzig brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Pas de Nom Gino’s Spirits Perugino Made. Bold Reason (GB) Fairy Bridge With the GI Goodwood S. going off late, at nearly GSW-US & GSP- Special midnight for us Brits, I didn=t see the result until I Eng, 35-9-5-6, Stop the Music Rising Spirits (Ire) Cure the Blues thumbed my way through Sunday s TDN. I must admit $415,562 Quick Cure = 6Fls, 1GSW 11-2-2-5, $23,075 to being more than a little surprised to see that victory 14Fls, 1GSW Mrs McArdy (GB) Tribal Chief (GB) had gone to the British-trained Gitano Hernando, at 11Fls, 1GSW Hanina (GB) odds of 18-1.

All horses in TDN Headline News and TDN American edition Caulfield cont. are bred in North America, unless otherwise indicated

Gitano Hernando, on the other hand, had only once Gitano Hernando is therefore his sire=s second Grade I stepped into stakes company, when he was unlucky to winner in North America and his fifth in all. In addition be narrowly beaten in the G3 Dee S. over Chester=s to his American successes, had followed tight turf course in May. He had then put up an as the second son to emulate Hernando=s excellent display after more than four months off the win in the Prix du Jockey-Club. More recently Hernando track to defeat a quality field in a conditions event over scored a third Classic triumph as a sire when his a mile and 141 yards at Wolverhampton, to improve his daughter took the 2008 Oaks. Casual all-weather record to two from two. Conquest was another 2008 classic contender, Wolverhampton, together with Britain=s three other finishing third in the Derby and second in the Irish synthetic tracks currently in operation, is proving a Derby, and he has achieved Group 1-winner status this good arena for horses to demonstrate their potential to year, in the . American buyers. That said, it doesn=t yet stage any Despite making this sizeable impact at Classic level, group races, and only one listed race, so the Racing Hernando has rarely been fashionable--to the extent Post handicappers could be forgiven for rating Gitano that he had only 28 foals in 2001, 36 in 2002, 46 in Hernando=s recent Wolverhampton victory no higher 2006 and 38 in 2007. It is a similar story with than 109, compared to the 135 awarded to the Hernando=s current yearling crop, which numbers outstanding turf horse Sea the Stars and the 129 around 35, and he reportedly covered 44 mares in achieved by the world=s leading dirt horse, Rachel 2008. Hopefully the exploits of Look Here and Casual Alexandra. Conquest will have ensured much more support for the One man who was very impressed with Gitano 19-year-old stallion this year, when Gitano Hernando=s Hernando=s Wolverhampton performance was his new dam Gino=s Spirits returned to him. rider, Kieren Fallon, as the colt=s talented trainer Marco Gitano Hernando is the third stakes winner that Botti reported: AIt was very firm at Chester and he came Hernando has sired from mares by sons of Danzig, one back very sore, so that I had to stop him for a while. of his predecessors being the French Group 3 winner Kieren was very happy and said he is definitely a group Indian Daffodil (out of a Danehill mare). Gitano horse.@ Hernando=s broodmare sire Perugino isn=t nearly such a That soreness forced connections to abandon plans well-known name as Danehill. to challenge for the GI Belmont S., but the enforced Perugino narrowly won a six-furlong maiden race at rest may prove a blessing, as Gitano Hernando will be Leopardstown on his two-year-old debut, with a fresher than many of his potential rivals in the GI performance rated only 84P by Timeform. He never ran Breeders= Cup Classic. again but his exceptional pedigree guaranteed him his Botti said at Wolverhampton that his colt=s immediate chance at stud. With a son of Northern Dancer as his target was a Group 3 on Dundalk=s all-weather track on sire and Fairy Bridge as his dam, Perugino was a Oct. 2, which ultimately produced a very smart three-parts performance from the Breeders= Cup Classic candidate brother to Sadler=s Wells, Tate Gallery and Fairy King. Mastercraftsman. However, the Irish race carried less than The mares Perugino covered in his first two seasons half the prize-money of the Goodwood S., so the decision were perhaps more notable for their quantity than their to send Gitano Hernando to Oak Tree paid off handsomely- quality and he was then leased to Japan in 1997. He -as did the decision to keep Fallon in the saddle. also occasionally shuttled to Australia before taking up It is easy enough to see why Team Valor initially permanent residence there for a few years. During the came to be attracted to Gitano Hernando after the course of this globe-trotting career Perugino sired the youngster had carried the colors of Mrs. Renata Jacobs, champion Australian sprinter Testa Rossa, the dual of Newsells Park Stud, to victory in a Wolverhampton Australian Group 1 winner Sudurka, the German Oaks maiden 11 months ago. His ability to handle Polytrack winner Next Gina, the accomplished English sprinter made him a candidate for switching to the States, as The Tatling and the 2008 Arc third It=s Gino. He is also did the fact that both of his parents, Hernando and responsible for Harchibald, a leading hurdler for Gino=s Spirits, had shown very good form on American numerous years. turf tracks. Gino=s Spirits was remarkably tough for a filly whose Hernando, winner of the 1993 Prix du Jockey-Club, sire ran only once. After becoming a listed winner on had been a close second in the GI Turf Classic on one her 18th start in Britain, she took second place in the of his ventures to the U.S. and several of his progeny G2 Sun Chariot S. and headed to the December Sales have thrived on American turf tracks. The prime following her 20th appearance. Bought for 66,000gns, example has to be Sulamani, who went one better than Gino=s Spirits continued to work hard and was his sire in the Turf Classic and also gained Grade I rewarded with a Grade III victory in the Noble Damsel victories in the and the Canadian H. on turf. She also won three other stakes races at International. Then there=s Atlando (GIII Knickerbocker around a mile at five before being sold again as a H. and GII San Luis Obispo H.), Arvada (GII La veteran of 40 races. She returned a handsome profit, Prevoyante H. and GIII Glens Falls H.), Just Wonder with Newsells Park Stud having to go to $550,000 to (GIII Cinema H.), Herboriste (second GII Sheepshead secure her at Keeneland in 2001. Bay H.) and Playact (twice second at Grade II level). Caulfield cont.

Part of her appeal lay in her being a granddaughter of another tough performer in the Classic-winning Mrs McArdy. After ending her juvenile campaign with four consecutive victories, Mrs McArdy continued to make considerable progress at three, when her victories included the Free Handicap and the 1000 Guineas. Mrs McArdy set a record price for a horse in training when sold to the Firestones for 154,000gns at the end of 1977. Her best effort as a broodmare was the Group 1-placed Citidancer (not to be confused with the American stallion of the same name) and in 1989 she was sent to Japan, where one of the foals she produced became the dam of the Japanese champion Admire Cozzene.