HAT TRICK
2001 by Sunday Silence–Tricky Code, by Lost Code
By Avalyn Hunter
Although officially Japanese-bred, Hat Trick has a pedigree that is completely North American for its first three generations. The champion Japanese sprinter/miler of 2005, Hat Trick earned his title by winning the 2005 Mile Championship (Jpn-1) over 1600 meters. A win in the Hong Kong Mile (HK-1) the same year proved that Hat Trick was up to international standards as a racer.
Hat Trick is one of the few top sons of Sunday Silence free of Northern Dancer on the dam’s side, which points to the Northern Dancer line as a good starting point in selecting mates for Hat Trick. Northern Taste, whose daughters crossed beautifully with Sunday Silence, is virtually unavailable in North America, but Sunday Silence also worked well with a number of other Northern Dancer strains. Among them are Lyphard, Vice Regent, Sadler’s Wells, Danzig, and Fairy King.
Raise a Native may also be important to Hat Trick, as Sunday Silence worked well with all four of the important sons of this stallion (Mr. Prospector, Alydar, Majestic Prince, and Exclusive Native). As Lost Code sired multiple grade I winner Kalookan Queen and grade II winner Sir Hutch from a Majestic Prince mare, Majestic Prince looks particularly interesting. Mr. Prospector may be best obtained though daughters and through sons featuring the Mr. Prospector/Buckpasser cross.
Sunday Silence was not often tried with Roberto mares but did sire the dual Japanese Classic winner Still In Love from Roberto’s daughter Bradamante as well as two lesser Japanese group winners from Roberto-line mares. Since Lost Code sired grade III winner Renewed from the Roberto mare Nifty, this may be a workable strategy for Hat Trick, particularly if Roberto is combined with Northern Dancer or Raise a Native.
*Forli has crossed well with both Sunday Silence and Codex (the sire of Lost Code), so he looks like a possibility here. Hoist the Flag also seems promising, and Graustark and His Majesty may be possibilities as well.