Sadler's Wells has 200th Stakes Winner

Morozov became the 200th stakes winner by Sadler's Wells when he crossed the finish line first in Sunday's Prix du Lys (Fr-III) at Longchamp. The 3-year-old colt earned that distinction, and the win, by just a nose over another son of Sadler's Wells, Suleiman. John Gosden trains the second-place finisher for Robert Sangster and Sue Magnier. Sangster and John Magnier are the principals in the Coolmore operation, which stands Sadler's Wells at its base in County Tipperary, Ireland.

Andre Fabre trains Morozov and gave Olivier Peslier the call on the colt. Morozov tracked the early leader, Suleiman, through all but the last furlong of the 1 1/2-mile Prix du Lys. He pressed the leader in the straight, then took the lead in the final strides before the wire. Swing Wing was third, 1 1/2 lengths back of Suleiman. The time for the race was 2:35 2/5.

Morozov is the fourth stakes-winning son of Sadler's Wells from the Shirley Heights mare High Hawk. His best-known brother is In The Wings, a champion in France and winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Fr-I), and the Hanson Coronation Cup (Eng-I). His other stakes-winning brothers are Hawker's News and Hunting Hawk. High Hawk was a group winner in England, Ireland, and France. Half of the mare's 16 foals are by Sadler's Wells, including a yearling filly.

Darley Stud Management bred Morozov in Kentucky. The colt races for Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum. He did not race at two, so the Prix du Lys is only his fifth start. The colt placed in another stakes event at Longchamp in April--the Prix de Suesnes, where he finished third to Polities and Lost Bay.

Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer--Fairy Bridge, by Bold Reason) became racing's all-time leader by number of stakes winners last July when his son Roman Saddle won the Prix Berteux (Fr-III) to become stakes winner No. 177. That put him one above the previous leader, Mr. Prospector.

So far in 2002, Sadler's Wells has been represented by 13 stakes-winning sons and daughters who have captured 15 group or graded events and two listed races.