Pedigree Analysis for Siphonic

Siphonic showed that the Breeders' Cup Juvenile distance will be no problem based on his romp in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland Oct. 6. The six-length romp was at the same 1 1/16-mile distance that the Juvenile will be contested over.

Siphonic gets his stamina from his top side. He is by multiple grade I stakes winner Siphon, whose best races in the U.S. came at 10 furlongs. Siphon was already a multiple group winner in his native Brazil when he was sent to the United States in 1995, becoming one of Richard Mandella's South American stars, along with Gentlemen, Sandpit, and Malek. Siphon won the 1996 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles, and came back the following spring to capture the Santa Anita Handicap at the same distance. While in Brazil, he won a Group II stakes at nearly 11 furlongs. His 20 on-the-board finishes from 25 career starts helped Siphon earn $3,136,428, and from early indications, he is embarking on a successful career at stud as well.

Siphonic's breeders raced his first dam, Cherokee Crossing, in 1993 and 1994. Although winless from 17 starts, Cherokee Crossing finished third in both the Ellis Park Debutante Stakes and the Bassinet Prelude Stakes at River Downs. Her longest, and perhaps most impressive race, was a third to eventual Matriarch Stakes (gr. I) winner Duda in a 1994 maiden special weight contest on the Churchill Downs turf, when she was defeated by two lengths. She also hit the board in a pair of 8 1/2 furlong maiden allowance races at Churchill at the end of 1993. Cherokee Crossing earned $36,428 on track.

In addition to Siphonic, Cherokee Crossing produced Mountain Girl, a filly by Mountain Cat. The 4-year-old captured the Queen Stakes this year at Turfway Park, and finished third in the My Juliet Stakes at Philadelphia Park. Mountain Girl has won four races and hit the board four other times from 11 starts, and has earned $131,320 to date. Sugino General, a colt by Known Fact, is a 3-year-old out of Cherokee Crossing who has won once from 10 starts in Japan, and has earned better than $117,000 to date. Cherokee Crossing has a yearling filly by Louis Quatorze and a weanling filly by El Prado.

There is more to get optimistic about when considering Siphonic's second dam, Sky Meadows. The unraced mare, by Belmont Stakes winner Conquistador Cielo, is out of the Riva Ridge mare Pride's Crossing. Cherokee Crossing was the first mare out of Sky Meadows, but was followed four years later by the colt Dixie Dot Com, by Dixie Brass. Dixie Dot Com, who will be retired to stud at the end of the current racing season, has earned $1,332,775 from 23 starts. The 6-year-old is a multiple graded stakes winner in two-turn races, having taken honors in the 1999 San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. II), the 2000 San Pasqual Handicap (gr. II), and this year's Texas Mile (gr. III) and Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III). Dixie Dot Com set a new track record at Lone Star Park in the latter affair, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.53. He has won a total of seven stakes, and hit the board in eight others.

Sky Meadows has a 4-year-old, Gerosa, by champion Cherokee Run, who is undefeated in three starts. She also has a yearling colt by Holy Bull and a weanling filly by Wild Rush.