Racing for Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, Black Minnaloushe was bred in Kentucky by John R. Gaines Thoroughbreds and William Condren. Consigned by Gaines Thoroughbreds as a weanling to the 1998 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, the colt was purchased by Irish bloodstock agent Demi O'Byrne for $750,000.Black Minnaloushe has won four of seven starts, with one second-place finish.More, Sporting Life
The St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-I) on the opening day of the Royal Ascot meet in England lived up to its billing as two classic were 1-2 in an exciting finish.The winner was Black Minnaloushe, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Storm Cat who was driven to the wire by jockey Johnny Murtaugh for a neck victory over Noverre. The winner had accounted for the Entenmanns Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) and Noverre had won the Dubai Poule d'Essai des Poulains -- French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-I) previous to Thursday's contest.Last early as the 11-horse field raced over the 1-mile distance run on good to firm turf, Black Minnaloushe was seventh as they entered the straight and made his run on the inside with a quarter-mile remaining. Noverre, a son of Rahy made the 9-2 favorite under Frankie Dettori, took the lead with more than a furlong out but was caught in the final strides by the Aidan O'Brien-trained winner. Black Minnaloushe's stablemates Darwin and Minardi set the early pace before fading to finish last and eight, respectively.
