San Gabriel H. (gr. II)
(gr. IIT , 9f ,)
GRAMMARIAN
(B g,
117
lb) $90,000
Definite Article (GB) —Leaping Water (GB) , by
Sure Blade
B—Pacific Heritage Farm,
KY.;
O—Pacific Heritage Farm LLC;
T—C. Beau Greely
David Copperfield
(DK B/ h,
117
lb) $30,000
Halo —Bannockburn , by
Count Brook
B—Jack Mandato,
KY.;
O—The Thoroughbred Corporation;
T—John A. Shirreffs
Decarchy
(B h,
119
lb) $18,000
Distant View —Toussaud , by
El Gran Senor
B—Juddmonte Farms Inc,
KY.;
O—Juddmonte Farms, Inc.;
T—Robert J. Frankel
Margins: 1, 1, 1. Others: Blue Steller (IRE) 117($9,000) , White Heart (GB) 115($3,000) , Seinne (CHI) 116 , Investor's Dream (BRZ) 114 , Zanapour (FR) 113 , Night Patrol 116 . Winning Jockey, Jose Valdivia, Jr..
After Grammarian beat the odds and won the July 21 Sunset Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park, owner/breeder Lindsey Williams, who races in the name Pacific Heritage Farm, began putting long-range plans in motion for the big, bay gelding to head down under for the Melbourne Cup (Aust-I). Things didn’t go as planned for Grammarian and his Australian-born owner during the summer of 2002, but a second-place finish in the Nov. 23 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT) and a length victory in the Dec. 29 San Gabriel Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita have visions of koala bears again dancing in Williams’ head.
“The longer term goal is the Melbourne Cup (at two miles on Nov. 4),” Williams said following the race. “Frankly we’re going to make sure it’s worthwhile making that trip, because it’s no good going down there to run in the middle of the pack. So we’re going to make sure he can run two miles and if his style is to run in front, it’s going to be a very, very hard mission.”
But before Grammarian packs his bags for Melbourne, trainer C. Beau Greely, who took over for trainer William Brumley in November, has other plans. The trainer said Grammarian would be pointed toward the April 20 San Juan Capistrano (gr. IT) at Santa Anita.
Williams purchased Leaping Water, the dam of Grammarian, at a sale in England from her breeder, Sheikh Mohammed, while she was carrying the San Gabriel winner.
For Williams, Leaping Water produced an additional three foals, with her 2000 King of Kings colt dying as a yearling. The two surviving foals, Way Out of Bounds (by Boundary) and Esher (by King of Kings) are still owned by Williams and reside at Elk Hill Farm, a division of Williams’ Pacific Heritage Farm. Way Out of Bounds will be consigned as a racing or broodmare prospect by Gainesway at the 2003 Keeneland January mixed sale and Esher will be kept and raced by Williams.
Leaping Water was sold privately to John Maginer’s Coolmore Stud following the 2001 Keeneland November mixed sale where she was consigned by Elk Hill, agent, in foal to Chester House. Leaping Water was later barren to Chester House and is kept at Coolmore.
Definite Article is the sire of Grammarian and four additional stakes winners, including 2002 stakes winners Vinnie Roe (Ire-I) and Soul of Magic (in Switzerland). Syndicated Definite Article stands at Morristown Lattin Stud in County Kildare, Ireland.—L.D.