Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I)
(gr. I , 6f ,)
DANCING IN SILKS
(B g,
126
lb) $1,080,000
Black Minnaloushe —Lemhi Love , by
Royal and Regal
B—Ronald E. Jex,
CA.;
O—Ken Kinakin;
T—Carla Gaines
Crown of Thorns
(B h,
126
lb) $360,000
Repent —Crowning Touch , by
Thunder Gulch
B—Cloverleaf Farms II, Inc.,
FL.;
O—Spendthrift Farm LLC;
T—Richard E. Mandella
Cost of Freedom
(DK B/ g,
126
lb) $198,000
Cee's Tizzy —Freedom Dance , by
Moscow Ballet
B—Harris Farms,
CA.;
O—Barber, Gary and Cecil;
T—John W. Sadler
Margins: nose, head, nose. Others: Gayego 126($120,000) , Zensational 124($60,000) , Fatal Bullet 126 , Fleeting Spirit (IRE) 123 , Capt. Candyman Can 124 , Join in the Dance 124 . Winning Jockey, Joel Rosario.
Sometimes a year can make a big difference for a racehorse. Take Ken KinakinÕs 4-year-old gelding Dancing in Silks. Last year the son of Black Minnaloushe finished second in the listed $100,000 Damascus Stakes on the BreedersÕ Cup undercard at Oak Tree. Fast forward a year later, and here he is taking on North AmericaÕs top sprinters and one of EuropeÕs best in the Sentient Jet BreedersÕ Cup Sprint (gr. I) at the same trackÉand winning.
Dancing in Silks, who won the six-furlong Sprint in 1:08.14, received much of the necessary firepower in the way of speed in his BreedersÕ Cup quest from Black Minnaloushe. By leading sire Storm Cat, Black Minnaloushe was an Irish champion miler/classic winner and an English group I-winning miler. He also was an unbeaten Irish stakes winner at six furlongs at 2.
Bred in Kentucky by John R. Gaines Thoroughbreds and William Condren, Black Minnaloushe first raced for Susan Magnier, wife of Coolmore Stud managing partner John Magnier, and then for her in partnership with Coolmore associate Michael Tabor.
As a 2-year-old in 2000, Black Minnaloushe won the Aga Khan Studs Blenheim Stakes. At 3 he captured the classic Entenmanns Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) and the St. JamesÕs Palace Stakes (Eng-I). In the Dubai Poule dÕEssai des Poulains (the French Two Thousand Guineas, Fr-I), he was beaten two lengths while finishing sixth. In another mile race, the Champagne Lanson Sussex Stakes (Eng-I), he ran third. Black MinnalousheÕs career ended with an unplaced effort in that yearÕs BreedersÕ Cup Classic (gr. I) at 11Ú4 miles at Belmont Park.
Black Minnaloushe retired with four wins and two placings from 11 starts and earnings of $490,945. He entered stud in 2001 at CoolmoreÕs North American satellite, Ashford Stud, near Versailles, Ky.
Black Minnaloushe shuttled for several years between Ashford and Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand. He has stood the last several years at the JacobsÕ familyÕs Maine Chance Farms in South Africa.
As a stallion, Black Minnaloushe has achieved success in both North America and in New Zealand. His New Zealand stakes winners include Jokers Wild, a champion at 2 and 3, and group III winner Jazzella.
Another of Black MinnalousheÕs New Zealand-breds, Black Mamba, has done her best racing in the United States. She has won this yearÕs Beverly Hills Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park for the second consecutive year and two listed stakes. Last year her big win came in the John C. Mabee Handicap (gr. IT) at Del Mar.
Black MinnalousheÕs North American stakes winners this year also include Black Astor, winner of the Sunset Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood, and undefeated major Canadian stakes-winning 2-year-old Hollinger. An earlier stakes winner, Stream Cat, was a graded winner at four different tracks.
Dancing in Silks, who was bred in California by Ronald E. Jex, was purchased by Kinakin and Rancho Del Sol for $21,401 at the 2006 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (British Columbia Division) September mixed sale from Brian Leight, agent for Orange Blossom Farm. A year earlier Dancing in Silks had been bought as a weanling for $20,000 by Ralph E. Bodine from Brookdale Sales, agent, at the 2005 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Dancing in Silks comes from a female family noted for winning. His dam, the stakes-winning Royal and Regal mare Lemhi Love, won 17 races, including nine stakes, and produced 13 winners from 14 offspring. Dancing in Silks is the only one of her foals bred by Jex. The others were bred by Ray Stark alone or in partnership or in the name of his trust. Jex managed StarkÕs Thoroughbred operation and the horses belonging to StarkÕs family.
Lemhi Love also is the dam of two-time stakes winner Gins Majesty and stakes-placed Love At Noon. Another of her offspring, Pam J, is the dam of stakes winners Officer Nasty and Tahoe Affair.
Dancing in Silks is Lemhi LoveÕs last offspring. Jex boards the pensioned mare at a California farm.
Dancing in SilksÕ second dam, Exciting Devorcee (by Candy Spots), also excelled as a broodmare. She produced a dozen winners from 13 offspring. In addition to Lehmi Love, Exciting Devorcee is the dam of grade II winner Rocky Marriage and multiple stakes winner The Red Rolls. Exciting Devorcee is a full sister to grade II winner Belle Marie, dam of Aaron U. JonesÕ 1982 champion older male Lemhi Gold. By David Schmitz
