The Aug. 8 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar presents another sizable opportunity to Sir Prancealot , the European stallion who has become something of a surprise hit in the United States.
Known in Britain for a one-season campaign with the Richard Hannon stable that concluded by clinching the Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes (G2) at Doncaster, he spent his first five seasons at Tally Ho in Ireland and has produced eight stakes winners worldwide. One came this week at Naas when juvenile Miss Amulet, from his final Tally Ho crop, beat hot favorite Frenetic in the listed Marwell Stakes.
Sir Prancealot moved to Cornerstone Stud near Adelaide in South Australia in 2017 before a few of his European exports began a quiet revolution in America.
It started two years ago with a couple of turf mares who spent far more time on the track than he ever did. Beau Recall, who is the defending champion in the Yellow Ribbon, picked up the Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita, and Madam Dancealot, who took the Dick Poole Stakes at Salisbury for Joe Tuite, broke through in the San Clemente Handicap (G2T).
His progeny make up three of the eight-runner field for the extended mile handicap. Brad Cox reports Beau Recall to be in decent form while she is up against Lady Prancealot, who gave her sire his first top-level score in the American Oaks (G1T) at Santa Anita in late December. The consistent Tonahutu completes the trio for Doug O'Neill.
Farther up the Californian coast from Del Mar, any further developments will be greeted eagerly. Sir Prancealot has just finished his first season shuttling at Tom and Nancy Clark's Rancho San Miguel after a deal was made with Checkmate Thoroughbreds and Cornerstone. He is scheduled to return there in 2021.
"I know it's August and a little way from the breeding season, but to keep him in the breeders' minds, it would be great to have some luck there," Rancho San Miguel general manager Dennis Yokum said. "Our breeding season starts in February, like in Europe, and on opening day at Santa Anita last December he had a grade 1 winner, so that kind of promotion certainly helps you. It gives you something to talk about that first month you're booking mares. We couldn't have drawn it up any better than that."
Breeders did take notice, and Yokum added that the 10-year-old was a model professional.
"He was a really good boy and was well received here," he said. "He bred 105 mares, and at the last check we had 96 of them in foal, so he was doing a good job. He's got a nice disposition, he's good to be around, and he carries himself well. He acts like a class horse as well. He ate and drank all the way when he shipped here and arrived in tip-top shape. He's traveled the globe—been more places than I have."
Sir Prancealot, at $15,000, is by some way the most expensive stallion on the roster at Rancho San Miguel, which has been developed by the Clark family since the turn of the century and sits not far from the timeless holidaymakers' road through Big Sur and Morro Bay.
"We've got some nice horses," Yokum said. "We've got a young stallion called Danzing Candy —his oldest crop will be runners next year. He's been well received, and he has a good-looking group of yearlings. Curlin to Mischief, too—he's a son of Curlin and Leslie's Lady, who is the dam of Into Mischief , Beholder, and Mendelssohn ."
With favorites in Britain, including Sir Dancealot and Sir Busker, plus his first Southern Hemisphere progeny preparing to run, the farm is looking forward to welcoming back its knight in shining armor.
"He's had quite a bit of success with the small group of horses that have come over here, and we'll be excited to see him again," Yokum said. "We just need somebody to win a grade 1 on opening day again. We're spoiled now. We think this is just something that happens!"
