Kimari winning the 2021 G1 Madison Stakes
For the second time in seven days a graduate of China Horse Club’s international breeding programme made a statement. Kimari, newly owned by Coolmore, appears on track to defend her title in next month’s USD300,000 G1 Madison Stakes after a facile seasonal return at Gulfstream Park yesterday.
Kimari’s effortless victory followed the nail-biting photo finish second of Australian bred graduate Revolutionary Miss who narrowly missed from adding the AUD1.5 million G1 Blue Diamond Stakes last weekend to her G2 Blue Diamond Stakes Prelude score.
The five-year-old looked every bit of her USD2.7 million purchase price when saluting by 5.25 lengths and ensuring she is a winner for a fourth successive season of racing. The result was her seventh win from only 12 starts and raised her earnings north of USD800,000.
Kimari has raised the bar in each of her seasons of racing under trainer Wesley Ward. As a juvenile she flew the USA flag at Royal Ascot and was exceptionally game when second in the G2 Queen Mark Stakes. She returned to the royal meeting a year later in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, the summer sprint championship for three-year-olds, and was again second. At four she pivoted back to the dirt to add her moniker to the honour roll of the G1 Madison Stakes.
“Kimari is an elite mare. She has performed at the highest level on dirt and on turf and it is fantastic to see her return so well for her new owners Coolmore,” said Fabricio Buffolo, China Horse Club’s representative for America, LATAM and the Caribbean.
“Kimari’s credentials reflect on the undoubted capabilities of Cozze Up Lady as a broodmare. As a proven G1 producer, Cozze Up Lady is a very important mare in our US operation. She is due to foal down to Tiz The Law any day now so the timing of Kimari’s return is very apt. It is an exciting period right now.”
Cozze Up Lady was secured at the 2014 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale alongside Last Full Measure, the subsequent dam of G1 winner Valiance who realized USD3 million when reoffered for sale at the 2021 Fasig Tipton November Sale.
Cozze Up Lady, Last Full Measure, G1 Alabama Stakes winner Embellish The Lace and multiple G1 winner Iotapa form the cornerstone of China Horse Club’s American breeding division with their progeny regularly among the most sought after at major sales annually. Last year Embellish The Lace’s Into Mischief filly was the second highest price filly to sell at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale when secured by Spendthrift Farm for USD1.25 million.
“Graduates of our American breeding programme have made a significant and immediate mark in the market place and I have no doubt Cozze Up Lady can make further contributions yet,” Buffolo added.
“The Constitution colt out of Cozze Up Lady is a lovely colt. He is a very well-made individual who has good substance and length, there is a lot to like about him. We expect he will be a popular yearling when he goes to market later this year as will other graduates from our programme.
“Based on the stock we have on the ground right now and the stock sold in 2021, there is every reason to be bullish that the list of G1 winning graduates will grow further over the coming seasons.”
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