The China Horse Club’s U.S. based breeding interests took a significant step forward when G1 winning mare Last Full Measure foaled a stunning filly earlier this month. The filly is the first foal for the China Horse Club in the United States but it won’t be the last with a plethora of crack mares retired to stud in recent months and covered by quality stallions already this year.
War Front x Last Full Measure Filly enjoying the sunshine in Kentucky
Champion dirt mare Iotapa was covered by champion sire War Front, Last Full Measure was covered by champion sire Tapit, G3 winner and multiple G2 placegetter Cozze Up Lady was covered by Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver while the stakes placed Tabreed was mated with proven sire More Than Ready.
Iotapa
“It is an exciting transition for these mares and is the evolution of the China Horse Club in the United States. The club now has breeding interests in Ireland, Australia and the United States ensuring we have a commercial involvement in some of the biggest breeding markets in the world,” said Eden Harrington, General Manager of the China Horse Club.
“The first foal of Last Full Measure is a gorgeous filly by a world class sire in War Front. The club couldn’t be happier with the reports on her. Last Full Measure was picked up at Keeneland last year with a view to her being part of the cornerstone of our breeding interests in the United States. Last Full Measure was a gifted racehorse who won at the highest level and this first foal will go a long way to recouping her purchase. War Front is a champion stallion and the marketplace holds him in the highest esteem.”
The demand for War Front was demonstrated in no uncertain terms with a two-year-old colt by the sire topped Tattersalls’ Craven Breeze Up Sale in Great Britain earlier this month. The colt attracted some of the world’s biggest stables before being knocked down for 850,000 Guineas (RMB 8.4 million).
War Front was selected as the first match for Iotapa, a striking mare that won two G1 races in the United States last year including the Vanity Stakes by a widening 10 and a quarter lengths. Iotapa was among the best of her generation and, in partnership with Last Full Measure, provides the CHC with a robust base for its breeding interest in the world’s biggest thoroughbred marketplace. In all the CHC has four mares currently in foal – three stakes winners and one stakes placegetter. In time this band will be further strengthened by the addition of current US based race mare Crisolles (G2 placegetter in France) and possibly by some of the stakes winning mares currently racing in Singapore.
The quality of this emerging broodmare band will support the CHC’s stallion interests in the region. Currently the CHC has a stake in the G1 winner Daredevil however stallion involvement in this region may increase further in the coming seasons.