Prominent Cape trainer Glen Kotzen has some very exciting two-year-olds to his name this season.
Among them, are some very well bred members of Drakenstein Stud’s exciting young sire Gold Standard, whose eagerly awaited first two-year-olds race this season.
Below are some of the Kotzen trained Gold Standard two-year-olds – and they look exciting prospects indeed!
Star Of Gold is a Gold Standard colt whose dam, Looking At Stars, is a daughter of dual Gr1 winner, and Equus Champion Lady Windermere. The latter was sired by Western Winter, whose numerous other high-class performers include Gold Standard’s graded stakes winning relatives Northern Heritage and Supreme Sunset.
Hold My Hand is a filly by Gold Standard out of the blue blooded Fly To The Moon. A daughter of Danehill’s high-class son Holy Roman Emperor, the stakes placed Fly To The Moon was herself produced by the Sadler’s Wells sired Gr1 Epsom Oaks runner up Royal Ballerina.
Federal Reserve is a Gold Standard gelding whose dam, Borneo Bell, produced Listed KZN Betting World Guineas Trial runner up Not Liable. A direct descendent of Miss Lindeman, Borneo Bell is from the same female line as millionaire Miss Katalin -who was sired by Gold Standard’s champion sire Trippi.
Gold Standard colt Anywhereawaywithyou is out of the smart, five time winning South Side. The latter, in turn, is a direct descendant of South Africa’s most famous broodmare, Drohsky.
One of the best three-year-olds of his year, Gold Standard showed his class when he won the Gr2 Selangor Cup (a race won previously by Drakenstein’s highly successful sire What A Winter). In landing the Selangor Cup of 2016, Gold Standard beat subsequent Equus Champion, and dual Gr1 winner, Edict Of Nantes into second place, with eventual Gr1 Cape Guineas winner William Longsword further back in running.
Gold Standard went on to confirm his class when finishing second in the Gr1 Cape Guineas (as did outstanding sire Dynasty in his year), beaten only by William Longsword. On that occasion, Gold Standard had Gr1 winners Edict Of Nantes, Heavenly Blue and Gunner struggling his wake, as well as such high-class graded stakes winners Table Bay, Africa Rising, Singapore Sling, Hack Green and Zodiac Ruler.
Gold Standard is the only son of Drakenstein’s champion sire Trippi at stud in South Africa.
South Africa’s Champion Sire of 2015-2016, Trippi is currently responsible for 84 stakes winners, nearly 170 stakes horses, and his progeny have already amassed over $62 million in stakes.
Trippi sired stars include dual Equus Champion, and G1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner, Jet Dark, five time Gr1 winner Inara, Gr1 South African Classic hero Lobo’s Legend, Gr1 Spinaway Stakes queen R Heat Lightning, and Gr1 Champions Challenge victor Deo Juvente.
The remarkable son of End Sweep also recently enjoyed a notable graded race double, when his exciting three-year-olds Amanzimtoti and Trip Of Fortune captured the Gr2 Western Cape Fillies Championship and Gr3 Cape Classic respectively on the same card.
Trippi’s influence continues to grow, with his top-class daughter Miss Macy Sue dam of both Liam’s Map and Not This Time -two of the most promising stallions currently at stud in North America.
Other notable performers produced by daughters of Trippi include Equus Champion Gabor, Gr1 winning two-year-old Miss Florida, and the very talented She’s A Keeper.
Gold Standard also hails from an exceptional female line. A half-brother to the very game Allez France Stakes winner Gottalottaluv, his dam Olympic Dam is a daughter of champions Model Man and Olympic Duel – who, between them, won 12 Gr1 races!
Original article by Sporting Post