Grade 1 Success in the US for Australian-Bred Daughter of Animal Kingdom

Mark Smith - Sunday June 21

After leaving Australia as a maiden after three starts, the 6yo mare Oleksandra is now a Grade 1 winner in America after staging a last to first performance in the $250,000 Jaipur Stakes on the turf at Belmont on Saturday.

The former Bjorn Baker-trained daughter of Animal Kingdom (USA) placed in all three starts, at Hawkesbury, Randwick and Newcastle before her owner/breeder Team Valor sent her to Neil Drysdale in California.

Last season she staked a claim as one of the best females on turf with wins in the  Grade III Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland and the Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga.

The lone female facing seven male rivals in the Jaipur Stakes, Oleksandra came from the tail of the field under Joel Rosario to defeat Kanthaka, a son of the former Spendthrift shuttler Jimmy Creed (USA), by a neck with Texas Wedge (Colonel John) one and a quarter length back in third.

It advances her record to an impressive 7 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $537,353

"She put up a great performance and did well in the end," Rosario told Blood-Horse. "She's an amazing horse."

The Jaipur Stakes is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and Oleksandra earned a paid, automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on November 7.Animal Kingdom (Mark Smith)

A half-sister to two winners including the stakes-placed Hostwin Galaxy (Redoute’s Choice), Oleksandra is out of the top-class South African mare Alexandra Rose (Caesour) who won the Group II Greyville Golden Slipper and the Grade III Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita and was runner-up in the Group 1 Cape Fillies Guineas at Kenilworth.

Oleksandra carries the silks of her 2011 Kentucky Derby and 2013 Dubai World Cup winning sire Animal Kingdom (USA) who shuttled to Arrowfield Stud for five seasons and is now at stud in Japan.

His final Australian crop are yearlings and include at full-brother to Oleksandra who was catalogued for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale but was withdrawn. He has already been named Prince Alexander.

Oleksandra becomes the second winner at the highest level for Animal Kingdom after the ATC Australian Derby hero Angel Of Truth.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Derby Dreaming, Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with a Group I winner coming down from Sydney that has a picket fence next to his name and plenty of locals to take him on, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
Flightline and Cogburn Shares Highlight Inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale
Stallion shares in Horse of the Year and exciting young sire Flightline and also Widden Stud's new shuttle prospect Cogburn changed hands at the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale.
Golden Eagle – Let’s Try and Find the Winner
The $10million ATC Golden Eagle (1500m) is a race that has gone from strength to strength since being first run in 2019, so we’ve taken a look at what’s happened so far in our quest to narrow the 20 strong field in search of this year’s winner.
More Aussie Purchases at Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale Day 3
Strong trade continued on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale headed by the two-year-old LA BELLOTA at 425,000 guineas with eight lots realising 200,000 guineas or more and a clearance rate above 90%.
One to Watch – Wyong
There would not be a better bred mare racing anywhere in Australia on Thursday than this one and she scored at Wyong with ears pricked.
Invincible Spirit Retired at Age 27
The Irish National Stud has announced the retirement of Invincible Spirit, the sire of 22 individual Group I winners worldwide, including leading European sire Kingman, and also in Australia he has had a profound influence as the sire of our reigning champion sire I Am Invincible.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 31
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Strong Trade Continues at Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
Strong trade continued on the fourth day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale with an interesting horse set to join the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald stable as turnover has already soared to be the second highest in the sale’s history with the fifth and final session still to come. 
Kia Ora-bred graduates make an impression in Hong Kong
Kia Ora Stud had reason to celebrate on Thursday 31 October after waking up to news of two graduates’ success in Hong Kong overnight.
Best On Breeding
Just three stallions, Zoustar, Exceed And Excel, and I Am Invincible, have sired the last six winners of the Coolmore Stud Stakes.