At the 2004 Keeneland November sale, John Sikura purchased the stakes-placed Unbridled’s Song (USA) mare Diamond Necklace (USA) for $1,150,000.
Back in the same ring four years later, Diamond Necklace (USA), in foal to Giant’s Causeway (USA), made $1,300,0000 to the bid of BBA Ireland and Tyreel Stud.
Diamond Necklace (USA) was already a frequent flyer earning her black-type when third in a Listed event at Gowran Park for the Coolmore team. A half-sister to the champion racehorse and sire Shamardal (USA) and Group II winner Geoffrey Chaucer, Diamond Necklace (USA) failed to win in ten starts.
The daughter of Unbridled’s Song was about to embark on another worldwide adventure.
Her second foal Raskova (Henrythenavigator), was a 130,000gns purchase for Ric Wylie at the 2011 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
With Tyreel’s Stud’s Dean Fleming listed as the breeder, Raskova (USA) carried the colours of Valachi Downs supremo Kevin Hickman. We will get back to her.
Diamond Necklace (USA) landed in Australia in 2010 and departed in 2013.
She left one foal, More Than Diamonds (More Than Ready). A $240,000 Easter purchase for John O’Shea, More Than Diamonds won a Ballarat maiden in 12 starts.
After missing to Lonhro, Diamond Necklace was covered by Commands and consigned by Tyreel Stud to the 2013 Australian Easter Broodmare Sale.
Purchased by Solis Bloodstock for $540,000 on behalf of LNJ Foxwoods, Diamond Necklace was heading back home to Kentucky.
She hit paydirt with her Tapit filly Dogtag, who made a winning debut at two in a Listed race on turf at Saratoga. She added stakes races at three and four, but her value increased as a 5yo in 2021 without winning a race. She was runner-up in the Gr II John C. Mabee Stakes, Gr-II Yellow Ribbon H., Gr-II Royal Heroine Stakes and third in the Gr-1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita.
Back to Raskova (USA). Trained in England by William Jarvis, she ran 19 times for two wins, four seconds and four thirds, earning black-type when second in a Listed race at York.
Raskova (USA) arrived in New Zealand carrying a colt by Dansili, which tragically died.
Her first live foal, Zhukovsky (So You Think), is a 9-start maiden, and her second, a colt by American Pharoah (USA), has not been named.
The third foal, a colt by Pierro, was a $160,000 purchase for Kaha / Chris Waller Racing from the Valachi Downs draft at the NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.
Named Osipenko, the son of Pierro made a stunning career debut at two when defeating his better-fancied stablemate Madame Pommery by nearly four lengths over 1300m at Rosehill.
Two weeks later, he ran the subsequent Group III Up And Coming Stakes winner Kibou (Maurice) to less than a length over 1400m at Randwick.
Off the scene for 13 weeks, Osipenko makes his 3yo bow in Saturday’s $300,000 Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m).
It’s a big ask to take on some race-fit campaigners, but there is little doubt the stable holds him in high regard, with nominations to the Golden Rose, Cox Plate and Caulfield Guineas.
With the dispersal of Valachi Downs, Raskova (USA) sold on Gavelhouse.com for NZ$92,500. She had a December service to Darci Brahma.
