Sistercharlie(foaled 13 March 2014) is a champion Irish-bredThoroughbredracehorse who won the 2018Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turfand was the 2018Champion Female Turf Horse.She also won thePrix Penelope,Jenny Wiley Stakes,Diana Stakestwice, andBeverly D. Stakestwice.
| Sistercharlie | |
|---|---|
 Sistercharlie at the 2018 Breeders' Cup | |
| Sire | Myboycharlie |
| Grandsire | Danetime |
| Dam | Starlet's Sister |
| Damsire | Galileo |
| Sex | Filly |
| Foaled | 13 March 2014[1] |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Ecurie des Monceaux |
| Owner | White Birch Farm & Mme J Cygler Peter M. Brant |
| Trainer | Henri-Alex Pantall Chad C. Brown |
| Record | 13: 9-3-0 |
| Earnings | US$3,207,003[2] £1,930,296 |
| Major wins | |
| Prix Durban(2017) Prix Penelope(2017) Jenny Wiley Stakes(2018) Diana Stakes(2018, 2019) Beverly D. Stakes(2018, 2019) Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf(2018) | |
| Awards | |
| American Champion Turf Female(2018) | |
Background
editSistercharlie is a bay mare with a whiteblazeand a long whitesockon her left hind leg bred in Ireland by the French-based Ecurie des Monceaux. In October theyearlingfilly was put up for auction in the Aqrana sale at Deauville and was bought for €12,000 by the bloodstock agency NATAF Paul.[3]She subsequently entered the ownership of White Birch Farm & Mme J Cygler and was sent into training in France with Henri-Alex Pantall.
She was sired by Myboycharlie who won theAnglesey Stakesand thePrix Mornyas a two-year-old in 2007. His other foal have included theGroup 1winning mares Euro Charline (Beverly D. Stakes) and Jameka (Caulfield Cup).[4]Her dam, Starlet's Sister, showed little racing ability, failing to win in three starts in France.[5]She was a great-granddaughter of Alea who producedNoalcoholicand was the female-line ancestor of thePreakness StakeswinnerRed Bullet.[6]
Racing career
edit2016: two-year-old season
editSistercharlie began her racing career in amaiden raceover 1900 metres on thepolytracksurface on 17 December in which he started at odds of5.1/1in a twelve-runner field. Ridden byPierre-Charles Boudotshe won by a short head from Tres Belle, with the pair finishing fourlengthsclear of the rest.[7]
2017: three-year-old season
editOn her three-year-old debut Sistercharlie finished fourth behind Music Lover over 2000 metres onheavyturf in theListedPrix de Rose de Mai atSaint-Cloud Racecourseon 11 March. On 2 April, over 2100 metres on better ground at the same track she started at odds of 5/1 for the Listed Prix Durban in which she was ridden byMaxime Guyonand won by three quarters of a length from Palombe.[8]Three weeks later, over the same course and distance, the filly was stepped up in class for theGroup 3Prix Penelope. With Guyon again the saddle she was made the 4.5/1 third choice in the betting behind Rhythmique and Palombe in a seven-runner field which also included Music Lover. After being retrained towards the rear she produced a sustained run in the straight, took the lead 70 metres from the finish and won by a length from theFreddy Head-trained Listen In.[9]
On 18 June atChantilly RacecourseSistercharlie was stepped up to Group 1 class for thePrix de Dianeover 2100 metres and started at odds of 12.1/1 in a sixteen-runner field. Ridden by Boudot she was repeatedly blocked as she attempted to make progress in the straight but finished strongly to take second place, a length behind the winnerSenga.Shortly after the race Sistercharlie was bought privately by Peter Brant and transferred to the stable ofChad Brownin the United States. On her debut for her new connections she ran in theBelmont OaksaGrade Irace over ten furlongs atBelmont Parkin July. Ridden byJohn Velasquezshe started the 7/4 favourite but was beaten a neck into second by theBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfwinnerNew Money Honey.
After her run at Belmont the filly picked up a serious lung infection which kept her of the track for the rest of the year.[10]
2018: four-year-old season
editSistercharlie was ridden by Velasquez in all of her 2018 races. She began her third campaign in the Grade I Jenny Wiley Stakes over8+1⁄2furlongs atKeeneland Racecourseon 14 April and was made the 3.4/1 second choice in the betting behind the Argentinian mare Donna Bruja. The other nine runners included Off Limits (Matriarch Stakes), La Coronel (Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes) and Cambodia (Yellow Ribbon Handicap). After racing in mid-division, Sistercharlie took the lead a furlong out and drew away to win by two and a quarter lengths from her six-year-old stablemate Fourstar Crook.[11]Velasquez said "She sat really well. By the three-eighths pole, I knew I was in a good position—just looking for where I was going to shoot through. I got through... and had the best horse".[10]
AtBelmont Parkon 8 June Sistercharlie started odds-on favourite for theNew York Stakesbut was beaten a head by Fourstar Crook, to whom she was conceding two pounds in weight. The Diana Stakes over nine furlongs atSaratoga Race Courseon 21 July start favourite ahead of six opponents including New Money Honey, A Raving Beauty (Just A Game Stakes), Proctor's Ledge (Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes). Sistercharlie raced in fifth place before making a strong late challenge on the outside and took the lead in the final stride to win by a nose from the outsider Ultra Brat.[12]Chad Brown commented "This isn't her ideal distance, nor was the mile and a sixteenth in the Jenny Wiley. But just with sheer class, heart, and ability, she can do it".[13]
On 11 August, in the Beverly D Stakes over9+1⁄2furlongs atArlington Park,the filly started 1.6/1 favourite ahead of eight opponents including Fourstar Crook, Donna Bruja, Daddys Lil Darling (American Oaks) and the Irish filly Athena (Belmont Oaks). Sistercharlie was restrained towards the rear before producing her customary late run on the outside, taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by half a length from Fourstar Crook.[14]After the race Velasquez said "She's a really good horse, but she has some quirks. She can run, though" while Brow commented "She's the type of mare any trainer would love to have".[15]
On 3 November Sistercharlie contested the 20th running of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf over eleven furlongs atChurchill Downsand started at odds of 5/1 in a fourteen-runner field. The British-trainedWild Illusionstarted favourite while the other European challengers were Princess Yaiza (Prix de Royallieu) Athena, Magic Wand (Ribblesdale Stakes) and Eziyra (Blandford Stakes). The only other American contenders seriously considered in the betting were Fourstar Crook and A Raving Beauty. After racing in mid-division as A Raving Beauty set the pace, Sistercharlie moved upon the outside approaching the final turn before launching her challenge in the straight. She overtook Wild Illusion and A Raving Beauty in the last hundred yards to win by a neck and three quarters of a length.[16]After the race Brown said "She's all class, this horse, and she knows where the wire is. She showed her heart there in the last stages". Peter Brant said "This mare has had so much bad luck and she's overcome it... she's just overcome everything and she's very special, very special to me and very special to my family and I'm sure very special to Chad".[17]
Pedigree
edit| Sire Myboycharlie(IRE) 2005 |
Danetime 1994 |
Danehill(USA) | Danzig |
|---|---|---|---|
| Razyana | |||
| Allegheny River (USA) | Lear Fan | ||
| Allesheny (IRE) | |||
| Dulceata 1988 |
Rousillon(USA) | Riverman | |
| Belle Dorine | |||
| Snowtop | Thatching | ||
| Icing | |||
| Dam Starlet's Sister (IRE) 2009 |
Galileo 1998 |
Sadler's Wells(USA) | Northern Dancer(CAN) |
| Fairy Bridge | |||
| Urban Sea(USA) | Miswaki | ||
| Allegretta (GB) | |||
| Premiere Creation (FR) 1997 |
Green Tune(USA) | Green Dancer | |
| Soundings | |||
| Allwaki (USA) | Miswaki | ||
| Alloy (FR) (Family: 16-h)[6] |
- Through her dam, Sistercharlie wasinbred4 × 4 to Miswaki, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of her pedigree.
References
edit- ^ab"Sistercharlie pedigree".Equineline.
- ^"Sistercharlie Profile".Equibase.Retrieved10 August2019.
- ^"Arqana Deauville October Yearlings 2015 – Catalogue".Racing Post.
- ^"Myboycharlie – Progeny".Racing Post.
- ^"Starlet's Sister – Race Record & Form".Racing Post.
- ^ab"Lily Agnes – Family 16-h".Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
- ^"Prix de la Gagnerie result".Racing Post. 17 December 2016.
- ^"Prix Durban result".Racing Post. 2 April 2017.
- ^"Prix Penelope result".Racing Post. 23 April 2017.
- ^abCrosby, Claire (14 April 2018)."Sistercharlie Fresh Off Bench in Jenny Wiley".The Blood-Horse.
- ^"Jenny Wiley Stakes result".Racing Post. 14 April 2018.
- ^"Diana Stakes result".Racing Post. 21 July 2018.
- ^Ehalt, Bob (21 July 2018)."Sistercharlie All Class in Narrow Diana Score".The Blood-Horse.
- ^"Beverly D Stakes result".Racing Post. 11 August 2018.
- ^Balan, Jeremy (11 August 2018)."Sistercharlie Gives Brown Fourth Straight Beverly D."The Blood-Horse.
- ^"Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf result".Racing Post. 3 November 2018.
- ^"Sistercharlie Takes Filly & Mare Turf, Giving Brant First Breeders' Cup Victory In 30 Years".Paulick Report.