Golden opportunities await...

Covering 79 Stakes-winning mares in his first two seasons in Australia including 17 G1 winners highlighted by Rinky Dink, Preserve, Belle Bizzare, My Tusker, Shamekha, Star Shiraz, Zacheline, Jessicabeel, Lady Jakeo and Merlene, anticipation is high to see his first crop of yearlings sell in 2013.

From his first crop which arrived in the spring of 2011, a exciting group of colts were born which includes; a half-brother to the G3-winning Exceed And Excel mare Believe’n’succeed, the third foal from the G2-winning Encosta de Lago mare Brom Felinity, as well as the first foal from the four-time Stakes winner Chinchilla Rose.

Other colts include a strapping colt out of Kylikwong - a G1 performed full-sister to Racehorse of the Year Typhoon Tracy, a colt from G1 Queensland Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Star Shiraz and a colt out of Razor Blade, making him a half-brother to Stakes winners Curtana (Exceed And Excel) and Sunburnt Land.

The filly crop are just as impressive with the likes of a bay or brown filly out of G1 Railway Stakes winner Belle Bizzare, a filly out of the Last Tycoon mare Chiara, making her a half-sister to three Stakes winners – Chinchilla Rose, Leone Chiara and Ferocity, while a filly out of the dual G2 winner Hosannah, already the dam of G2 juvenile winner Altar (Commands), is capable of being a stand out.

Other fillies from his first crop include; the first foal from the G2-winning Red Ransom mare Romneya, while also born on the same day was a filly from the G1-winning Canny Lad mare Preserve, a full-sister to Listed winner Rio Osa, and a half-sister to G1-winning Darley stallion Denman.

Another standout by the triple G1-winning son of El Prado is the third foal of the G1-winning Distorted Humor mare Rinky Dink, making this filly a half-sister to the very promising Stakes winner Galah.

With his first Australian-bred crop of yearlings set to sell in 2013, and arguably his best ever book to start to sell in the northern hemisphere in the coming weeks, the future for Medaglia d'Oro clearly shapes with some extremely exciting times. To view the pedigrees of many of his exceptional first southern hemisphere-bred crop of yearlings, please click here.

As yearlings from Medaglia d'Oro’s 2011 northern hemisphere-bred crop prepare to sell at the nation’s select sales – a group of yearlings we should remind you that was produced from what has been called the best book ever for a any stallion – it seems an appropriate time to put into perspective the accomplishments of this phenomenal racehorse as well as a young sire of the moment and of the future.

At the time he entered stud, Medaglia d’Oro’s sire, El Prado, was too young to have been either proven or disproven as a sire of sires, so Medaglia d’Oro had to once again prove himself, except this time is was in the breeding shed. Well, it didn’t take long for those early breeders to receive a payoff as his first crop started running early and with much success.

Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra carried the banner early for that 2006 crop when, in June of 2008, she broke her maiden at Churchill Downs and then took the G2 Golden Rod in the fall, the first of nine career Graded victories. A total of 15 other sons and daughters from that first crop went on to win added-money events, including other G1 winners C. S. Silk, Warrior’s Reward and Gabby’s Golden Gal. That total of 16 stakes winners in his first crop is unsurpassed by any other stallion’s first crop in North American Thoroughbred history. Furthermore, a look at the 2006, 2007 and 2008 crops of all stallions, Medaglia d’Oro is represented by more G1 performers than any other sire.

As the success of Medaglia d’Oro’s progeny reached new heights on the track in the northern hemisphere, so did the quality of mares being sent to him. By 2010, he received his greatest reward by having arguably the best-ever book of mares sent to him of any stallion in history. A total of 43 were G1-winning mares while another 20 were the dams of G1 winners. The names of these dams or their foals reads like a who’s who of Thoroughbred racing: Bernardini, Rachel Alexandra, Saint Liam, Tapit, Manistique, Proud Spell, Wait A While and Beautiful Pleasure to name a few.

Recent comments by John Ferguson provide a befitting overview of Medaglia d’Oro’s physical attributes and his growing influence in the sire ranks: “Bobby Frankel used to drag friends into his barn to admire Medaglia d’Oro: ‘A specimen!’ he called him, and that’s exactly what he is, an outstanding individual and arguably the best-looking horse standing at stud."

Ferguson continued, “From the outset, he produced a number of outstanding-looking yearlings who sold well and who – far more significantly – have performed at the highest level. Rachel Alexandra was a great flagship for him, since when he has proven conclusively that he can get top-quality racehorses who excel on all racing surfaces.”

Standing the forthcoming breeding season for a fee of $77,000 (inc. GST) at Kelvinside, Medaglia d’Oro is a proven racehorse, a proven sire of outstanding-looking progeny, and proven sire of runners. Excitement seems to follow him whether it’s watching his progeny on the track or watching the bid board at the major sales. If you too would like to be part of the success of this outstanding stallion, please contact one of the nominations team or click here to view Darley's 2012 online stallion brochure with all the up to date facts and figures, as well as many race replays of Medaglia d'Oro's high-class progeny.