Broodmare Focus: The Fugue

The Fugue has been a mare of consistency and proved to be a top class mare winning four Group 1 races. One of her best wins was in the Irish Champion Stakes in 2013, where she beat top middle distance performer Al Kazeem and that years Irish Derby winner Trading Leather. Her other wins included the Group 1 Prince Of Wales Stakes beating dual Group 1 winner Magician & Prix De Arc De Triomphe winner Treve. Her other top flight wins were in the Naussau stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks. 

The Fugue is owned and bred by Watership Down Stud, also breeders of another multiple Group 1 winning mare in Dar Re Mi. The Fugue is the first top flight winner for her dam. She is a half siater to minor winner Susan Stroman, while her full brother Ducab was also a minor winner. They are out of Group 2 placed Twyla Tharp, who has an unraced 2yo colt by Shamardal named China Club & a yearling filly by Oasis Dream.

Twyla Tharp is a 1/2 sister to two individual Group 1 winners. They are QEII winner Summoner also a winner at Group level & Coral Eclipse winner Common Admiral, who was a European champion 3yo. This is also the family of multiple Group winners Arvada & Ardagio. 

The Fugue is an interesting mare to retire to the paddocks. She has to be considered an exceptional broodmare prospect with her record and pedigree. Her sire Dansili is the broodmare sire of two Group 1 winners in Irish Oaks winner Chicquitta (Montjeu) & Middle Park Stakes winner Astaire (Intense Focus). Daughters of Dansili have also produced Stakes Winners with Walk In The Park (son of Montjeu), High Chaparral, Zafeen, Intikhab, Selkirk & Nayef. 

I'm not a close fan of too near inbreeding so I wouldn't be quick to choose an obvious sire like Galileo as he is by The Fugue's dam sire in Sadlers Wells. One sire in particular that strikes out for me is Giants Causeway. A top class racehorse himself & has proved himself to be a top class Gr1 sire. He is the grand sire of Astaire while his son Shamardal is the sire of The Fugue's 1/2 brother China Club. I do question weather connections would send The Fugue to the states when there is plenty of other sires to choose from here in Europe. Proven Group 1 sires like Oasis Dream, Invincible Spirit & Dubawi, who is a fascinating outcross. While there is also proven young sires like New Approach & the top class Sea The Stars, my guess is that they will choose a much more proven sire for The Fugue's first mating. 

(The Fugue winning the Naussau Stakes)