by Jay Leimbach ©

The month of June saw more heroics from outcross sirelines (non-Phalaris line). Tiznow (Cee's Tizzy), Captain Steve (Time For A Change), Albert The Great (Go For Gin), and Include (Broad Brush) now top the handicap ranks in America. This is particularly remarkable inasmuch as nearly 90% of the top sires are now Phalaris line, although it might be argued that their unfashionable bloodlines are precisely why these four-year-olds are still racing rather than standing at stud.

In addition to the above outcross foursome, the month of June saw Forbidden Apple (Pleasant Colony) win the Grade One Manhattan Handicap on the turf, seven-year-old Say Florida Sandy (Personal Flag) win the Grade Two True North Handicap in 1:08 3/5, and Put It Back (Honour and Glory) win the Grade Two Riva Ridge Handicap--all at Belmont Park. Personal Flag is from the Damascus line. At Bay Meadows, Sir Alfred (St. Jovite) won the Grade Three Ascot Handicap on the turf, while Winston (Cee's Tizzy) won the $100,000 California Sire Stake at Hollywood.

The big winners, however, were Phalaris line Point Given (Thunder Gulch) in the classic Belmont Stakes, and Galileo (Sadler's Wells) in the Epsom Derby. Point Given is inbred 4x4 to Raise A Native, while Galileo is 4x5 to Native Dancer. Galileo followed with a win in the Irish Derby, and these two appear to be the class of the three-year-old crop for 2001. Galileo's second dam, Allegretta (GB), is also the second dam of this year's French Derby winner Anaaba Blue (GB) by Danzig.

In the English Oaks, Imagine (Ire), Flight of Fancy (GB), and Relish The Thought (Ire) ran 1-2-3 for their redoubtable sire, Sadler's Wells. The filly Aquareliste (Danehill) won the Grade One Prix de Diane at Chantilly, France. She is inbred 3x4 to Northern Dancer, and linebred 4x4x5 to Natalma--the dam of Northern Dancer. Banks Hill, another filly by Danehill, won the Grade One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. She is 3x5 to Northern Dancer, while Skimming (Nureyev), who is remarkably inbred 2x3 to Northern Dancer, won the Grade Two Californian at Hollywood.

The Turn-to line keeps on ticking, primarily through the male lines of Halo and Roberto. Mutafaweq, a grandson of Roberto by Silver Hawk, won the Grade One Coronation Cup at Epsom, while Royal Rebel (GB), a grandson of Roberto by Robellino, won the Grade One Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. Pulau Tioman (GB), also by Robellino, won the Grade Three Diomed Stakes at Epsom. Even more remarkably, the Roberto line ran 1-2-3 in the Grade One Hempstead Handicap for mares at Belmont. Critical Eye (Dynaformer), Jostle (Brocco), and Apple of Kent (Kris S.) took home the money. (Note that Brocco is a son of Kris S.) This race was on the dirt rather than the turf that Roberto's descendants often fancy.

The mare Astra (Theatrical) won the Grade One Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood. She is notably linebred 4x5x4 to Hail to Reason, although she has Northern Dancer on the top line. Hap, another four-year-old by Theatrical, captured the $200,000 New Hampshire Sweepstakes.

The venerable Nasrullah line refuses to go away. Fantastic Light (Rahy) won the Grade One Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot to raise his career earnings to over five million dollars. Express Tour (Tour d'Or) and Hoovergetthekeys (Mt. Livermore) lead the way for their respective Nasrullah-line sires. On July 1st, Aptitude (A.P.Indy) won the million dollar Hollywood Gold Cup when Futural was disqualified. Aptitude was second in last year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

The Mr. Prospector line was certainly not idle, with Storming Home (Machiavellian) winning the Grade Two King Edward VII at Royal Ascot. His second dam is also by Mr. Prospector, making Storming Home inbred 2x3 to Mr. Prospector. And the Cinderella filly from Louisiana, Hallowed Dreams, captured the Miller Lite Stakes at Lone Star Park-- her 23rd win in 24 starts and 16th stakes win. Hallowed Dreams is a granddaughter of Mr. Prospector by Malagra and inbred 4x4 to Raise A Native. At Churchill Downs, Guided Tour (Hansel) upset Captain Steve in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G2).