by Miodrag Milovanovic©

One of the this years greatest upsets in French Group 1 races happened in Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) (2400m, turf) when four-year-od chestnut colt Mirio (FR) 1997 (Priolo - Mira Monte, by Baillamont) displayed great burst of speed near the rail and humiliated favoured duo Egyptband (by Dixieland Band) and Perfect Sunday (by Quest For Fame).

Although he was foaled in France and sired by a British-bred mare, the pedigree of this nice chestnut is basically American. Mirio's sire, bay Priolo 1987 (USA), was joint champion European older miler, champion French three-year-old miler, rated above such horses as Linamix and Machiavellian, and champion French four-year-old miler. He was a horse with a slow start and fantastic finish, so his results frequently depended on the pace of the race and crowd problems. Nevertheless, he managed to win six races from two to four years, including Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville, 8f, beating Linamix, Prix Jean Prat (G1) at Longchamp, 9f, beating Polar Falcon, Prix du Moulin (G1) at Longchamp, 8f, beating Mukaddamah and Lycius, etc. Also, he displayed good performances in two consequent Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) races, third to Royal Academy, and fifth to Opening Verse. His Timeform Ratings were 127 at 3, and 126 at 4. He acted on any ground and stayed up to 10 furlongs, but he was clearly best at a mile.

Priolo was by wide margin the best European flag carrier for for his sire Sovereign Dancer. Sovereign Dancer was a race horse of little merit (a second place in the minor Group 3 event Grand Prix de Vichy was his only stakes credit), but a decent stallion. In a long stud career, he managed to sire two winners of the Preakness Stakes (Gate Dancer and Louis Quatorze), superb turf performer Itsallgreektome (G1), and Gr.2 winner Leo Castelli (so good as a stallion abroad that he was maybe the first horse who was brought back from to Russian exile to the States).

Priolo's dam, Primevere, won at two and three years, and her best result was third place in the Listed Prix Finlande. She was dam of four winners, including Prevail, who was third in Prix des Reservoirs (G3). Priolo's granddam, Spring Is Sprung, was own sister to Flitalong - American H. (G2), and Long Island Handicap (G3).

Priolo is a heavily inbred horse, being 2x3 to full sisters Pleasant Flight and Bold Princess (Bold Ruler-Grey Flight). Pleasant Flight/Bold Princess are themselves 2x3 to close relatives Mumtaz Mahal/Mahmoud, and their granddam Planetiod is 2x3 to Sweep. Also, Priolo's second dam is by Herbarger (his dam 2x2 to Firdaussi). One more Mahmoud in Priolo comes through Northern Dancer and also there is additional Mumtaz Mahal via Irish River (Riverman-Never Bend-Nasrullah).

So far, Priolo's results at stud are similar to his sire - very good but not spectacular. Priolo's first Group 1 winner was the beautifully bred and adequately named filly Brilliance (1994), inbred 3x3 to Northern Dancer (Mirio is 3x4), but the beauty of her pedigree comes from different kind of linebreeding. Additionally, a third cross of Bold Ruler in Brilliance comes via her fourth dam, Beautiful Day, a daughter of Misty Morn, and so sister to Bold Lad and Successor. Misty Morn was also granddam of Quick As Lightning (winner of the British 1,000 Guineas, by Buckpasser). Ideal Day, third dam of Brilliance, was also by Buckpasser and her third dam was Grey Flight!

H. H. Aga Khan used to send his mares to Priolo and best result of these matings so far is one more strongly inbred horse, multiple Group 1 winner Sendawar 1996 (Poule d'Essai des Poulains-G1, St James's Palace Stakes-G1, etc), a new sire on a Aga Khan's stud farm in France. Like Mirio, Sendawar descends from a good family that had little success lately. Founder mare of his female line was Teresina, who won four races, including the Goodwood Cup and the Jockey Club Stakes. Teresina was dam of an Irish Oaks winner (Theresina) and of an successful sire (Alibhai). Her granddaughter Tambara, by Nasrullah (Mumtaz Mahal, again!), won a Coronation Stakes. After that, few generations passed before another extraordinary runner, brilliant miler Sendawar.

On the other hand, Mirio's dam Mira Monte (GB), sired by Blushing Groom's son Baillamont, brings in his pedigree's second cross of Northern Dancer (Mahmoud/Mumtaz Mahal), through her dam Mirea, plus there is additional Mahmoud as a sire of Baillamont third dam Snow Goose, a grey mare, good at the track (Beldame H., Ladies H., Saratoga Cup), but nothing less valuable as a producer. Mira Monte was a lightly raced filly - only three starts, with one win and one second place in listed Prix Casimir Delamarre. Even with such results she was best product of the American-bred The Minstrel mare Mirea.

Mira Monte and Mirea are pretty outcrossed mares, but deeper in pedigree again there is strong concentration of best American blood: third dam (Mlle. Vittese) was by Tom Rolfe, fourth (fine broodmare Fast Line) by Mr. Busher (see Domino article), next by Flying Heels (his dam by Ultimus), etc. (Fam. # 4-m).

Before Mirio, Mira Monte already sired two good colts by two different stallions: Montemirio (1994), (Kris), who at six won the Inglewood Handicap (G3), and Mountjoy (1995) (Bering), who won two listed races in France Nevertheless, Mirio is by wide margin the best product in few generations in this female family.