From d’el Mar to Sarad’oga

Medaglia d’Oro makes his mark at elite summer meets

When it comes to Medaglia d’Oro, one might be likely to say, “like father, like sons and daughters”.  To explain, during his own racing career, Medaglia d’Oro won the G1 Travers and G1 Whitney at Saratoga and was second in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar.  A look at his babies sees them following in his footsteps.  Although Medaglia d’Oro is a sire known for successes all over the world, his progeny seem to have a particular affinity for America’s two premier summer racing venues.  He's the all-time leading sire of Black Type winners at Saratoga and the all-time leading sire of G1 winners at Del Mar. 

His list of Black Type winners at Saratoga includes such names as Rachel Alexandra (G1 Woodward Stakes), Songbird (G1 CCA Oaks and G1 Alabama), Elate (G1 Alabama), and Champagne d’Oro (G1 Test), as well as Graded Stakes winners Sentiero Italia, Lady Montdore, Mrs McDougal, Al Khali, Fools Gold, and Golden Award.  Most recently, on August 2nd of this year, his four-year-old son Moretti captured the Birdstone Stakes, becoming his sire's 20th career Black Type winner at the Spa and taking him past A.P. Indy as the meet's all-time leading sire of Black Type winners.

Stallions by Black Type winners at Saratoga:

Stallion BTW
Medaglia d’Oro 20
A.P. Indy 19
Giant’s Causeway 17
Danzig 16
Speightstown 16
Storm Cat 16
Songbird wins the G1 CCA Oaks at Saratoga

Medaglia d’Oro has also had an incredible run at Del Mar over the past few years to become the all-time leading sire of G1 winners at the San Diego track.  His first G1 winner at the meet came in 2015 with Songbird’s win in the G1 Del Mar Debutante.  He then had three Del Mar G1 winners in 2017 with Bolt d’Oro in the G1 Del Mar Futurity and two winners on the same day at the Breeders’ Cup - Bar of Gold in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and Talismanic in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf.  Then, in 2019, he again had two G1 winners on the same card, with Cambier Parc in the G1 Del Mar Oaks and Higher Power in the G1 Pacific Classic.  

Higher Power’s Pacific Classic victory took his sire past Candy Ride, ironically the horse who had beaten Medaglia d’Oro in the 2003 Pacific Classic, to become the leading sire of career G1 winners at Del Mar.

Stallions by G1 winners at Del Mar:

Stallion G1W
Medaglia d’Oro 6
Candy Ride 5
Nureyev 4
Tapit 4
Uncle Mo 4
Talismanic wins the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar

Look out for Medaglia d’Oro’s 60 yearlings at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland September sales to find your next Del Mar or Saratoga star.