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PEDIGREE HANDICAPPING MAY 27, 2006 Broodmare Sire -- Quiet American by Tim Holland While much of the racing world's attention last weekend was focused on Barbaro's (Dynaformer) tragic breakdown, a new star was born in the shape of BERNARDINI. Because he is by A.P. Indy and out of a mare by Quiet American, one can reasonably expect further improvement from the patiently handled three-year-old, an attribute that was further enhanced when the news was announced that he is to bypass the Belmont S. (G1) in favor of a planned campaign which will culminate in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to be held at Churchill Downs. A win in the Classic would give Bernardini a shot at the Horse of the Year title, a feat that would emulate last year's of Saint Liam, who was also out of a mare by Quiet American. Bought by Sheikh Mohammed for $300,000, Quiet American made his first three starts on the grass in England for trainer Michael Stoute, including a promising debut when second at Goodwood. However, after two disappointing efforts in the spring of his three-year-old year, the colt was sent to the barn of Gary Jones in California. Reappearing on the dirt in the fall of that year, Quiet American broke his maiden at Hollywood Park and followed up with an allowance win at Santa Anita. In his third North American start, he was ambitiously placed in the Charles H. Strub S. (G1) in which he came up a half-length short to the consistent Flying Continental, a good effort which preceded two extremely dull tries, including a minor stakes at Golden Gate in which he finished a badly beaten last of six as the odds-on favorite. After a rest of more than three months Quiet American returned with a winning effort in the San Diego H. (G3), beating the great filly Bayakoa (Arg), whose Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) victory later that year would be her 11th, and final, Grade 1 win. For his next two starts Quiet American was shipped to New York where he finished a game second to Dispersal in the Woodward H. (G1) at Belmont Park, before running the race of his career to win the NYRA Mile (G1). In this race, which was later renamed the Cigar Mile (G1) in honor of that outstanding champion's first Grade 1 victory, Quiet American earned a BRIS Speed Rating of 117 while beating Dancing Spree, who had won the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) the previous year. Quiet American made one unsuccessful start as a five-year-old before being injured and retired to stand at Gainsborough Farm the following year. While not necessarily a great racehorse, and not without problems, he had shown miler-type speed, a desirable quality in stallions, while at the same time he had shown stamina in his game second-place finish in the 1 1/4-mile Strub. He fired best fresh, but he retired leaving the impression that the best of him had not been seen. Foaled in Florida, Quiet American is by Fappiano and out of Demure who was by Dr. Fager. This makes Quiet American closely (3 x 2) inbred to Dr. Fager, since the dam of Fappiano, Killaloe, is by that legendary racehorse and influence on the breed. A truly great racehorse, Dr. Fager was champion sprinter in 1967 and 1968, and was also champion grass and handicap horse in 1968 as well as Horse of the Year. He owned tremendous speed, set the world record for a mile (in 1:32 1/5) and proved his stamina by equaling the 1 1/4-mile track record at Aqueduct when stopping the clock in 1:59 3/5. Dr. Fager entered stud in 1969 and quickly excelled, siring two Grade 1 winners in his first crop. Tree of Knowledge won the Hollywood Gold Cup Invitational H. (G1) in 1974 while Lady Love took the Top Flight H. (G1) at Aqueduct the same year. Dr. Fager's first champion arrived in 1973 when Dearly Precious was foaled. Winner of the Sorority S. (G1) at Monmouth and Saratoga's Spinaway S. (G1), Dearly Precious was named champion two-year-old and went on to further Grade 1 glory via the Acorn S. the following year. Champion sprinter Dr. Patches, Canadian Horse of the Year L'Alezane and the decent stallion Dr. Blum were all foaled in the next few years before Dr. Fager's premature death of a colon obstruction in 1976 at the age of 12. While he was successful as a stallion in his own right, Dr. Fager's legacy will be longer lasting as a broodmare sire. Indeed, through his maternal grandson Fappiano, he is responsible for, as well as Quiet American, the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Unbridled, who in turn sired champions Banshee Breeze and Anees as well as classic winners Grindstone and Red Bullet. Other offspring of daughters of Dr. Fager include the millionaires Equalize and Sewickley, Grade 1 winners Leroy S, Great Neck, Tantalizing, Coup de Fusil, Shared Interest and successful sires Cure The Blues and Luhuk. In addition, granddaughters have produced the likes of Forestry, Cash Run, Queena and Commendable, to name just a few. Quiet American got off to a flying start to his breeding career through the Grade 1 successes of two fillies from his first crop, Hidden Lake and Cara Rafaela, and two years later he sired Real Quiet, who would win the 1998 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S. (G1). Graded winners Allamerican Bertie, Fifty Stars, Josh's Madelyn, Andujar, Irving's Baby as well as an English champion, Warrior Queen, have all added to the stallion's success but, similar to Dr. Fager, his achievements as a broodmare sire are starting to take the limelight. The first major success for the daughters of Quiet American came in 2002 when the very fast colt Whywhywhy (Mr. Greeley) won the Futurity S. (G1) at Belmont. Two years later, Cherry Mix (Fr) (Linamix [Fr]) won the Italian Derby (Ity-G1) and finished second in Europe's most prestigious race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1), but even better was to come in 2005 through Saint Liam (Saint Ballado). Unraced as a two-year-old, Saint Liam came into prominence in the fall of 2004 when he gave Ghostzapper a hard race in the Woodward S. (G1), one race prior to the latter's victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The following year Saint Liam took the title of Horse of the Year through winning four Grade 1 races, including the Classic at Belmont. These victories helped Quiet American finish ninth on the 2005 Leading Broodmare Sires list, a fine achievement since he was represented by fewer than half the number of runners than any other sire who made the top 50 on that table. This year the exploits of A.P. Warrior, who won the San Felipe S. (G2), and then Bernardini's impressive Preakness win have helped Quiet American to reach the top 20 broodmare sires by earnings for the year and are helping to ensure that Dr. Fager's legacy lives on.
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