One of the more interesting stakes results from last weekend came at Aqueduct in New York on February 22 in the Busher Stakes, in an ungraded race that didn’t even carry Listed race status because the added money in it totaled about $70,000 (Listed races need at least $75,000). Still, it was open black type for the winner, who is now 4 for 4 and pointing for the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. That’s seems like a pretty big step up, but not if you saw the race and also remember that last year’s winner of this race, the A.P. Indy filly Little Belle, won the Ashland, too.
This year’s Busher winner is What a Pear a New York-bred daughter of E Dubai out of the Pine Bluff mare Perfect Pear. (Click here for here for her pedigree). The filly absolutely demolished the competition, winning the 1 1/6-mile race by 10+ lengths, EASILY! I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t some big offers being made on her right now. (For a great story on her and her connections, read the February 23 entry for the blog “Brooklyn Backstretch” by clicking here). Apparently the filly was bred by a racetrack vet but races on NO medication!).
You will note that her 3rd dam is blue hen Best in Show, the dam of 4 SWs, including G1 winner Blush With Pride. One of Best in Show’s daughters was Sex Appeal, the dam of the outstanding racehorse and sire El Gran Senor, who won the Irish Derby and just missed in the Epsom Derby, and this is a tremendous female family that includes Belmont Stakes winners Jazil and Rags to Riches.
Obviously, this is an excellent family going back, but What a Pear’s 2nd and 1st dams haven’t been as good, though, and that’s being kind. (Click here to see catalogue-style pedigree). This is another example of a strong family skipping a generation.
You have to give her sire a lot of the credit here. E Dubai only stands for $15,000 at Darley in Kentucky, but he’s become an owner-breeder’s dream stallion, which means that his runners get to the races, win, make money, and can be of pretty high class, like What a Pear appears to be.
Remember last year at Santa Anita, E Dubai‘s Desert Code won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (L). Desert Code is multiple G3 winner and has earned more than $1 million.
E Dubai now has 9 unrestricted SWs with his oldest crop 5 in 2009, and they seem to run short, long, on turf, dirt, and synthetics, and at 2, 3, 4 and 5, to date. Desert Code was a turf sprinter, but Accredit was a dirt sprinter at 6F at Aqueduct, Spark of Dubai won at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at 2, Buy the Barrel won a G2 at Pimlico at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, Dubai Distinction won a 6F sprint on dirt at Calder, High Heels won the G2 Fantasy S. at Oaklawn over 1 1/16 miles on dirt, Once More Dubai won over 10F on turf in Europe, and Barilko won three stakes at age 2 in 2006 at Woodbine – the first year the track went “synthetic.”
E Dubai has never really received top-class mares. The 9 broodmare sires of his SWs are: Montbrook, Greinton, Drouilly, Lost Code, Dayjur, Gilded Time, Broad Brush, Timeless Moment, and Pine Bluff, the broodmare sire of What a Pear. So, basically, he’s done a lot to help himself, and for that he has his own great sire, female family, and race record to thank. He’s by sire of sires Mr. Prospector, he’s out of a SW of $683,000 whose full sister, G3 winner Ascutney, produced 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass, his broodmare sire is Lord at War, and he was a multiple G2 winner at up to 10F who also won at 2 in the time of :57.78 for 5F.
But there also has been a pattern to E Dubai‘s success within many of his leading runners’ pedigrees: inbreeding to the Native Dancer line, including Raise a Native, and Mr. Prospector.
Take a look!
What a Pear 3×5 Raise a Native
Buy the Barrel 3×4 Raise a Native
Once More Dubai 3×4 Raise a Native
Spark of Dubai 4×4 Native Dancer
Dubai Distinction (restricted SW) 2×4 Mr. Prospector, 3×3 Raise a Native
Desert Key (G1-placed) 2×4 Mr. Prospector
Treadmill (restricted SW) 3×5 Raise a Native
Candy’s Bro (SP) 2×5 Mr. Prospector
Dubit (SP) 3×4 Raise a Native
(Click here to see all 9 pedigrees)
With only 3 crops to run so far, E Dubai’s progeny are showing class (11% stakes winners from his first crop alone!) and durability He is one of the few Mr. P’s that could handle a mile and a quarter (G2 Suburban Hcp) and it would certainly be no surprise to me to see him with a serious contender in the classics in the not too distant future.