Horse Circle

Certain Circles Newest Stake Winning Neice

This was the featured pedigree profile in this week's Thoroughbred Times. This filly is out of a mare called Winter's Gone, who is Circle's half sister. That also makes Circles and Winter's Gone the 1/2 siblings to Bien Bien and Dr. Schwartzman. (both of whom stood as sires) This is a filly whose career is worth following.


PEDIGREE PROFILE Sharp Susan’s pedigree loaded with stamina
By Rommy Faversham
WinStar Farm homebred Sharp Susan made her graded stakes debut a winning one when the three-year-old filly scampered to a front-running, three-length victory in the $107,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3) on Sunday at Gulf-stream Park.
The dark bay or brownTouch Gold filly completed the 11/8-mile grass event in 1:47.90. Her record stands at three wins from seven lifetime starts with earnings of $123,833.
Sharp Susan has won three of her previous four starts since her switch from dirt to turf racing.
Bred in Kentucky, Sharp Susan is one of five winners out of the Dynaformer mare Winter’s Gone, who was unplaced in six starts at ages two and three.
Winter’s Gone also is the dam of 2005 Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) winner Sharp Lisa, by Dixieland Band, as well as Spring At Last, by Silver Deputy, who was second in the Strub Stakes (G2) earlier this season and in the 2006 Malibu Stakes (G1).
Mares by Dynaformer have combined, so far, to produce 33 stakes winners, including multiple Grade 1 winner and $1,171,105-earner Hollywood Story.
Winter’s Gone is a half sister to three stakes winners, including the multiple Grade 1-winning turf star Bien Bien and multiple Grade 3 winner Dr. Schwartzman.
Sharp Susan’s American family extends back to her sixth dam, *Never Again II, who was imported to the United States in the late 1930s and later foaled 1949 champion two-year-old male Oil Capitol. The extended family also includes 1970 champion two-year-old filly Forward Gal.
Sharp Susan hails from the fifth crop of the Deputy Minister stallion Touch Gold, who stands for $30,000 at Adena Springs Kentucky in Midway.
Winner of the 1997 Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Buick Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1), Touch Gold has sired seven graded stakes winners, including Grade 1 winners Seek Gold and Composure as well as Forego Stakes (G1) winners Midas Eyes (2004) and Mass Media (’05).
Now that Sharp Susan has found a home on the turf, her goals are said to include the 11/4 mile American Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1) at Hollywood Park on July 7. Her stamina-laden pedigree certainly suggests she can get the distance.