VISIONAIRE by Grand Slam

VISIONAIRE (USA) (Grand Slam (USA) - Scarlet Tango (USA))

It's universally known that besides the Derby, commonly known as the "best two minutes in American sports", the most celebrated stallion-making races on their calendar are the King's Bishop (Gr1) and the Met Mile (Gr1). For these purposes, we're going to confine ourselves to the former, because it's the here-and-now from a South African perspective. Anyone who attended the 2008 staging of the King's Bishop at fabled Saratoga, couldn't help recalling one of the most famous stretch runs in the history of this great event. Considering it is the traditional gathering ground of the fastest three year olds in the United States, and that there's only 350 metres from the final bend to the post, the closing run of the victor that day is part of the folklore of the King's Bishop. Still last as they entered the bend, Visionaire's demolition of a field described by the Blood Horse as "real good with big numbers", resembled the big boy in the kindergarten. Whatever we have to say about it here, you'd need to see the movie to understand.

The good news for South Africa, is that in his determination to use the type of stallion he'd like to breed his own select band of broodmares to, Barry Irwin of Team Valor has sent Visionaire to Summerhill Stud, where he arrived a fortnight ago. In the last decade alone, the King's Bishop has spawned the celebrity stallions Distorted Humor, More Than Ready, Forestry, and top five American sire last season, City Zip, none more impressive on their day than the handsome Visionaire, who hails from the Gone West male line. Besides South Africa's Champion sire, Western Winter, Gone West has left his own big mark on the international stallion scene through Elusive Quality, Mr. Greeley, Zafonic, Zamindar, Speightstown and Visionaire's own sire, Grand Slam.

Read more : http://blog.summerhill.co.za/blog/2011/5/18/visionaire-now-standing-at-summer...

For more information on Visionaire and for a unique insight into the world of Thoroughbred horseracing and breeding visit :

http://www.summerhill.co.za
and
http://blog.summerhill.co.za

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• visionaire
• stallion
• stallions
• kings bishop
• barry irwin
• team valor
• summerhill stud
• saratoga
• horses
• thoroughbreds
• racehorses
• horseracing
• south africa
• usa