DRF Breeding pedigree analysis: Angela Renee looks live in Chandelier
New York-based Angela Renee is making the trip across the country for the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita – and her pedigree suggests the venture will be worth her while.
With her family history, the daughter of classic winner Bernardini is well-equipped to handle her first two-turn attempt in the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier. Runner-up in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes and third in the slop in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes, both at Saratoga, the filly also has proven dirt ability.
Angela Renee is a full sister to To Honor and Serve, a multiple graded stakes winner at a mile or longer in each of his three seasons on the racetrack. The millionaire’s biggest victories came in the 2011 Cigar Mile and 2012 Woodward Stakes, both Grade 1 events.
To Honor and Serve and Angela Renee are out of the Deputy Minister mare Pilfer – herself winner of the Go for Wand Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. She also produced Elnaawi, third in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes and stakes placed going 1 1/2 miles on turf.
Angela Renee became the latest graded stakes competitor from the family with her consistent summer at Saratoga. After finishing a distant second in the sloppy Spinaway, she is likely to catch a fast track for the Chandelier.
Two others bred for the added distance are well-regarded Conquest Eclipse and longshot Danette.
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Conquest Eclipse also has won on dirt, taking her debut at Churchill Downs before heading west to finish third, beaten less than a length, in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs. The filly is by Malibu Moon, known for siring top fillies who win over a route of ground, including Life At Ten, Devil May Care, Malibu Prayer, and Ask the Moon. He also was, of course, represented by his first classic winner last year in Kentucky Derby winner Orb.
Conquest Eclipse’s dam is a half-sister to Sweet Damsel, dam of Colonel John, whose five stakes victories at a mile or longer included the Santa Anita Derby on synthetic and Travers Stakes on dirt. Sweet Damsel also produced Santa Anita Derby third-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff, who confirmed the family’s stamina when becoming a Grade 1-winning steeplechaser; and Caroline’s Gold and Kayce Ace, both stakes competitors at a mile or longer on dirt.
Danette, still a maiden, has made all four of her starts on synthetic surfaces, most recently finishing second by a head to fellow Chandelier entrant Maybellene going just more than a mile at Del Mar. The filly is intriguing as an exotic play in the full field as her pedigree suggests dirt routes could be her forte. Young sire Curlin is clearly injecting some stamina into his offspring. The two-time Horse of the Year has sired 13 stakes winners to date; 12 have scored those victories at a mile or longer, with the only outlier a juvenile who has yet to have the opportunity to go two turns. His progeny are led by 2013 Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice and 2014 Preakness Stakes runner-up Ride On Curlin.
Danette is a full sister to stakes-placed Curl My Toes. Their dam, the Dixieland Band mare Sugar Britches, scored her only career win at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
FrontRunner: American Pharoah favored
American Pharoah won his maiden in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, romping by 4 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong event on synthetic. The major question in the FrontRunner is if he can handle the 1 1/16-mile distance and a move to dirt. His pedigree provides some mixed messages.
Sire Pioneerof the Nile scored all his victories at 1 1/16 miles or beyond on synthetic or turf, including the Santa Anita Derby; he finished second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby. Of the young sire’s five other stakes winners, all have landed their biggest wins at a mile or beyond. His runners have done well on synthetic and turf, with his dirt performers led by Cairo Prince and Vinceremos, both graded stakes winners on this year’s Triple Crown trail; and Social Inclusion, third in the Preakness.
American Pharoah’s dam is a half-sister to graded stakes-winning sprinters Storm Wolf and Misty Rosette, injecting some dirt ability into the pedigree, but not stamina.