Around the Cape will stand at McMahon

Course record-setter Around the Cape has been retired to stud at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, owned by Joe and Anne McMahon.

Around the Cape, a son of the late Carson City, will stand for a fee of $6,000, live foal, at the farm in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Campaigned by Live Oak Plantation and trained by Bill Mott, Around the Cape won the Grade 3 Jaipur Stakes last year at Belmont Park, setting an inner turf course record of 1:07.31 for six furlongs.

Around the Cape, who showed top speed throughout his career, won or placed in graded stakes races on both turf and dirt.

Early in his 3-year-old season he finished second to Eclipse Award champion sprinter Lost in the Fog in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes in his initial graded appearance.

Around the Cape also captured the Lure Stakes at Belmont Park on dirt, getting six furlongs in 1:08.75 in a field that included Spanish Chestnut, winner of the Grade 2 San Rafael Stakes.

The Lure Stakes was preceded by a victory at Saratoga on the main track on Aug. 23, in which he defeated the classy Caller One.

"The Saratoga race caught my attention," said Joe McMahon. "I thought it was an impressive race and I started to think we could use a horse that did so well going from turf to dirt. Then, when he won the Lure Stakes, it cemented it for me."

Around the Cape retired with a record of 6-3-3 in 16 starts and earnings of $307,649.

Carson City, by Mr. Prospector, sired numerous Grade 1 winners, including former New York sire City Zip, Cuvee, City Band, Pearl City, Flying Chevron, and champion New York-bred Carson Hollow.

Around the Cape is out of Song of Africa, a daughter of Alzao who won the A.P. Indy Stakes at Keeneland and placed in the Grade 3 Beaugay Handicap at Aqueduct, earning $223,538 in her career.

Alzao is a half-sister to Intensive Command, winner of the Grade 3 Trenton Handicap and placed in several Grade 1 events, and to Bestofbothworlds, winner of the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Around the Cape's third dam is the Palestine mare Flying Legs, the granddam of champion stayer Icona in South Africa.

The family of Flying Legs also includes New York-bred open stakes winner Oprah Winney, who captured the Interborough Handicap at Aqueduct on New Year's Day.

Around the Cape was purchased privately from Live Oak Plantation and is the property of McMahon Thoroughbreds, Chris Bernhard's Hidden Lake Farm, Elaine Peck's Rhapsody Farm, and Raymond DeStefano.

"What really puts you over the top is when you look at him," McMahon said. "He is correct in every way and is probably the best-looking horse I've ever seen. He has a tremendous hip and shoulder, and has a beautiful head."

Sagamoon scores in Busanda

New York-bred Sagamoon won the open Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct last weekend, joining fellow statebred females Oprah Winney and Golden Dreamer as open stakes winners in January.

Bred and owned by Country Life Farm, the 3-year-old Sagamoon sent her career earnings to $111,110 with a record of 3-2-0 from 5 starts.

Sagamoon is by Malibu Moon out of Hey Up There, by Cormorant, and is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes winner Ewer All Wet, an earner of $435,883.

Their dam is Tall Glass O'Water, bred and raced by the late Alfred G. Vanderbilt. Tall Glass O'Water's fifth dam, Geisha, produced the great Native Dancer for Vanderbilt.

Sagamoon's victory made it three straight on January weekends for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Oprah Winney won the Interborough Handicap on Jan. 1, and Golden Dreamer followed with the Ruthless Stakes on Jan. 7.

Exhale could head to Triple Crown trail

Lynwood and Suzie O'Cain of Highcliff Farm are excited about the prospects of Exhale following his sharp maiden score at Santa Anita last Monday.

Exhale is a son of Highcliff stallion Millennium Wind, purchased by his trainer John Sadler, as agent, for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Calder 2-year-olds in training sale last February.

Owned by C R K Stable, Exhale may next run in the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes on March 3, an important stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.

"We're getting a lot of calls about Millennium Wind, and it's pretty exciting to think he may have a runner on the Derby trail," said Suzie O'Cain.

Exhale is out of Manila's daughter Manila Rose, making him a half-brother to Private Horde, winner of the Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga.