DRF Breeding Standout: Concave first stakes winner for Colonel John

Freshman sire Colonel John was represented by his first graded stakes winner on Wednesday when Concave prevailed by a half-length to win the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.

The bay filly covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.45 and earned a 73 Beyer Speed Figure. She is undefeated in her first two starts for owner J. Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill, the connections behind 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another. O’Neill’s brother Dennis bought Concave for $160,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training from pinhooker Nick de Meric, who paid $75,000 for her last year at the Keeneland September sale.

Bred in Ontario by Windways Farm Limited, Concave is out of the stakes-winning Ascot Knight mare Galadriel, who is the dam of seven winners from eight foals to race. Concave is a half-sister to stakes winner Peisinoe and stakes-placed winner I Raffaella. Galadriel is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner El Brujo.

Colonel John stands at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky. for an advertised fee of $15,000. The 8-year-old son of Tiznow is represented by 87 juveniles in his initial crop.

Colonel John has had seven starters through August 8, with four winners of five races. He currently ranks third among North American first-crop sires by earnings, and leads Kentucky’s freshman sires, with $204,400.

On the racetrack, Colonel John won six of 15 career races for earnings of $1,779,012. He was a leading contender on the 2008 Kentucky Derby trail, by virtue of his wins in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 3 Sham, and then followed up with a successful summer campaign, winning a thrilling edition of the Grade 1 Travers.

Colonel John is out of the winning Turkoman mare Sweet Damsel, who is a producer of nine winners from as many foals to race. Her other successful runners include steeplechase Grade 1 winner Mr. Hot Stuff and stakes-placed winner Kayce Ace.

Sweet Damsel was bred to Tiznow for the 2014 foaling season – the same cross that produced Colonel John and Mr. Hot Stuff.