Frankel’s first foal arrives in Ireland

The first foal by unbeaten two-time European Horse of the Year Frankel, a colt out of Group 3 winner Chrysanthemum, was born at 8:30 p.m. local time Jan. 11 at Coolmore Stud in Co. Tipperary, Ireland.

The bay colt is also the first foal out of Chrysanthemum, a 6-year-old Danehill Dancer mare who captured the Group 3 C.L Weld Park Stakes as a juvenile and took the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud E.B.F. Park Express Stakes the following year. She was also Group 1-placed.

“From the reports that I have received Frankel’s first foal is everything we could have hoped for,” Juddmonte Farms general manager Philip Mitchell said. “These are very exciting times for everyone who has supported the horse and we much look forward to the rest of his first crop of foals.”

Juddmonte’s release announcing the birth also described the foal as “a handsome colt with a good head, a white blaze and great presence.”

Frankel entered stud last year at Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket, England, following the conclusion of a racing career that saw him win all 14 starts, including 10 Group 1 stakes. The Juddmonte homebred, a son of leading international sire Galileo, earned over $4.7 million on the track and received the Cartier Award as Europe’s Horse of the Year in 2011 and 2012.

Frankel’s star-studded first book included U.S. classic producer Oatsee, Kentucky’s Broodmare of the Year; British Broodmare of the Year honorees Arrive and Binche; champion and classic producer Zomaradah; Eclipse Award winners Lahudood, Stacelita and Zagora; Stacelita’s dam, Soignee; champions Divine Proportions, Ramruma, Sariska, and Finsceal Beo; Musical Treat, dam of Finsceal Beo; Japanese champion Vodka; classic winners Light Shift and Elusive Wave; French classic producer Lady Vettori; Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Danedream; multiple Grade/Group 1 winners Dar Re Mi, Heat Haze, and Midday; Midday’s dam, Midsummer; and Grade 1 winner Balance, a half-sister to Zenyatta.