Queen's Plate pedigree profile: Dixie Moon

Dixie Moon
Curlin–Dixie Chicken, by Rahy
(Bred in Ontario by Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry)

Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin has been a prolific sire in the American Triple Crown series. He looks to extend his reputation as a classic sire north of the border with the likes of Queen’s Plate hopeful Dixie Moon. In addition to getting a boost from her stamina-producing sire, the filly is a half-sister to a horse who played a role on last year’s Canadian classics trail.

Curlin is a strapping chestnut son of Smart Strike, a multiple classic sire who was bred in Ontario and campaigned as a homebred by Sam-Son Farm. Curlin competed with distinction in all three 2007 Triple Crown races, including a Preakness Stakes victory over Street Sense, and won four Grade 1/Group 1 events at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles – the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic, 2008 Dubai World Cup, and two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

As a sire, he’s passed that stamina onto his progeny, with a classic winner or classic-placed runner from each of his first six crops, beginning with 2013 Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice. Curlin was then represented by 2014 Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin and Keen Ice, third to American Pharoah in the 2015 Belmont Stakes before defeating the Triple Crown winner in the Travers. Exaggerator finished second in the 2016 Kentucky Derby before winning the Preakness, and Irish War Cry was second in last year’s Belmont. This year, champion Good Magic was second to Justify in the Kentucky Derby before Tenfold was a close third to the dual classic winner in the Preakness.

The stakes-placed Dixie Chicken is the dam of 2017 Plate Trial winner Guy Caballero. Prolific broodmare sire Rahy is responsible for 13 champions, led by European Horse of the Year and leading sire Giant’s Causeway.

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