Lando's stud career takes off thanks to dual Group 1 winner.
Byline: Tony MorrisIN 1993 Germany opened her Derby to foreign-bred horses for the first time, and celebrated the occasion with a splendid local triumph. Eleven of the 19 runners had been foaled abroad, including the two market leaders, but it was the home-bred pair of Lando and Monsun who dominated proceedings, finishing in that order, separated by a length and a quarter. Third place went to Sternkonig, who had an English-based sire (Kalaglow) and had been born in Ireland, but was from a family long resident in Germany.
The result was received with much enthusiasm in Hamburg, though at the time there was no knowing quite how significant it would prove. In fact, it soon became apparent that the crop foaled in 1990 was the best raised in Germany for many years, and the first three in the Derby went on to claim further distinction in careers that extended to their five-year-old season.
Better still, all retired to stud in Germany and have since been responsible for Group 1 winners.
Monsun collected top-level victories at home in the Preis von Europa (twice) and the Aral-Pokal, and a second place in the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris at Longchamp; he was Germany's top first-season sire in 1999 and headed the general list in 2000, with Deutsches Derby victor Samum among his products.
Sternkonig picked up a Group 1 as a four-year-old in the Deutschland Preis and took two Group 3s in Italy at five; he made his initial mark as a sire with Kallisto's victory in the Derby Italiano last season.
Lando ended up the highest earner from the crop and can be recognised as the principal catalyst for his nation's emergence as a force in international racing. Before him, Germany suffered from an inferiority complex, with owners reluctant to take their horses abroad for fear of heavy defeats.
Manfred and Janet Ostermann, owner-breeders of Lando, adopted a refreshingly aggressive policy with their colt, and were rewarded with seven Group 1 victories, including two in Italy-in the Gran Premio del Jockey Club and the Gran Premio di Milano-and a stirring finale to his 23-race career in the Japan Cup. His last three runs were all abroad and, though the soft ground at Belmont Park found him out in the Breeders' Cup Turf, he finished an admirable fourth in Lammtarra's Arc de Triomphe.
Lando's career emboldened other German owners, who now have no compunction about challenging for the richest prizes abroad. They regularly come away victorious from Italy, and the likes of Borgia and Silvano have proved the quality of Germany's thoroughbreds at the highest level far from home.
At stud Lando lost some early ground to his former racecourse rivals, and after two seasons with runners he still lacked a Pattern winner. But that gap has now been filled by a Group 1 double in Italy for his son Paolini, hero last month of the Premio Presidente della Repubblica in Rome and conqueror of Ela Athena in Sunday's Gran Premio di Milano at San Siro.
Paolini has been the best of his sire's products for a while, having taken third place in last year's Derby Italiano before a Group 1 second at home. He has raced with admirable consistency, apart from a below-par effort in the Deutsches Derby, when he made it clear that, like his sire, he is not capable of a top performance on rain-affected turf.
There is a phrase about chips and old blocks which comes to mind where Paolini is concerned. He comes from that marvellous German male line which produced five Derby winners in six generations, stretching from Herold (1920) to Alchimist (1933) to Birkhahn (1948) and on past Literat (who broke down as favourite in 1968) to Surumu (1977) and Acatenango (1985).
Acatenango, three times champion sire, has provided a rare filly Derby winner in Borgia in addition to Lando, and will be represented by a predictable favourite in Sabiango, Silvano's half-brother, when the Classic is contested in Hamburg next month.
Paolini emulated not only his sire in the Gran Premio di Milano, but also his half-brother Platini, who won it as a four-year-old, the same season he lost a memorable duel with Lando in the Grosser Preis von Baden.
A son of Surumu, Platini was named Horse of the Year in 1992 and has compiled a respectable record at stud, highlighted by last season's champion three-year-old filly Moonlady. She added a Grade 3 win in the Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct to her gains at home, which included the St Leger and Hannover's big autumn filly contest, the Deutscher Stutenpreis.
Platini was the first produce of Prairie Darling, a daughter of the Red God horse Stanford, who did not really progress after a win on her seasonal debut at three, but did manage a second in a nine-furlong Listed event at Baden-Baden. In the years between the production of Platini in 1989 and Paolini in 1997, she delivered a couple of lesser winners, one of them placed in the Deutscher Stutenpreis.
The family has long been prominent in Germany, developed in conjunction with Irish-based sires, when Walter Vischer was a patron of Stuart Murless and Kevin Prendergast. The latter handled Paolini's grand-dam Prairie Belle, whose racing career `peaked' with a narrow victory in a division of a Dundalk fillies' maiden.
Further back there is a link with the Royal Studs, as Paolini's sixth dam was half-sister to High Veldt, who carried the Queen's colours into second place in Ribot's 1956 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Earlier still, it connects with Blenheim, the first Aga Khan Derby winner, in 1930.
High Veldt (in South Africa) and Blenheim both became important sires, and it remains to be seen whether Paolini can emulate them. He is at least progressing well to earn the opportunity.
Sire: Lando
Bred by Gestut Hof Ittlingen in Germany. Won 10 (8-12f) of 23 races, viz. 2 (both Listed) out of 3 at 2 years, 2 (Deutsches Derby-Gr1, Grosser Preis von Baden-Gr1) out of 6 at 3 years, 3 (Grosser Hansa Preis-Gr2, Grosser Preis von Baden-Gr1, Gran Premio del Jockey-Club-Gr1) out of 7 at 4 years, 3 (Gran Premio di Milano-Gr1, Deutschland Preis-Gr1, Japan Cup-Gr1) out of 7 at 5 years. Also 4th in Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at 5 years. Horse of the Year at 4 and 5. Timeform 125 at 3, 123 at 4, 128 at 5. Earned DM5,687,818.
Powerfully made, 16.1hh, top-class performer, ideally suited by a strongly run mile and a half on fast ground, but also effective on soft. Honest, consistent and a doughty battler.
Very well bred. The best son of a three-time Horse of the Year who is also a multiple champion sire. Half-brother to Laroche (Deutsches Derby). Dam placed in Ireland, half-sister to winners in France and Germany. Grand-dam won German 1,000 Guineas, 2nd in Oaks, out of a winning full-sister to Literat (German 2,000 Guineas, leading sire). Next dam dual fillies' Classic winner. Outstanding German family.
Stands at Gestut Hof Ittlingen at a fee of DM15,000 (Oct 1). Sire of 3 crops of racing age, inc. notable winner: Paolini (Premio Presidente della Repubblica-Gr1, Gran Premio di Milano-Gr1).
Dam: Prairie Darling
Bred by Walter Vischer in Ireland. Won 1 (9f) of 11 races, viz. 0 out of 2 at 2 years, 1 out of 9 at 3 years. Also placed 2nd in 9f Listed race at 3. GAG rating 78 at 3. Earned DM16,850.
Useful performer, most effective at around a mile, worth a rating of about 100 by Timeform scale. By a good, but less than genuine, sprinter who made no significant mark as a sire (4 individual Pattern winners, none at Gr1 level), but is also broodmare sire of Warningford. Half-sister to 3 other winners, inc. Prairie Art (dam of Deutsches St Leger winner Pinot).
Dam won only a 12f maiden at Dundalk, half-sister to Listed winner Prairie Dandy (also 4th in Deutsches Derby). Grand-dam winner, sister and half-sister to useful middle-distance and staying performers, closely related to dam of Gr3 winners Prairie Bird and Prairie Snoopy.
To stud at 4 years and dam of: Platini (1989 c by Surumu; dual Gr1 winner), Purple Haze (1990 f by Nebos; winner), Purple Rain (1991 f by Acatenango; winner, Gr3-placed), Pure Genius (1992 c by Nebos; unraced), Carlossa (1995 f by Caerleon; unraced), Paolini (1997 c by Lando; dual Gr1 winner), Pepsi (1999 f by Lando). She was barren to Surumu in 1993 and 1994, and to Caerleon in 1996; she slipped to Lando in 1998 and had a dead foal by Lando in 2000.
Conclusions
High-class 10-12f performer who should continue to make his mark internationally.
CAPTION(S):
Lando (right): top class on the track and now sire of a dual Group 1 winner
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| Title Annotation: | Sports |
|---|---|
| Publication: | The Racing Post (London, England) |
| Date: | Jun 19, 2001 |
| Words: | 1472 |
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