Homecoming Queen (horse)

Homecoming Queen is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed moderate form as a two-year-old in 2011 but demonstrated dramatic improvement in the spring of 2012 and won the 1000 Guineas by nine lengths. She was beaten in her two subsequent races and was retired to stud in July 2012.

Homecoming Queen
Racing silks of Susan Magnier
SireHoly Roman Emperor
GrandsireDanehill
DamLagrion
DamsireDiesis
SexMare
Foaled23 April 2009
CountryIreland
ColourBay
BreederTower Bloodstock
OwnerDerrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor
TrainerAidan O'Brien
Record14: 4-1-2
Earnings£278,708
Major wins
1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (2012)
1000 Guineas (2012)

Background

Homecoming Queen is a bay filly with a narrow white blaze and three white feet. She was sired by the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère winner Holy Roman Emperor out of the mare Lagrion, making her a half-sister to the European Champions Dylan Thomas and Queen's Logic.

Racing career

2011: two-year-old season

Homecoming Queen was highly tried as a two-year-old, running eleven times. Racing in modest company, she lost her first seven races before winning a Nursery handicap race at Fairyhouse Racecourse in September.[1] She then finished second in the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes before winning the Listed Lanwades and Staffordstown Studs Stakes at the Curragh.[2] On her final start of the season she was sent to Churchill Downs to contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in which she finished tailed off in last place behind My Miss Aurelia.

2012: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut, Homecoming Queen finished unplaced in the Park Express Stakes at the Curragh on 25 March. In the Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial in April, Homecoming Queen led from the start and recorded her first Group Race win when beating Fire Lily by a neck.[3] She was then sent to Newmarket on 6 May for the 1000 Guineas in which she started a 25/1 outsider and was regarded as a pacemaker for her better fancied stable companion Maybe, who started 13/8 favourite. Ridden by Ryan L. Moore, Homecoming Queen broke quickly and soon established a clear lead over the rest of the field. She was never seriously challenged and won very easily by nine lengths, the biggest winning margin since 1859.[4] Three weeks after her win at Newmarket, Homecoming Queen started favourite for the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on much firmer ground but finished fourth of the eight runners behind the English-trained filly Samitar, having led until the final furlong.

At Royal Ascot in June, Homecoming Queen contested the Coronation Stakes. Racing on soft ground started 9/4 favourite in a field of ten fillies. Homecoming Queen led the race until the straight but weakened in the closing stages and finished eighth behind Fallen For You. In July it was announced that the filly was to be retired from racing. O'Brien said that "she was a brilliant filly and her performance at Newmarket was very special. She has a wonderful pedigree and did us all proud."[5]

Breeding Record

Homecoming Queen was retired from racing to become a broodmare for the Coolmore Stus. Her first four foals were winners:

  • First Of Spring, a chestnut filly, foaled in 2014, sired by Galileo. Won 2 races
  • Berkeley Square, chestnut colt, 2015, by Galileo. Won 2 races
  • Celtic High King, bay colt, 2017, by Galileo. Won 1 race.
  • Shale, bay filly, 2018. Won Moyglare Stud Stakes

Pedigree
Pedigree of Homecoming Queen (IRE), bay filly 2009[6]
Sire
Holy Roman Emperor
2004		 Danehill
1986		 Danzig Northern Dancer
Pas de Nom
Razyana His Majesty
Spring Adieu
L'On Vite
1986		 Secretariat Bold Ruler
Somethingroyal
Fanfreluche Northern Dancer
Ciboulette
Dam
Lagrion
1989		 Diesis
1980　		 Sharpen Up Atan
Rocchetta
Doubly Sure Reliance
Soft Angels
Wrap It Up
1979		 Mount Hagen Bold Bidder
Moonmadness
Doc Nan Francis S
Betty W (Family: 9-c)[7]

References
  1. "Results from the 3.15 race at FAIRYHOUSE (IRE) - 18 September 2011". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  2. "Results from the 2.45 race at CURRAGH (IRE) - 9 October 2011". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  3. "Results from the 4.00 race at LEOPARDSTOWN (IRE) - 15 April 2012". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  4. Stuart Riley (2012-05-06). "Homecoming Queen blitzes 1 000 Guineas rivals". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2014-04-23. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
  5. Tony O'Hehir (2012-07-13). "O'Brien calls time with Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2013-06-30. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
  6. "Homecoming Queen pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
  7. "Crab Mare - Family 9-c". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.