Head Of State's victory in Saturday's Gr3 Gloaming S. not only provided his
Coolmore-based sire American Pharoah (USA) with his
first Australian stakes winner, but also vindicated
breeder Brad Crismale's belief in the USA Triple Crown-winning stallion.
HEAD OF STATE winning the Gr3 Gloaming
Head Of State's dam, Derelique by Danehill Dancer, has proven a brilliant producer for the
Crismale family, with the colt one of four winners, including two stakes winners, from her over the journey.
Commercially,
Derelique has proven an excellent investment too, with
Head Of State selling to
Tom Magnier for $850,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, while colts by Rubick and Uncle Mo (USA) had previously secured respective prices of $340,000 and $220,000.
Head Of State pictured as a yearling, when he sold for $850,000 to Tom Magnier
Having sent Derelique to American Pharoah in three of the past four years, the stakes breakthrough from
Head Of State had a
dual impact for Crismale of
boosting the residual value of his
2-year-old sister and
recently foaled brother as well.
"It was a great result. It was good to see the boy stand up and deliver. He finally got to a distance which was suitable for him and what he has been looking for. He delivered on what he has promised for a long time," Crismale said in an interview with TDN AusNZ.
Head Of State has proven a trailblazer for American Pharoah in Australia.
He is his
most expensive Australian-bred yearling, became his
first Australian-bred winner in February and now is his
first Australian stakes winner, after a stirring victory over highly rated colt Profondo (Deep Impact (Jpn)) in the Gloaming S. at Rosehill.
"I was surprised that he showed as much as a 2-year-old, because I always thought he'd make a much nicer 3-year-old," Crismale said of the colt.
"He was always a great type, a great foal on the ground and obviously presented well when Tom Magnier bought him at Magic Millions for $850,000.
"It's great for them (Coolmore), to have bought this horse (Head Of State), put their faith in the stallion (American Pharoah) and get the rewards back as well."
BRAD CRISMALE with American Pharoah at Coolmore
Crismale was very keen to support American Pharoah when he stood his first season in Australia in 2017 at $60,000 (inc GST).
Tom Magnier and American Pharoah (USA) at Coolmore
"It’s great getting access to a stallion like American Pharoah. He was the first US Triple Crown winner in over 30 years, and he was a reasonable price for the horse that he was.
"He's a great outcross for a Danehill-line mare, which is important in Australia. It made perfect sense to go to him.
"Based on the foal we got with Head Of State, I sent Derelique back to him and got a filly out of her, Liberty State, which we've kept and she's with Team Hawkes now. She has just had a really nice colt which is a full brother to Head Of State."
A Family Connection:
Derelique, who is out of
Hides (Giant's Causeway (USA)), a
half-sister to three stakes winners, was sourced by Crismale as a yearling at the 2009 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Coolmore.
"We had a mare in the family called Shania Dane. She was a well-credentialled racemare and Group 1 performed. Derelique, was out of her half-sister, and in the Coolmore draft at Easter. We bought her for $80,000.
"We were always looking at her as a breeding prospect. She went to the Hawkes yard but never made it to the track. Obviously, she has paid us back in terms of what she has been able to do in the breeding barn.”
Her first foal,
Man From Uncle (Uncle Mo (USA)), sold for $35,000 as a yearling, but would give an immediate boost to his dam's page by
winning a G2 Hobartville S., and G3 Eskimo Prince S. for Anthony Cummings.
Man From Uncle, winner of the G2 Hobartville S.
Since then, she has gone from strength to strength, with further winners, Napoleon Solo (Uncle Mo) and The Defiant One (Rubick) and now a genuine Group 1 prospect with Head Of State, who will now likely tackle the Gr1 Spring Champion S. at Randwick on October 9.
"The stepping-stone to the Spring Champion S. makes sense for him. He's earned his place in that race now and it should be a great match-up with Profondo. It’s nice to see two expensive yearlings fighting out Group races. I would not be surprised to see them fight it out in two weeks' time.
"He's appreciating the trip and whether he presses on to a race like the Victoria Derby, we will have to see where they go with him."
A Second State:
His 2-year-old sister,
Liberty State, who was retained to ensure Crismale has an option to breed on with the family, will be given plenty of time to develop before heading to the track.
"There will certainly be no rush with her. She's gone through the system and has been out for a spell and will be back in around Christmas.
"They are very happy with her, she's progressing well and we might know a bit more about her in six months' time.
Having recently produced another good-looking American Pharoah foal last week,
Derelique is headed to Coolmore's new addition Wootton Bassett (GB) this season.
Derelique pictured with Head Of State's foal brother
While Crismale has a couple of race fillies he wants to add to join
Derelique in his broodmare band in the next few years, she remains the only mare he is breeding from. That is a strong part of the reason why Saturday's success was so enjoyable.
"It’s huge when you breed them yourself. I cheered him home as if I did still own him. It’s the same kind of thrill and in some respect it’s even more satisfying knowing that you bred the horse and gone through and done the pedigree and the like," he said.
"It takes a long time from the time you make that decision to see what the fruition of those decisions will come to. It’s great to see them deliver on the track, especially the way he did."