First it was Medaglia d'Oro's five-year-old daughter Bar of Gold who came flying home to capture the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on November 4th and then it was his four-year-old son Talismanic who got home first in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf.
They represent the sixth and seventh G1 winners in 2017 for Medaglia d'Oro, which is more than any other sire in North America. In Graded racing history, the only American stallions with as many G1 winners in a single year are Mr. Prospector, Danzig and Storm Cat.
Bar of Gold, who went off at 66-1, settled near the back of the pack early then flew home down the stretch to win by a nose over Ami's Mesa. It was the first G1 victory for Bar of Gold, a three-time Stakes winner who was previously placed in the G1 Test in addition to seven other Graded events.
Bred in New York by her owners, Chester and Mary Broman, Bar of Gold is the first foal out of the G3-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Khancord Kid.
Talismanic also had odds in double digits, but was sent off at 11-1, so he did have some support in the Del Mar crowd. He broke well and settled in nicely in fifth place where he stayed for most of the one and one half mile event. As the field approached the top of the stretch, he gradually improved his position down the lane, getting the lead in mid stretch and then held on for the G1 victory, his first at the highest level.
Talismanic was bred in Great Britain by Darley and is the fifth winner from as many runners out of the mare Magic Mission. Winner of the G3 Royal Heroine Stakes, Magic Mission was also Graded-placed six other times in America and France, including a third in the G1 Matriarch Stakes.
Medaglia d'Oro's other G1 winners this year are top two-year-old colt Bolt d'Oro (third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile), plus Elate, Songbird, New Money Honey, and Dickinson.
Medaglia d'Oro will stand at Jonabell Farm in 2018 for a fee of $200,000 stands and nurses.
