With the final racing season a mere two weeks away and the topic of breeding very much a hot item, the performances of the broodmare Annabel Jane’s protégés during last season is very deserving of a mention.
All of her offsprings, Sirius Black, Voldemort, Cinnamon Jane and Azkaban won in the same season, a feat that has been rarely achieved.
Stallions are often the ones considered to be the most influential part of the stallion/mare mating equation.
However, breeding experts believe the mare’s characteristics override those of the stallion.
Temperament, conformation and talent are all critically tied to the mare’s genetic structure which she passes on from generation to generation.
There have been several broodmares whose progenies distinguished their parents such as the George Devere Davis-owned Rare Dove, who foaled two Derby winners Coo Bird and Ginger Dove along with Wings Of A Dove, Son Of A Dove and Barbie Dove between 1984 and 1988.
Prior to the 21st century, Peace Token, who ran in the colours of Mr Federated and later came under the care of Doctor Allan Storey, produced Nicodemus, a winner of 11 races; Apostle, winner of the 2007 Derby; Seeya, Emmanuel, Baku Boy, Batista, Brocelli and Sophie all within a 12-year span between 1997 and 2009.
Born in 1999, Annabel Jane, the daughter of Gold Cup winner Asian Jane by Nosferatu was victorious only three times in her racing career over 22 races.
Under the care of breeder Geoffrey Bynoe, her performance in the breeding shed, surpassed her track accomplishments.
Since 2005 Annabel Jane has mothered six offspring, who have thrusted Bynoe into the limelight as a breeder.
Her first offerings were Exploding Lady and Touch Of Gold, who were both sired by three-time Gold Cup winner Blast Of Storm.
Annabel Jane then teamed up with 2003 Gold Cup winner Thady Quill to produce Cinnamon Jane, winner of last season’s Bentom Handicap over 1 800 metres for horses rated 85-67.
A stallion switch to Janak can only be described as a master stroke with Azkaban emerging from his mother’s womb in 2009.
Last season, Azkaban won the Massy United Insurance Regional Trophy Handicap for three-year-olds non winners of two races over 1 570 metres.
The chestnut gelding Sirius Black arrived in 2010 and has made a significant impact on the race scene, winning eight of 17 starts to date.
He was victorious in two of his three starts last season, taking the Saleh and Khatija Mohamad Memorial Trophy Condition race over 2200 metres.
He later added the Sale Graduates Champion Stakes for Barbados-bred three-year-old and older horses over 1 570 metres. Those performances confirmed him as the best creole in the country.
The Annabel Jane and Bynoe combination struck gold in August after a second-place effort in the Grade I – Barbados Guineas over 1 570 metres. Voldemort, a chestnut gelding born in 2011, etched his name among history’s pages by winning the coveted Grade I – Massy United Insurance Barbados Derby over 2000 metres.
Last month, Voldemort finished fifth in the Trinidad and Tobago Derby which ran off at Santa Rosa Park in Arima. With further high-level performances expected from the Annabel Jane–Janak quartet, Bynoe must be eagerly smirking at the prospects, possibilities and performance of a two-year old filly by My Cat Gone West out of Annabel Jane when the season runs off on November 15.
