The Pedigrees of Royal Ascot – Wrap Up

Saturday was closing day for the 2009 Royal Ascot meet which featured 6 stakes races, including handicaps and allowance races (see pedigrees below). The day was highlighted by a stirring dual to the wire between the winner Art Connoisseur and U.S.-based Cannonball in the G1 Golden Jubilee stakes.

Here are a few pedigree observations about the winners of the 28 stakes, handicaps and allowance races of the 2009 Royal Ascot meet:

Sixteen of the 28 winners were sired by Northern Dancer-line stallions. The two most dominant branches are Danzig with 6 (4 thru Danehill and 2 thru Green Desert) and Storm Cat with 5 (2 of these by Giant’s Causeway). Mr. Prospector ended up the second most dominant with 4 SWs.

With regards to inbreeding, 25% are (7 of 28) are inbred within 4 generations. Not surprisingly, 6 of the 8 are inbred to Northern Dancer and 1 of them to Northern Dancer’s son Danzig. The other is inbred to Mr. Prospector. At the same time, 39% are 5-generation outcrosses (11 of 28).

Of the 6 Group 1 winners, ALL of them are 4-generation outcrosses and 5 of the 6 are 5-generation outcrosses!

Of the 28 winners during the Royal Ascot meet, 23 of them are the result of successful sire line crosses. Of the 6 Group 1 races, ALL of them have a Werk Nick Rating of A or better (3 A+’s and 3 A’s). Here is a breakdown of the Werk Nick Ratings for all 28: 3 A++’s, 9 A+, 9 A’s, 1 B+, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D+, 1 D, and 2 of them are the 1st SW on the cross.

Saturday’s Winners

G1 Golden Jubilee Stakes
ART CONNOISSEUR (Lucky Story-Withorwithoutyou, by Danehill)
Werk Nick Rating – A (View Pedigree)

G2 Hardwicke Stakes
BRONZE CANNON (Lemon Drop Kid-Victoria Cross, by Mark of Esteem
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)

Chesham Stakes
BIG AUDIO (Oratorio-Tarbela, by Grand Lodge)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)

Queen Alexandra Stakes
CARACCIOLA (Lando-Capitolina, by Empery)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)

Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
DRILL SERGEANT (Rock of Gibraltar-Dolydille, by Dolphin Street)
Werk Nick Rating – A+ (View Pedigree)

Wokingham Stakes
HIGH STANDING (High Yield-Nena Maka, by Selkirk)
Werk Nick Rating – D (View Pedigree)

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