QUEST FOR QUALITY
Taken from the Thoroughbred Times
by John P. Sparkman
In his acerbic collection of misanthropic epigrams, The Devil’s
Dictionary, Ambrose Bierce defined “old” as “discredited by lapse
of time and offensive to the popular taste.” In the fashion-driven
world of Thoroughbred breeding, it would be difficult to phrase the
popular disdain of older stallions more accurately. Denigrated by
the craze for first-year sires, stallions approaching their later
years are cast aside by breeders, and their book size declines
along with the quality of their mates. While it is true that the
average stallion’s production of quality runners declines with age,
no one has ever proved satisfactorily that the phenomenon is much
more than the result of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
While it may be the exception that proves the rule, Fashion
Statement’s victory in the Oaks d’Italia (Ity-G2) on June 17 was a
stroke for senior citizens. The lightly raced filly is the tenth
international classic winner for RAINBOW
QUEST, a 26-year-old son of Blushing Groom
(Fr) more revered as a sire of broodmares than of
runners.
A member of one of the best crops ever to race in Europe,
RAINBOW
QUEST ranked near the top from ages two to four,
finishing a close second to champion El Gran Senor in the William
Hill Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-G1) at two, third to champions Darshaan
and Sadler’s Wells in the Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-G1) (French
Derby), and second again to El Gran Senor in the Joe McGrath Irish
Sweeps Derby (Ire-G1) at three before winning the Trusthouse Forte
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) and Coronation Cup (Eng-G1) at
four. Every one of those horses went on to enhance his reputation
at stud, and RAINBOW QUEST has tenaciously
maintained his place among the elite. Though he could never
match the dominance of Sadler’s Wells nor Darshaan’s French sire
championship, Fashion Statement is his 103rd stakes winner from
981 foals age three and older (10.5%).
His list of classic winners is headed by 1990 Ever Ready Epsom
Derby (Eng-G1) winner Quest for Fame (GB), 2000 Rothmans Royals St.
Leger Stakes (Eng-G1) winner Millenary, ’98 St. Leger winner
Nedawi, and ’90 Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) winner Knight’s
Baroness. Rainbow Quest’s list of top runners also includes ’96
Japanese Horse of the Year Sakura Laurel, ’98 United States
champion turf female Fiji (GB), and ’90 Arc winner Saumarez (GB).
Rainbow Quest led the English broodmare sire list in 2003 and ’04,
and the 80 stakes winners produced by his daughters include classic
winners or highweights Footstepsinthesand, Kris Kin, North Light
(Ire), Powerscourt (GB), and Rakti.
Fashion Statement will have every chance to join the ranks of
RAINBOW
QUEST’s top-class producers. Bred in England by
Peter Savill, the well-named Fashion Statement is the fourth foal
of 1999 Prix de Liancourt winner Shabby Chic, by Red Ransom. Shabby
Chic is a full sister to 2003 Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) winner Casual
Look out of the stakes-placed Manila mare Style Setter.
The clever names and top-class ability in this family do not
stop there. Fashion Statement’s third dam is 1984 Frizette Stakes
(G1) winner Charleston Rag (Ire), by General Assembly, who also
produced stakes winner Fashion Delight, by Fappiano, dam of Santa
Paula Stakes (G3) winner Magnificience, by Stormy Atlantic.
The family traces to Fashion Statement’s sixth dam, *Miss
Grillo, by Rolando, who was also tail-female ancestress of the
top-class runners Marchand d’Or, Marquetry, *Meadow Court, and You.
With only one distant cross of Northern Dancer in her pedigree,
Fashion Statement is a relative outcross with 4x6 doubles of
*Nasrullah and Wild Risk leading to a 0.64% coefficient of
inbreeding. The one thing that can keep a stallion popular in his
old age is successful sire sons. RAINBOW
QUEST’s sons Nedawi, Quest for Fame, and
Wagon Master are all good sires—the problem is they are
successful in Brazil, Australia, and Chile, respectively.
Urgent Request (Ire) is a good regional sire in California,
but RAINBOW
QUEST’s best chance for commercial success,
Spectrum, failed to satisfy European commercial breeders
despite his 44 stakes winners.
RAINBOW
QUEST's statement
for history most likely will come from his
daughters.
Date:
22 June 2007