WINDSOR KNOT
By Pivotal ex Triple Tie
Pivotal has been a phenomenon at stud and now there is every sign that his sons are also going to be successes as stallions. The chesnut son of Polar Falcon (by Nureyev) was a track-record setter over five furlongs as a two-year-old, an achievement that many missed as it had not come in a stakes or pattern contest. The following year nobody missed Pivotal; he won the Group 2 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and then the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, both over the minimum trip.
Pivotal has spent his entire career at Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket and 2008 was another outstanding year for him as his string of stakes winners included classic stars Falco and Halfway To Heaven.
He now has several sons at stud and with Kyllachy and Captain Rio having made such a favourable impression with their first few crops, even more attention can be expected to be drawn to all of his sons. Kyllachy has sired Group 2 scorers Arabian Gleam and Tariq from his first crop and a total of seven stakes winners in all. Captain Rio was among the leading freshman sires of 2007 and he got his first Group 1 scorer when Il Quello Veloce won the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes over seven furlongs in New Zealand in March. His European stakes winners include Group 3 scorers Capt Chaos and Philario. Golden Pivotal and Needwood Blade have sired winners with their first crop of juveniles.
Windsor Knot is one of a select group of younger sons of Pivotal who are in the early stages of their stallion career; others include Group 1-winning milers Excellent Art and Falco. He ran just three times as a two-year-old but won over seven furlongs at Newmarket and Sandown, with the second of those wins coming in the Group 3 Solario Stakes. He missed the classics and had been off the track for nearly 13 months when finishing third in a listed contest over ten furlongs at Ayr, his only outing a three-year-old.
At four Windsor Knot won over ten furlongs at Newmarket, was runner-up in listed races over the distance at Sandown and Newbury and, on his final run of the year, lost out in a photo for the Group 3 Darley Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket. He ran just twice at the age of five, finishing third behind Group 1 scorer Kirklees in the listed Foundation Stakes over ten furlongs at Goodwood and then going out on a high note with victory in the Group 3 Darley Stakes.
Windsor Knot is the best son of Triple Tie, a winning daughter of Derby hero The Minstrel (by Northern Dancer). His dam is a half-sister to multiple US stakes winner Reign Dance (by Sovereign Dancer), while grandam Tea And Roses (by Fleet Nasrullah) was a stakes-placed half-sister to Faliraki (by Prince Tenderfoot). He was a speedy juvenile who won the Group 3 Norfolk Stakes and finished fourth in the Group 1 Flying Childers Stakes, both over five furlongs. He also won several races in America and was runner-up in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap before going on to sire stakes winners at stud. His best son was Fali Time, winner of both the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity and Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes as a two-year-old and latter successful in the Grade 1 San Felipe Handicap; he earned more than $1 million in prizemoney.
Faliraki’s half-brother Thousandfold (by Forli) won the listed Waterford Testimonial Stakes. Their dam Super Flower (by Super Sam) was unraced but was a half-sister to several notable individuals, headed by Typhoon (by Honeyway), the top two-year-old of 1960. He was speedy and precocious and won both the Coventry Stakes and Richmond Stakes. He was also runner-up in the Prix Morny and Timeform rated him 125. The following year Typhoon went to America where he notched up the first of an additional ten wins before going on to sire winners at stud.
Among his siblings were the fillies Drury Nell (by Bold Lad) and Moment Of Truth (by Matador). Drury Nell was stakes-placed in France and produced Drama (by Sir Ivor), Taylor Park (by Sir Gaylord) and Courtesane (by Majestic Light). Drama won the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes over six furlongs, became the dam of juvenile Grade 3 winner Tycoon’s Drama (by Last Tycoon) and the ancestor of Grade 1 scorer King’s Drama (by King’s Theatre), pattern winners Swedish Shave (by Shavian) and Scapolo (by Rainbows For Life) and listed scorers Sharpest Image (by Exactly Sharp), Desert Drama (by Green Desert), Tycoon’s Dolce (by Rainbows For Life) and Tycoon’s Hill (by Danehill).
Taylor Park was a stakes winner who produced major Canadian juvenile winner Foxy Ferdie (by Ferdinand) as well as the dam of a trio of stakes winners who earned nearly $800,000 between them. Courtesane, on the other hand, became the dam of smart filly Delilah (by Bluebird), a multiple Group 3 scorer who finished third in the Group 1 Irish St Leger. Moment Of Truth, the other notable sibling of Typhoon, was US Broodmare of the Year in 1972. Her star performer Convenience (by Fleet Nasrullah) was very closely related to the grandam of Windsor Knot. She won 15 races, including two editions of the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap, and was a half-sister to Indulto (by Royal Coinage), a smart sprinter who won a total of 27 races, Grade 3 scorer Proliferation (by Warfare), stakes winner Puntilla (by Never Bend), Grade 3-placed 13-time winner Quick Decision (by Pronto), and also high-class European colt Night Alert (by Nijinsky). He won the Group 2 Prix Jean Prat and Group 3 Gladness Stakes, was promoted to third in the 2,000 Guineas, behind Known Fact and Posse, and finished third in the Group 1 Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes at Leopardstown. Sadly fate intervened and he didn’t get his chance at stud.
Windsor Knot is by a top sire who is beginning to make his name as a sire of sires, and he comes from a family that has produced a lot of stakes and pattern winners, as well as several horses who have sired winners.
When looking at the pedigrees of the pattern winners sired by Pivotal and the stakes winners sired by his sons, three things immediately stand out. There has been a considerable amount of success with mares that represent the Danzig, Mr Prospector and Sharpen Up stallion lines.
Arabian Gleam (by Kyllachy), Flashing Colour, Needwood Blade, Nick’s Nikita, Philario (by Captain Rio) and Saoire represent mares from the Danzig stallion line, Enticing, Penkenna Princess and Tariq (by Kyllachy) represent the Sharpen Up line, while Brazilian Bride, Caesarine, Captain Rio, Excellent Art, Falco, Humouresque, Il Waard and Red Diadem represent the Mr Prospector line. Another interesting individual is Group 2-winning sprinter Pivotal Point; his dam is by Presidium, a half-brother to the notable Sharpen Up stallions Kris and Diesis.
Closer inspection shows that there are three stakes winners sired by Pivotal and who were produced from Primo Dominie (by Dominion) mares, four from grandaughters of Blushing Groom (by Red God) and that ten Pivotal stakes winners - plus one each for Captain Rio and Kyllachy - have Lyphard (by Northern Dancer) somewhere in the distaff side of the family. One of Pivotal’s new Group 1 winners this year was out of an Indian Ridge (by Ahonoora) mare and it is interesting that three additional Pivotal stakes winners, plus three for his sons, have either Ahonoora or his sire Lorenzaccio in their pedigree too. These trends may prove worth noting.
Dr. Sieglinde McGee
PIVOTAL - STAKES WINNERS
name |
form |
broodmare sire |
sire of broodmare sire |
2nd dam’s sire |
3rd dam’s sire |
Pintle |
SW |
Absalom |
Abernant |
High Line |
Sovereign Lord |
Crucial |
SW |
Ahonoora |
Lorenzaccio |
Kings Lake |
Dschingis Khan |
Morena Park |
SW |
Ahonoora |
Lorenzaccio |
Storm Bird |
Foolish Pleasure |
Needwood Blade |
G3W |
Be My Chief |
Chief’s Crown |
High Top |
Aureole |
| Briseida |
G2W |
Be My Guest |
Northern Dancer |
Mill Reef |
Relko |
| Infallible |
G3W |
Cadeaux Genereux |
Young Generation |
Danzig |
Fappiano |
| Iguazu Falls |
SW |
Caerleon |
Nijinsky |
Ela-Mana-Mou |
Mill Reef |
Stolzing |
G3W |
Caerleon |
Nijinsky |
Bairam |
Anwar |
Chorist |
G1W |
Chief Singer |
Ballad Rock |
Kings Lake |
Dschingis Khan |
Nick’s Nikita |
G3W |
Chief’s Crown |
Danzig |
Sir Ivor |
Traffic Judge |
Enticing |
G3W |
College Chapel |
Sharpo |
General Assembly |
Green Dancer |
Penkenna Princess |
G3W |
Common Grounds |
Kris |
Shareef Dancer |
Dust Commander |
Saoire |
G1W |
Danehill |
Danzig |
Colum |
Never Say Die |
| Summer Fete |
SW |
Daylami |
Doyoun |
Barathea |
Main Reef |
Danak |
G3W |
Doyoun |
Mill Reef |
Slew O’ Gold |
Thatch |
| Virtual |
SW |
Exit To Nowhere |
Irish River |
Shadeed |
Exclusive Native |
Alzerra |
G3W |
Fijar Tango |
In Fijar |
Pharly |
Petingo |
| Flashing Colour |
SW |
Green Desert |
Danzig |
Shirley Heights |
Jimmy Reppin |
Ratio |
G3W |
High Estate |
Shirley Heights |
Ahonoora |
Mount Hagen |
| Azabara |
SW |
Highest Honor |
Kenmare |
Bering |
Fabulous Dancer |
| Halfway To Heaven |
G1W |
Indian Ridge |
Ahonoora |
Secreto |
Mr Prospector |
Golden Apples |
G1W |
Kaldoun |
Caro |
Rapace |
Silex |
Brazilian Bride |
G3W |
Kingmambo |
Mr Prospector |
Raise a Native |
Bold Lad |
Miss George |
SW |
Last Tycoon |
Try My Best |
Sir Ivor |
Revoked |
Ringmoor Down |
G3W |
Law Society |
Alleged |
Lyphard |
Vaguely Noble |
Ho Choi |
SW |
Lear Fan |
Roberto |
Lomond |
Silly Season |
Plume Rouge |
SW |
Lear Fan |
Roberto |
Tap On Wood |
Relko |
Lucky Spin |
G3W |
Legend Of France |
Lyphard |
Wollow |
Native Prince |
| Il Warrd |
SW |
Machiavellian |
Mr Prospector |
Irish River |
Grey Dawn |
Captain Rio |
G2W |
Miswaki |
Mr Prospector |
Nijinsky |
Court Martial |
Humouresque |
G3W |
Miswaki |
Mr Prospector |
The Minstrel |
Stop The Music |
Joint Aspiration |
SW |
Most Welcome |
Be My Guest |
Mansingh |
Linacre |
Red Diadem |
SW |
Mr Prospector |
Raise a Native |
Lypheor |
Secretariat |
North America |
SW |
Mtoto |
Busted |
Tratteggio |
Aggressor |
Somnus |
G1W |
Night Shift |
Northern Dancer |
Tesco Boy |
Polly’s Jet |
Salamanca |
SW |
Persian Heights |
Persian Bold |
Final Straw |
Santa Claus |
Violet Park |
G3W |
Petong |
Mansingh |
Sparkler |
Bolinas Boy |
Red Carpet |
SW |
Pharly |
Lyphard |
Frankincense |
Primera |
Miss Meggy |
SW |
Pips Pride |
Efisio |
Rusticaro |
Cumshaw |
Pivotal Point |
G2W |
Presidium |
General Assembly |
Sparkler |
The Brianstan |
Bond Deal |
SW |
Primo Dominie |
Dominion |
Lyphard |
Alydar |
Leo |
G2W |
Primo Dominie |
Dominion |
Be My Guest |
Lorenzaccio |
Peeress |
G1W |
Primo Dominie |
Dominion |
Dancing Brave |
Final Straw |
Polly Perkins |
SW |
Prince Sabo |
Young Generation |
Trojan Fen |
Welsh Pageant |
Golden Pivotal |
SW |
Puissance |
Thatching |
Al Nasr |
Habitat |
| Heaven Sent |
G3W |
Rahy |
Blushing Groom |
Alydar |
Quack |
| Jazz Jam |
|
Rahy |
Blushing Groom |
Northern Dancer |
Buckpasser |
Megahertz |
G1W |
Rahy |
Blushing Groom |
Alydar |
Quack |
| Mia’s Boy |
SW |
Rainbow Quest |
Blushing Groom |
Sadler’s Wells |
Jaazeiro |
| Chantilly Tiffany |
G3W |
Royal Academy |
Nijinsky |
Mr Prospector |
Round Table |
Excellent Art |
G1W |
Seeking The Gold |
Mr Prospector |
Secretariat |
Lyphard |
Feet So Fast |
SW |
Sharpo |
Sharpen Up |
Junius |
Appiani |
Silver Pivotal |
SW |
Silver Hawk |
Roberto |
Mr Prospector |
Private Account |
Kyllachy |
G1W |
Song |
Sing Sing |
Crooner |
March Past |
Silvester Lady |
G1W |
Soviet Star |
Nureyev |
King’s Bishop |
Silnet |
Windsor Knot |
G3W |
The Minstrel |
Northern Dancer |
Fleet Nasrullah |
Super Sam |
Low Pivot |
G3W |
Tina’s Pet |
Mummy’s Pet |
Pitcairn |
Darius |
| Falco |
G1W |
Unbridled |
Fappiano |
Seattle Slew |
Lyphard |
Beauty Is Truth |
G2W |
Warning |
Known Fact |
Caerleon |
Mill Reef |
Kanisfluh |
SW |
Warning |
Known Fact |
Gulch |
Run The Gantlet |
| Caesarine |
SW |
Woodman |
Mr Prospector |
Nureyev |
Vent du Nord |
PIVOTAL STALLIONS - STAKES WINNERS
name |
form |
sire |
broodmare sire |
sire of broodmare sire |
2nd dam sire |
third dam sire |
Blue Echo |
SW |
Kyllachy |
Bellypha |
Lyphard |
Sharpen Up |
Reform |
| Capt Chaos |
G3W |
Captain Rio |
Blues Traveller |
Bluebird |
Danehill |
High Top |
| Corrybrough |
SW |
Kyllachy |
Clantime |
Music Boy |
Roman Warrior |
Royal Smoke |
Arabian Gleam |
G2W |
Kyllachy |
Danehill |
Danzig |
Runnett |
African Sky |
| Il Quello Veloce |
G1W |
Captain Rio |
Golden Brose |
Huntingdale |
Twig Moss |
Sir Tristram |
Philario |
G3W |
Captain Rio |
Grand Lodge |
Chief’s Crown |
Superpower |
Alzao |
| Hopes And Fears |
SW |
Captain Rio |
Last Tycoon |
Try My Best |
Lorenzaccio |
Crocket |
Dubai Dynamo |
SW |
Kyllachy |
Law Society |
Alleged |
Ahonoora |
Lord Gayle |
Sadeek |
SW |
Kyllachy |
Law Society |
Alleged |
Ahonoora |
Lord Gayle |
Mood Music |
SW |
Kyllachy |
Petong |
Mansingh |
Bold Lad |
Majority Blue |
Tariq |
G2W |
Kyllachy |
Selkirk |
Sharpen Up |
The Minstrel |
Damascus |
