American Group Winners for Johannesburg
10th June 2007
Former world champion two year-old Johannesburg has enjoyed a run of recent success in North America with Group Two winner Teuflesberg, Group Three winner Marcavelly and a highly impressive maiden winner in La Traviata.Speedy three year-old colt Teuflesberg (3c Johannesburg - St Michele, by Devil's Bag) appreciated a drop back in distance to seven furlongs when he hit the line strongly to win the Group Two Woody Stephens Breeders Cup Stakes at Belmont on Saturday.
Unplaced at his previous start when out of his depth in the Kentucky Derby, Teuflesberg stumbled at the start and was forced to come from back in the field but surged away at the finish to win by two lengths.
Prepared by Jamie Sanders, the dashing colt has won five of 17 starts earning $535,340 providing a sensational return on his modest yearling price of just $9,000.
Bred by Richard Giacopelli, Teuflesberg is from the placed Devil’s Bag mare St Michele, whose unraced dam Line is by Mr Prospector from the same female family as Johannesburg.
Johannesburg also featured at Belmont on Friday when three year-old colt Marcavelly (3c Johannesburg - Dark Jewel, by Majestic Light) saluted in the Group Three Hill Prince Stakes over a mile on turf.
The Bill Mott trained colt stalked the pace and went on to win by a length and a quarter in taking his overall record to four wins and two seconds from seven starts with prizemoney of $301,063.
Bred by Harrison Stables, Marcavelly fetched $210,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sales and is from the Majestic Light mare Dark Jewel, a full sister to Group One winners Hidden Light and Prince True.
The other big result for Johannesburg was with ultra impressive debutante La Traviata (3f Johannesburg - Piedras Negras, by Unbridled) who thrashed her rivals in clearing out to win a five and a half furlong fillies and mares maiden at Churchill Downs by some 13 lengths and only narrowly missing the course record in clocking 1:02 4/5.
Trained by Patrick Biancone for Michael Tabor, Mrs John Magnier and Derrick Smith, La Traviata caught the eye of respected publication Thoroughbred Daily News who labeled her a ‘TDN Rising Star’.
La Traviata was purchased for $1.1 million at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Calder Select 2YO’s in Training Sale and is the first foal of the Unbridled mare Piedras Negras, an unraced half-sister to Group Three winner Jack Sullivan from the stakes-winning Devil’s Bag mare Provisions.
Johannesburg is the second leading second crop sire in North America with seasonal progeny earnings in excess of $2million and in Australia he shares the lead on the first season sires table by number of individual winners with nine to his credit.