Alabama Express x Pikari Star Colt

SIRE: ALABAMA EXPRESS

One of the great stallion Redoute’s Choice’s 40 Gr.1 winners, the high-class Alabama Express is one of the 42 stallions by his sire to have sired stakes winners - and one of the 18 to have been represented by a Gr.1 winner… a hot branch of the Danehill sire line.

A $280,000 yearling spied by Paul Moroney, Alabama Express - whose dam is a half-sister to the outstanding sprinter Giga Kick - was an easy debut winner who progressed quickly through the classes.

Highly regarded by trainer Michael Moroney, Alabama Express won a Listed race at just his third three-year-old start. That success came over 1400m and he displayed adaptability by winning over 1100m at Flemington at the start of his next campaign.

Second up rising in distance and class - taking on the older, more seasoned gallopers in the Gr.1 C.F Orr Stakes, Alabama Express did not have the easiest runs from a wide gate but he showed his heart and determination recording a smart win over Fierce Impact and Kings Will Dream.

Illness brought Alabama Express’ racing career to an early end but the racetrack’s loss was the breeding barn gain as the regally bred bay (a member of the same prolific Stolen Hour family as his own sire) hit the ground running with four stakes winners in his debut crop.

The four time Gr.1 winner Treasure The Moment is one of those, joined by the talented Alabama Lass (three Group wins), Discretion Rules and Glasgow Lass.

Another nine of his progeny are stakes placed and another 11 are metropolitan winners. 37.5% of his winners are at least city class and they are showing that they get all the better as they mature.

DAM: PIKARI STAR

A consistent winner who also filled the placings on 11 occasions from 30 starts, Pikari Star has produced the three time winner Star In The Sky.

Pikari Star is by the globe-trotting multiple Gr.1 winning high class stallion Choisir who did such a great job with his 103 stakes winners inclusive of 12 Gr.1 winners.

And now his daughters are really doing the job at stud, already producing 34 stakes winners including the Gr.1 gallopers Winter, In Secret, Oxted, My Dream Boat, Creative Force and Persuasive.

SECOND DAM: ETOILE FILLE

A metropolitan winner at two, Etoile Fille proved to be a reliable broodmare with six individual winners including the Gr.3 placed Stop Making Sense who is also doing a good job at stud as dam of the exciting three-year-old Autumn Mystery who overcame trouble in running to win the Gr.3 Norman Robinson Stakes last spring.

Already grandam of a couple of metropolitan winners, Etoile Fille is by the Champion NZ 2Y0 sire No Excuse Needed, a multiple Group winning Machiavellian horse whose daughters are faring very nicely at stud - producing the Gr.1 gallopers Atishu and Madison County.

THIRD DAM: STARCENT

A very talented mare who won half of her ten starts including two Gr.3 races and a Listed contest over sprinting trips, Starcent went right on with the job at stud with 11 of her 12 foals to race being winners.

A daughter of the star broodmare sire Centaine (there are 28 Gr.1 winners amongst the 120 winners produced by his daughters), Starcent has proven to be quite the matriarch with her descendants including the Gr.1 winners I Wish I Win and Savy Yong Blonk as well as the stakes winners Marseille Roulette, Delta Girl, Jedibeel, Adelaide Ace, Another Dollar and Strike The Stars.

Starcent’s dam Star Of The Knight by the great Sir Tristram was also high class - winning two Group races with the Gr.1 winners Vanbrugh, Sacred Star and Diademe amongst her descendants.

PEDIGREE ANALYSIS

Alabama Express’ high achieving sire Redoute’s Choice is bred on the successful Danehill/Lunchtime cross - as is Pikari Star’s globetrotting sire Choisir.

Alabama Express has sired two stakes winners (including the triple Group winner Alabama Lass) and another four black-type performers line-bred to Danehill who is 3 X 4 here.

And Danehill relishes strains of his close relation Machiavellian (whose dam Halo is also from the Natalma/Almahmoud family that produced Danehill, Machiavellian - and Northern Dancer) - and that horse is the sire of Pikari Star’s dam sire No Excuse Needed.

This Danehill/Machiavellian combination has been represented by 602 stakes winners; 79 Gr.1 winners including Anamoe, Santa Ana Lane, Shocking, Farnan, Jimmysstar and Bella Nipotina.

Alabama Express’ dam sire Encosta de Lago is by Fairy King, member of the internationally prolific Special family. One of its best members is Nureyev whose son Zilzal is the dam sire of No Excuse Needed… providing for a 6 X 7 cross of Special, one of the great modern day line-breeding forces.

¾ brothers, Fairy King and Nureyev have come together in the pedigrees of 156 stakes winners - 23 of whom are Gr.1 horses including Mystic Journey, Sunshine In Paris, Manzoice, Ethiopia, Levante and Ozzmosis.

Encosta de Lago is out of a mare by Star Way - descendant of the legendary matriarch Selene as is Sir Tristram - Pikari Star’s third dam sire. Encosta de Lago and Sir Tristram have combined brilliantly 22 Gr.1 winners (including Zougotcha, Joliestar, Princess Coup, Racing To Win, Sunshine In Paris, Ozzmosis, Mystic Journey and Sacred Kingdom) amongst the 143 stakes winners.