A Case of You | |
---|---|
Sire | Hot Streak |
Grandsire | Iffraaj |
Dam | Karjera |
Damsire | Key of Luck |
Sex | Colt |
Foaled | 27 March 2018 [1] |
Country | Ireland |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Limestone & Tara Studs |
Owner | John C McConnell Gary Devlin |
Trainer | John C McConnell Adrian McGuinness |
Record | 11: 5-1-2 |
Earnings | £326,847 |
Major wins | |
Anglesey Stakes (2020) Lacken Stakes (2021) Prix de l'Abbaye (2021) |
A Case of You, (foaled 27 March 2018) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed high class form as a two-year-old in 2020 when he won two of his three races included the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes. In the following year he improved to become a leading sprinter, winning the Lacken Stakes and running second in the Flying Five Stakes before taking the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye.
A Case of You is a bay colt with a white star bred in Ireland by Limestone and Tara Studs. In October 2019 the colt was consigned to the Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale but failed to reach his reserve price of €3,000. [2] He was subsequently acquired by John C McConnell who took the horse into training at Stamullen, County Meath. The horse shares his name with a song by Joni Mitchell.
He was from the second crop of foals sired by Hot Streak, a sprinter who won the Cornwallis Stakes in 2013 and the Temple Stakes in 2014. [3] A Case of You's dam Karjera showed little racing ability, failing to win in eight starts. [4] She was a female-line descendant of the California-bred broodmare Amerigo's Fancy, making her a distant relative of Makybe Diva and Canford Cliffs. [5]
A Case of You began his racing career in a one mile maiden race at Bellewstown on 26 August when he started at odds of 15/2 and finished third behind Win Win Fighter, beaten four and a half lengths by the winner. In a maiden over seven furlongs on heavy ground at Down Royal nine days later he was ridden by Colin Keane and recorded his first success as he took the lead approaching the final furlong and won "comfortably" by two and a half lengths from Earls Rock. [6] On 11 October at the Curragh the colt was stepped up in class but dropped in distance for the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes over six and a half furlongs and went off the 6/1 third choice in the betting behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained contenders Preamble and Lippizaner. Ridden by Gary Carroll, A Case of You disputed the lead from the start, gained the advantage at half way and stayed on well in the closing stages to win by one and a quarter lengths from Lippizaner. [7] John McConnell commented "Usually if I have a good horse I stay away from the Curragh because the competition is so good but he justified coming here and was impressive. It's my first Group winner on the Flat... He's my own and I'd love to sell him. It would be great to sell him and stay in the yard. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets faster and faster and the dream could be something like a Commonwealth Cup." [8]
Before the start of the 2021 season A Case Of You was bought by Gary Devlin and transferred to the training stable of Adrian McGuinness at Lusk, County Dublin. On his first appearance for his new connections, the colt started 10/11 favourite for a minor race over six furlongs on the synthetic polytrack surface at Dundalk Stadium on 19 March. Ridden by Ronan Whelan he took the lead approaching and went clear of his opponents to win "readily" by three and three quarter lengths from Logo Hunter. [9] In the following month A Case of You started favourite for the Listed 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes over seven furlongs Leopardstown Racecourse but after being in contention for most of the way he hung badly to the right in the straight and came home last of the twelve runners behind. Poetic Flare. [10] Whelan was again in the saddle when A Case of You contested the Group 3 Lacken Stakes over six furlongs at Naas Racecourse on 16 May and started second choice in the betting his old rival Lippizaner. In a rough race, A Case of You tracked the leaders before finishing strongly and prevailed in a blanket finish by a neck, a head and a neck from Mooneista, Power Under Me and Laws of Indices. The placings of the second and third placed finishers were reversed after a stewards' inquiry. [11] Adrian McGuiness commented "We gave him a break after Leopardstown where we were a bit disappointed with him. He pulled hard that day and we said we’d drop him back to sprinting. Obviously that is his forte, he had to dig deep there today and he’s tough. I think he’ll improve a little bit as I haven’t been very hard on him." [12]
A Case of You moved to the highest level for the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in June but finished eleventh of the fifteen runners after losing a shoe in the race. Victory went to the American filly Campanelle when the first place finisher Dragon Symbol was disqualified. [13] Following a break of over seven weeks, the colt returned in the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh on 8 August when he was matched against older horses and came home third behind the five-year-old Gustavus Weston. On 5 September at the Curragh A Case of You started a 33/1 outsider when he was dropped back in distance for the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes. Ridden by Whelan, he was towards the rear in the early stages before producing a strong late run to finish second, half a length behind the six-year-old mare Romantic Proposal. [14]
For his last start of the season in Europe A Case of You was sent to France for the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye over 1000 metres on heavy ground at Longchamp Racecourse on 3 October when he was partnered by Whelan and started at odds of 10.8/1. The King George Stakes winner Suesa started favourite while the other twelve runners included Glass Slippers, Winter Power, Romantic Proposal, Berneuil (Prix du Petit Couvert), Pradaro (Prix du Gros Chene), Dandalla (Duchess of Cambridge Stakes) and Air de Valse (2020 Prix du Petit Couvert). A Case of You raced in mid-division before coming under pressure at half way and then began to make progress 300 metres from the finish. The five-year-old mare Air de Valse had opened up a clear advantage but the Irish colt maintained his run, caught the leader on the line and won by a short head. [15] After the race McGuinness said "The Flying Five was his first time over five furlongs and he's just got better and better. He'll be a very good horse next year... I ran him at Ascot and he wasn't right, but I knew he was right here. I can't believe it. I knew he'd definitely improved because I've a good sprinter at home and he can't lay up with him. He's coped with the ground, but I think he'll be better on good. We're definitely going to look at the Breeders' Cup, but we'll see how he is." [16]
As McGuinness had suggested, A Case of You ended his season with a trip to California to contest the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over five furlongs at Del Mar Racetrack on November 6. Racing on firm ground he raced in mid-division before staying on in the straight but never looked likely to win and came home fifth behind Golden Pal. [17]
Sire Hot Streak (IRE) 2011 | Iffraaj (GB) 2001 | Zafonic (USA) | Gone West |
---|---|---|---|
Zaizafon | |||
Pastorale | Nureyev (USA) | ||
Park Appeal (IRE) | |||
Ashirah (USA) 1995 | Housebuster | Mt Livermore | |
Big Dreams | |||
Manwah | Lyphard | ||
Height of Fashion (FR) | |||
Dam Karjera (IRE) 2008 | Key of Luck (USA) 1991 | Chief's Crown | Danzig |
Six Crowns | |||
Balbonella (FR) | Gay Mecene (USA) | ||
Bamieres | |||
Lock's Heath (CAN) 1990 | Topsider (USA) | Northern Dancer (CAN) | |
Drumtop | |||
Lock's Dream (USA) | Youth | ||
Trillionaire (Family: 9-f) [5] |
Royal Applause is a retired British Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was undefeated in four races as a two-year-old in 1995, including the Group One Middle Park Stakes, the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes and the Group Three Coventry Stakes. He was rated the second best colt of the year behind Alhaarth. After a disappointing three-year-old season, he returned as a four-year-old in 1998 to become European Champion Sprinter, when he won four of his seven races including the Group One Haydock Sprint Cup the Group Three Duke of York Stakes and the Group Three Cork and Orrery Stakes. He went on to become a successful stallion and is based at the Royal Studs at Sandringham, Norfolk.
Avonbridge is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won three Group races including the Group One Prix de l'Abbaye in a career which lasted from 2002 to 2005. In his final year he was named European Champion Sprinter at the Cartier Racing Awards. He currently stands as a stallion in Hampshire.
Sole Power is a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist sprinter, he won twelve of his sixty-five races and competed in five different countries in a nine-year racing career. He is unique in being a dual winner of both the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Nunthorpe Stakes at York. His racing style is distinctive: he is usually restrained by his jockey for most of the race before producing a single burst of acceleration in the closing stages.
Cadeaux Genereux was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A specialist sprinter, he came to prominence in 1988 when he won five races including the Criterion Stakes and the Diadem Stakes and was disqualified after finishing first in the Prix de l'Abbaye. After two disappointing efforts early in 1989 he established himself as the best sprinter in Europe with wins in the July Cup and the William Hill Sprint Championship. He was then retired to stud where he had considerable success as a sire of winners.
Committed was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. A specialist sprinter, she competed in four countries and won seventeen of her thirty races between 1982 and 1986. She showed promise as a two-year-old in 1982 and won six consecutive races in the following season, when she was campaigned exclusively in Ireland. As a four-year-old, she emerged as one of the leading sprinters in Europe, winning the Cork and Orrery Stakes and Nunthorpe Stakes in England and the Prix de l'Abbaye in France. In the following year she won the Ballyogan Stakes and Flying Five Stakes before becoming the third horse to win the Prix de l'Abbaye for a second time. She was retired from racing to become a broodmare in the United States and had considerable success as a dam of winners. She died in 2009 at the age of twenty-nine.
Saritamer was a Kentucky-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a two-year-old he was rated the third-best two-year-old in Ireland after winning the Anglesey Stakes and the Beresford Stakes. In the following year he became a specialised sprinter, excelling over six furlongs and winning the Greenlands Stakes, Cork and Orrery Stakes, July Cup and Diadem Stakes. He was named best sprinter of 1974 by Timeform. He later sired the middle-distance champion Time Charter, but was otherwise a complete failure at stud.
Lavinia Fontana was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was a durable sprinter who raced in five countries and won nine of her 36 races between April 1991 and November 1995. Competing mainly in minor races early in her career she won once in 1991 and three times in the following year. She was moved up in class as four-year-old and recorded major victories in both the Prix du Petit Couvert in France and the Premio Umbria in Italy. In the following year she showed her best form in autumn, producing a career-best performance to take the Haydock Sprint Cup in England and winning the Premio Chiusura in Italy. She was less successful as a six-year-old, but did add a second win in the Premio Chiusura before being retired from racing. As a broodmare she produced two minor winners from six foals.
Bushranger is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed his best form as a two-year-old in 2008 when he won four of his seven races including the Anglesey Stakes in Ireland, the Prix Morny in France and the Middle Park Stakes in England as well as finishing second in the Phoenix Stakes. He was rated the second-best juvenile of the year in Europe. Bushranger failed to recapture his form in three starts as a three-year-old and was retired to stud at the end of 2009. He has had some success as a sire of winners.
Balmont is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He had his greatest success as a two-year-old in 2003 when he won the Gimcrack Stakes and was awarded the win in the Middle Park Stakes on the disqualification of Three Valleys. He remained in training until the age of five but never won again although he ran well in several major sprint races, being placed in the July Cup, Golden Jubilee Stakes, Temple Stakes and Phoenix Sprint Stakes. After the end of his racing career he stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland and Australia, and now stands at the Jug Handle Ranch in Alberta Canada.
Dick Whittington is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed his best form as a two-year-old in 2014 when he won three of his six races including the Anglesey Stakes and Phoenix Stakes. After finishing fourth on his only appearance of 2015 he returned as a four-year-old to win the Ballycorus Stakes.
U S Navy Flag is an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2017 he became the first horse in 35 years to win both the Middle Park Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. As two-year-old he was beaten in his first four racecourse appearances, including the Coventry Stakes before winning a maiden race in July. He then finished second in the July Stakes and fourth in the Phoenix Stakes before recording his first significant win in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes. He won the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse on 30 September and returned to the same track two weeks later to follow up in the Dewhurst Stakes. As a three-year-old in 2018 he ran in several major mile races without success before dropping back to sprint distances to win the July Cup.
Caravaggio is an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe when he was unbeaten in four races including the Marble Hill Stakes, Coventry Stakes and Phoenix Stakes. In the following year he took his winning run to six with victories in the Lacken Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup but his only success in four subsequent starts came in the Flying Five. He was retired from racing at the end of 2017 having won seven of his ten starts. Aidan O'Brien described him as the fastest horse that he had ever trained.
Caerwent was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Despite contesting only two races as a juvenile he was rated the best horse of his generation after a five-length win in the Group 1 National Stakes. In the following spring he maintained his unbeaten record with a victory in the Harp Lager 2000 Guineas Trial but was narrowly beaten by his stablemate Prince of Birds in the Irish 2000 Guineas. He went on to win the Irish International Stakes and was placed in the St James's Palace Stakes, Vernons Sprint Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye. He was retired to stud at the end of his second but made little impact as a breeding stallion.
Battaash is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist sprinter who usually competes at the minimum distance of five furlongs, he is noted for his exceptional speed and unpredictable temperament. He won once from five starts as a juvenile in 2016 and was gelded in an attempt to improve his behaviour. In the following year he emerged as one of the best sprinters in the world, winning the Scurry Stakes, Coral Charge and King George Stakes before ending the season with an emphatic win in the Prix de l'Abbaye. In 2018 he won the Temple Stakes and recorded a second victory in the King George Stakes. As a five-year-old he won a second Temple Stakes and a third King George Stakes before producing his best performance of the season to take the Nunthorpe Stakes. In 2020 he was unbeaten in three starts, namely the King's Stand Stakes, King George Stakes and Nunthorpe Stakes.
Fairyland is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She was one of the best two-year-old fillies in Europe in 2018 when her wins included the Marble Hill Stakes, Lowther Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes. In the following year she won the Flying Five Stakes and ran well in several major sprint races.
Millisle is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2019 she was the best filly of her age in Europe, winning three races including the Curragh Stakes and the Cheveley Park Stakes as well as finishing second in the Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes and ending the season with a rating of 115. She was less successful as a three-year-old but added another major win when taking the Ballyogan Stakes.
Romanised is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed promise as a juvenile in 2017 when he won one of his four races and finished second in the Solario Stakes. In the following year he recorded an upset victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas but finished unplaced in his other starts. As a four-year-old he won the Minstrel Stakes and the Prix Jacques Le Marois and was narrowly beaten in a controversial race for the Prix du Moulin. He won a second Minstrel Stakes in 2020.
Myboycharlie is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was one of the best two-year-olds of his generation in Europe when he won his first three races including the Anglesey Stakes and the Prix Morny. He did not live up to his early promise and failed to win again before being retired from racing at the end of the following year. He stood as a breeding stallion in Australia, England, France and Turkey and has had considerable success as a sire of winners.
Glen Shiel is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He began his racing career where he showed useful but unremarkable form in his first two seasons, recording his best win in the Listed Prix Le Fabuleux in October 2017. He was gelded but his form deteriorated in 2018 and a transfer to race in England in the following year brought little improvement. After being previously campaigned over middle distances he was dropped back in trip in 2020 and emerged as a top-class sprinter, winning five races including the Phoenix Sprint Stakes and the British Champions Sprint Stakes.
Laws of Indices is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed very good form as a two-year-old in 2020 when he won two races including the Railway Stakes as well as finishing third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and fourth in the Phoenix Stakes. In the following year he was beaten in his first three races but then recorded an upset victory in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat.