Coulsty now a Group 1 sire as Shantisara wins the QEII at Keeneland

20 Oct 2021

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bob LaPenta's Shantisara (Coulsty) underscored the sheer domination of trainer Chad Brown in the America's turf races with an emphatic victory in Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland. Also representing the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer in the nine-furlong test was dual graded-winning runner-up Technical Analysis (Kingman). However, early favouritism went to Coolmore's Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), hailing from another behemoth of the turf world, Aidan O'Brien. Shantisara settled just off the early pace as stablemate Technical Analysis led into the first turn while under mild pressure from Empress Josephine and Burning Ambition (Uncle Mo) through a :23.91 quarter. Inching her way forward following a half-mile in :48.63, Shantisara started to put the screws to the front runners midway on the far turn. Overtaking the weakening favourite turning for home, she collared the pacesetter in early stretch and drew off with ease to score by five lengths. Shantisara’s margin of victory is the largest in the history of the race, eclipsing the 4 1/2-length victory by Hot Cha Cha in 2009.

 

 

“It was a good run and I was really pleased with the draw [post three]”, said winning rider Flavien Prat. “She broke well and I was able to tuck her in right away and she switched off nice. I thought the good horses were around me, and I was able to keep tracking them. She made a really good move around the turn and when I asked her to make a move, she responded well. I was traveling super and, when it was time to go, she was there for me.”

 

 

A winner of two of five starts for trainer Frederic Rossi in France, Shantisara was privately purchased by these connections to be trained by Chad Brown and launched her U.S. campaign with a runner-up finish in Monmouth's Boiling Springs S. in June before breaking through with a three-length score in Arlington's nine-furlong GIII Pucker Up S. Aug. 14. Stretching out to 11 panels for her latest, she came home a 1/2 length on top in Belmont's Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Sept. 18.

 

 

Pedigree Notes: With a Grade I win under her belt, Shantisara, moves to the head of the class for young sire Coulsty and revives a previously prolific female line that had recently fizzled. Second-crop stallion Coulsty, who stands in Ireland's County Kildare at Rathasker Stud, has another Group winner in Santosha winner of the Gr.3 Princess Margaret Stakes, Gr.3 Round Tower placed Coulthard, two Listed winner Sopran Aragorn and Suicide Squad, and Listed Montrose placed Coul Queen – all from a crop of just 45 foals. His two-year old crop of 2021 had just 12 but has produced further black-type ; Glenall is Listed placed in the Prix des Reves d'Or. Shantisara is the only runner out of her dam, the unraced and late Kharana (Ire). Interestingly, Kharana's dam was also unraced and her only winner was in Greece. Shantisara's third dam was a listed winner and group-placed in Ireland, but also produced little of note. However, Shantisara's fourth dam was French champion Kozana  who counted U.S., Irish, and English champion High Chaparral among her grandsons.

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