Vinery resident Mossman sired his first USA stakeswinner this morning when former Kiwi galloper Hoofit won the US$175,000 Phoenix Stakes Gr.3 on Keeneland’s All Weather track in Kentucky.
Exported from New Zealand in late March, Hoofit made his USA debut on September 2 winning a 5.5f (about 1100m) Allowance race at Presque Isle Downs with ease by almost four lengths.
That debut victory for the stable was enough to convince trainer Graham Motion to tackle today’s Grade 3 Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs on Keeneland’s All Weather track.
Despite being sent out at 25/1, Hoofit rewarded the faith of his new connections by settling just behind the leaders and improving around the turn to find the front with a furlong to go. Guided by Edgar Prado, Hoofit held off even money favourite, Aikenite by a nose in a slick 1.09.27 to remain undefeated in the U.S.
“The horse ran real well,” Prado told Bloodhorse.com. “(Motion) told me this morning that the horse ran excellent at Presque Isle and he told me to ride him with a lot of confidence. And you see the results today.”
Hoofit won for the fourth time in 18 lifetime starts and bagged his first graded stakes victory. He has now earned $182,721.
“He was just so impressive that night at Presque Isle,” Graham Motion said. “I kept looking at the race and thinking how easily he did it. I said to Edgar this morning, ‘You’ve gotta watch this video because it has to be seen to be believed.’
Born in New Zealand, Hoofit is the third foal of Danehill mare Chuckle and the younger half brother to Ten Second’s (More Than Ready x Chuckle) which won on Wednesday in Brisbane.
Hoofit, a $60,000 Karaka graduate, was originally raced in the Shakey Isles by a group of owners that included industry icon Sir Patrick Hogan.
While in New Zealand, Hoofit competed at the highest level winning the Listed Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie, he was runner-up in the Champagne Stakes and finished fourth in the Manawatu Sire’s Produce Stakes Gr.1 as a 2yo.
Thanks to Hoofit’s U.S success, Mossman can now lay claim to siring winners in 9 countries, including 16 stakeswinners at a strike-rate of well over 60% percent winners to runners.
