Mshawish stamped himself as one of top older horses in North America with a sharp two-length victory in the G1 Donn Handicap. Completing the exacta in the Donn was Valid, another Stakes-winning son of Medaglia d’Oro.
Saturday was a banner day for Medaglia d’Oro. Less than thirty minutes earlier, the stallion’s Champion daughter Songbird made a winning sophomore debut by taking the G2 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita.
Settled just behind the leaders in third through the early stages of the race, Mshawish took command with a furlong to run and pulled away for the easy victory.
Bred in Kentucky by OTIF 2007, Mshawish is out of the Thunder Gulch mare Thunder Bayou, who is a half-sister to Stakes winners Meteorologist and Bayou Breeze, the dam of Stakes winner Branded.
Medaglia d’Oro was the sire of 29 Stakes winners in 2015 including G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, Eclipse Champion juvenile filly Songbird, and Gold Medal Dancer, winner of the G2 Azeri.
