Shrug runs them down at Del Mar

It took a photo finish to separate the top three but it was Medaglia d'Oro’s son Shrug who came out on top with a hard-fought win in Del Mar’s Listed Green Flash Handicap over 1000m on August 15.

Sitting fourth at the top of the stretch, the US$300,000 Keeneland September yearling proved too tough down the lane as he wore down the leaders to just get up at the wire. It was just over one length separating the top four in an exciting, blanket finish.

Bred by Liberation Farm and Stonewall Farm in Kentucky, Shrug is out of the Stakes-placed Woodman mare Babeinthewoods and is a half-brother to Stakes-placed Mystic Wood and to the dam of G2 winner Rendezvous.

Medagalia d’Oro is the sire of seven G1 winners, including Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, plus an additional eight Graded our Group winners. Daughter Marketing Mix, one of North America’s best fillies of 2012, is the morning line favourite for the G1 Beverly D. Handicap at Arlington Park on Saturday.

In the sales ring, offspring of Medagalia d’Oro  are also making their presence known. His current crop of yearlings, resulting from one of the best group of mares ever to visit a stallion, is represented by the US$1.575 million-dollar sales topper at the recent Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. He is currently the world’s leading sire in 2012 by average price and by median price.

Medaglia d’Oro stands at Kelvinside Stud in the Hunter Valley at a fee of $77,000 (Inc. GST).