The Devil Gets Modus Dancing Again

The Devil Gets Modus Dancing Again 21 April, 2012 – Lisa Barrett

The amazing victories of the phenomenally talented Dancewiththedevil has catapulted her sire, the almost forgotten stallion, Modus Vivendi to prominence again.

As a racehorse, he was relatively undistinguished, winning only two minor races in France, where he was trained by the legendary Andre Fabre, before heading to race for champion South African trainer, Mike de Kock in Dubai, where he did little to show what his pedigree promised.

Modus Vivendi’s father, Zafonic, was a top class racehorse, being the grandson of one of the greatest sires of all-time, Mr. Prospector. Zafonic got his racing career off to a winning start with his first major win at 2YO, where he took the honours in the Prix Mornay (Gr.1) at Deauville.

He followed this up a few weeks later with an impressive victory in the Prix de la Salamandre (Gr.1) at Lonchamps, where he beat another world class sire, Kingmambo. It was then decided to ship him to England, where he won the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr.1) by four lengths, earning him the Cartier Racing award for Champion Colt of Europe for 1992.

In his third year of racing, he was beaten by his nemesis Kingmambo in the Prix Djebel (Gr.3), however he fought back to take the honours in the 2000 British Guineas where he won by 3.5 lengths from the highly fancied Barathea, and broke the 45 year old course record in the process. Sadly, his fortunes turned and he burst a blood vessel while running in the Sussex Stakes (Gr.1) and it was decided to retire him to stud.

Modus Vivendi’s mother Monroe, winner of the Balloygan Stakes (Gr.3) in Ireland in 1980, and runner-up in the Gr.2 Phoenix Stakes and Gr.3 Mulchay Stakes, was a useful and well regarded runner. So why did he fail to fire then, considering his considerable pedigree? One could speculate until the cows and horses come home, but at least he has left South Africa and in particular, KZN, a spectacular racing heroine in Dancewiththedevil.

The 5YO mare is out of the Caesour mare, Emperors Dance, herself an unwanted mare on a dispersal sale. Someone though saw her potential, and she was bought by Romeo Francis with whom she won several races, including being placed in a Listed race, before KZN racing legend St John Gray snapped her up for stud. Dancewiththedevil was also conceived as a result of a stallion swop. The rest as they say is history!

Dancewiththedevil is not only a multiple Group One and Group winner, but a two-time winner of the Horse Chestnut Stakes (Gr.1) where she gave some of the best colts in the nation a run for their money in the WFA race.

Her incredible turn of foot and ability to dig deep has seen her score some memorable victories, and her never-say-die attitude has given KZN racing something to shout about.

To boot, she has also earned nearly R4 million in prize money, demonstrating to the rest of the country, that KZN racing has some serious racing talent!

If ever there were a poster girl for racing, Dancewiththedevil is it!