Five Winners In One Week For Just As Well

Just As Well pictured in 2016. Image: Candiese Marnewick

The striking son of AP Indy at Spring Valley Stud, Just As Well, had a massive week with five winners and six places, including a debut win with a 2yo at the Vaal.

The lightly supported Just As Well has only produced 53 foals to date since going to stud in 2011 – which amounts to approximately seven foals produced a year, and producing outstanding results on the racetrack from very small numbers – overall, Just As Well boasts a 50% winners to runners percentage and to date has produced a CTS Ready To Run Cup winner and this years Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup winner!

The week started off with Aranjuez, owned by Michael Leaf (who owned Chilli Con Carne) and trained by Lucky Houdalakis – the 3yo gelding producing his second career win over 2000m. The gelding sold at the 2016 National Yearling Sale for R130 000, and is the first foal out of a full sister to the speedy 7-time and Gr2 winner Lazer Star, by Toreador.

Just Cruised In pictured at Spring Valley Stud prior to his sale at the Nationals.

The next is Calypso Dancer, who sold for a mere R15 000 at the 2017 National 2YO Sale from Spring Valley Stud. The filly, in training with Leon Erasmus for owners Mr and Mrs D Makins, won on debut at odds incredible odds of 30/1, to earn back her sales price comfortably plus extra!

The dam, Dancing Rhapsody, has produced four winners to date from five foals – including Fortissimo, and full sister and 2-time winner, Just Rap. The second dam is Gr3 winner Rhapsody In Red, and this is the family of Red Barrel and Champion Stayer, Travel North.

The next to impress is the chestnut game filly Princess Analia, who has changed trainers and won for Yogas Govender. Owned by Leslie Logan, the 4yo filly has won three times and placed seven, earning R259,400 in stakes. Bred by the late Greg Royden-Turner, she is out of Grand Lodge mare Lodge Of Dreams.

Juvenile winner Just Chaos, who was not sold at the 2017 KZN Yearling Sale, won second time out for trainer and owner Sharon Kotzen. The second foal for her very well related dam Discordia (by Western Winter), this is the family of Abashiri, Donya, Yard Arm, Mast Abeam and Drift Ice. Discordia is a full sister to Gr1 placed Stebbins, who also placed second in the Derby Trial.

Just As Well also produced two places in Mauritius this week, including his Black Type son, Zodiac Jack. Zodiac Jack raced with Greg Ennion as a juvenile and won second time out by six lengths, beating Gr1 placed Ancestry. He placed behind Dutch Philip in the Somerset 1200 Listed, and again only a length off in the Gr3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery. After relocating to Mauritius, the Roski-bred son of Just As Well and the first foal of 10-time winner Pisces Star, has since won twice and placed from all three of his Mauritian starts for trainer Jean Henry – his last win on 12 May.

Amongst his recent places is Just Cruised In, who followed up on his Gr3 Caradoc Gold Cup win to finish second in the Gr3 Gold Bowl for Chesney Van Zyl. Bred by Shadwell Stud, Just Cruised In carries an immaculate damline – out of Modraj by Machiavellian, she is from the immediate damline of world leading sire Galileo and Sea The Stars.

The brilliant Roski-bred Zodiac Jack, pictured as a yearling at the Late Greg Royden-Turner's Roski Stud. Image: Juli Santini — The brilliant Roski-bred Zodiac Jack, pictured as a yearling at the Late Greg Royden-Turner’s Roski Stud. Image: Juli Santini

At the time of the 2015 National Yearling Sale, Bruce Le Roux was quoted as saying “this is a pedigree you just cant buy into overseas – its just too valuable!”

Just Cruised In, who as a yearling was a handsome athletic individual with plenty of quality – a plain dark bay colt – sold for a meager R80 000 at the 2015 National Yearling Sale from Spring Valley Stud as agent, and has earned R535,400 in stakes, with four wins and 10 places to date.

Other stand outs for Just As Well include 7-time winner Just Too Early, 4-time winner Well In Flight, and Gr3 placed Chilli Con Carne, winner of the R2-million CTS Ready To Run Cup.

Just As Well, who has an incredible story behind his racing success that is almost beyond belief, was imported by leading Bloodstock Agent Alistair Brown, who in turn brought in the likes of influential sires Fort Wood and Al Mufti, to name but a few.

Just As Well, who passed the post first in the Gr1 Northern Dancer Stakes amongst his many Group Wins and Places, is bred on the same cross as Judpot.

Just As Well has been a success each year at stud, producing between 45-50% winners to runners consistently and his stats speak for themselves. He produces a quality individual with good strength, muscle mass and bone, and good temperaments.

Dont miss his yearlings coming up at the KZN Yearling Sale on 5 & 6 July.