Blue Sky Thoroughbreds’ sire Hat Puntano got off to a start last year with Givers Grace (bred by Wynnholme Stud) winning second time out for Carl Hewitson, and from very limited representation on the track, he has produced his second winner for Glen Kotzen at Hollywoodbets Durbanville.

Owned by Mr Jaime and Mariza Vilela, who also own the bay-almost-black stallion Hat Puntano, Hat’s Pride out of a Mambo In Seattle mare also gave Donald Geerthsen his first Cape win.

From six runners, the son of Hat Trick (Sunday Silence) has had two wins and five cheques earned for his progeny’s connections.

A beautiful stallion with boundless energy in his paddock, Hat Puntano arrived in South Africa a dual Gr1 winner from Argentina. His wins include the countries major feature, the Gr1 GP Gran Criterium (1600m) at age 2, and at age three he won the Gr1 Argentine Guineas (1600m).

After his arrival in South Africa and raced in partnership between Drakenstein Stud and Jaime and Mariza Vilela, at age 4 he won the Gr2 Charity Mile, where he beat the likes of French Navy, recently deceased New Predator, Mac De Lago, Tilbury Fort and Bezanova.

His most expensive yearlings and two year olds have yet to race. Givers Grace, from the female line of Badger’s Coast and Surfing Home, was a R30 000 graduate of the 2022 KZN Yearling Sale and earned her connections the BSA Bonus of R100 000 when she won, whilst the aforementioned winner Hat’s Pride was passed out unsold at the 2022 November 2YO Sale.

At the most recent August 2YO Sale, a lovely colt out of Frederico’s Dream (Gimmethegreenlight) sold to Jane Thomas for R180 000, consigned by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds.

Hat Puntano is out of a Bernstein / Egg Toss mare.

By Hat Trick, who produced eight wins in Japan and Hong Kong including the Gr1 Mile Championship, Gr1 Hong Kong Mile, Gr3 Shimbun Hai, Gr3 Sho Kyoto; earning the JRA Award at 4 for Best Sprinter/Miler and stood at stud in the USA, Australia, Argentina. He was champion sire of 2yo’s in France in 2011.

Hat Puntano stands for a fee of R6000 + Vat.

Blue Sky Thoroughbreds imported Gr1 Argentine champ, Hat Puntano, has kicked off his stud career with early success as Givers Grace came through to win at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday for breeder Ingrid Klug of Wynnholme Stud.

Givers Grace beat the favourite African Folklore by a half length in a time of 62,06 secs.

It was only the second start for the filly trained by Carl Lewiston over 1000m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf.

Raced by the Poet’s Corner Syndicate (Nom:Michael Moroney) and Andre Louw, the Wynnholme Stud bred filly is out of the three time winning Jet Master mare, Fender Bender.

A R30 000 KZN Yearling Sale buy, she improved smartly on a quiet debut effort at Hollywoodbets Scottsville earlier this month, to beat the boys in the 1000m contest and in the protest earned a BSA Maiden Juvenile winning cheque of R100 000 for her connections!

A product of Argentina’s famed La Biznaga Stud, the handsome brown Hat Puntano arrived in South Africa a dual Gr1 winner of the Gran Criterium at two and that country’s Guineas at three.

Trained by the Azzie team, he proved himself a top miler on two continents with a splendid victory in the Gr2 Charity Mile at Turffontein.

Hat Puntano is a grandson of the mighty Sunday Silence, albeit through another son, the globetrotting champion and sire of sires, Hat Trick.

His first youngsters include a most interesting colt, a half-brother to the Gr1 winner MK’s Pride. Out of the Admire Main mare Ikimasu, he is linebred 3×3 to Sunday Silence.

Givers Grace was consigned by Grace Stables to the KZN Yearling Sale and pertained by Grace Stables.

Hat Puntano stands for a fee of R6000 + Vat at Blue Sky Thoroughbreds.

Lee Scribante’s Piemonte Stud have welcomed an eyecatching colt out of Flashing Star, by first season sire Hat Puntano.

Born on 18 August, the colt is out of a mare by Muhtafal – his yearling half-sister sold at the National Yearling Sale for R100 000 to Corne Spies.

Flashing Star won 3 times and placed 13, including 2nd in the Lady’s  
Pendant Listed. This is also the family of Deepo and Hard To Get.

Hat Puntano, who stands at Summerhill Equestrian, won the Gr1 Gran Criterium as a two year old, and the Argentine Guineas at three, with 4 wins in total including the Gr2 Charity Mile in South Africa.

He is a sibling to two Black Types, a Gr3 winner and a Gr1 placed, and is a son of Hat Trick out of a Bernstein mare. Hat Trick is a son of Sunday Silence, in turn the sire of Japanese super sire Deep Impact who has passed on.

Piemonte finished the previous season with 31 wins and 163 places, for earnings of R2,4-million from 73 runners, and a 33% winners to runners percentage.

Piemonte Stud have the likes of Capetown Noir and Last Winter standing at stud.