Live Oak Plantation’s World Approval, the 2017 Ricoh Woodbine Mile winner trained by Mark Casse, was named Champion Male Turf Horse at the 47th Annual Eclipse Awards at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on Thursday evening while Gun Runner took home Horse of the Year honours.

The Eclipse Awards, honouring excellence in North American Thoroughbred racing, presented by The Stronach Group, Daily Racing Form and the Breeders’ Cup, are voted on by the NTRA, Daily Racing Form (DRF) and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB).

Owned and bred in Ocala, Florida by Live Oak’s Charlotte Weber, World Approval closed out a $2 million season in 2017 with three consecutive victories in Grade 1 stakes, including the Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga, the Ricoh Woodbine Mile at Woodbine and Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar — the latter two with jockey John Velazquez aboard.

World Approval also earned back-to-back stakes wins in the EG Vodka Turf Classic at Tampa Bay and Grade 2 Longines Dixie Stakes at Pimlico early in his six-race, five-year-old campaign. The striking Northern Afleet-Win Approval gelding is a half-brother to Live Oak’s Miesque’s Approval, who was named Champion Grass Horse in 2006.

Miesque’s Approval stands at Scott Bros, and produced the likes of Gr2 winners Judicial and J’s Outsider, as well as Gr1 Vodacom July placed Eton Square amongst others.

Noble Tune’s War Front juvenile half-brother, the handsome $2,6million weanling purchase owned by Coolmore, followed his half-brothers Honor Code and Noble Tune’s racing style to come from behind and push his way through to the front to win the Qatar Juvenile Sprint over 1000m on the turf.

Noble Tune’s sire the grey Unbridled’s Song, was represented with a winner when Gr1 winner Forever Unbridled took the Breeders Cup Distaff.

She is a full sister to Gr1 winner, Unbridled Forever, and not forgetting other recent Breeders Cup winners in Arrogate and Liam’s Map.

Declarationofpeace is trained by Aiden O’Brien and participated in the curtain raiser to the Breeders Cup after winning in Ireland just under a month ago. He won his debut by six lengths.

Noble Tune’s first crop of two year olds will be hitting the racetracks soon in South Africa, whilst Lane’s End have announced that their AP Indy half-brother, twice Gr1 winner Honor Code will again stand for a fee of $40 000 this season.

Crusade’s half-sister Seventh Heaven was given the tough ask against the boys in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Turf over 2400m on firm going where she finished in fifth place – Highland Reel was third, whilst Flower Alley’s son finished behind her.

She finished fourth in the Breeders Cup last year – the twice Gr1 winning filly who defeated the great Found also ran second in Dubai this year, where she finished second in the Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic and the only filly in the race.

Flying The Flag’s full sister, Irish 2YO Champion Filly of her year and recent Gr1 winner at Chantilly on Arc Day, Rhododendron was courageous to finish second in the Gr1 Breeders Cup Filly And Mare Turf over 1800m after encountering traffic.

She was beaten by half a length to a daughter who shares a sire with Summerhill resident sire Willow Magic, Wuheida by Dubawi. Lady Eli finished towards the end of the field.

Miesque’s Approval’s grey half-brother, the gelding World Approval emulated his half-brother by winning the Gr1 Breeders Cup Mile on Turf. Miesque’s Approval is well related – himself America’s Turf Horse Of The Year, his other grey half-brother is Gr3 winner Za Approval and Gr2 winner, Revved Up.

This is the fourth Gr1 win for World Approval to date. Miesque’s Approval, the sire of Gr2 winners J’s Outsider and Judicial, exported Gr1 placed and Gr3 winner Eton Square, as well as the likes of Putney Flyer and Approval Rating.

On the international news front, Golden Sword will be represented by his full brother at the race that stops the nation [Australia], the Melbourne Cup. Kindling currently has odds of 10/1.

Scott Bros’ son of Miesque’s Approval, the previously controversially named gelding before a forced name change, Angel’s Power was unlucky once more to finish second in the Gr3 Spring Spree Stakes – a race he finished second in last year to Clifton Stud-raised Kangeroo Jack.

Trained by the father son combination of Mike and Adam Azzie, the gelding out of Mogok mare Angel Child is owned in partnership by Dr R J P Maponya & Mr E G Bouwer.  Sold for R100 000 at the National 2YO Sale and closely related to Pocket Power and River Jetez, Angel’s Power has earned almost R500 000 in stakes to date with four wins and 24 places.

A former leading sire on Polytrack, Miesque’s Approval has been an unlucky stallion and produced Gr2 winners Judicial, J’s Outsider and Approval Rating, as well as Gr3 winner and Hong Kong export, Eton Square. Miesque’s Approval’s grey half-brothers are both Gr1 winners themselves, with World Approval recently nabbing his second Gr1 win on the turf.

The dam Angel Child has produced three winners to date, including a full sibling to Angel’s Power named Holy Joe. He has won and placed four times from seven starts.

Miesque’s Approval won the Gr1 Breeders Cup Mile on turf, was voted USA Champion Turf Horse in 2006 and an Eclipse Award winner. He has sired over 150 individual winners to date.

Mogok is having success as a broodmare sire, most recently with another produce of Highdown Stud, Gr1 Champions Cup placed Matador Man.

Miesque’s Approval’s four year old son Angel’s Power, finished second in the Gr3 Spring Spree Stakes on Saturday at Turffontein, just over a length off from Kangeroo Jack. Angel’s Power, previously trained by Brian Wiid and had a name change after his first start (formerly Corpus Christi), is now in training with Mike Azzie and owned by Dr RJP Maponya and Mr EG Bouwer.

After winning his first two starts very smartly, the four year old gelding has placed eight times to earn almost R250 000 – only being out of the money on two occasions. He sold at the 2014 National 2YO Sale for R100 000, out of a Mogok mare Angel Child. Angel’s Power hails from the immediate damline of Pocket Power and River Jetez, through their third dam Distant Echoes. His full brother Holy Joe has placed twice from his first three starts.

Miesque’s Approval is a Gr1 Breeders Cup Mile winner on Turf, an Eclipse Award winner and voted USA Champion Turf Horse in 2006. He has produced over 150 individual winners and a leading sire on Polytrack. His notable progeny includes Gr2 winners Judicial and J’s Outsider, Vodacom Durban July placed Eton Square, Putney Flyer, Shine Like A Star and Zimbabwe star Approval Rating. Miesque’s Approval stands for a fee of R10 000 this season.

Live Oak Plantation’s homebred World Approval has been knocking on the door at the top level and broke through July 3 for his first Grade 1 win in the $300,000 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park. World Approval is a half-brother to Gr1 Breeders Cup winner Miesque’s Approval standing at Scott Bros.

Third by 2 1/4 lengths last time out in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (gr. IT) June 11 and second by a neck in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) May 7, the Northern Afleet gelding got a perfect trip under first-time jockey Florent Geroux and scored a clear victory in the 1 3/8-mile United Nations for trainer Mark Casse.

World Approval stalked longshot pacesetter Cement Clement as he set fractions of :24.29, :50.21, and 1:14.72 through six furlongs, moved to the front in the third and final turn, and held off a late drive by Money Multiplier to secure the win by 1 1/4 lengths. Favored Wake Forest, last-out winner of the Man o’ War Stakes (gr. IT), checked in third.

“We sat the perfect trip,” Geroux said. “On paper it looked like (Cement Clement) would be going to the lead, so we let him set the pace for us. The only question was whether he could go that far, since this was his first time going that much distance, but he showed he can do it and he did it well. When I asked him at the quarter pole, he responded nicely.”

The final time for the 1 3/8 miles was 2:14.66 on turf rated good and World Approval paid $7.40 to win.

Bred in Florida out of the With Approval mare Win Approval, World Approval also has victories in the 2015 Saranac Stakes (gr. IIIT) and American Derby (gr. IIIT) on his record, and has $853,450 in earnings.

The mare has also produced multiple Graded Stakes winner in America, Za Approval.

Miesque’s Approval, a leading sire on Polytrack, has produced the likes of Graded Stakes Winners’ Judical, J’S Outside and Eton Square.

Scott Bros’ large imposing Gr1 Breeders Cup winner, Miesque’s Approval, is currently a stand out on the National 2YO Sire’s list, achieving an impressive statistic of 57.1% winners to runners (as per nhra.co.za 15 May).

Considered to be an unlucky stallion in that a Gr1 win has been close with a number of horses but eluded him, the consistent stallion produces winners on both the turf and polytrack – however he has also been a leading sire on artificial surfaces.

His AEPR (average earnings per runner) is also to be noted, standing behind Captain Al at R65 861 per horse.

His leading two year old is currently Michael Leaf’s owned and bred filly, Portelinha Waltz. Impeccably bred out of a Sharmadal mare, the juvenile filly has won twice and placed from four starts.

Miesque’s Approval has to date produced the likes of Eton Square (Gr3 winner and placed in the Gr1 Vodacom Durban July), as well as Gr2 winners’ Judicial and J’s Outsider.

Miesque’s Approval is a 12-time winner, voted Eclipse Grass Horse Of The Year and Timeform Rated at 126. He raced from 2-7 years old and earned over $2,6million. His other notable progeny include Putney Flyer, Shine Like A Star and Approval Rating.

After Miesque’s Approval’s large strapping handsome son, Backworth-bred Humidor, set a course record at Scottsville over 1200m beating Kildonan’s set previously in a Gr1 race, his four year old daughter Dreya’s Gold bred by Bush Hill Stud set a class record at Scottsville over 1000m yesterday for trainer Garth Puller.

The lightly raced daughter of Miss Andrea by Restructure has now won twice and placed three times previously, for owners Garth Puller and Mr Tony Jelinski.

Miss Andrea (out of a Badger Land / Linacre mare) is the dam of three winners, and her Kahal colt sold at the 2015 National Yearling Sale for R375 000. This is the immediate damline of sire Rebel King, and siblings Rebel Queen and Uncle Tommy, as well as King’s Temptress.

A leading sire on the Polytrack and a winner of the Gr1 Breeders Cup Mile over turf, Miesque’s Approval stands at Scott Bros and last year yielded two Gr2 winners – Judicial and J’s Outsider.

Miesque’s Approval stood for a fee of R20 000 last season.

“What an exciting race result for Backworth Sunday afternoon at Scottsville! Backworth-bred Humidor won in style over 1200m, breaking Kildonan’s course record. Humidor’s race record now stands at 3 wins in a row, and a 4th from just 4 starts!” — Keith Russon

An immaculately prepped group of yearlings pre-selected for Nationals in April from first season sires’ French Gr3 winner Eightfold Path and Gr1 Middle Park Stakes winner, Crusade were also presented.

Amongst the stallions shown was the beautifully-bred Mogok, a sire of four Gr1 winners – two of them International with Gypsy’s Warning and The Apache. Gr1 Breeders Cup and Eclipse Award winner Miesque’s Approval, a leading sire on the Polytrack made a great impression and finally the young and exciting first season sires’ Eightfold Path and Crusade.

You can catch the brilliant team of Gold Circle’s own Warren Lenferna and ex top jockey Kevin Shea co-hosting at Greyville race days including the TGIF Friday Night Live racing.

Thank you to the team at Scott Bros for an wonderful morning and beautiful KZN-bred horses!

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