THE best three-year-old in France in 2010 over middle distances, Lope De Vega completed the same classic double of the Poule d’Essai and the French Derby as his sire Shamardal. He has made a great start to his stud career, with 13 group winners in his first three seasons, among them the champion two-year-old Belardo and the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Jemayel.
Lope De Vega made the best possible start to his two-year-old career, winning over seven furlongs at Deauville, followed by success at Longchamp.
His third and final start that year was in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in which he was a close fourth to Siyouni.
On his second start at three he finished fast in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Longchamp to catch Dick Turpin close home.
He was even better in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly, scoring easily by three lengths from Planteur. After three months rest he was beaten only three lengths in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin. In the World Rankings for 2010, Lope De Vega was rated on 124, one of the best half-dozen three-year-olds in Europe. There are already 24 blacktype winners from Lope De Vega’s first three crops and, in addition to the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes and Group 1 Lockinge Stakes hero Belardo and the top filly Jemayel, they include such stars as the champion Italian juvenile Hero Look, and Very Special who last month won the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes in Dubai for the second time.
Lope De Vega’s yearlings made some high prices in 2016, with €500,000 for a filly at Deauville and 400,000gns paid by Shadwell for a colt at Newmarket, while a colt foal sold for 230,000gns at the December Sales.
Shamardal was a European champion in both his seasons in training and is the best son of another great champion, Giant’s Causeway. He has made a tremendous impact at stud, with 18 Group 1 stars, among them Casamento, Mukhadram and Able Friend. Shamardal has sired 100-plus stakes winners.
Lope De Vega is inbred 3x3 to champion two-year-old Machiavellian, whose son Vettori sired Lope De Vega’s dam Lady Vettori, winner of the Group 3 Prix du Calvados. Lady Vettori is dam of seven other winners, notably Bal De La Rose, who won the Group 3 Prix Andre Baboin and is dam of the listed scorer Blossomtime, a daughter of Shamardal.
Top rated 3yr old in France in 2010 (9.5-10.5f.). Won four races, £1,055,611, from 7 furlongs to 1 mile 2½ furlongs, at 2 and 3 years including, Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Longchamp, Gr.1, Prix du Jockey Club, Chantilly, Gr.1, also placed third in Prix de Fontainebleau, Longchamp, Gr.3.
Retired to Stud in 2011, and sire of the winners of 237 races, and £5,471,730, including BELARDO (IRE), JEMAYEL (IRE), VERY SPECIAL (IRE), FRENCH FERN (AUS), HERO LOOK (IRE), NAVARRA KING (IRE), SANTA ANA LANE (AUS), SOUTH SEAS (IRE), THE RIGHT MAN (GB), VEGA MAGIC (AUS), BLUE DE VEGA (GER), RIDE LIKE THE WIND (IRE), BURNT SUGAR (IRE), ROYAL RAZALMA (IRE), CANDY STORE (IRE), ESKIMO POINT (IRE), FORT DEL ORO (IRE), MAN OF HIS WORD (AUS), SHE IS NO LADY (GB), STEEL OF MADRID (IRE), CONSORT (IRE), METEORIC (IRE), MOJO RISIN (IRE), SASSELLA (IRE), etc
Stands at: Ballylinch Stud, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
Contact: John O’Connor, David Myerscough or Mark Byrne
Telephone: +353 (0) 56 7724217
Email: info@ballylinchstud.ie
Web: www.ballylinchstud.com
Fee: €50,000