War Chant’s first Perth two year-olds will take catching if they’re anything like his Florida bred youngster I'm Venezuelan.
It’s early days for the juvenile division in North America but I'm Venezuelan was most impressive winning by more than 8 lengths on debut at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. He bumped hard with the favourite Noreen at the start but gathered speed right away and was off and gone before the home turn.
I'm Venezuelan (2g War Chant - Attico by Atticus) scored under a hands-and-heels ride from apprentice Edgard Zayas clocking 52.50 seconds for 900 metres. He is from Attico who won the LR Hatoof Stakes at Arlington Park and LR Nicole Stakes at Hawthorne.
The win was the first in USA for owner-breeder Orlando Martinez and his 26 year-old trainer Bruno Tessore.
Martinez operates Orlyana Farm in Florida and he’s also a major player in Venezuela having won the Clasico del Caribe (El De Chine) and Confraternity Cup (King Carlos Juan) at the 2012 Caribbean Breeders’ Cup.
War Chant (Danzig) also sired Layton Register to win at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks card and his Hong Kong gelding Surrounded scored for the third time at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Yarradale Stud owner Ron Sayers has catalogued 8 War Chants for his annual yearling sale at Gidgegannup on Sunday, May 18. It’s the sixth renewal of the sale held on-site 40kms east of Perth.
Among them are half-sisters to stakes winners Cation (Lot 3), Get Square (Lot 22) and a filly from Ascot 1000 Guineas winner Pennywest (Lot 16). His colts include half-brothers to stakes winners Mutate (Lot 8) and Rodeo Springs (USA) (Lot 26).
War Chant starred at the Perth Magic Millions in February when his first Sunspeed yearlings averaged a record $97,000.
I’M VENEZUELAN
War Chant flyer pictured as a September yearling in Florida last year