Sydney Race 2 today sees a first starter in Forever Loved as our Pedigree of the Day. Forever Loved is a 3yo NZ bred who ranks among Australasian thoroughbred royalty. She is by the sire of So You Think in High Chaparral out of a Danehill mare called Diamond Like. Diamond Like won five races including the Listed Lightning Handicap in NZ, and was placed second in the Group 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. Her dam was Champion 2 and 3yo filly, Tristalove who won races like the Australasian Oaks and AJC Sires’ Produce. At stud, she also produced Viking Ruler, Kempinsky, Lovetrista and Chimeara who was to go on to produce De Beers. Perhaps more importantly, Tristalove is a half sister to Peruzzi, Don Eduardo and Antwerp who is the dam of Viscount. Tristalove dam, Diamond Lover won the Group 1 Railway in NZ, but is likely more famous for her siblings which count the likes of Cotehele House, the dam of Commands and Danewin, Kaapstad, Mouawad and the champion galloper, Octagonal.
With such a heritage, there is obviously a lot expected from the filly who made $650,000 as a yearling. But if we look at here pedigree, it is something of a disappointment to me. We see two lines of Northern Dancer through both tail male lines, and the resultant three lines of Natalma that we see with Danehill present. The only other duplication is that of Turn-To 6x6. Given the record breaking female family, it is unlikely that Northern Dancer has been very important to date so we aren’t sure that there will be a lot of benefit to be gained by the pedigree of Forever Loved.
In terms of dosage, we see that it reads [0.19/1.32] [3-7-21-4-1]. The presence of High Chaparral introduces new stamina lines to the family, and this has been central to its success. We suggest that whatever the filly does today, she will improve upon, and no doubt connections will be looking at Melbourne later in the Spring. Today will be an interesting stepping stone to that, and while we think she will be above average, we doubt if she will reach the heights of many of her famous family members.