THE National Stud in Newmarket appears to have struck gold with Time Test (Dubawi), a Group 1-placed Group 2 winner whose profile suggested two-year-old winners but best results to come with three-year-olds and older horses. Instead, his freshman year yielded two Group 3 winners, two listed scorers and a Group 1-placed filly, leading to huge demand.
Now the team has added another Group 1-placed pattern-winning son of a Dansili (Danehill) mare to their roster, and while he too appeals as a source of high-class three-year-olds and older horses, his racing profile suggests that his freshman results could be at least as good as those of his neighbour.
Lope Y Fernandez was a wide-margin debut winner over seven furlongs at the Curragh in early June of his two-year-old year, chased home Pinatubo when runner-up in the Listed Chesham Stakes and third in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes, and then dropped to six furlongs for victory in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes.
He finished third in Siskin’s Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, was runner-up to Pinatubo in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat, third to Space Blues in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at three, and closed that campaign with an honourable third-place finish to Order Of Australia in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Last year, Lope Y Fernandez ran away with a one-mile listed race at Leopardstown before going on to chase home Palace Pier in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The €900,000 Arqana Deauville August yearling sale graduate achieved a Timeform rating of 120 at three and four, he is by the sire of young blacktype stallion Belardo, and looks sure to be popular in his new role.
Lope De Vega (Shamardal), his sire, is well-established as a leading international stallion and his early sons at stud also include classic winning miler Phoenix Of Spain (had a €195,000 Goffs first-crop foal in 2021) and the classic-placed juvenile Group 1-scorer Lucky Vega (new in 2022).
Black Dahlia, the dam of Lope Y Fernandez, won five times from seven to 10 furlongs including a six-length score over the shorter trip at Kempton, the venue at which she was listed-placed at a mile. The daughter of listed-scorer South Rock (Rock City) is also responsible for the talented Dark Vision (Dream Ahead), the Group 2 Vintage Stakes winner who went on to add the Group 2 Oettingen-Rennen over a mile at four.
Speedy pattern winners Majestic Dubawi (Dubawi), Majestic Colt (Clodovil) and Isabella Giles (Belardo) appear under a branch of the third generation of the pedigree, whereas the dual Group 1 Lockinge Stakes victor Soviet Line (Soviet Star) is the headline act in the fourth one.
This is also the family of pattern winners such as Quay Line (High Line), Ancholia (High Line), Goncharova (Gone West), My Generation (Young Generation) and Group 1 Irish Oaks heroine Pure Grain (Polish Precedent), and while those are remote connections, they are part of the strong roots that this family has.
LOPE Y FERNANDEZ (IRE), Bay 2017. Champion 3yr old sprinter in Europe in 2020. Won three races, £423,663, from 6 furlongs to 1 mile, at 2 and 4 years including, Round Tower Stakes, Curragh, Gr.3, Heritage Stakes, Leopardstown, L, also placed second in Prix Jean Prat, Deauville, Gr.1, Queen Anne Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, Chesham Stakes, Ascot, L, and third in Breeders’ Cup Mile, Keeneland, Gr.1, Irish 2000 Guineas, Curragh, Gr.1, Prix Maurice de Gheest, Deauville, Gr.1, Qatar Vintage Stakes, Goodwood, Gr.2.
Retires to Stud in 2022.
Stands at: The National Stud, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 0XE, England.
Contact: Joe Grimwade, Anna Kerr or Bethany Howard
Telephone: +44 (0)1638 675929 or +44 (0)1638 675934
Email: stallions@nationalstud.co.uk
Web: www.nationalstud.co.uk
Fee: £8,500