Kala Dancer

Kala Dancer
Sire Niniski
Grandsire Nijinsky
Dam Kalazero
Damsire Kalamoun
Sex Stallion
Foaled 17 April 1982[1]
Country United States
Colour Grey
Breeder Scuderia Gibierre
Owner Ravi Tikkoo
Trainer Ben Hanbury
Laz Barrera
Record 9: 2-1-0
Major wins
Dewhurst Stakes (1984)
Awards
Top-rated European two-year-old (1984)
Timeform top-rated two-year-old (1984)
Timeform rating 129 (1984)

Kala Dancer (17 April 198223 August 2004) was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. His reputation as a racehorse rested almost entirely on his upset win in the 1984 Dewhurst Stakes which was sufficient to see him rated the best two-year-old if that year in Europe. He failed in his only start of 1985 and failed to make any impression when raced in the United States in 1986. He was subsequently exported to Australia where he proved to be a successful breeding stallion.

Background

Kala Dancer was a "big, rangy"[2] grey horse bred in Britain by the Italian-based Scuderia Gibierre. He was from the first crop of foals sired by Niniski, the winner of the Irish St Leger and Prix Royal Oak. Niniski also sired the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Petoski in the same year as Kala Dancer and was the leading first-season sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1984.[3] Kala Dancer's dam Kalazero also produced Our Eliaso, an Italian-trained colt who won the Listed Prix de Claireforntaine and was placed in the Derby Italiano and the Gran Premio di Milano. Another of her foals, Kalisha, was the dam of the German 1,000 Guineas winner Rose of Zollern.[4]

As a yearling, Kala Dancer was twice offered for sale at Newmarket in 1983. At the July sale he was sold for 7,200 guineas and in October he fetched 11,000 guineas at the Open Sales.[2] He entered the ownership of the Indian shipping magnate Ravi Tikkoo and was sent into training with Ben Hanbury at his Diomed Stable in Newmarket.[5]

Racing career

1984: two-year-old season

Kala Dancer did not appear on the racecourse until October when he was one of twenty-seven two-year-old to contest the Westley Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse. Starting a 33/1 outsider, he took the lead soon after the start, and won by one and a half lengths from Al Riyadh, with the highly regarded favourite Shadeed in third. Two weeks later, the colt was moved up sharply in class to contest Britain's most prestigious two-year-old race, the Group One Dewhurst Stakes over the same course and distance. The undefeated Irish-trained colt Law Society was made favourite ahead of the Mill Reef Stakes winner Local Suitor, while Kala Dancer, ridden by Geoff Baxter, started at odds of 20/1 in a field of eleven runner. In contrast to the cheaply-bought Kala Dancer, Law Society and Local Suitor had cost $2.7 million and $2 million respectively.[6] Baxter settled Kala Dancer in second place before moving into the lead three furlongs from the finish but was soon overtaken by Local Suitor as Law Society moved up to challenge. Kala Dancer rallied strongly and the closing stages of the race saw a very close three-way contest with the grey making a renewed challenge with Local Suitor on his right and Law Society on his left. Despite being hampered by Law Society, who edged to the right in the final furlong, Kala Dancer prevailed by a head from the Irish colt, with Local Suitor a head away in third.[2]

1985: three-year-old season

Kala Dancer reportedly had training problems in the early part of 1985 and when he made his seasonal debut in the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket on 4 May he started a 20/1 outsider. Ridden by Baxter he was never in contention and finished eleventh of the fourteen runners behind Shadeed. Later that month he suffered a broken blood vessel in training and did not race again in Europe.[7]

1986: four-year-old season

Kala Dancer was sent to California as a four-year-old where he was trained by Laz Barrera and campaigned at Santa Anita Park. He had no success in six races, with his only placing coming when he finished second in an allowance race. His last racecourse appearance was the San Jacinto Handicap on 21 April 1986 when he finished sixth.[8]

Assessment

The independent Timeform organisation gave Kala Dancer a rating on 129 and named him as their best two-year-old of the season although Law Society was given the same figure. In the official International Classifictation, he was rated the best two-year-old in Europe, one pound ahead of Law Society and two ahead of Local Suitor, Gold Crest and the top filly Triptych.[2]

Stud record

After his retirement from racing Kala Dancer was exported to stand as a breeding stallion in Australia. The most successful of his offsping was Subzero Melbourne Cup[9] who won the South Australian Derby, Adelaide Cup and Melbourne Cup in 1992. Kala Dancer's other major winners included Angst (Flight Stakes)[10] and Firing Range WATC Derby.[11] He died on 23 August 2004.[12]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Kala Dancer (GB), grey stallion, 1982[1]
Sire
Niniski (USA)
1976
Nijinsky (CAN)
1967
Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Flaming Page Bull Page
Flaring Top
Virginia Hills (USA)
1971
Tom Rolfe Ribot
Pocahontas
Ridin' Easy Ridan
Easy Eight
Dam
Kalazero (IRE)
1976
Kalamoun (GB)
1970
Zeddaan Grey Sovereign
Vareta
Khairunissa Prince Bio
Palariva
Roulette (GER)
1969
Blauer Reiter Birkhahn
Blaue Grotte
Rah Tudor Minstrel
Rose of Doncaster (Family:19)[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Kala Dancer pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Timeform staff (1985). Racehorses of 1984. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-40-5.
  3. Tony Morris (10 June 2008). "Reward for keeping faith with stamina line". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  4. 1 2 "Davill's Old Woodcock Mare - Family 19". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  5. Tony Elves (28 September 2004). "Hanbury to quit training at end of year". Racing Post. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  6. "Martin Gale" (24 October 1984). "Kala Dancer- bookies' favourite". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  7. Timeform staff (1986). Racehorses of 1985. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-42-1.
  8. "Horse profile: Kala Dancer". Equibase.com. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  9. "Subzero pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  10. "Angst pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  11. "Kala dancer stakes winners". BREEDNET.com.au. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  12. Staff. "Kala Dancer (GB) 1982". Australian Studbook. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
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