Light Shift

Light Shift
Sire	Kingmambo
Grandsire	Mr. Prospector
Dam	Lingerie
Damsire	Shirley Heights
Sex	Mare
Foaled	22 March 2004
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Flaxman Holdings
Owner	Niarchos Family
Trainer	Henry Cecil
Record	9: 2-2-3
Earnings	£347,108
Major wins
Cheshire Oaks (2007) Epsom Oaks (2007)

Light Shift (foaled 22 March 2004) is an American-bred, British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the 2007 Epsom Oaks. In a racing career which lasted from June 2006 to October 2007 the filly ran nine times and won four races. After winning once as a two-year-old, Light Shift won the Cheshire Oaks on her second appearance as a three-year-old. She then won the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom, beating the Irish filly Peeping Fawn. Light Shift never won another race, being beaten by Peeping Fawn in the Irish Oaks and the Nassau Stakes and finishing unplaced in the Prix de l'Opera.

Background

Light Shift is a bay mare with a white star bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings a breeding company run by the Niarchos family. Light Shift's sire, Kingmambo was a highly successful breeding stallion. His progeny included the British Classic winners Russian Rhythm, King's Best, Henrythenavigator Virginia Waters and Rule of Law as well as major winners in Japan (El Condor Pasa), France (Divine Proportions) and the United States (Lemon Drop Kid).^[1] Her dam, Lingerie, failed to win a race but was a daughter of Northern Trick, a mare who won the Prix Vermeille and finished second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Before Light Shift, Lingerie had produced the Prix Jean de Chaudenay winner Limnos and Shiva, a mare who won four races including the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup.^[2]

The filly was trained throughout her career by Henry Cecil at his Warren Place stables in Newmarket, Suffolk and was ridden in all of her races by Ted Durcan. When Light Shift appeared in Cecil's yard, Maria Niarchos told him that "I love this filly, we're going to win the Oaks with this".^[3]

Racing career

2006: two-year-old season

Light Shift began her career in a six furlong maiden race at Newmarket in June in which she finished second, half a length behind the winner Wid. She then finished third to Princess Taise in a seven furlong maiden at the same course a month later. In September she was moved up in distance to one mile and recorded her first win in yet another Newmarket maiden. Starting the 15/8 favourite, she took the lead inside the final furlong and won by half a length from Sunlight.^[4] She ended the season being rated 83 by the Racing Post, suggesting that she was at least thirty pounds below top class.^[5]

2007: three-year-old season

On her first appearance as a three-year-old, Light Shift ran in a ten furlong race for colts and fillies at Newbury. She produced a strong run in the straight and took the lead in the final furlong before winning by one and a quarter lengths from Kid Mambo. She was then moved up in class and distance for the Listed over eleven furlongs at Chester. Starting the 11/8 favourite, she accelerated to lead in the closing stages and won comfortably by three-quarters of a length from the Aidan O'Brien-trained All My Loving.^[6]

In the Oaks at Epsom on 1 June, Light Shift started at odds of 13/2 in a field of fourteen fillies, making her the fourth choice in the betting behind her stable companion Passage of Time and the Irish runners All My Loving and Four Sins. Durcan restrained the filly in the early stages before moving up to challenge to leaders in the straight. Light Shift took the lead a quarter of a mile from the finish and opened up a clear lead before holding off the strong late challenge of the Aidan O'Brien-trained outsider Peeping Fawn to win by half a length. All My Loving was four lengths further back in third.^[7] The win gave Henry Cecil his eighth win in the race and his first Classic success for seven years.^[8] The trainer, who had been seriously ill with stomach cancer, was given an enthusiastic and emotional reception by the crowd.^[3]

In the Irish Oaks on 15 July, Light Shift was again matched against Peeping Fawn, who had won the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes in the interim. Light Shift, the 9/4 favourite despite her trainers concerns about the soft ground,^[9] raced just behind the leaders before taking the lead in the straight, but was soon overtaken by Peeping Fawn and finished second, beaten three and a half lengths.^[10] Three weeks later, Light Shift and Peeping Fawn met for a third time in the Nassau Stakes over ten furlongs at Goodwood. On this occasion, Light Shift made some progress in the straight, but could never reach the lead and finished third, five lengths behind the Irish filly and three and a half lengths behind the runner-up Mandesha. Following the race, Cecil suggested that the filly would be aimed at the Breeders' Cup.^[11] After a break of two months, Light Shift reappeared in the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp. She started the 11/4 favourite but finished sixth of the eleven runners behind Satwa Queen. Cecil said that the filly's "flat" performance may have been the result of a long and demanding season.^[12]

Assessment and honours

In the 2007 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Light Shift was given a rating of 117, making her the equal seventh best three-year-old filly in the world six pounds below Rags to Riches.^[13]

Stud record

Light Shift was retired to become a broodmare for the Niarchos family. Her first foal, a colt sired by Dansili, was born on 4 February 2009. She was subsequently covered by Galileo.^[14]

2009 DR YES (FR) : Bay colt, foaled 4 February, by Dansili (GB) - won 2 races and placed twice from 6 starts in England 2012

2010 & 2011 Barren to Galileo (IRE)

2012 Bay filly by Oasis Dream (GB)

2013 ULYSSES (IRE) : Chesnut colt, foaled 20 March, by Galileo (IRE) - unraced to date

Pedigree

Pedigree of Light Shift (USA), bay mare, 2004^[15]
Sire Kingmambo (USA) 1990	Mr. Prospector 1970	Raise A Native	Native Dancer
		Raise A Native	Raise You
		Gold Digger	Nashua
		Gold Digger	Sequence
	Miesque 1984	Nureyev	Northern Dancer
		Nureyev	Special
		Pasadoble	Prove Out
		Pasadoble	Santa Quilla
Dam Lingerie (GB) 1988	Shirley Heights 1975	Mill Reef	Never Bend
		Mill Reef	Milan Mill
		Hardiemma	Hardicanute
		Hardiemma	Grand Cross
	Northern Trick 1981	Northern Dancer	Nearctic
		Northern Dancer	Natalma
		Trick Chick	Prince John
		Trick Chick	Fast Line (Family: 4-m)

Light Shift was inbred 3x4 to Northern Dancer, meaning that this stallion appears in both the third and the fourth generations of her pedigree.

References

↑ "Kingmambo Stud Record". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
↑ "Shiva". Racing Post. 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
1 2 "Hurray for Henry as Light Shift ends a seven-year Classic drought for Cecil with victory in the Oaks". Daily Mail. 2007-06-03. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Racing UK on Sky 432 Maiden Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Light Shift". Racing Post. 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Cheshire Oaks". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Epsom Oaks". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Light Shift takes famous Oaks win". BBC News. 2007-06-01. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Light Shift aims for second Irish Oaks victory". Thoroughbred Times. 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Irish Oaks". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ Schweitzer, Mary. "Peeping Fawn Fantastic in Nassau Stakes". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Satwa Queen grabs spoils in Opera". the-racehorse.com. 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "The 2007 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Oaks Heroine To Be Covered By Galileo". Racingandsports.com.au. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
↑ "Light Shift pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-08-15.

Epsom Oaks winners

1779 Bridget 1780 Tetotum 1781 Faith 1782 Ceres 1783 Maid of the Oaks 1784 Stella 1785 Trifle 1786 Yellow Filly 1787 Annette 1788 Nightshade 1789 Tag 1790 Hippolyta 1791 Portia 1792 Volante 1793 Caelia 1794 Hermione 1795 Platina 1796 Parisot 1797 Nike 1798 Bellissima 1799 Bellina 1800 Ephemera 1801 Eleanor † 1802 Scotia 1803 Theophania 1804 Pelisse 1805 Meteora 1806 Bronze 1807 Briseis 1808 Morel 1809 Maid of Orleans 1810 Oriana 1811 Sorcery 1812 Manuella 1813 Music 1814 Medora 1815 Minuet 1816 Landscape 1817 Neva 1818 Corinne 1819 Shoveler 1820 Caroline 1821 Augusta 1822 Pastille ‡ 1823 Zinc 1824 Cobweb 1825 Wings 1826 Lilias 1827 Gulnare 1828 Turquoise 1829 Green Mantle 1830 Variation 1831 Oxygen 1832 Galata 1833 Vespa 1834 Pussy 1835 Queen of Trumps 1836 Cyprian 1837 Miss Letty 1838 Industry 1839 Deception 1840 Crucifix ‡ 1841 Ghuznee 1842 Our Nell 1843 Poison 1844 The Princess 1845 Refraction 1846 Mendicant 1847 Miami 1848 Cymba 1849 Lady Evelyn 1850 Rhedycina 1851 Iris 1852 Songstress 1853 Catherine Hayes 1854 Mincemeat 1855 Marchioness 1856 Mincepie 1857 Blink Bonny † 1858 Governess 1859 Summerside 1860 Butterfly 1861 Brown Duchess 1862 Feu de Joie 1863 Queen Bertha 1864 Fille de l'Air 1865 Regalia 1866 Tormentor 1867 Hippia 1868 Formosa ₩ ‡ 1869 Brigantine 1870 Gamos 1871 Hannah ₩ 1872 Reine 1873 Marie Stuart 1874 Apology ₩ 1875 Spinaway 1876 Camelia (dh) 1876 Enguerrande (dh) 1877 Placida 1878 Jannette 1879 Wheel of Fortune 1880 Jenny Howlet 1881 Thebais 1882 Geheimniss 1883 Bonny Jean 1884 Busybody 1885 Lonely 1886 Miss Jummy 1887 Reve d'Or 1888 Seabreeze 1889 L'Abbesse de Jouarre 1890 Memoir 1891 Mimi 1892 La Fleche ₩ 1893 Mrs Butterwick 1894 Amiable 1895 La Sagesse 1896 Canterbury Pilgrim 1897 Limasol 1898 Airs and Graces 1899 Musa 1900 La Roche 1901 Cap and Bells II 1902 Sceptre ₩ ‡ 1903 Our Lassie 1904 Pretty Polly ₩ 1905 Cherry Lass 1906 Keystone II 1907 Glass Doll 1908 Signorinetta † 1909 Perola 1910 Rosedrop 1911 Cherimoya 1912 Mirska 1913 Jest 1914 Princess Dorrie 1915 Snow Marten 1916 Fifinella † 1917 Sunny Jane 1918 My Dear 1919 Bayunda 1920 Charlebelle 1921 Love in Idleness 1922 Pogrom 1923 Brownhylda 1924 Straitlace 1925 Saucy Sue 1926 Short Story 1927 Beam 1928 Toboggan 1929 Pennycomequick 1930 Rose of England 1931 Brulette 1932 Udaipur 1933 Chatelaine 1934 Light Brocade 1935 Quashed 1936 Lovely Rosa 1937 Exhibitionnist 1938 Rockfel 1939 Galatea II 1940 Godiva 1941 Commotion 1942 Sun Chariot ₩ 1943 Why Hurry 1944 Hycilla 1945 Sun Stream 1946 Steady Aim 1947 Imprudence 1948 Masaka 1949 Musidora 1950 Asmena 1951 Neasham Belle 1952 Frieze 1953 Ambiguity 1954 Sun Cap 1955 Meld ₩ 1956 Sicarelle 1957 Carrozza 1958 Bella Paola 1959 Petite Etoile 1960 Never Too Late 1961 Sweet Solera 1962 Monade 1963 Noblesse 1964 Homeward Bound 1965 Long Look 1966 Valoris 1967 Pia 1968 La Lagune 1969 Sleeping Partner 1970 Lupe 1971 Altesse Royale 1972 Ginevra 1973 Mysterious 1974 Polygamy 1975 Juliette Marny 1976 Pawneese 1977 Dunfermline 1978 Fair Salinia 1979 Scintillate 1980 Bireme 1981 Blue Wind 1982 Time Charter 1983 Sun Princess 1984 Circus Plume 1985 Oh So Sharp ₩ 1986 Midway Lady 1987 Unite 1988 Diminuendo 1989 Snow Bride 1990 Salsabil 1991 Jet Ski Lady 1992 User Friendly 1993 Intrepidity 1994 Balanchine 1995 Moonshell 1996 Lady Carla 1997 Reams of Verse 1998 Shahtoush 1999 Ramruma 2000 Love Divine 2001 Imagine 2002 Kazzia 2003 Casual Look 2004 Ouija Board 2005 Eswarah 2006 Alexandrova 2007 Light Shift 2008 Look Here 2009 Sariska 2010 Snow Fairy 2011 Dancing Rain 2012 Was 2013 Talent 2014 Taghrooda 2015 Qualify

Legend - ₩ = Fillies Triple Crown Winners, † = Epsom Derby Winners, ‡ = 2,000 Guineas Stakes Winners

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