IVAN DENISOVICH TO COOLMORE
8th December 2006
Ivan Denisovich (3c Danehill - Hollywood Wildcat by Kris S), a globetrotting star for Aidan O'Brien over the past two years, has been retired to stand at Coolmore in Ireland for the 2007 breeding season. His fee has been set at €9,000.
The extremely well-related son of Danehill won twice as a juvenile last year - landing a Leopardstown maiden by four and a half lengths before going on to defeat a high-class field to take the G2 July Stakes at Newmarket's July Meeting.
After that race jockey Kieren Fallon said: "He idled when he hit the front, he was still a little baby, but I always liked this colt and if he had run in the G2 Coventry Stakes he'd have won it."
Trainer Aidan O'Brien added: "He's a very well made, lovely-minded horse."
Ivan Denisovich went on to finish an excellent second on unsuitably soft ground in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville and was the third highest-rated Irish-trained juvenile colt of 2005 in the World Thoroughbred Rankings.
This year he defeated a field of older rivals to take the Listed Solonaway Stakes at the Curragh and has put in some outstanding placed efforts. He finished third to Araafa in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, runner-up in the G1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington and was most recently third in the G1 Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park last month.
Bred by Irving Cowan, Ivan Denisovich is out of the champion racemare Hollywood Wildcat, winner of the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff, G1 Hollywood Oaks and G1 Gamely Handicap. A son of Danehill, who needs no introduction as a sire of sires, Ivan Denisovich is also a three-parts brother to G1 Breeders' Cup Mile winner War Chant, sire of Karen’s Caper, winner of the Nell Gwyn S. Gr.3 and Coronation S. Gr. 1 runner up.
Coolmore’s Christy Grassick said “Ivan Denisovich is a magnificent-looking horse by the right sire in Danehill and was a top class two-year-old who also showed Group 1 form over six, eight and 10 furlongs. He’s sure to prove extremely popular with commercial breeders.”
