Daddy Long Legs (horse)

Daddy Long Legs (foaled 12th February 2009) is a Thoroughbred racehorse owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs John Magnier and trained by Aidan O'Brien. He has won the Royal Lodge Stakes and UAE Derby.

Daddy Long Legs
SireScat Daddy
GrandsireJohannesburg
DamDreamy Maiden
DamsireMeadowlake
SexStallion
Foaled12 February 2009
CountryUSA
ColourChestnut
BreederWoodford Thoroughbreds LLC
OwnerMichael Tabor
Derrick Smith
Mrs John Magnier
TrainerAidan O'Brien
Mike de Kock
Record16: 3–0–0
Earnings£869,014
Major wins
Royal Lodge Stakes (2011)
UAE Derby (2012)

Breeding

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Daddy Long Legs is a son of Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy. He is one of Scat Daddy's first crop of foals. Daddy Long Legs' dam Dreamy Maiden is a daughter of Meadowlake.[1]

Racing career

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2011: Two-year-old season

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In 2011, after winning a maiden at Gowran Park, he finished fourth in the Champagne Stakes.[1] His next run came in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket, where he started at the odds of 11/4. Ridden from the front by Colm O'Donoghue he went clear with two furlongs to run and won by 3+14 lengths from Tenth Star, with future Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Wrote another ½ length back in third.[2] His final start of the season came in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile where he finished in twelfth, tailed off behind winner Hansen.[3]

2012: Three-year-old season

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Daddy Long Legs's first start as a three-year-old came in the UAE Derby. After tracking the leaders O'Donoghue sent him to the front with 2+12 furlongs to run and he ran on to win by 1+14 lengths from Yang Tse Kiang with Wrote another ¾ length back in third place.[4] He then returned to the United States for the Kentucky Derby, but tailed off in the race and was pulled up by Colm O'Donoghue. He then finished fourth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas behind stablemate Power after setting the early pace, but fading in the closing stages. He finished last of the eight runners in the Secretariat Stakes[1] He then finished last of the six runners in the Irish Champion Stakes after acting as a pacemaker for stablemate St Nicholas Abbey. The race was won by Snow Fairy.[5]

2013: Four-year-old season

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Daddy Long Legs was sent to be trained by Mike de Kock and ran three times, without winning, at Meydan in February and March 2013. He returned to England at the end of the year for the Ben Marshall Stakes at Newmarket. He started as a 16/1 outsider and finished fifth of the six runners, about three lengths behind winner Penitent.[1]

2014: Five-year-old season

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Daddy Long Legs started 2014 by finishing sixth in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on 9 January, but then finished in the rear of the field on his two subsequent starts, which were handicaps at Meydan.[1]

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Daddy Long Legs, chestnut colt, 2009[6]
Sire
Scat Daddy (USA)
b. 2004
Johannesburg
b. 1999
Hennessy
ch. 1993
Storm Cat
Island Kitty
Myth
b. 1993
Ogygian
Yarn
Love Style
ch. 1999
Mr. Prospector
b. 1970
Raise a Native*
Gold Digger
Likeable Style
b. 1990
Nijinsky II
Personable Lady
Dam
Dreamy Maiden (USA)
ch. 1996
Meadowlake
ch. 1983
Hold Your Peace
b. 1969
Speak John
Blue Moon
Suspicious Native
ch. 1972
Raise a Native*
Be Suspicious
Sparrow Lake
b. 1985
Apalachee
b. 1971
Round Table
Moccasin
Stray Flight
ch. 1975
Viceregal
Barn Swallow

Note: b. = Bay, ch. = Chestnut

* Daddy Long Legs is inbred 4 × 4 to Raise a Native. This means that the stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Daddy Long Legs". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  2. ^ "Royal Lodge Stakes result". Racing Post. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  3. ^ "Breeders' Cup Juvenile result". Racing Post. 5 November 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  4. ^ "UAE Derby result". Racing Post. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  5. ^ "Irish Champion Stakes result". Racing Post. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  6. ^ "Daddy Long Legs pedigree". Equineline. Retrieved 2012-09-21.