Sex Stallion Country Ireland Breeder Hveger Syndicate Parents Galileo Grandsire Sadler's Wells | Foaled 14 March 2013 Colour Bay Trainer Aidan O'Brien Damsire Danehill | |
Owner Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith | ||
Idaho (foaled 14 March 2013) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2016 he finished third in the Epsom Derby and second in the Irish Derby before winning the Great Voltigeur Stakes. He was the odds-on favourite for the St Leger Stakes but stumbled and unseated his rider.
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Background
Idaho is a bay horse with a white blaze and two white socks bred in Ireland by the Hveger Syndicate. He was sired by Galileo, who won the Derby, Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2001. Galileo is now one of the world's leading stallions and has been champion sire of Great Britain and Ireland five times. His other progeny include Cape Blanco, Frankel, Golden Lilac, Nathaniel, New Approach, Rip Van Winkle and Ruler of the World. Highland Reel's dam Hveger was an Australian mare who finished third in the Australasian Oaks in 2005. As a daughter of the AJC Oaks winner Circles of Gold she was a full-sister to Elvstroem and a close relative of Starspangledbanner. Hveger had previously produced Idaho's full brother Highland Reel.
As a yearling in October 2014 Idaho was offered for sale at Tattersalls and was bought for 750,000 guineas by Michael Magnier on behalf of his father, John Magnier's Coolmore Stud. Idaho entered training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. Like many Coolmore horses, the exact details of Idaho's ownership have changed from race to race: he has raced in the colours of Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier and the partnership of Tabor, Magnier and Derrick Smith.
2015: two-year-old season
Idaho made his racecourse debut in a maiden race over one mile on good-to-firm ground at the Curragh Racecourse on 13 October in which he was ridden by Joseph O'Brien and started at odds of 4/1 in an eleven-runner field. The colt took the lead approaching the final furlong and drew away to win "easily" by three and a half lengths. The colt was then moved up sharply in class for the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 2000 metres on 1 November. Ridden by Ryan Moore he started the 6/4 favourite but finished fourth of the ten runners, almost six lengths behind the winner Robin of Navan.
2016: three-year-old season
Idaho began his second season in the Ballysax Stakes over ten furlongs on heavy ground at Leopardstown Racecourse on 10 April in which he was ridden by Colm O'Donoghue. After becoming upset is the starting stalls he was towards the rear of the field in the early stages before moving up to take the lead in the last quarter mile. He was overtaken 100 yards from the finish and was beaten one and a quarter lengths into second by the Dermot Weld-trained Harzand. On 10 May Idaho was ridden by Seamie Heffernan when he started 15/8 favourite Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial over the same course and distance. He stayed on in the straight but never looked likely to win, finishing third behind Moonlight Magic and Shogun.
On 4 June, Harzand was one of sixteen colts to contest the 237th running of the Epsom Derby and started at odds of 14/1. Ridden by Heffernan, he took the lead in the straight but was overtaken approaching the final furlong and finished third hehind Harzand and US Army Ranger. Three weeks later Idaho faced Harzand again in the Irish Derby at the Curragh and started the 11/4 second favourite. Ridden by Moore he moved into second place behind Harzand in the straight but after a sustained struggle he was beaten half a length into second place. On 18 August at York Racecourse Idaho started odds-on favourite for the Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes with his main rival appearing to be the King Edward VII Stakes winner Across The Stars. Ridden by Heffernan, he was restrained at the rear of the six runner field before making a forward move in the straight. He took the lead a furlong out and won by one and three quarter lengths from his stablemate Housesofparliament. After the race Heffernan said "He's improving from run to run and won well today. The way Aidan trains them, they keep improving and there is a high chance he will improve again for a step up in trip".
On 10 September Idaho, partnered by Heffernan started the odds-on favourite for the St Leger Stakes over fourteen and a half furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse. After racing towards the rear of the field he began to make began to make progress approaching the straight but then stumbled badly and unseated Heffernan three furlongs from the finish.