One of the earliest winners of the English Two Thousand Guineas (G1) that I can recall watching was Mon Fils, who led almost throughout to take the 1973 edition at odds of 50-1. A son of Sheshoon, winner of the marathon Ascot Gold Cup, Mon Fils was inbred 2x3 to Sheshoon's sire, Precipitation—another Ascot Gold Cup scorer—via Sheshoon and via Mon Fils' broodmare sire, Premonition. That duo was actually similarly bred, Sheshoon by Precipitation out of a mare by a son of Pharos and Premonition by Precipitation out of a mare by a son of Pharos' brother, Fairway.
Mon Fils ran just once after his classic triumph, finishing unplaced in the Epsom Derby (G1). He stood at stud for just four years, siring 52 foals, of which only 23 started, three winning black-type events on the flat, and just one capturing a group or graded event. Mon Fils proved no more impactful as a broodmare sire, with just two of his daughters producing black-type scorers, and not surprisingly his name has all but disappeared from modern pedigrees.
One daughter, however, did found a line that bred on, and she is tail-female ancestress of the horse that captured a graded stakes in North America last weekend. In 1976, the Argentinian-bred mare High Flyer was bred to Mon Fils during the final stud season he spent in France. Exported to Argentina, High Flyer gave birth to a Mon Fils filly named High Street. A winner in her only start, High Street subsequently produced a pair of Argentinian graded stakes winners, the colt High Honor and the filly High Sever.
A daughter of the United States-raced Caro stallion Ringaro, High Sever captured the Clasico Los Haras (G2) and Clasico Omega (G3) in her native country. It's worth noting that Caro is out of a mare by Chamossaire, who was by Precipitation out of a mare by a son of Pharos, which meant that High Sever had Chamossaire/Sheshoon/Premonition (all by Precipitation out of mares by sons of the brothers Pharos and Fairway) 4x3x4.
High Sever produced only three winners from 11 starters, but one of her daughters is dam of the graded stakes winner Hip Prospector (by Numerous, a son of Mr. Prospector). Another of High Sever's daughters, High Hopes, who was by another Mr. Prospector son, Lode, was exported to Brazil, where she produced four winners from 14 foals. None earned black-type, but two produced black-type winners. One of those was Aerosfera, by the Sadler's Wells horse Crimson Tide (whose second dam was by Thatch), who coincidentally started favorite for Mon Fils' Two Thousand Guineas but finished fourth, unsuited by the soft ground.
It's Aerosfera who is dam of Planetario, who June 15 took the San Juan Capistrano Handicap (G3T) for the second time, and for the second time set a course record for 14 furlongs at Santa Anita Park. Winner of the Gran Premio Linneo de Paula Machado (G1) and Derby Paulista (G1) on his last two starts in Brazil, Planetario has also taken the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T) since arriving in the U.S. Although the family has traveled from France, to Argentina, and then Brazil, one doesn't have to go back too far to come to high-class North American roots. In fact, High Flyer's dam, Nellie Fleet, a daughter of Count Fleet, was brought to France from the U.S. in 1962. A half sister to Brooklyn Handicap victor and sire Dewan, High Flyer was out of the multiple stakes winner Sunshine Nell. That mare's dam, champion 2-year-old, Nellie Flag, is out of Nellie Morse, heroine of the 1924 Preakness Stakes.
Planetario's antecedents on the sire's side are also North American, albeit far more recently. The sire, Il Doge, only raced at 2, where he earned honors as champion 2-year-old in Brazil after going undefeated in four starts, including the Gran Premio Farewell (G1). Although foaled in Brazil and from a South American female line, Il Doge is from a shuttle crop sired by Florida Derby (G1) winner Cape Town (by Seeking the Gold), out of a mare by the three-time U.S. grade 1-winning turf horse Yagli. Il Doge has had only 32 foals from four crops, and 21 starters. However, two of those have scored at grade 1 level, Primeta joining Planetario at that level when taking the Gran Premio Roberto e Nelson Grimaldi Seabra (G1), the duo both being from Il Doge's third crop.
Planetario is one of at least 20 group or grade 1 winners produced by the cross of Seeking the Gold and his sons and grandsons out of mares by Sadler's Wells and his sons or grandsons, others including prominent young European sires Night of Thunder and Too Darn Hot; Modern Games, successful in five group 1 events, including the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1), Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T); last year's English Two Thousand Guineas (G1) captor, the late Coroebus; and Ezeliya, who took this year's English Oaks (G1).
