Takaful, winner of Saturday’s G1 Vosburgh Stakes, is from the same family as Southford Stud’s resident sire Great Britain.

A 3yo son of Bernardini, Takaful stamped himself a contender for the upcoming G1 TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint with a game length win over favourite El Deal in Saturday’s 1200m contest.
“From his first race I thought he could be a grade 1 sprinter,” said (trainer) Kieran McLaughlin. “He’s a special horse and I’m so happy to win a grade 1 for (owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum) and (Shadwell vice president/manager) Rick Nichols and all of Shadwell. They’ve all been patient. To win a grade 1 with anyone is great but to win a grade 1 against older horses with a 3-year-old is very special.”

Now a winner of three of just seven outings, the Shadwell Stud bred and owned colt was second previously in the G1 H Allens Jerkens Stakes over 1400 metres.
He is out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare Sablah, who, like Great Britain, is descended from the great mare Balidaress.

Other notables descended from that mare include Great Britain’s now deceased, but outstanding, sire brother Cape Cross, and red-hot sire Iffraaj.

Great Britain, winner of the Al Quoz Sprint himself, has some smart 3yos to his credit this season including G3 Avontuur Umkhomazi Stakes winner Al Mariachi, who has already earned nearly R1 000 000 in prize money.