August 13, 2007

IRRIDESCENCE SECOND IN PHOTO FINISH FOR $750,000 BEVERLY D,
CHAMPION MARE SOLD TO RICHARD AND SUE MASSON OF CALIFORNIA,
MARE WILL PROBABLY RACE INTO NEXT WINTER WITH RUSTY ARNOLD

Winner Royal Highness (outside) and Team Valor's brilliant Irridescence finish on same stride, but a head apart in Arlington's Beverly D. Stakes.

Six-year-old Irridescence, who was beaten a head on Saturday in the $750,000 Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park, has been acquired in full by Richard and Sue Ann Masson's Green Lantern Stables, LLC.

The Southern California residents, who also own Golden Age Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, have raced the three-time Group 1 winner in partnership with Team Valor since she won the South African Classic in 2005.

Rusty Arnold, who trains Green Lantern’s Midwest and East Coast horses, will take over from South African Mike de Kock, who owned an interest in the daughter of Caesour before Team Valor bought the filly in South Africa. Irridescence was voted Champion Filly at 3 for the Team Valor partnership and Green Lantern Stable.

“We hope to run her a couple of times before she joins our broodmare band,” said Masson. “She is the best horse we’ve ever been associated with and we look forward to having her at our farm.”

Best in 8 of 19 starts and an earner of more than $1.575 million, Irridescence has won or placed in Group 1 races in South Africa, Hong Kong, England and North America. Her most important victory came in April of last year when she numbered Eclipse Award and Breeders’ Cup winner Ouija Board among her victims in the Group 1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong.

“She was the most profitable mare in our stable’s history,” said Barry Irwin. “Between what she earned and sold for, the return was the greatest ever for a distaffer.”

When Barry Irwin opted to buy her from Mike de Kock and Tony Moodley, Irridescence had been stakes-placed in South Africa. Irwin contracted to buy her a couple of days before she was to contest the South African Classic, a Grade 1 event that formed the middle leg of the three important races for 3-year-old fillies at Turffontein race course in Johannesburg.

High-water mark for Irridescence came when outfinishing Ouija Board and Bullish Luck to claim the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong.

“We only had a small window of opportunity to syndicate the mare because we bought her so close to the race,” recalled Irwin. “Jeff Siegel wasn’t too happy with the plan, because it left Team Valor exposed for a third of a million dollars. Jeff also questioned why Mike de Kock would sell the filly if she was any good.

“But I believed in the filly, sold 30 percent of her to our clients and rolled with the remaining 70 percent. She won the Grade 1, more than doubling her value and I later sold a 40-percent interest to Richard Masson at a figure higher than our partners had paid.

“It was one of the proudest moments for me as a horseman and syndicator. Irridescence developed into one of the most accomplished mares in history on an international level.

“I can think of no other filly or mare that won or placed at the Grade 1 level on four different continents—South Africa, Europe, Asia and North America. Among the scalps she accounted for was that of Ouija Board in taking the Group 1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong.

“It was a shame that Weichong Marwing could not have ridden her over the weekend, but we learned from Mike de Kock that one of the main reasons he went back home to South Africa is because he has been experiencing trouble with an elbow that does not allow him to ride and whip in the usual manner.

New owner Richard Masson of Green Lantern Stables.

“Full kudos to Weichong, though, for his brilliant ride in Hong Kong, and full kudos for Mike de Kock for developing this highly-strung mare into an international Champion. Trevor Brown, Mike’s assistant, also deserves much credit and praise as her ‘traveling head lad.’”

In Saturday’s Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes, Irridescence was given a tremendous chance to win by first-time rider Johnny Murtagh, who had the mare positioned second until the field swung for home.

When Murtagh balanced himself and asked Irridescence the question with about 2 furlongs left, the response he received was magnetic, as Irridescence shot to a clear lead.

The eventual winner, Royal Highness, made a bold move halfway down the lane, collared Irridescence in the final 100 yards and only got in front in the final stride.

Murtagh said: "I thought in the straight that I was going to win, even when the other one came to me.

"She stayed on really strongly and it was disappointing she just got beat but I though she ran a great race.

"Her (Royal Highness) head was down and mine was up in the last stride."

Said Royal Highness’ jockey, Rene Douglas: “We discussed the race two hours before, but in the paddock it changed because [Christophe Lorieul, assistant to trainer Christophe Clement] saw something in the last race,” Douglas said. “He said to sit behind the pace and then make a run. I was very happy laying back.

“Turning for home, I couldn't put away [Irridescence]. When I got to the other horse (Irridescence), she would not give up, but I had to finish really, really hard. We really gave 110% but the other one never stopped.”

Mike de Kock said “My heart almost jumped out of my mouth.”

Trainer Mike de Kock thrilled with effort of South African mare.

“Irridesence ran a great race, she was well placed and as they came around the bend she took up the running. It’s a short straight and when she went a length clear I thought we had the race in the bag. Johnny Murtagh rode a great finish. Royal Highness came flying up and looked to be going past us, but Irridesence came fighting back. It was a spine-chilling few moments."

De Kock was understandably delighted with the performance of Irridescence and added: "It would probably have been better if the other filly had taken her on earlier.

"We thought Citronnade was going to run second and we were going to sit on the outside of her but she never materialised.

"Johnny acquitted himself very well and has ridden a good race. In fact, she has never been so calm as she was under him here.

"It was a fantastic run to come all this way and do everything but win. We have come all this way and just been beaten a short head.

"Obviously the trip (to America) might have made that bit of difference.

De Kock added: “The best thing for me is that I now know that we can take on any horses in the world with our best. This race gave me a lot of confidence for the future."

In one of the highest-quality fields of fillies and mares to contest a grass race in North America in a long time, Irridescence finished 2 ˝ lengths in front of third-place finisher Lady of Venice, with Citronnade and Honey Ryder in her wake.

To watch a replay of this incredible race, go to this link at ESPN.

Additional press: BrisNet.com