Wilgerbosdrift’s G1 winning sire Flower Alley made headlines in Japan on Sunday as the broodmare sire of G1 Osaka Hai winner Lucky Lilac.
A daughter of Orfevre and Flower Alley’s Ashland Stakes winning daughter Lilacs And Lace, five-year-old Lucky Lilac kept pace on the inside of the pack at Hanshin Racecourse and shot through a gap between race-favorite Danon Kingly and fourth-pick Chrono Genesis to cross first in 1 minute, 58.4 seconds.
Japan’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2018, Lucky Lilac’s previous wins included the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and G2 Tulip Sho and she was also second to champion Almond Eye in the 2019 G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas). She went to the sidelines after a third to Almond Eye in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and took time to regain her winning form.
Lucky Lilac finally did so in style in last fall’s G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto and followed up that win with a runner up effort in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase.
Now a three time G1 winner, Lucky Lilac had previously finished second in March 1st’s G2 Nakayama Kinen.
Her Travers Stakes winning broodmare sire Flower Alley is currently the sire of more than 40 stakes horses including impressive recent Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial winner Fayrooz.
Flower Alley has an outstanding draft on offer at this year’s Emperors Palace National Yearling Sale, including a half-sister (Lot 168) to July winning champion Marinaresco, a half-sister (Lot 179) to recent Aquaunaut Handicap heroine Chitengo, and a half-sister (Lot 439) to G1 SA Fillies Classic winner Athina.