Fantastic Light

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Fantastic Light
United States Champion Male Turf Horse (2001)
European Champion Older Horse (2001)
European Horse of the Year
(2001)
Emirates World Series Racing Champion (2000, 2001)
Last updated on September 7, 2007

Fantastic Light (foaled February 13, 1996) is a retired

United States Champion Male Turf Horse, European Horse of the Year and European Champion Older Horse in 2001. He was also well known for his two races against the 2001 Epsom Derby winner Galileo
. In August 2012 it was announced that he had been pensioned from stallion duty while in Japan and would return to Dalham Hall in England to live out his days as a pensioner.

In his early racing career, when trained by

Godolphin he won the Man o' War Stakes and the Hong Kong Cup. In his championship season in 2001 Fantastic Light won four of his six races; the Tattersalls Gold Cup, the Prince of Wales's Stakes, the Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Turf
.

Background

Fantastic Light, a bay horse with an irregular white

blaze and three white feet, was bred in Kentucky by Maktoum Al Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud.[2]

His sire,

Nijinsky, failed to win a race, but came from a good family, being closely related to Swain.[4]

Until early 2000, Fantastic Light raced in the colours of Maktoum Al Maktoum and was trained by

Godolphin Racing, and he was trained from that point on by Saeed bin Suroor
.

Racing career

1998: two-year-old season

Fantastic Light never ran in a

Diadem Stakes winner, Sampower Star in third.[5] He followed up in a similar event at the same course three weeks later, beating Aesops by three quarters of a length after leading close to the finish.[6] This performance attracted some attention, with one commentator identifying him as "a promising young stayer".[7] On his last start of the year he was moved up to Listed class, and finished last of the three starters in the Stardom Stakes at Goodwood
.

1999: three-year-old season

Fantastic Light began his three-year-old season with his first Group race win in the Sandown Classic Trial. Ridden by Daryll Holland, he took the lead a furlong out and was eased in the closing stages to win by a short head.[8] Speculation that he might develop into a Derby contender[9] ended in his next race, when he was stepped up to one and a half miles for the first time and finished fourth of the five runners in the Lingfield Derby Trial.

Fantastic Light was brought back to a mile and a quarter, and produced placed efforts on his next two starts. At

Royal Ascot in June, he was beaten a head by Lear Spear in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (then a Group Two race), and at Sandown three weeks later he finished third, beaten a neck and half a length behind Compton Admiral and Xaar in the Group One Eclipse Stakes
.

In August Fantastic Light recorded his first win at Group Two level as he led three furlongs out and ran on to win a strongly contested

Arc Trial at Newbury.[11]

On his final start of the season, Fantastic Light was moved up to the highest level for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and finished a remote eleventh of the thirteen runners behind Montjeu.[12]

2000: four-year-old season

Godolphin racing colours, carried by Fantastic Light from April 2000.

Fantastic Light's first run of 2000 was also his last for the

Godolphin Racing team and be trained by Saeed bin Suroor
.

Fantastic Light was then returned to England for a summer campaign. In the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June he finished second to Daliapour and then came fifth of the eight runners behind Giant's Causeway in the Eclipse Stakes. He was then sent to Ascot for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, where he finished second, reversing the Epsom form with Daliapour, but having no chance[15] against the favourite Montjeu.[16]

In Autumn, Godolphin campaigned Fantastic Light in the United States. At

Turf Classic, finishing fourth to John's Call
, a horse he had beaten in the Man o' War. He then finished to fifth Kalanisi in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs, although in this case he had a legitimate excuse, having been blocked twice when Dettori attempted to find space for a challenge.[19]

For his last two starts of the year, Fantastic Light was sent to East Asia. In November, in the

Greek Dance and Jim and Tonic.[21] The win earned Fantastic Light top place in the Emirates World Series, a competition in which points were awarded for performances in a number of international races.[22]

2001: five-year-old season

Spring

Like a previous Godolphin champion, Daylami, Fantastic Light proved himself to be better than ever as a five-year-old (see Assessment below).

In March he attempted to win a second Sheema Classic and almost succeeded, taking the lead a furlong out, but being caught on the line and beaten a nose by the Japanese outsider Stay Gold.[23] Despite the defeat, his connections announced that they were "delighted" with the performance.[24] As in 2000, Fantastic Light spent the middle of the season racing in Europe. At the end of May he was sent to Ireland where he won the Tattersalls Gold Cup, taking the lead a furlong from the finish and beating Golden Snake by a neck with Kalanisi third.[25] After the race, Godolphin's racing manager, Simon Crisford, said that Fantastic Light would be aimed at the top middle-distance races in Europe, calling him "very special... a fantastic horse".[26]

Summer

Despite this result, Kalanisi was made favourite when the horses met again in the

Royal Ascot, a contest that was expected to be one of the best of the meeting.[27] Fantastic Light raced behind the leaders before being moved up by Dettori to take the lead in the straight. He soon went clear with what The Daily Telegraph described as a "ruthless display of speed",[28] and although Kalanisi attempted to challenge, Fantastic Light stayed on to win "comfortably" by two and a half lengths.[29] After the race, Sheikh Mohammed talked confidently about a meeting with the unbeaten Derby winner Galileo.[28]

Fantastic Light and Galileo did meet at Ascot in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, for which the Aidan O'Brien-trained three-year-old was sent off the 1/2 favourite ahead of Fantastic Light at 7/2. The race was the subject of considerable advance publicity, and was portrayed as a clash between the two most powerful forces in European racing; Godolphin, represented by Fantastic Light, and Ballydoyle/Coolmore represented by Galileo.[30] As in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, Dettori settled Fantastic Light in the early stages before moving him out to challenge in the straight. Galileo had already taken the lead but Fantastic Light moved up and went level a furlong out. The two horses raced side by side for several strides, but Galileo then pulled ahead to win by two lengths.[31]

Autumn

The second meeting between Fantastic Light and Galileo was scheduled for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in September and was highly anticipated.[32] This time Dettori rode Fantastic Light more positively as part of an agreed Godolphin plan,[33] sending him past the Ballydoyle pacemaker to take the lead two furlongs out. Michael Kinane immediately brought Galileo to challenge and the two horses raced alongside each other all the way to the line. Galileo appeared to gain a slight advantage, but Fantastic Light, stayed on strongly under pressure to regain the lead and win by a head in a "thrilling"[34] contest.[35] The British Horseracing Authority described the event as "one of the greatest races witnessed throughout the current decade",[36] whilst readers of the Racing Post placed it seventh (the third highest for a flat race) in their list of the 100 Greatest Races.[37][38]

For Fantastic Light's final start, he was sent back to America for a second attempt at the

St Leger winner Milan to win by three quarters of a length, with the rest of the runners more than five lengths further back.[41] The time of 2:24.36 was a new course record.[42] Summarising Fantastic Light's career, Crisford called him "the ultimate modern-day racehorse."[43]

A projected run in the Japan Cup did not materialise[44] and his retirement was announced shortly afterwards. He had already amassed sufficient points to secure a second Emirates World Series.[45][46]

Race record

Date Race Dist (f) Course Class Prize (£K) Odds Runners Placing Margin Time Jockey Trainer
2 August 1998 Carshalton Novice Stakes 7 Sandown 4 8/1 5 1 1.75 1:33.35 John Reid Michael Stoute
22 August 1998 Sun Conditions Stakes 8 Sandown 4 7/2 5 1 0.75 1:44.02 John Reid Michael Stoute
11 September 1998 Stardom Stakes 8 Goodwood Listed 13 9/4 3 3 2.5 1:44.70 Ray Cochrane Michael Stoute
24 April 1999 Sandown Classic Trial 10 Sandown 3 39 13/2 7 1 Short head 2:15.73 Darryll Holland Michael Stoute
8 May 1999 Lingfield Derby Trial 12 Lingfield 3 32 3/1 5 4 6.75 2:30.31 Darryll Holland Michael Stoute
15 June 1999 Prince of Wales's Stakes 10 Ascot 2 88 14/1 8 2 Head 2:04.37 Gary Stevens Michael Stoute
3 July 1999 Eclipse Stakes 10 Sandown 1 174 6/1 8 3 0.75 2:06.42 Gary Stevens Michael Stoute
17 August 1999 Great Voltigeur Stakes 12 York 2 57 4/1 7 1 1.25 2:29.05 Gary Stevens Michael Stoute
19 September 1999
Arc Trial
 11 Newbury Listed 28 9/4 6 1 0.75 2:21.51 Kieren Fallon Michael Stoute
3 October 1999 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 12 Longchamp 1 538 33/1 14 11 29 2:38.50 John Reid Michael Stoute
25 March 2000 Dubai Sheema Classic 12 Nad Al Sheba 3 731 16 1 3 2:27.70 Kieren Fallon Michael Stoute
9 June 2000 Coronation Cup 12 Epsom 1 150 7/4 4 2 0.75 2:41.83 Chris McCarron Saeed bin Suroor
8 July 2000 Eclipse Stakes 10 Sandown 1 216 5/1 8 5 6.25 2:05.32 John Reid Saeed bin Suroor
29 July 2000 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 12 Ascot 1 435 12/1 7 2 1.75 2:29.98 John Reid Saeed bin Suroor
9 September 2000 Man o' War Stakes 11 Belmont 1 182 13/20 8 1 1 2:17.44 Jerry Bailey Saeed bin Suroor
7 October 2000
Turf Classic Invitational
 12 Belmont 1 274 7/5 12 4 3.5 2:28.58 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
4 November 2000 Breeders' Cup Turf 12 Churchill Downs 1 786 119/10 13 5 2 2:26.96 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
26 November 2000 Japan Cup 12 Tokyo 1 1504 79/10 16 3 0.25 2:26.10 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
17 December 2000 Hong Kong Cup 10 Sha Tin 1 628 19/10 14 1 1.75 2:02.20 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
24 March 2001 Dubai Sheema Classic 12 Nad Al Sheba 2 800 7/4 16 2 Nose 2:28.23 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
27 May 2001 Tattersalls Gold Cup 10.5 The Curragh 1 100 5/4 6 1 Neck 2:13.40 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
20 June 2001 Prince of Wales's Stakes 10 Ascot 1 145 100/30 9 1 2.5 2:04.40 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
28 July 2001 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 12 Ascot 1 435 7/2 12 2 2 2:27.71 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
8 September 2001 Irish Champion Stakes 10 Leopardstown 1 384 9/4 7 1 Head 2:01.80 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
27 October 2001 Breeders' Cup Turf 12 Belmont 1 741 7/5 12 1 0.75 2:24.20 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor

[47]

Assessment, honours and awards

From the mid-1990s the International Classification Committee (representing Europe) and the North American Rating Committee drew up an annual International Classification which included all horses who raced in Europe, North America and Japan. These ratings did not include Southern Hemisphere horses and were not therefore, "World" rankings.

In the 2000 International Classification, Fantastic Light was assessed at 124, placing him fourteenth in the ratings (eighth in Europe), ten pounds below Dubai Millennium.[48] In the 2001 International Classification Fantastic Light was assessed at 129 (equal with Galileo ), making him the third highest rated horse behind Sakhee and Point Given.[49]

Fantastic Light was assessed at 134 by Timeform.[50] A rating in excess of 130 is considered the mark of an above average Group One winner.

In 2001 he was named

Cartier Racing Awards.[51]

In February 2002 Fantastic Light was voted the Eclipse Award for

Eclipse Awards,[2] beating Val Royal and With Anticipation in the voting.[52]

Stud career

Retired at the end of the 2001 racing season, Fantastic Light stood for the Darley Stud stud at Dalham Hall in Newmarket, England, before being moved to their Japanese base in Hokkaido for the 2007 season.[53]

He has also been shuttled to stand in Australia for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.[54] During five seasons at stud in Australia he was the sire of 427 live foals that included Mission Critical, who won the group one Waikato Race Club's International Stakes.[55]

He has sired the winners of more than three hundred races including Scintillo, winner of the Winter Derby, the Gran Criterium and the Grand Prix de Chantilly (Group 2).[56] Fantastic Light was then pensioned from stud duties in August 2012.[57]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Fantastic Light (USA), bay stallion, 1996[58][59]
Sire
Rahy (USA)
1985 		Blushing Groom
1974 		Red God Nasrullah*
Spring Run
Runaway Bride Wild Risk
Aimee
Glorious Song
1976　 		Halo Hail To Reason*
Cosmah
Ballade Herbager
Miss Swapsco
Dam
Jood (USA)
1989
Nijinsky

1967　 		Northern Dancer Nearctic*
Natalma
Flaming Page Bull Page
Flaring Top
Kamar
1976
Key To The Mint
 Graustark
Key Bridge
Square Angel Quadrangle
Nangela* (Family: 14-c)[60]
  • Although there is no inbreeding visible in the table above, four of the horses in the fourth generation (Narsullah, Hail To Reason, Nearctic and Nangela) are direct descendants of Nearco, who as a result appears twice in the fifth, and twice in the sixth generation of Fantastic Light's extended pedigree.

References

  1. ^ "Fantastic Light Horse Pedigree". Pedigreequery.com. 2001-10-27. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  2. ^ a b "Eclipse Awards 2001 Turf male: Fantastic foreigner". Thoroughbred Times. 2002-02-23. Archived from the original on 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  3. ^ "Rahy stud record". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  4. ^ "Fantastic Light pedigree". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  5. ^ "Carshalton Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  6. ^ "Sun Conditions Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  7. ^ Montgomery, Sue (1998-08-23). "Staying two-year-old trips the light fantastic". The Independent. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  8. ^ "Classic Trial result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  9. ^ "Case is clear for Fantastic Light". The Independent. 1999-05-08. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  10. ^ "Great Voltigeur Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  11. ^ "Arc Trial result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  12. ^ "Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  13. ^ "Dubai Sheema Classic 2000 result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  14. ^ "Millennium meets date with destiny". The Independent. 2000-03-26. Retrieved 2011-09-21.[dead link]
  15. ^ "Montjeu shines in solo role". The Daily Telegraph. 2000-07-30. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  16. ^ "King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2000 result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  17. ^ "Man o' War Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  18. ^ Durso, Joseph (2000-09-10). "Fantastic Light Turns It on in Man o'War". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  19. ^ "Breeders' Cup Turf 2000 result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  20. ^ "Fantastic Light and Dettori nosed out". The Independent. 2000-11-27. Retrieved 2011-09-21.[dead link]
  21. ^ "Hong Kong Cup result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  22. ^ J A McGrath (2000-12-18). "Fantastic Light is 'world' champion". Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  23. ^ "Dubai Sheema Classic 2001 result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  24. ^ "Fantastic Light to shine for Dettori". Thisislondon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2013-05-05. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  25. ^ "Tattersalls Gold Cup result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  26. ^ "Fantastic Light Wins Tattersalls". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  27. ^ Chris Hawkins (2001-06-18). "Racing: Kalanisi out for revenge in fantastic Royal Ascot clash | Sport". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  28. ^ a b J A McGrath (2001-06-20). "Light's dazzling display". Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  29. ^ "Prince of Wales's Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  30. ^ "Battle for the crown in race fit for kings". The Independent. 2001-07-27. Retrieved 2011-10-11.[dead link]
  31. ^ "King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes result 2001". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  32. ^ Scott, Brough (2001-09-08). "Fantastic holds off Galileo in epic duel". Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  33. ^ "Fantastic Light outshines Galileo". The Independent. 2001-09-09. Retrieved 2011-09-21.[dead link]
  34. ^ "Galileo beaten by Fantastic Light". Telegraph. 2001-09-08. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  35. ^ "Irish Champion Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  36. ^ "Great Racehorses of the Decade: 001: Galileo". Britishhorseracing.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  37. ^ "100 Greatest Races top ten". Retrieved 2011-09-21 – via The Free Library.
  38. ^ "100 Greatest Races". Retrieved 2011-09-21 – via The Free Library.
  39. ^ Haskin, Steve. "Galileo, Fantastic Light Turn in Sharp Works for Classic". BloodHorse. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  40. ^ Paul Wheeler in New York (2001-10-25). "Fantastic Light v Galileo at Belmont called off". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  41. ^ "Breeders' Cup Turf – Turf 2001 result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  42. ^ "Frankie's Fantastic victory". BBC News. 2001-10-27. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  43. ^ J A McGrath (2001-10-28). "Breeders' Cup reports". Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  44. ^ Liebman, Dan. "Fantastic Finish to Turf". BloodHorse. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  45. ^ "Godolphin retire Fantastic Light to stud". Sport.scotsman.com. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  46. ^ "Fantastic Light locks up second World Series title". Thoroughbred Times. 2001-11-27. Archived from the original on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  47. ^ "Fantastic Light race record". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  48. ^ "2000 International Classification" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  49. ^ "2001 International Classification" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  50. ^ "Darley Australia". Darleyaustralia.com. 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2011-09-21.[permanent dead link]
  51. ^ Armytage, Marcus (2001-11-14). "Cartier Awards: Fantastic Light is Horse of The Year". Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  52. ^ "Eclipse Award Winners – Horse Racing – 02/18/2002". Horseracing.about.com. 2002-02-18. Archived from the original on 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  53. ^ "Fantastic Light to Japan for 2007". BloodHorse. 2006-11-07. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  54. ^ Tonkes, Peter. "Fantastic Light to Australia". BloodHorse. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  55. ^ "Fantastic Light – offspring". Australian Stud Book. Australian Turf Club Limited and Victoria Racing Club Limited. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  56. ^ "Fantastic Light stud record". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  57. ^ "Fantastic Light Now a Pensioner".
  58. ^ "Fantastic Light at Darley Japan". Darley. 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2011-09-21.[permanent dead link]
  59. ^ "Fantastic Light pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-07-03.
  60. ^ "Pretty Polly – Family 14-c". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-07-03.
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