View source for Kilijaro

{{Short description|Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Kilijaro
| image_name =
| caption =
| sire = [[African Sky]]
| grandsire = [[Sing Sing (horse)|Sing Sing]]
| dam = Manfilia
| damsire = Mandamus
| sex = [[Mare]]
| foaled = 8 February 1976<ref name="equineline1">{{cite web|url=http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=ORDER_AND_CONFIRM&reference_number=753428&registry=T&horse_name=Kilijaro%20(IRE)&dam_name==Manfilia&foaling_year=1976&nicking_stats_indicator=Y |title=Kilijaro pedigree |website=Equineline|access-date=2015-01-30}}</ref>
| country = Ireland
| colour = [[Bay (horse)|Bay]]
| breeder = [[Irish National Stud]]
| owner = John Mulcahy<br />N. Robinson<br />[[Serge Fradkoff]]<br />[[Edward Seltzer]]
| trainer = [[Dermot Weld]]<br />[[Olivier Douieb]]<br />[[Charles E. Whittingham]]
| record = 37: 14-5-5
| earnings =
| race = [[Phoenix Stakes]] (1978)<br />[[Prix de Meautry]] (1980)<br />[[Prix Quincey]] (1980)<br />[[Prix du Moulin]] (1980)<br />[[Prix de Seine-et-Oise]] (1980)<br />[[Yellow Ribbon Stakes]] (1980)<br />[[San Gorgonio Handicap]] (1981)<br />[[Monrovia Handicap]] (1981)<br />[[Gamely Handicap]] (1981)<br />[[Palomar Handicap]] (1981)<br />[[Autumn Days Handicap]] (1981)<br />[[Matriarch Stakes]] (1981)
| awards= Timeform rating 121 (1978), 124 (1979), 126 (1980)<br />Top-rated Irish two-year-old filly (1978)<br />Top-rated Irish three-year-old filly (1979)
| honours=
| updated =
}}
'''Kilijaro''' (8 February 1976 &ndash; after 1990) was an Irish-bred [[Thoroughbred]] racehorse and [[Horse breeding#Terminology|broodmare]]. She was the best filly of her generation in Ireland at both two and three years of age, winning the [[Phoenix Stakes]] and finishing second in the [[Queen Mary Stakes]], [[Cheveley Park Stakes]], [[Prix de l'Abbaye]] and [[Prix de la Forêt]]. When transferred to France in 1980 she proved herself one of the best sprinter-milers of the year, with consecutive wins in the [[Prix de Meautry]], [[Prix Quincey]], [[Prix du Moulin]] and [[Prix de Seine-et-Oise]] before traveling to California to take the [[Yellow Ribbon Stakes]]. She remained in the United Stakes in 1981 and was one of the most successful female turf performers of 1981, winning the [[San Gorgonio Handicap]], [[Monrovia Handicap]], [[Gamely Handicap]], [[Palomar Handicap]], [[Autumn Days Handicap]] and [[Matriarch Stakes]]. After her retirement from racing she made little impact as a broodmare, but some of her descendants have won good races in Australia.
==Background==
Kilijaro was a bay mare with a white [[star (horse marking)|star]] and a white [[sock (horse marking)|sock]] on her right front foot bred in Ireland by the [[Irish National Stud]]. She was sired by [[African Sky]] who won the [[Prix du Palais Royal]], [[Prix Quincey]] and [[Prix de la Forêt]] as a three-year-old in 1973.<ref name="Timeform1973">{{cite book |author=Timeform staff| title=Racehorses of 1973| publisher=Timeform|year=1974}}</ref> As a breeding stallion, he also sired the [[King's Stand Stakes]] winner [[African Song]]. She was the second foal of her dam Manfilia, who had some success as a racemare, winning five races.
Sold as a yearling for 4,200 [[guinea (coin)|guineas]],<ref name="Timeform1979">{{cite book |author=Timeform staff| title=Racehorses of 1979| publisher=Timeform|year=1980|isbn=0-900599-29-4}}</ref> the filly was sent into training with [[Dermot Weld]] at the [[Curragh]], [[County Kildare]]. She was ridden in most of her early races by [[Wally Swinburn]].
==Racing career==
===1978: two-year-old season===
Kilijaro began her racing career in five [[furlong]] [[maiden race]] in the spring of 1978, finishing unplaced at [[Phoenix Park Racecourse]] and third at [[Navan Racecourse]] before winning at Phoenix Park. In June she was sent to England to contest the [[Queen Mary Stakes]] at [[Royal Ascot]]. Starting at odds of [[Fractional odds|12/1]] she produced a strong run along the rail to dispute the lead in the final furlong and finished second, beaten a head by [[Greenland Park]], with [[Devon Ditty]] in third. After a break of almost two months the filly was matched against [[colt (horse)|colt]]s in the [[Group races|Group 2]] Phoenix Stakes in which she was equipped with [[Blinders|blinkers]] for the first time. Starting second favourite behind the English-trained Inshallah, she raced at the rear of the nine-runner field before moving up to take the lead a furlong from the finish. In the closing stages she drew away from her opponents to win by six lengths and half a length from Real Snug and Coalminer. In October Kilijaro was sent back to England for a rematch with Devon Ditty in the [[Cheveley Park Stakes]] in which she was moved up to six furlongs for the first time. She moved up to challenge Devon Ditty approaching the final furlong but after a prolonged struggle she was beat a neck by the 11/8 favourite.<ref name="Breedon">{{cite book|last1=Abelson|first1=Edward|last2=Tyrrel|first2=John| title=The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records|publisher=Breedon Books Publishing |year=1993|isbn=978-1-873626-15-3}}</ref><ref name="Timeform1978">{{cite book |author=Timeform staff| title=Racehorses of 1978| publisher=Timeform|year=1979|isbn=0-900599-27-8}}</ref>
===1979: three-year-old season===
Kilijaro failed to win in seven starts as a three-year-old but produced several good performances. After finishing sixth on her debut she started second favourite for the [[Irish 1000 Guineas]] over one mile at the [[Curragh Racecourse|Curragh]], but finished eleventh of the twelve runners behind the [[Vincent O'Brien]]-trained [[Godetia (horse)|Godetia]]. The filly was then brought back to sprint distances and finished fifth in her next appearance before producing her best performance of the year up to that point when she finished third to the colts [[Miami Springs (horse)|Miami Springs]] and [[Golden Thatch]] in the [[Phoenix Sprint Stakes|Matt Gallagher Sprint Stakes]] in July at Phoenix Park.<ref name="Timeform1979"/>
After finishing unplaced in her next race, Kilijaro was offered for sale in October at the [[Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe|Arc de Triomphe]] sale. She was bought for [[₣]]1,800,000 by representatives of Serge Fradkoff and transferred to the French stable of Olivier Douieb. Less than twenty-four hours after the sale, Kilijaro contested France's most prestigious sprint race, the [[Prix de l'Abbaye]] over 1000 metres at [[Longchamp Racecourse]]. Starting a 73/1 outsider she produced what was then a career-best performance, producing a sustained run over the last 400 metres to finish second by a head to the British four-year-old [[Double Form]]. Greenland Park was third, with the other beaten horses including [[King of Macedon (horse)|King of Macedon]], [[Thatching (horse)|Thatching]] and [[Sigy (horse)|Sigy]]. Three weeks later the filly was ridden by [[Henry Samani]] in the Group One [[Prix de la Forêt]] over 1400 metres at the same course and finished second of the fourteen runners behind [[Producer (horse)|Producer]].<ref name="Timeform1979"/>
===1980: four-year-old season===
After winning a minor race over 1400 metres at Évry Racecourse in April, Kilijaro was beaten in her next five races: she finished sixth to Adraan when favourite for the [[Prix de Saint-Georges]], second to Baptism in the [[Prix du Palais-Royal]], fifth behind Rostov in the [[Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord]], fourth to Luck of the Draw in the [[Prix de la Porte Maillot]] and third behind [[Boitron (horse)|Boitron]] and [[Moorestyle]] in the [[Prix Maurice de Gheest]].<ref name="Timeform1980">{{cite book |author=Timeform staff| title=Racehorses of 1980| publisher=Timeform|year=1981|isbn=0-900599-31-6}}</ref>
Despite having lost thirteen of her last fourteen races, Kilijaro was made 3/5 favourite for the [[Prix de Meautry]] over 1200 metres at [[Deauville Racecourse]] on 20 August. Ridden by [[Alain Lequeux]], she recorded her first major win for more than two years as she won easily by five lengths from [[Northjet]]. Eight days later the same course, the filly started at odds of 11/1 for the Prix Quincey over 1600 metres. Ridden by [[Freddy Head]], she won by three lengths from the favourite Tassmoun (winner of the [[Prix Messidor]]) with Boitron in fourth. On 7 September, Kilijaro was moved back up to Group One class for the Prix du Moulin over 1600 metres at Longchamp. She started the 6.1/1 fourth choice in the betting behind [[Northern Baby]], Nadjar ([[Prix d'Ispahan]], [[Prix Jacques Le Marois]]) and Final Straw ([[Champagne Stakes (Great Britain)|Champagne Stakes]]). Under a very hard ride from Head, she held off a strong challenge from Nadjar to prevail by a neck, with a gap of two lengths back to Katowice in third. Kilijaro attempted to win her fourth major race in less than five weeks when she started 3/5 favourite for the Prix de Seine-et-Oise at [[Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse]] on 22 September. Ridden by Lequeux, she won by one and a half lengths and a length from Boitron and Northjet. On her final European start, Kilijaro finished third behind Moorestyle and Crofter in the Group One [[Prix de la Forêt]] over 1400 metres on heavy ground at Longchamp on 26 October.<ref name="Timeform1980"/>
Following her defeat in the Foret, Kilijaro was sent to California to contest the [[Graded stakes race|Grade I]] [[Yellow Ribbon Stakes]] at [[Santa Anita Park]] on 9 November. Despite given little time to aclimatise to her new surroundings and racing over an unfamiliar distance of ten furlongs, Kilijaro accelerated away from her opponents in the closing stages to win by more than three lengths from Ack's Secret ([[Las Palmas Handicap]]) and Queen To Conquer ([[Ramona Handicap]]).<ref name="Timeform1980"/>
===1981: five-year-old season===
In 1981, Kilijaro was trained in the United States by [[Charles E. Whittingham]] and was ridden in most of her races by [[Marco Castaneda]]. She began her fourth season in the Grade II San Gorgonio Handicap over nine furlongs at Santa Anita on January 11 and won from Queen To Conquer before being switched to dirt on for the [[Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap]] on February 22 and finished sixth behind Princess Karenda. On her next appearance she was dropped back to sprint distances for the Monrovia Handicap on turf and won from Love You Dear and She Can't Miss. The mare was then sent to [[Hollywood Park Racetrack]] for the Gamely Handicap oven nine furlongs on April 24 and won again, beating Princess Karenda and Wishing Well (winner of the race in 1980). She was matched against male opposition in the [[Californian Stakes]] on dirt on May 25 and finished to behind Eleven Stitches and [[Temperence Hill]], before finishing seventh behind Eleven Stitches in the [[Hollywood Gold Cup]] on June 14. In the [[Vanity Invitational Handicap]] on July 12 she finished fourth behind [[Track Robbery]], Princess Karenda and Save Wild Life.<ref name="equibase3">{{cite web|url=http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=753428&registry=T|title=Kilijaro – Statistics|access-date=7 February 2015}}</ref>
On August 8, Kilijaro returned to turf racing for the Grade II Palomar Handicap over one mile at [[Del Mar Racetrack]] and won from Lisawan and Satin Ribera. On August 30, Kilijaro contested the inaugural running of the [[Arlington Million]], then the world's most valuable horse race,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bzNfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S08NAAAAIBAJ&pg=4082,3907592&dq=to-agori-mou&hl=en |title=Thoroughbreds racing for $1,000,000 in prize money |work=[[Bonham Daily Favorite]] |date=31 July 1981 |access-date=2013-10-26}}</ref> but finished unplaced behind [[John Henry (horse)|John Henry]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-s5RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_G0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5420,5170682&dq=madam+gay&hl=en |title=John Henry takes Arlington Million |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=31 August 1981 |access-date=2013-11-12}}</ref> The mare returned to California for her last three races. In the Autumn Day Handicap over six and a half furlongs on turf, she recorded her fifth success of the season, beating Ack's Secret and Miss Huntingdon. On November 1 she attempted to repeat her 1980 win in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes, but finished fourth behind Queen To Conquer, Star Pastured and Ack's Secret. On November 22, Kilijaro contested the inaugural running of the Matriarch Stakes over nine furlongs at Hollywood Park. Ridden by [[Laffit Pincay Jr.]], she ended her career with a victory as she won by two and a half lengths<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/24/sports/kilijaro-triumphs-in-matriarch-stakes.html|title=Kilijaro Triumphs In Matriarch Stakes|date=24 November 1981|work=[[New York Times]]|access-date=7 February 2015}}</ref> from the Canadian champion [[Glorious Song]].<ref name="equibase3"/>
==Assessment and awards==
In the International Classification for 1978, Kilijaro was rated on 82, making her the sixth-best juvenile filly in Europe behind [[Sigy (horse)|Sigy]], Devon Ditty, Formulate, Greenland Park and Pitasia. She was the top-rated filly in the Irish Free Handicap, three pounds ahead of [[Godetia (horse)|Godetia]]. The independent Timeform organisation gave her a rating of 121, eleven pounds behind Sigy.<ref name="Timeform1978"/> In the following year Timeform rated her on 124, nine pounds behind their best three-year-old filly [[Three Troikas]]. In the official Irish Handicap, she was rated level with Godetia as the best three-year-old filly. The International Classification rated her the eighth-best filly of her generation in Europe.<ref name="Timeform1979"/> Kilijaro received her best Timeform rating of 126 in 1980, placing her only two pounds behind the top-rated older female Three Troikas. In the International Classification she was rated the third-best older female in Europe behind Three Troikas and Dunette.<ref name="Timeform1980"/>
==Breeding record==
Kilijaro produced at least five foal and one winner between 1983 and 1990:
*Face Nord, brown filly, foaled in 1983, sired by [[Northjet]]. Unraced.
*Shamayil, grey filly, 1984, by [[Spectacular Bid]]. Failed to win in seven races,<ref name="Timeform1987">{{cite book |author=Timeform staff| title=Racehorses of 1987| publisher=Timeform|year=1988|isbn=0-900599-46-4}}</ref> dam of [[The Thousand Guineas]] winner Shame.
*Kahaley, colt, 1985, by [[Caro (horse)|Caro]].Unraced.
*Cossack Guard, brown colt, 1986 [[Nureyev (horse)|Nureyev]]. Won once from sixteen races.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/40266/cossack-guard|publisher=Racing Post|title=Cossack Guard – Record By Race Type}}</ref>
*Sky Safari Too, brown filly, 1990 [[Skywalker (horse)|Skywalker]]. Unraced.
==Pedigree==
{{Pedigree
|name = Kilijaro, bay mare, 1976<ref name="equineline1"/>
|f = [[African Sky]] (GB)<br /> 1970
|m = Manfilia (GB)<br /> 1968
|ff = [[Sing Sing (horse)|Sing Sing]] (GB)<br /> 1957
|fm = Sweet Caroline (GB)<br /> 1954
|mf = Mandamus (GB)<br /> 1960
|mm = Spare Filly (GB)<br /> 1961
|fff = [[Tudor Minstrel]]
|ffm = Agin the Law
|fmf = [[Nimbus (GB)|Nimbus]]
|fmm = Lackaday
|mff = [[Petition (horse)|Petition]]
|mfm = Great Fun
|mmf = Beau Sabreur
|mmm = La Pucelle
|ffff = [[Owen Tudor (horse)|Owen Tudor]]
|fffm = Sansonnet
|ffmf = Portlaw
|ffmm = Revolte
|fmff = [[Nearco]]
|fmfm = Kong
|fmmf = Bobsleigh
|fmmm = Lackadaisy
|mfff = [[Fair Trial]]
|mffm = Art Paper
|mfmf = [[Big Game (horse)|Big Game]]
|mfmm = Merry Devon
|mmff = His Highness
|mmfm = Mashaq
|mmmf = [[Prince Chevalier]]
|mmmm = Dainty Miss (Family: 11-e)
|}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:1976 racehorse births]]
[[Category:Racehorses bred in Ireland]]
[[Category:Racehorses trained in France]]
[[Category:Racehorses trained in Ireland]]
[[Category:Racehorses trained in the United States]]
[[Category:Thoroughbred family 11-e]]