French Fifteen - Group 1 descendant of Petite Etoile

FRENCH FIFTEEN (FR) - 2009 chestnut horse

A precocious and speedy juvenile who rounded off his first season with victory in the Group 1 Criterium International over a mile at Saint-Cloud, this great-grandson of Night Shift (by Northern Dancer) kicked off his three-year-old season with victory in the Group 3 Prix Djebel over seven furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte and then chased home Camelot in the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

These were the high points of his career as he was unplaced in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and in Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly and, as a four-year-old, in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free at Meydan. His only other outing after his classic performance was a second place finish over a mile on the polytrack at Chantilly a few weeks before his trip to Dubai.

One of five stakes winners for his now Japan-based sire, who is also responsible for the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) scorer Lucayan, French Fifteen represents a branch of one of the Aga Khan's most famous families.

He is out of the dual winner Spring Morning (by Ashkalani), which makes him a half-brother to the 12-furlong listed scorer Night Run (by Martaline), and his dam is a half-sister to the pattern-placed middle-distance stakes winner Zaydiya (by Shernazar). That filly is, in turn, the grandam of multiple pattern-winning miler Zarewitsch (by Night Shift) and third dam of the Group 3 Prix Daphnis winner and Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes runner-up Ziyarid (by Desert Style).

His third dam is Zahra (by Habitat), the only daughter of the great Petite Etoite (by Petition), and so his grandam's siblings include the mares from whom the Group 1 stars Zarkava (by Zamindar), Zainta (by Kahyasi) and Ugugu (by Galileo) descend. There are many other pattern winners who can claim Zahra as a direct ancestor, with Honorius (by Holy Roman Emperor), Zafadola (by Darshaan) and Earnshaw (by Medaglia d'Oro) being three who have Group 1-placing to their names.

French Fifteen stands at Haras du Logis Saint Germain in Normandy, France, it is likely that most of his flat runners will be in that country, and it would not be a surprise to see him come up with some capable performers at around eight to 10 furlongs, in addition to some who can show useful form as juveniles.
​
FRENCH FIFTEEN (FR) – ch.2009 – Turtle Bowl – Spring Morning, 6 wins inc Criterium International (Gr1), Prix Djebel (Gr3), Criterium de l'Ouest (L), 2nd 2000 Guineas (Gr1), Prix Thomas Bryon (Gr3). Sire in France. First foals in 2015.

YEARLINGS CATALOGUED (updated)
bf - Aegle (by Night Shift)     Arqana     Nov     €5,500
bc – Ask For Rain (by Green Desert)     Osarus     Sept     €12,000
bc - Bonne Mere (by Stepneyev)     Arqana     Nov     not sold
bc - Casa Ingrid (by Singspiel)     Arqana     Oct     €33,000
bc - Classic Angel (by Samum)     Arqana     Nov     €8,000
bc – Etrangere (by Fusaichi Pegasus)     Osarus     Sept     €19,000
bc - Hideaway Girl (by Fasliyev)     Arqana     Oct     €17,000
chf - Luna Gulch (by Gulch)     Arqana     Nov     €6,000
chf – Magdala (by Hawk Wing)     Osarus     Sept     not sold
chc - Miss Raven (by Raven's Pass)     Arqana     Oct     €45,000
bc - Pax Mina (by Keltos)     Arqana     Oct     €35,000
chf - Phlizz (by Kaldoun)     Arqana     Oct     €22,000
chf - Si Lyrique (by Slickly)     Arqana     Oct     €21,000
bf - Signorella (by Pivotal)     Arqana     Oct     €26,000
bc – Star Dust Melody (by Chichicastenango)     Osarus     Sept     €35,000
chc – Tintagel (by Oasis Dream)     Baden-Baden     Sept     ​€15,000
chc - Vie De Reine (by Mansonnien)     Arqana     Nov     €28,000
bf - Zainzana (by Green Desert)     Arqana     Oct     €38,000