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One nick that made a considerable advance at the weekend was that of Awesome Again (TrueNicks, SRO) with mares by Seattle Slew and his sons. The broad Deputy Minister/Seattle Slew cross has proved to be a productive one, with grade I winners including Pool Land, Hello Seattle, and Mayo On the Side.

Until this weekend, however, it had had only a relatively modest degree of success for Deputy Minister's highest profile son, Awesome Again, with graded stakes winner Awesome Time and listed winner Magoo's Magic - both out of Seattle Slew mares - being the only black-type winners from 19 runners (10.5% stakes winners to runners) on the cross, compared with 14.5% stakes winners to runners by the sire out of all other mares.

On Saturday, however things changed dramatically. First the beautifully-bred Awesome Chic (her dam, Trading, is by A.P. Indy out of a sister to Seeking the Gold), won the Gasparilla Stakes. That was a seven furlong event, and the 3-year-old looks sure to do better as the distances advance. Then, newly-turned 4-year-old Spirited Away took the Truly Bound Handicap at the Fair Grounds. Out of Cape North, a daughter of Capote, Spirited Away has an intriguing pedigree, as her granddam, champion older mare North Sider, is by a son of Northern Dancer out of a daughter of the mare Square Generation, where Awesome Again is by a grandson of Northern Dancer out of a granddaughter of Square Generation.

With two new stakes winner on the cross, Awesome Again now has four stakes winners from 19 starters out of mares by Seattle Slew and his sons, for 21% stakes winners to starters. With the stakes winners being of out of mares by Seattle Slew, and two rather different sons - A.P. Indy and Capote - it looks as if Awesome Again is set to extend the fortunes of the Deputy Minister/Seattle Slew cross.

Filed under: Sire Lines, Recent Winners