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The success of the Unbridled/Storm Cat - and particularly the Unbridled's Song/Storm Cat - cross is one that has been well documented. Now there may well be an emerging nick between Unbridled-line stallions and another branch of the Northern Dancer line.

This cross stepped into the limelight this weekend, when the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) was taken in impressive style by Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song-Away, by Dixieland Band), who recorded her first graded victory at the expense of the previously undefeated Pure Clan.

Eight Belles follows stakes winner Mystic Chant (out of a mare by Dixieland Band's son, Citidancer) as the second black type winner for Unbridled's Song (TrueNicks, SRO) bred on the cross. He is also sire of the stakes-winning Brand Name out of a Dixieland Band mare.

There have been some other variations on this theme too. Unbridled's son Broken Vow is sire of gr. I Acorn Stakes heroine Cotton Blossom, and graded stakes winner, Sindy With an S, out of mares by Dixieland Band. Onetime Maryland stallion Unbridled Jet also got in on the act, siring stakes winner Jet Set Citi out of a Citidancer mare.

Returning to Eight Belles for a moment, we can also note that she is inbred 4 x 3 to Mr. Prospector, great-grandsire of Unbridled's Song, and sire of Eight Belles' second dam, Be a Prospector. Unbridled's Song has sired at least five other stakes winners with Mr. Prospector inbreeding including the graded scorers Forest Music and Barracuda Boy.

Filed under: Recent Winners