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Vision d'Etat retained his unbeaten record with a head victory in the Prix du Jockey-Club - French Derby (gr. I). Vision d'Etat has a pedigree that is obscure by almost any standard. Chichicastenango - the sire of Vision d'Etat - was one of only two stakes winners for his sire, Smadoun. A son of Kaldoun (by Caro), Smadoun started 63 times over five years, and was a prolific scorer in provincial black type company, winning nine stakes events. He tackled group company on only three occasions, his best effort being a third in the Prix Andre Baboin (gr. III). In Chichicastenango, Smadoun succeeded in outsiring himself. Winner of the Prix Thomas Bryon (gr. III) on his last start at 2, Chichicastenango took the Prix Lupin (gr. I) and Grand Prix de Paris (gr. I), and finished second in the Prix du Jockey-Club (gr. I) at 3.

As far as his sire career is concerned, Chichicastenango is throwing more to his race record than his pedigree (although we can note that his dam is line-bred to Sir Gaylord and his full sister, Swansea, who appears as Chichicastenango's sixth dam). Vision d'Etat is a member of Chichicastenango's second crop, and his first crop included group winners Chinandega and Chichi Creasy. None of Vision D'Etat's first three dams produced a stakes winner, but there is some classic blood in the fourth dam, Folie Douce. She bred French champion 3-year-old filly Mi Carina; stakes winner and English Oaks runner-up Mother Goose; and the Gazelle and Ladies Handicap heroine Sweet Folie. Another daughter of Folie Douce, Peroxide Blonde, bred champion 3-year-old and Belmont Stakes winner Stage Door Johnny.

Vision d'Etat is rated A++ by TrueNicks. He is one of only three starters by Chichicastenango out of mares by Garde Royale, but one of the others is group winner Chichi Creasy, which leaves us to conclude that two (stakes winners) out of three (starters) ain't bad.

Filed under: Sire Lines, Recent Winners