Talismanic

Talismanic is a "photogenic" dark bay horse with a large white blaze and four white stockings.{{cite web|title=Most Hong Kong International winners have solid options {{!}} Daily Racing Form|url=http://www.drf.com/news/most-hong-kong-international-winners-have-solid-options|website=www.drf.com|accessdate=6 January 2018}}{{cite web|title=Talismanic (GB) {{!}} Breeders' Cup|url=http://www.breederscup.com/horse/talismanic-gb|website=www.breederscup.com|accessdate=25 November 2017}} He was bred by Darley Stud, which purchased his sire Medaglia d'Oro in 2009. Medaglia d'Oro was the most successful performer on the dirt of El Prado, a son of Sadler's Wells, with major wins including the Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap and Donn Handicap. As a sire, Medaglia d'Oro is best known for his American runners on the dirt, including champions Rachel Alexandra and Songbird, but has also had success with turf performers in Australia and Europe.{{cite web|title=Medaglia d'Oro (horse)|url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/medaglia-doro.html|website=American Classic Pedigrees|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

Talismanic's dam Magic Mission is a stakes-winning daughter of Machiavellian. She descends from the outstanding mare Highclere, winner of the 1000 Guineas and Prix de Diane. Other members of this family include Deep Impact, Nayef, Nashwan and Unfuwain.{{cite web|title=A Dream Start for Deep Impact|url=http://runroughshod.blogspot.ca/2012/05/deep-impact-dream-sire.html|website=runroughshod.blogspot.ca|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

Talismanic is owned by Godolphin, the racing arm of Darley Stud. He was trained by André Fabre and regularly ridden by Mickael Barzalona.

Talismanic made his debut on 15 July 2015 at Deauville, finishing fifth in a maiden race over 1200 metres. He improved to finish second at Fontainebleau on 15 September, then broke his maiden with a seven-length victory at Compiègne over 2200 metres.{{cite web|title=Talismanic {{!}} Race Record & Form|publisher=Racing Post|url=https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/879457/talismanic|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

Talismanic made his first start as a three-year-old on 2 March 2016 at Saint-Cloud in the listed Prix Maurice Caittault, finishing second. He returned on 16 May to win the Prix de l'Avre at a distance of 2400 metres by {{frac|1|3|4}} lengths.{{cite web|title=Lundi à Saint-Cloud : Talismanic apprécie la distance – Equidia Live|url=http://www.equidia.fr/live/lundi-a-saint-cloud-4/|website=Equidia Live|accessdate=26 November 2017|language=fr-FR|date=23 May 2016}} This encouraged Fabre to enter him in the Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly on 16 June, where he finished a creditable fourth to Almanzor. He next started in the Grand Prix de Paris on 14 July, in which he finished fifth but was beaten by only {{frac|2|3|4}} lengths. He returned to the winner's enclosure in the listed Prix Turenne on 14 September{{cite web|title=Medaglia d'Oro's Talismanic Impresses On Return |url=http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/medaglia-doros-talismanic-impresses-on-return/|website=www.thoroughbreddailynews.com|accessdate=26 November 2017}} before finishing a well-beaten eleventh in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Talismanic began his four-year-old campaign on 17 March 2017 with a second-place finish in the listed Prix de la Porte de Madrid. He then went off as favourite in the Prix Lord Seymour on 17 April over a distance of 2400m. He set a slow early pace then accelerated about 300m from the finish line to win comfortably.{{cite web|title=Prix Lord Seymour : Talismanic contrôle|url=http://www.paris-turf.com/actualites/prix-lord-seymour-talismanic-controle-159329|website=Paris Turf|accessdate=25 November 2017|language=fr}} In his next starts, he finished second in both the Prix d'Hédouville and Grand Prix de Chantilly.

On 17 July, Talismanic earned his first Group win in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil on firm going at Saint-Cloud, in which he set a course record for 2800m of 2m 58.40. He was held up well behind the early leaders then displayed an impressive turn of foot in the straight to win.{{cite web|title=TALISMANIC "BREAKS THE BARRIERS" FOR HIS DEBUT AMONGST THE STAYERS – Courses et élevage|url=http://coursesetelevage.com/en/2017/07/18/talismanic-breaks-the-barriers-for-his-debut-amongst-the-stayers/|website=Courses et élevage|accessdate=25 November 2017|date=18 July 2017}} Fabre then considered entering him in the Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga in America, but arrangements fell through. He instead finished a fast-finishing third on heavy going in the Prix Foy behind Dschingis Secret and Cloth of Stars.

Despite Talismanic's limited success at the highest level of racing, Fabre felt confident enough in the colt's ability to ship him to California for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on 4 November. "I thought it would suit him because of his breeding, because of his balance, because of his mind and because of his ability", said Fabre. "He's a better horse than you've seen but difficult to place, which is why he went for longer-distance races."{{cite web|last1=Burton|first1=Scott|title=World without limits for surprise Turf hero Talismanic |work=Racing Post|url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/world-without-limits-for-surprise-turf-hero-talismanic/307462|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

Handicappers considered him to be a good longshot option in an excellent field that included defending champion Highland Reel and multiple graded/group one stakes winners such as Beach Patrol, Oscar Performance and Seventh Heaven.{{cite web|last1=Haskin|first1=Steve|title=Selection Saturday: Bombs Away|url=http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2017/11/03/selection-saturday-bombs-away.aspx|website=cs.bloodhorse.com|accessdate=25 November 2017}} Talismanic raced a few lengths behind the early pace set by Oscar Performance, with Beach Patrol and Highland Reel tracking in second and third respectively. Around the final turn, Beach Patrol moved to the lead but Talismanic then started his drive and pulled away to win by half a length.{{cite web|title=Talismanic Surprises in Breeders' Cup Turf|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/224556/talismanic-surprises-in-breeders-cup-turf|website=BloodHorse.com|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

Joe Osborne of Godolphin credited Fabre for the win. "The man is a living legend", he said. "He's just a master trainer and trained this horse perfectly. So, it's just a great result for us by our stallion, and bred by us and everything. So it just ticks all the boxes."{{cite web|title=Talismanic 'Fabre'-lous in Longines Turf |url=http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/talismanic-sits-the-trip-to-score-in-turf/|website=www.thoroughbreddailynews.com|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

Talismanic finished his four-year-old campaign on 10 December in the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin. He tracked a few lengths behind the early pace set by Helene Charisma followed by Highland Reel, who took command at the top of the straight. Talismanic then made a strong move to close to within a half length before Highland Reel responded and drew off to win by {{frac|1|3|4}} lengths.{{cite web|last1=Riddle|first1=Geoffrey|title=Heroic Highland Reel bows out in style with second Hong Kong Vase triumph|url=https://www.racinguk.com/news/highland-reel-bows-out-in-style-in-hong-kong-vase|website=www.racinguk.com|accessdate=6 January 2018}}

File:DSC 3300Talismanic.jpg

Talismanic made his first start of 2018 on 6 March over Chantilly's Fibresand all-weather surface in the Darshaan Stakes at a distance of 1,900m. He tracked the early pace until they entered the stretch, at which time Talismanic took control of the race. Cloth of Stars, the runner-up in the 2017 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, finished second. Fabre used the race as a prep for Talismanic's next scheduled start, the Dubai World Cup,{{cite web|title=Talismanic, Cloth of Stars Finish 1-2 in Dubai Prep|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/226365/talismanic-cloth-of-stars-finish-1-2-in-dubai-prep|website=BloodHorse.com|accessdate=25 March 2018}} in which Talismanic finished a disappointing ninth.{{cite web |title=Talismanic Back in Europe for Prix Gontaut-Biron |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/229053/talismanic-back-in-europe-for-prix-gontaut-biron |website=BloodHorse.com |accessdate=17 August 2018 }}

Fabre then gave Talismanic a "short holiday" before resuming training for the Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville on 15 August. On a good-to-soft turf course, he settled into fourth place during the early running, then took command with a furlong and a half remaining in the race. Eased near the wire, he still won by two lengths over Subway Dancer.{{cite web |title=Talismanic Scores Easily in Return to Racing |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/229071/talismanic-scores-easily-in-return-to-racing |website=BloodHorse.com |accessdate=17 August 2018 }}

Talismanic was entered in the Prix Foy on 16 September, in which he tracked the early pace before taking the lead in the homestretch. He could not match the closing speed of Waldgeist and finished {{frac|2|1|2}} lengths behind, just holding off Cloth of Stars for second.{{cite web |title=Full Result Prix Foy |publisher=Racing Post |url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/211/longchamp/2018-09-16/712017 |accessdate=17 November 2018 }} He then finished 13th behind Enable in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on 7 October. Returning to the United States for the Breeders' Cup Turf on 3 November, he had a poor trip and finished sixth.

On November 16, Godolphin announced that Talismanic had been retired.{{cite web |title=Grade 1 Winner, Fan Favorite Talismanic Retired |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/230773/grade-1-winner-fan-favorite-talismanic-retired |website=BloodHorse.com |accessdate=17 November 2018 }} He entered stud in 2019 at Darley Japan for a fee of 1,800,000 Yen.{{cite web |title=Darley Japan Announces Talismanic Stud Fee at 1.8M Yen |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/231245/darley-japan-announces-talismanic-stud-fee-at-1-8m-yen |website=BloodHorse.com |accessdate=4 July 2019 }}

As of 2024, Talismanic stands at Darley Japan for 1,200,000 Yen.{{Cite web |title=Talismanic {{!}} Japan |url=https://www.darley.co.jp/stallions/our-stallions/talismanic |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=www.darley.co.jp |language=en}}

{{Pedigree

|name = Talismanic, dark bay or brown colt, 2013

|f = Medaglia d'Oro
1999

|m = Magic Mission (GB)
1998

|ff = El Prado (IRE)
1989

|fm =Cappucino Bay
1989

|mf =Machiavellian
1987

|mm = Dream Ticket
1992

|fff = Sadler's Wells

|ffm = Lady Capulet

|fmf = Bailjumper

|fmm = Dubbed In

|mff = Mr. Prospector

|mfm = Coup de Folie

|mmf = Danzig

|mmm = Capo Di Monte (IRE)

|ffff = Northern Dancer

|fffm = Fairy Ridge

|ffmf = Sir Ivor

|ffmm = Caps and Bells

|fmff = Damascus

|fmfm = Court Circuit

|fmmf = Silent Screen

|fmmm = Society Singer

|mfff = Raise a Native

|mffm = Gold Digger

|mfmf = Halo

|mfmm = Raise the Standard

|mmff = Northern Dancer

|mmfm = Pas de Nom

|mmmf = Final Straw (GB)

|mmmm = Burghclere (family: 2-f){{cite web|title=Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Hyacinthus Mare – Family 2-f|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family2f.htm|website=www.bloodlines.net|accessdate=25 November 2017}}

}}

Talismanic is inbred 4S x 4D to Northern Dancer, meaning this stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.jockeycolours.com/horses/Talismanic.html?origin=wikipedia Career 1-2-3 Colour Chart] – Talismanic

Category:2013 racehorse births

Category:Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom

Category:Racehorses trained in France

Category:Breeders' Cup Turf winners

Category:Thoroughbred family 2-f