Chef-de-Race: Kingmambo
b.h., 1990 (Mr. Prospector-Miesque, by Nureyev)
(September 18, 2010)

Introduction: The following is another in a series of articles by Mr. Steve Miller on the selection of chefs-de-race with a major influence outside of North America. Mr. Miller is a Thoroughbred owner and correspondent from the UK and an acknowledged pedigree authority. Using racing data from around the world, including data supplied by me for North American-raced descendants of Kingmambo, Mr. Miller undertook a comprehensive examination of Kingmambo's aptitudinal influence on the modern Thoroughbred. The result of the analysis is that Kingmambo has been designated a split Classic/Solid chef-de-race.

Adding stamina to tail-male line

By Steve Miller (September 2010)

KINGMAMBO, by the legendary North American sire-of-sires Mr. Prospector (a Brilliant/Classic chef-de-race) out of the 1999 US Racing Hall of Fame mare Miesque (by Nureyev), raced in France and England, trained by François Boutin for owner Stavros Niarchos.
 
Kingmambo won five races at two and three including the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and St James’s Palace Stakes (Royal Ascot), at Group 1 level. He also won the Listed Prix Djebel (at Maisons-Laffitte from subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Zafonic) and was runner-up in the Group 1 Prix de la Salamandre as a two-year-old. 
 
Kingmambo retired to stud in 1994 and stands at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky. He is the sire of at least 86 Stakes winners to date and some 50 Group/Grade winners. His Group/Grade 1 winning progeny include: Lemon Drop Kid, Henrythenavigator, El Condor Pasa, King Kamehameha, Divine Proportions, Russian Rhythm, Voodoo Dancer, Rule Of Law, Okawango, King’s Best, Light Shift, Virginia Waters, Bluemamba, Alkaased, Archipenko, Star King Man, Tawqeet, Student Council, Boboman, Malhub, Dubai Destination, Thewayyouare, Campanologist, etc.

Kingmambo is also the broodmare sire of the likes of: Midday, Gozzip Girl, Miss World, Regal Parade, Swing Queen, Wiener Walzer, Just Mambo, etc.
 
It was announced earlier this month that Kingmambo has probably reached the end of his stallion career, according to Will Farish, who owns Lane’s End Farm. He reportedly has a neck problem and the farm has only bred one mare to him this year. His only foal from his 2010 crop is a colt out of Queen of Money.
 
The following sample of 245 winners (three-year-olds and above, Great Britain & Ireland) are distributed across the following distance range:

AWD   5f  6f   7f   8f   9f  10f  11f  12f  13f  14f+
9.7f   2  11   27   54   22   49   19   40    7   14
Source: The Statistical Record 2009 (Weatherbys)

The average winning distance (AWD) for Kingmambo’s progeny is 9.7 furlongs [against an AWD of 8.95 supplied by Steve Roman for stakes-winning descendants in North America]. The biggest concentration of winners 75.1% (184) occurs between 8 furlongs and 12 furlongs inclusive. 8.6% of the progeny sample has won at distances greater than 12 furlongs, with 16.3% at distances short of a mile.

Group/Grade 1 winners by Kingmambo (ranked in order of DI)

Winner               Dam sire                Profile         DI     CD 
Alkaased            (Niniski)            10-2-23-2-5 = 42   1.27   0.24
Virginia Waters     (Sadler’s Wells)     11-2-20-5-2 = 40   1.35   0.38
Light Shift         (Shirley Heights)    12-3-21-2-4 = 42   1.55   0.40
Divine Proportions  (Sadler’s Wells)     12-3-19-6-0 = 40   1.58   0.53
Archipenko          (Nijinsky)           11-2-21-4-0 = 38   1.62   0.53
Campanologist       (Sadler’s Wells)     13-2-22-5-0 = 42   1.63   0.55
Russian Rhythm      (Nijinsky)           11-2-17-4-0 = 34   1.72   0.59
El Condor Pasa      (Sadler’s Wells)     13-2-21-4-0 = 40   1.76   0.60
Thewayyouare        (Sadler’s Wells)     13-2-19-4-0 = 38   1.81   0.63
Tawqeet             (Caerleon)           11-5-18-4-0 = 38   1.92   0.61
Henrythenavigator   (Sadler’s Wells)     13-3-18-4-0 = 38   1.92   0.66
King’s Best         (Lombard)             9-2-13-2-0 = 26   2.06   0.69
Okawango            (Kris)               12-2-18-1-1 = 34   2.09   0.68
Student Council     (Kris S)              9-3-17-1-0 = 30   2.16   0.67 
King Kamehameha     (Last Tycoon)        10-2-13-1-0 = 26   2.47   0.81
Lemon Drop Kid      (Seattle Slew)       13-4-21-0-0 = 38   2.62   0.79
Dubai Destination   (Alleged)            13-4-18-0-1 = 36   2.60   0.78
Voodoo Dancer       (Danzig)             11-9-20-0-0 = 40   3.00   0.78
Bluemamba           (Private Account)    11-5-16-0-0 = 32   3.00   0.84
Malhub              (Ahonoora)            9-3-12-0-0 = 24   3.00   0.88
Rule Of Law         (Royal Academy)      14-6-14-2-0 = 36   3.00   0.89
Boboman             (Seattle Slew)       14-3-15-0-0 = 32   3.27   0.97
Star King Man       (Blushing Groom)     21-4-15-0-2 = 42   3.42   1.00

The above table describes the type to do well at sprint distances and a mile, developing into middle distances. But a closer examination of the performance attributes of these individuals tells a different story. The group is actually characterised by winning from upwards of a mile to 14 furlongs.

Lemon Drop Kid was champion older horse in the U.S. and winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at 12 furlongs, Woodward Stakes (Belmont Park) and Whitney Handicap (Saratoga) both at 9 furlongs and the Travers Stakes (Saratoga) at 10 furlongs.

Henrythenavigator was champion three-year-old colt in Ireland, winning the 2,000 Guineas (Newmarket), Irish 2,000 Guineas (Curragh) and Sussex Stakes (Goodwood) at a mile and finished runner-up to Raven’s Pass in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic (Santa Anita) at 10 furlongs.

El Condor Pasa was Horse Of The Year, champion three-year-old colt and champion older horse in Japan. He won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Japan Cup at 12 furlongs and NHK Mile Cup (Tokyo) at Group 1 level. He also finished runner up to Montjeu in the 1999 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp). King Kamehameha was also champion three-year-old colt in Japan and winner of the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) at 12 furlongs and NHK Mile Cup.

Divine Proportions was a champion two-year-old and three-year-old filly in Europe and champion two-year-old filly in France and winner of the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas). Bluemamba also won the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Okawango was champion two-year-old colt in France and winner of the Grand Criterium.

Russian Rhythm was champion three-year-old filly in Europe and England and winner of the 1,000 Guineas (Newmarket), Coronation Stakes (Royal Ascot), Nassau Stakes (Goodwood) and Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes (Newbury), at Group 1 level at a mile.

Rule Of Law was champion three-year-old colt in England and winner of the St Leger (Doncaster) at 14 furlongs. He also won the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes (York) at 12 furlongs.

King’s Best was a brilliant winner of the 2,000 Guineas, beating Giant’s Causeway over the Rowley Mile (Newmarket). Virginia Waters won the 1,000 Guineas over the same course and distance.

Classic winning filly Light Shift won the Oaks (Epsom) at 12 furlongs. Alkaased won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Japan Cup (Tokyo), at 12 furlongs.

Archipenko won the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) at 10 furlongs in Hong Kong (Sha Tin). Star King Man won the Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten in Japan.

Tawqeet won the Caulfield Cup at 12 furlongs and the Schweppes Metropolitan, at Grade 1 level in Australia, and was placed third in the St Leger (Doncaster) in 2005, behind Scorpion.

Voodoo Dancer won the Diana Handicap (G1) at Saratoga and the Garden City Breeders’ Cup (Belmont), both at 9 furlongs. 

Student Council was successful at Grade 1 level in the Pacific Classic (Del Mar) and Maryland Lottery Pimlico Special, both at 10 furlongs. Boboman won the Grade 1 Hollywood Turf Cup at 12 furlongs.

Malhub won the Golden Jubilee Stakes (Royal Ascot) at 6 furlongs and a 7 furlong maiden in his only two-year-old start. Dubai Destination won the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (Royal Ascot) at a mile. Thewayyouare won the Criterium International (G1) as a two-year-old, at Saint-Cloud

Campanologist won the Group 1 Rheinland-Pokal (Cologne) and the Grosser Preis Von Lotto Hamburg, in Germany this season, at 12 furlongs.

Kingmambo is clearly showing a prepotent shift to stamina for his progeny. With a Classic/Solid designation factored in, the figures and order described in the previous table adjust to the following:

Group/Grade 1 winners by Kingmambo (with Classic/Solid factored in)

Winner               Dam sire                Profile          DI     CD 
Alkaased            (Niniski)            10-2-31-10-5 = 58   0.90   0.03
Virginia Waters     (Sadler’s Wells)     11-2-28-13-2 = 56   0.93   0.12      
Light Shift         (Shirley Heights)    12-3-29-10-4 = 58   1.03   0.15      
Archipenko          (Nijinsky)           11-2-29-12-0 = 54   1.03   0.22
Divine Proportions  (Sadler’s Wells)     12-3-27-14-0 = 56   1.03   0.23      
King’s Best         (Lombard)             9-2-21-10-0 = 42   1.04   0.23      
Russian Rhythm      (Nijinsky)           11-2-25-12-0 = 50   1.04   0.24
Campanologist       (Sadler’s Wells)     13-2-30-13-0 = 58   1.07   0.25
El Condor Pasa      (Sadler’s Wells)     13-2-29-12-0 = 56   1.11   0.28      
Thewayyouare        (Sadler’s Wells)     13-2-27-12-0 = 54   1.11   0.29
Student Council     (Kris S)              9-3-25- 9-0 = 46   1.14   0.26                  
King Kamehameha     (Last Tycoon)        10-2-21- 9-0 = 42   1.15   0.31      
Tawqeet             (Caerleon)           11-5-26-12-0 = 54   1.16   0.27      
Henrythenavigato    (Sadler’s Wells)     13-3-26-12-0 = 54   1.16   0.31      
Okawango            (Kris)               12-2-26- 9-1 = 50   1.17   0.30
Malhub              (Ahonoora)            9-3-20- 8-0 = 40   1.22   0.32      
Dubai Destination   (Alleged)            13-4-26- 8-1 = 52   1.36   0.38      
Bluemamba           (Private Account)    11-5-24- 8-0 = 48   1.40   0.39      
Lemon Drop Kid      (Seattle Slew)       13-4-29- 8-0 = 54   1.40   0.40      
Boboman             (Seattle Slew)       14-3-23- 8-0 = 48   1.46   0.48
Rule Of Law         (Royal Academy)      14-6-22-10-0 = 52   1.47   0.46
Voodoo Dancer       (Danzig)             11-9-28- 8-0 = 56   1.54   0.41      
Star King Man       (Blushing Groom)     21-4-23- 8-2 = 58   1.69   0.58

Note: Steve Roman's data from North America confirm the requirement of added stamina from Kingmambo.  The patterns are similar to those found for Giant's Causeway.  First, the current average CD of his North American stakes-winning descendants is 0.74 which corresponds to an average winning distance (AWD) of 7.9 furlongs.  His actual AWD in North America is 9.0 furlongs, third longest among currently active sires.  Second, the distance distribution of his North American stakes winners is highly skewed toward stamina.  Third, there is a dramatic reversal in the contribution of aptitudinal type between Kingmambo and his sire, Mr. Prospector, whose AWD is only 7.8 furlongs.  These effects are vividly displayed in the following graphics.  Clearly, the failure to recognize Kingmambo as a prepotent source of great stamina leads to a serious misinterpretation of his descendants' aptitudinal type.