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The young Godolphin-bred mare Modernism comes from a typically deep and active female family, and one that has demonstrated significant versatility among its better runners. Modernism herself only raced one time and was precocious enough to reach the races in August of her 2YO season – a race in which she made up six lengths in the final 16th of a mile to finish 3rd, beaten just a length, in an all-weather maiden special weight. We are excited to double-up on that precocity when Modernism visits the brilliant 2YO Instagrand in 2024.
The first seven-figure sales horse by Into Mischief when he brought $1.2 million from Larry Best’s OXO Equine as a 2YO in-training, Instagrand debuted that summer with a TDN Rising Star-worthy, ten-length romp which he promptly followed up with another ten-length win in the G2 Best Pal Stakes. He returned at 3YO and was 3rd going two-turns in both the G3 Gotham and the G1 Santa Anita Derby. He added another 3rd-place finish at 4YO before his retirement to Taylor Made.
Given his looks, price, pedigree and precocity, it was no surprise that Instagrand was extremely popular in his first year at stud when he covered almost 200 mares, including some very high-profile mares owned by OXO, who were committed to getting him off to a very strong start at stud. He has remained popular since then, albeit with typical second and third year drop-off in the number of mares bred, and 77 of his first yearlings averaged just shy of six times his stud fee at auction this year. He has every right to be near the top of the freshman sire list in ’24, much like Into Mischief’s earlier sons Goldencents and Maximus Mischief have been.
The very fast G3W Forest Grove, by a Storm Cat-line stallion, does show up on Modernism’s page under her third dam, plus her own dam is half to a couple of winers by Storm Cat and another of his sons. Meanwhile, TrueNicks rates the Into Mischief/Tapit cross as a “B+” and it has accounted for the likes of 2023 Kentucky Oaks-G1 winner Pretty Mischievous, in addition to other ‘23 graded winners Hoosier Philly and Rocket Can.
Interestingly, this matchup will result in a complete outcross pedigree through five generations.
Physically, Instagrand and Modernism are a very nice case of like-to-like — both are stoutly-made, medium-sized horses with muscular hind-quarters who look fast and early (which they were), and we think that bodes very well for the foal that they’ll produce!