With eight victories in 36 starts from 2YO through 7YO, multiple graded stakes winner and millionaire Arzak is a bit of a throwback. His speed, durability and longevity combine with a top-class pedigree and a fantastic physical to make Arzak an exciting new stallion in New York in 2026, and current indicators are that he very well might prove the most popular of the numerous new additions to the New York stallion ranks this year. The proven black-type winner and producer Sister Dawn will be a perfect fit in his first book.
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Once upon a time, Sister Dawn was a $120k yearling purchase-turned $290k 2YO in-training (she also sold for $260k carrying her first foal, and $275k carrying her third foal). She had her best campaign as a sophomore when she won four races including the Playa Del Rey Stakes, finished 2nd in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap against older mares, and 3rd in the Grade 3 Santa Paula Stakes. Her highest Equibase Speed Figure was a very strong 104, and she had a total of four triple digit figures. Sister Dawn is already the dam of the black-type winner Buy the Best, and three more of her foals have earned six figures.
Two of those six-figure earners were sired by Giant’s Causeway and his son Eskendereya, which is one of the reasons that we think she’ll be a great fit for Arzak (by Not This Time, another son of Giant’s Causeway, and just about the hottest stallion in North America). In fact, Arzak and Eskendereya share additional pedigree similarities as their dams are both Seattle Slew-line mares. TrueNicks calls this an “A” matchup (Not This Time over Indian Charlie-line mares), thanks to G1 winner Sacred Wish and G3W On Time Girl from just 13 runners bred this way.
Interestingly, the foal from this mating will be a complete outcross through five generations.
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Sister Dawn’s strong, solid physical is very much in the mold of her sire, while Arzak brings plenty of leg and scope to the pairing, despite his sprinter tendencies. We look forward to a powerful, quick foal from this mating to earn its breeder state-bred bonuses over a long and successful career on all three NYRA surfaces!