Isivunguvungu in a work out in July at his new base at Herringswell Stables. (Picture: via Hollywood Syndicate meta)
Isivunguvungu’s first run in the States will be this Saturday – in the $150,000 Da Hoss Stakes over 1100m at Colonial Downs in the state of Virginia.
Graham Motion told Bloodhorse website recently that the South African horses he had inherited, Isivunguvungu and Beach Bomb, had adapted well to their new surroundings.
“Because they’d been quarantined for two months and barely got out of their stalls in those two months, we had to be careful not to rush them when they went back into training. They were literally starting from scratch,” he explained. “They seem to have adjusted to everything very well. They don’t seem to struggle with the track and the way we train over here.”
Of Isivunguvungu, a six-year-old gelded son of What A Winter, Motion commented: “He’s a really cool horse … very straightforward … so far he’s done it all easily.”
Motion said the Da Hoss Stakes on Saturday “looks like a good spot” for Isivunguvungu, who is ultimately eyeing the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
“I like the Da Hoss; it’s 5½ furlongs. It’s what he’s going to have to do at Del Mar, and I think he’ll be just about ready by then.”
He said about Beach Bomb before her run on Saturday, “Just like (Isivunguvungu), she’s handled everything very easily. She’s quite a slight filly. She’s not very big like he is—he’s quite stout. But she’s very professional—we haven’t missed a beat with her so far.”
In the interview, Motion said he’d like to run the South African horses in September and then go straight to the Breeders’ Cup.
“It’s possible they could run again in October but, in a perfect world, I’d like them to run once and then go to the Breeders’ Cup.”
