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Nothing But Sunshine For The Brogdens in Dubai

Machmer Hall’s Brogdens Watch Steal Sunshine Prepare for Godolphin Mile

Carrie and Craig Brogden, primarily known for breeding and selling top racehorses, arrived in Dubai Wednesday to watch their G2 Godolphin Mile contender Steal Sunshine (Constitution) complete light trackwork at Meydan Thursday morning.

While their high-class Machmer Hall operation has previously been represented internationally — including with the late Tepin (Bernstein), who defeated male competitors three times at the 2015 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile and G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot — participating in a seven-figure race at the prestigious Dubai World Cup meeting represents a new milestone.

“It feels different,” Carrie Brogden said. “We have certainly cheered on a lot of horses that we bred in the Derby and Tepin and had some amazing, amazing experiences. But I don’t think anything quite like this, actually. It probably hasn’t hit me yet, but I do know if he were lucky enough to win, you’d probably hear me back in the United States. I’m well known for that, but I can’t help myself.”

Steal Sunshine is out of Warm Sunshine, a $50,000 purchase at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton October Sale who won once from seven starts for Brogden. The mare’s racing career was secondary to her breeding potential as a daughter of Unbridled’s Song — a sire line that has delivered numerous breeding successes for the Brogdens.

Among the 118 worldwide graded or group winners out of Unbridled’s Song’s daughters are Machmer Hall-bred offspring of Special Me: Stonestastic (Mizzen Mast), Gift Box (Twirling Candy), Special Forces (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) in addition to Steal Sunshine.

“Speed. He produces speed,” Brogden explained when asked about Unbridled’s Song’s importance as a broodmare sire. “For whatever reason, he’s well known for not producing the durability on top. But with the broodmare side of things, he has very good record of durability in all of our mares. Special Me, my gosh, she’s the epitome of that.”

Warm Sunshine was bred to WinStar Farm’s Constitution during the stallion’s crucial third season at stud.

“She was bred when Constitution was on his bubble year and WinStar actually gave me a bonus Constitution season as a thank you for booking so many mares to him that year,” she explained. “And this is the resulting foal.”

“A.P. Indy with Unbridled Song is a well-known, very successful cross,” Brogden continued. “But like I said, it was a complimentary season on a bubble year and sometimes you just get lucky. We’ve seen enough through breeding that we know there are no crystal balls and horses will make liars out of everyone and anyone.”

The Brogdens typically wouldn’t retain a colt like Steal Sunshine, who was originally targeted for the 2021 breeze-up sales before developing a physical issue.

“He got a shin as a 2-year-old, which is why I didn’t go the 2-year-old sale, and the rest is history,” Brogden said. “Torie and Jimbo Gladwell of Top Line broke him and started him for us. And she told me that he was very talented and if they breezed him for the sale, they were going to hurt him. So, we pulled the plug and just gave him time, and he hasn’t missed a beat since, really.”

Steal Sunshine won two stakes races at three under trainer Bobby Dibona before achieving his breakthrough graded success in the 2024 GII Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes. After finishing sixth behind White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Pegasus World Cup in January, he overcame a slow start when defending his Gulfstream Park Mile title on Mar. 1, making an eye-catching move to finish second behind ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mindframe in a Constitution exacta.

Brogden attributes much of the 6-year-old’s consistency and durability to their management approach.

“Every single year we’ve given him a 30-day layoff in the field,” she said. “And every year I send him back to my trainer and he’s like, ‘Oh my God. We’re never going to get him back.’ And I was like, ‘Bobby, imagine a bodybuilder going out and eating pancakes or whatever for a month.’ And so I think that that’s very important.”

Steal Sunshine, now campaigned in partnership with Mike and Jules Iavarone, Kevin Pollard, David Menard and Ed Gorry, drew post three in a field of 14 for Saturday’s $1-million contest. Top Japanese jockey Christophe Lemaire takes the mount.

“Great draw. Really happy with the draw,” Brogden said. “I’m sorry to see two scratches in the race, but at least the speed horses are still in right now.”

After exploring the Dubai Mall on Thursday, the Brogdens are prepared for Saturday’s desert heat before returning to the States early Sunday morning.

“To be there from the day they’re born and then to come this far…he’s just the epitome of soundness and durability and he’s just thriving here. And he always shows up.”

Jordan Harris
Jordan Harris
Jordan Harris brings expertise and passion to RacingReins as a seasoned Senior Writer. With a robust foundation in Sports Media, Jordan joined the RacingReins editorial team in 2022. Jordan delivers compelling news stories, in-depth feature articles, and detailed racing results.

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