No Nay Never

No Nay Never (foaled 1 March 2011) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he was unbeaten in three races and was best known for his exploits in Europe where he won the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in England and the Prix Morny in France. He was noted for his speed over sprint distances and was rated one of the best juvenile colts to race in Europe in 2013. As a three-year-old he won the Woodford Stakes and was narrowly beaten when favorite for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

For the Irish folk song, see: The Wild Rover

No Nay Never
Racing silks of
Ice Wine Stables and Sue Magnier
SireScat Daddy
GrandsireJohannesburg
DamCat's Eye Witness
DamsireElusive Quality
SexColt
Foaled1 March 2011[1]
CountryUnited States
ColourDark Bay or Brown
BreederJayne Doi Johnson & David Sparrow
OwnerIce Wine Stables
Magnier, Tabor & Smith et al
TrainerWesley Ward
Record6:4-2-0
Major wins
Norfolk Stakes (2013)
Prix Morny (2013)
Woodford Stakes (2014)

Background

No Nay Never is an unusually large bay colt bred in Kentucky by Jayne Doi Johnson & David Sparrow. He was sired by Scat Daddy who won the Champagne Stakes in 2006 and the Florida Derby in 2007 before his racing career was ended by injury. Scat Daddy's other offspring include Daddy Long Legs and the American Oaks winner Lady of Shamrock.[2]

As a foal in November 2011, No Nay Never was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm to the Keeneland Breeding Stock sale where he was bought for $170,000 by Chestnut Valley.[3] The colt was returned to the sales at Keeneland in September 2012 where he was sold for $95,000 to Cromwell Bloodstock.[4] No Nay Never entered the ownership of Ice Wine Stables and was sent into training with Wesley Ward. He usually raced in a hood.

Racing career

2013: two-year-old season

No Nay Never made his racecourse debut in a maiden race over four and a half furlongs on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland Racecourse on April 26. Ridden by Joel Rosario he started 8/10 favourite and led from the start, winning by two lengths from Solitary Ranger, with a gap of six and a half lengths back to the rest of the nine runner field.[5]

In June, No Nay Never was sent to Europe to contest the Group Three Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot. His trainer, Wesley Ward, had had previous success at the Ascot meeting, winning the Windsor Castle Stakes with Strike the Tiger and the Queen Mary Stakes with Jealous Again in 2009. Ridden again by Rosario, No Nay Never started the 4/1 second favourite behind the Aidan O'Brien-trained Coach House in a field of fourteen runners. The American colt started poorly, bumping against the side of the starting stalls but quickly took the lead, before being settled by Rosario. He regained the lead inside the final furlong and won impressively by a length and a head from Coach House and Wind Fire.[6] The winning time of 58.8 was a new course record for two-year-olds.[7] After the race Rosario said "I'm happy to be here and it's awesome. He put it all together, took me to the lead and is a good horse".[8]

Two months later, No Nay Never returned to Europe for the Group One Prix Morny over 1200 m at Deauville Racecourse, despite concerns that the colt might struggle to show his best form on the soft turf. He was ridden by David Flores and started at odds of 7/4 with his main opposition expected to come from the fillies Vorda (Prix Robert Papin) and Rizeena (Queen Mary Stakes). The colt was among the leaders from the start before accelerating away from the field 200 m from the finish and winning by a length from Vorda, with Rizeena three quarters of a length away in third.[7][9] The Racing Post described him as a "raw and explosive talent", whilst Ward expressed the opinion that his success should encourage more North American owners and trainers to try their horses in Europe.[10] The form of No Nay Never's win was boosted when Vorda and Rizeena won the Cheveley Park Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes respectively. No Nay Never did not race again in 2013, with Wesley Ward saying that the colt would probably begin his 2014 campaign in North America before returning to Europe for the St James's Palace Stakes.[11]

In the official European ratings published in January 2014, No Nay Never tied with War Command as the third-best two-year-old of 2013, behind Toormore and the Cartier Award winner Kingston Hill.[12]

2014: three-year-old season

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, No Nay Never made his debut on dirt when he started 2/5 favourite for the Grade II Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 1. He took the lead early in the straight but was overtaken a furlong from the finish and beaten two and a half lengths by Spot.

After a break of more than seven months, No Nay Never returned in the Grade III Woodford Stakes over five and a half furlongs at Keeneland Racecourse on October 4. Ridden by Mike Smith he disputed the lead from the start, went two lengths clear in the straight, and held on to win by half a length from the four-year-old Mongol Bull. After the race, Ward said that he was "leaning" towards running the colt in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.[13] The colt's connections opted to bypass the Breeders' Cup Sprint, running instead in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Park on November 1. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, he started the 18/5 favourite against thirteen opponents. He took the lead inside the final furlong but was overtaken in the last strides by Bobby's Kitten and finished second in a blanket finish, half a length behind the winner. After the race Dettori said "They came so wide he didn't have time to fight back. The race went to plan and we just got robbed on the line".[14]

Stud career

No Nay Never performs stallion duties at Coolmore Stud. His first progeny began racing in 2018.[15] He sired more than 25 individual winners from his first crop, leading to an increase in his stud fee from €25,000 to €100,000 for the 2019 covering season.[16]

Notable progeny

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled Name Sex Major Wins
2016 Ten Sovereigns c Middle Park Stakes, July Cup

Pedigree
Pedigree of No Nay Never, bay colt, 2011[1]
Sire
Scat Daddy (USA)
2004		 Johannesburg (USA)
1999		 Hennessy Storm Cat
Island Kitty
Myth Ogygian
Yarn
Love Style (USA)
1999		 Mr Prospector Raise A Native
Gold Digger
Likeable Style Nijinsky
Personable Lady
Dam
Cat's Eye Witness (USA)
2003		 Elusive Quality (USA)
1993		 Gone West Mr Prospector
Secrettame
Touch of Greatness Hero's Honor
Ivory Wand
Comical Cat (USA)
1985		 Exceller Vaguely Noble
Too Bald
Six Months Long Northern Dancer
Prime Time (Family:3-l)

No Nay Never is inbred 3 x 4 to Mr Prospector. This means that the stallion appears in both the third and the fourth generation of his pedigree.

gollark: I think the 1 in 31 thing puts them at probably... uncommons, generally?
gollark: You'd expect it would be 1 in 26 if you don't think about it much, but it's not.
gollark: As they say, only 1 in 31 eggs are Z-coded!
gollark: I'm aiming for gold before the end of the year.
gollark: Then grab rareishes and trade them for reds!

References
  1. "No Nay Never". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  2. "Scat Daddy Stud Record". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  3. "Keeneland Association November 2011 Breeding Stock". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  4. "Keeneland September Yearlings 2012t". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  5. "Maiden Special Weight result". Equibase. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  6. "Norfolk Stakes result". Racing Post. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  7. Lewyn, Myra (18 August 2014). "U.S.-Based No Nay Never Cruises in Prix Morny". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  8. Nick Pulford 2:35PM 20 JUN 2013  (20 June 2014). "Royal Ascot US raider No Nay Never storms to victory". Racing Post. Retrieved 2014-01-18.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  9. "Prix Morny". Racing Post. 18 August 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  10. Andrew Dietz (18 August 2014). "Deauville No Nay Never cruises to Morny success". Racing Post. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  11. "No Nay Never finished for season but set for Royal Ascot return". .skysports.com. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  12. Marcus Armytage (16 January 2014). "Richard Hannon's unbeaten colt Toormore is officially the best two-year-old of 2013". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  13. Frank Angst (4 October 2014). "No Nay Never Returns With Woodford Win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  14. "Horse Racing News - Racing News As It Happens - Racing Post". www.racingpost.com.
  15. "No Nay Never". Coolmore.
  16. Stevens, Martin (8 November 2018). "No Nay Never price quadrupled and five new faces on Coolmore roster for 2019". Racing Post.
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