Irish Derby hero Treasure Beach sires first winner in America

Expatriated Irish Derby hero Treasure Beach got off the mark as a sire when his first-crop son Tigerbeach won a 5f two-year-old maiden special weight by three and three-quarters of a length at Indiana Grand in the US on his third start on Tuesday.

Tigerbeach, trained by John Hancock for owner Charles Brown, was a $27,000 purchase by Parrish Farms from last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale and was registered as a $47,000 vendor buyback when presented at the OBS March Two-year-olds in Training Sale.

He was bred by John Pereira out of the unraced Tiger Ridge mare Cold Blooded, making him a half-brother to two winners including black-type scorer Iron Rob.

Treasure Beach was, perhaps, a surprising acquisition for Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida at the end of his racing career.

Florida breeders are noted for producing sprinters and yet Treasure Beach was a middle-distance specialist, winning the Irish Derby after finishing a head second to Pour Moi in the Derby at Epsom for Aidan O'Brien.

He also won the Secretariat Stakes over 1m2f at three, before developing into a globetrotter who finished fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic and second in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational. He ended his career with Mike De Kock.

Moreover, Treasure Beach has a stout pedigree as a son of Galileo out of Honorine, a daughter of Mark Of Esteem who won over 1m to 1m2f and a half-sister to high-class 1m2f to 1m4f performer Indian Creek.

Treasure Beach was bred by Ashley Park Stud and sold to Camas Park Stud as a yearling for 180,000gns. In recent weeks one of his half-brothers, Elidor, won the Listed Further Flight Stakes, and another, Count Octave, was a sticking-on fifth in the Chester Vase.

Their half-sister Honor Bound won the Lingfield Oaks Trial in 2014.

Treasure Beach stands at Pleasant Acres at a fee of $10,000.