Octagonal: Champion Australian Race Horse

Foaled in New Zealand in 1992, Octagonal was sired by the champion Thoroughbred racehorse Zabeel, out of broodmare Eight Carat. The stallion made his debut in 1994 soon stamping his authority on Australian racetracks after being crowned the Australian Champion Two Year Old and doing trainer John Hawkes proud. Occy, or 'The Big O' as Octagonal is also known as, became an endearing crowd favorite by winning the Todman Trial, AJC Sires Produce Stakes, then coming a close second in the STC Golden Slipper and AJC Champagne Stakes.

Octagonal's record as a three-year-old was as impressive with 10 wins from just 16 starts. The coveted triple crown was easy play for Occy, beating the best in his class in the Canterbury Guineas, the Rosehill Guineas, and the Australian Derby. The W S Cox Plate and the Mercedes Classic, the richest weight-for-age races on the Australian circuit was one of his major achievements as a three year old. By the end of 1996, Octagonal was the Australian Horse of the Year and Australian Champion Three Year Old, with an added distinction of being the last horse to win the triple crown, ending the season with almost $A4 million in prize money. The only two prestigious races to elude him as a three year old were the Australian Derby and Victoria Derby where he lost by a narrow margin to Nothin' Leica Dane.

Octagonal didn't get off to a good start as a four-year-old, remaining unplaced in six out of seven starts, with a lone victory in the Underwood Stakes in spring. However, autumn brought better luck for the stallion with consecutive wins in the Chipping Norton Stakes, Australian Cup, and the Mercedes Classic. Octagonal ended the season with a second spot in the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The season was to be the end of Octagonal's racing career with a record of 14 wins from 28 starts, 7 second places, and a third place. Occy did his owners proud with a stake money worth of $A5,892,231 at the end of his career. His winning tally included 10 Group 1 wins and 7 second placings in 6 Group One or Group Two races.

Octagonal went into retirement as a stud at Cootamundra, New South Wales, soon becoming a champion sire. His most notable progeny is Lonhro another champion Thoroughbred horse with 11 Group One wins and total prize money of $A6 million. He also sired South African Group 1 winner, Suntagonal. His most prominent offspring during his stud duties at Haras du Quesnay in France in 1998 is French galloper, Laverock, winner of two Group 1 races which included the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, and Gran Premio del Jockey Club at the San Siro Racecourse in Milan.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6289751

justin bieber and selena gomez kissing mary j blige john rich bulls heat confessions of a shopaholic sleep apnea jay z