THE FASTEST ACTIVE BLUE DIAMOND WINNER
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The first foal from winning Japanese mare Vasilissa (JPN) (Heart’s Cry {JPN}), Tagaloa is by Japanese Horse of the Year, brilliant sprinter and exceptional sire Lord Kanaloa (JPN), whose stud career has started in unprecedented fashion at the Shadai Stallion Station.
Lord Kanaloa topped the first season standings with 32 winners, some 12 clear of his nearest rival, with his debut crop including ten-time Gr.1 winner, dual Horse of the Year and world’s highest rated three-year-old, Almond Eye (JPN). Those results were strong enough to make Lord Kanaloa the second-leading sire of two-year-olds among the general sire population, with only the incomparable Deep Impact (JPN) proving superior.
Making an early impression like his sire, Tagaloa won his only trial before stepping out to place third in the Gr.3 Maribyrnong Plate on debut. He then backed up with a win in the Strath Haven Preston 2YO Plate.
Following a short spell, Tagaloa started fresh up in the Gr.3 Blue Diamond Prelude to place fourth before landing his biggest title to date in the Gr.1 Blue Diamond S., beating home Hanseatic, Away Game and Personal in the fastest time by a two-year-old at Caulfield since 2011.
Tagaloa returned at three to win the Gr.3 CS Hayes S. in an exceptional performance, running a faster last 400m than Gr.1 Lightning S. winner Nature Strip, on the same day.
He then went on to place in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas. Other notable results included a second in the Gr.2 Todman S. and fourth in the Gr.1 Golden Slipper. He retired with a record of three wins and more than $1.4 million in stakes.
Tagaloa’s first yearlings entered the Australian market in 2024, selling for up to $240,000, with buyers including Dalziel Bloodstock, Triple Crown Syndications and Australian Bloodstock.
Blue Diamond winners have an enviable record at stud, with Champion first season sires Extreme Choice and Pride Of Dubai both saluting in previous renewals. With the progeny of Tagaloa heading into the stables of Chris Waller, Peter Moody, Matt Laurie plus his own trainers; Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, it could be a sparkling debut season for the young sire’s first-crop two-year-olds.
