All the Approval a Mother could ever hope for

Watching World Approval roll home in the Grade 1 Fourstardave in person on Saturday at Saratoga was a reminder for me of plenty of things. It was a reminder that the son of Northern Afleet is one of the most reliable and consistent turf horses in the nation. It was also a reminder that when there is a little give and dampness to the turf, the gray gelding only becomes that much more tough to beat. More than anything though, it was a reminder of what a wonderful broodmare Win Approval is.

Although the pride of Live Oak Plantation never won more than a maiden and an allowance herself, the daughter of With Approval has proven to be one of the great producers of turf horses that we've seen in American racing. Four of her sons, all homebreds for Charlotte Weber's Live Oak, have gone on to become major winners on the grass, and racing millionaires. 

First came Revved Up by Sultry Song. The first foal of Win Approval was born in 1998, but did not finish his successful career until 2008. All told, the durable gelding won 20 times in 43 career starts, earning better than $1.5 million. Revved Up, trained by Christophe Clement, won 14 stakes races, including back-to-back graded stakes races at Arlington Park and Woodbine, in his seven-year-old season.

One year after Revved Up, came an even more talented turfer in Miesque’s Approval. A son of Miesque's Son, much like his older half-brother, he scored the biggest when he was seven. His powerful victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 2006 helped him earn an Eclipse Award as Champion Turf Male. Trained by Marty Wolfson, Miesque's Approval won twelve times, nine of which were stakes. In his championship season, he also won three other graded stakes besides the BC Mile; the Maker’s Mark Mile, the Firecracker Breeders’ Cup Handicap, and the Red Bank Stakes. He retired with earnings of $2,648,879.

The next turf star for Win Approval was Za Approval, trained by Mark Casse. A son of Ghostzapper, the flashy gray was another durable runner, winning nine times in 34 starts, during six seasons of racing. He was probably best known, though, for twice finishing second to the two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan. Both came in his five-year-old season, in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile, and the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. The multiple graded stakes winner amassed $1,394,66 in earnings.

Finally we have World Approval, the hero of yesterday's Fourstardave. Also trained by Casse, he's now won a Grade 1 in consecutive seasons, having accounted for the United Nations last year. Overall, he has accounted for five graded stakes wins, while winning nine of 22 career starts, with better than $1.4 million in the bank. And as we saw yesterday, he's far from done.

Classy, durable, and lovers of turf -- the sons of Win Approval just keep going and going.