The DANZIG – BLETCHINGLY – ROCKEFELLA Connection

Written 2011 (updated 2022)

The LADY SUSAN family (branch of Twine the Plaiden)

The three best known modern members of the LADY SUSAN family (7-a) in Australasia are Danzig, Bletchingly and Rockefella.

Despite the fact that Danzig has the quintessential ‘American’ pedigree; Rockefella appears in European pedigrees; and Bletchingly is a dyed-in-the-wool Aussie, these three trace to the same taproot mare, LADY SUSAN, a descendant of TWINE THE PLAIDEN.

I first wrote about the genetic relationship between Danzig, Rockefella and Bletchingly and its potential for success in 2008 for UK’s Pacemaker magazine. Permutations of these three influences in pedigrees have had ongoing success across the globe.

Primarily, the first opportunity for two of these influences to get together presented itself when sons of the American stallion Danzig – Danehill and Green Desert – were imported to the U.K. for stud duties and met up with Rockefella.

In Australia, Rockefella had the opportunity to combine with fellow family member Bletchingly a little earlier in history. Four decades ago, that outstanding son of Bletchingly, Kingston Town, set the track alight. His dam carried Rockefella on her third remove.

Most of the quality sources of Rockefella in the southern hemisphere initially came from New Zealand, represented by Star Way, Balmerino, Alvaro, Famous Star and Long Row. Star Way is the damsire of Encosta de Lago, a principal source of Rockefella in Australia.  Another contemporary sire to carry Rockefella (twice) is So You Think, via his sire High Chaparral and second damsire Long Row. Invincible Spirit, sire of I Am Invincible, Shalaa, Charm Spirit, Kingman etc, also carries a duplication of Rockefella.

Bletchingly’s key representatives are Canny Lad (this cross with Danzig having produced Redoute’s Choice amongst others), Sir Laurence, Best Western, Opera Prince, Rigoletto, Cossack Warrior, Lord Ballina and Bureaucracy.

Sons of Danzig started to filter into Australia about thirty years ago, with representatives such as Akaaber, Mister C, Snaadee and Monongahela. More recently, Danehill, Chief’s Crown, Anabaa, Desert Sun, Honor Grades, Snaadee, Cape Cross, Maroof, Orpen, Volksraad and Perugino have joined the long list of successful Danzig line stallions with crops to race in Australasia.

With limited early access to mares carrying Rockefella in the southern hemisphere, Danzig line stallions produced the outstanding racemare Sunline (by Desert Sun), Hut (by Danehill), Monet’s Cove (by Monongahela), Royal Voyage (by Danehill) and Arena Valadora (by Flying Spur) early from mares carrying Rockefella. Private Steer carries Danzig and Rockefella through her sire Danehill Dancer and Copper Kingdom (her 2^nd damsire) traces to an earlier ancestor of Lady Susan.

With Danzig now common in Australia, we are seeing the success of this trio in combination, such as Group 1 winners and sires including Alabama Express, Danceteria, D’Argento, Empire’s Choice, God’s Own, I Am Invincible, Inference, Miss Finland, Musir, Peeping, Quick Thinker and The Mission.

Redoute’s Choice, Sunline, Invincible Spirit, Erhaab, Danehill Dancer, Shogun Lodge, Desert War, Telesto, Dylan Thomas, Johan Cruyff, Land of Dreams, Niconero, Blur, Fairy King Prawn, Virage de Fortune, Ardkinglass, Jet Spur, Excites, Special Dane, Dansino, Let’s Rock Again, Bush Padre, West Point, Crowned Glory and Coup de Grace are examples of horses carrying any two of these three.

The success of combining members of this family could well and truly be now considered a ‘nick’.