Sent to trainer Graham Motion earlier this year, Galawi (IRE) impressed with his only U.S. start when accelerating from last to first in a mile and a quarter race over the Belmont turf course in June, getting the final quarter according to Trakus in :22.04. 

“He was extremely impressive in the morning and had a real presence about him,” said Motion. “No doubt in my mind he was stakes caliber. He’s just a very classy horse.”

Galawi (IRE), is out of Prix Vermeille-G1 winner Galikova (Fr), a half-sister to seven stakes performers, led by Hall of Famer Goldikova (Ire). A champion in the U.S. twice and a champion in France four consecutive years, Goldikova won 14 Grade/Group 1 races, including three consecutive runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Mile-G1 over males and four runnings of the Prix Rothschild-G1. Galikova’s group-winning half-brother Anodin (Ire) was second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile-G1 and is a group stakes sire. The female line leads directly to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Gold River (Fr). 

“He’s stunning looking and has a phenomenal pedigree,” said Motion. “I feel he has a stallion’s pedigree. I just didn’t anticipate him having to be a stallion so soon.”

Galawi (IRE), is one of three sons of Dubawi (Ire) now at stud in the U.S. Dubawi has sired more than 225 stakes winners, and had a stellar 2021 Breeders’ Cup as the sire of three winners – Yibir (GB) (Breeders’ Cup Turf-G1), Space Blues (Ire) (Breeders’ Cup Mile-G1), and Modern Games (Ire) (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf-G1).

“Turf racing takes up so much of our day-to-day racing – it’s a natural to breed to a horse like this,” noted Motion. “There are so many more opportunities than there used to be for horses on the grass – especially for 2 and 3-year-olds. To get close to Dubawi and close to Goldikova – it doesn’t get much better than that.”