Sikeston (foaled 9 April 1986 – after 2003) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who had his greatest success in Italy. In five years on the track, he ran 34 times and won 11 races, seven of them at Group 1 level, three at Group 2 and one at Group 3 and was also placed in several major races. He produced most of his best performances on soft or heavy going. He won the Gran Criterium as a two-year-old in 1988 and the Premio Parioli in the following spring. As a four-year-old in 1990 he won the Premio Natale di Roma, Premio Ribot and Premio Vittorio di Capua. In the following season he took the Premio Vittorio di Capua for a second time as well as the Premio Presidente della Repubblica, Queen Anne Stakes and Premio Roma. In his final season on the track he won a second Premio Presidente della Repubblica and the Irish International Stakes.
Background
Sikeston was a bay horse bred in Kentucky by John R Gaines, H R Hart & W Simon. As a yearling he was put up for auction at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Summer Yearling Sale and bought for $25,000 by V M Zuco. The colt entered the ownership of the Italian entrepreneur Luciano Gaucci's Allevamento White Star and was sent into training with John Dunlop at Arundel, West Sussex.
He was sired by Lear Fan, an American stallion who raced in Europe, winning the Prix Jacques le Marois in 1984. His other progeny included Good Ba Ba and Ryafan. Sikeston's dam Small Timer was unraced but produced several other winners including Klokka (Magic Night Stakes). She was a female-line descendant of Top Flight.
Racing career
1988: two-year-old season
Sikeston made his racecourse debut in a maiden race over seven furlongs on good to firm ground at Newmarket Racecourse in which he started at odds of 16/1 and finished second, beaten two lengths by the Henry Cecil-trained Samoan. The colt ran second when odds-on favourite for a minor race at York Racecourse in July and then finished third at Chepstow in September. On his final run of the season Sikeston made his first appearance in Italy when he contested the Group 1 Gran Criterium over 1600 metres on soft ground at San Siro Racecourse in Milan. Ridden by Gianfranco Dettori he won by eight lengths from Lacbell and Star Shareef (also trained by Dunlop).
1989: three-year-old season
On his debut as a three-year-old Sikeston started a 33/1 outsider for the Greenham Stakes at Newbury Racecourse on 15 April and finished tenth of the twelve runners behind Zayyani. Fifteen days after his poor run at Newbury, the colt was sent to Italy again for the Premio Parioli at Capannelle Racecourse in Rome in which he was again partnered by Dettori. After racing towards the rear of the nineteen-runner field he took the lead 100 metres from the finish and won by a length from the French-trained Lioubovnik. In May he was stepped up in distance for the Derby Italiano over 2400 metres at Capanelle and ran unplaced behind the Michael Jarvis-trained Prorutori.
1990: four-year-old season
After a break of well over ten months, Sikeston returned in April 1990 for the Group 3 Premio Natale di Roma over 1600 metres at Capannelle. Racing on heavy ground, and partnered by Michael Roberts he won by one and a half lengths from Irgaim.
For his second run of the season he was sent to France for the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville Racecourse in August and came home unplaced behind Priolo. After this race he was transferred to the stable of Clive Brittain at Newmarket, Suffolk. In September he produced arguably his best performance up to that time when he contested the Phoenix Champion Stakes in Ireland for which he started a 66/1 outsider and finished second, beaten half a length by Elmaamul. In October he ran unplaced in both the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Champion Stakes.
Sikeston's last three races of 1990 were in Italy. On 4 November he came home five lengths clear of Irgaim to win the Group 2 Premio Ribot over 1600 metres on heavy ground at Capannelle and a week later, at the same track he ran third to Legal Case and the Premio Parioli winner Candy Glen in the Group 1 Premio Roma over 2000 metres. On his final run of the year he contested the Group 1 Premio Vittorio di Capua over 1600 metres at Milan on 16 November. With Roberts in the saddle he won by three lengths and a neck from Candy Glen and Zoman.