Second Empire (Grand Critérium) and King of Kings (2000 Guineas), becoming the first filly to start favourite for the race since Sceptre in 1902. She was held up in the early stages, but after being bumped and hampered by bigger, stronger opponents she made no impression in the straight and finished ninth of the fifteen runners, twelve lengths behind the winner High-Rise. Cape Verdi was expected to return in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood but a hairline fracture of the hind pastern, sustained in training, ruled her out for the rest of the season. 1999: four-year-old season It was more than a year after her run in the Derby that Cape Verdi reappeared in the Group Two Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket in July. Given the length of her absence her performance in finishing third to the French-trained Ronda after leading until the final furlong was promising one. Cape Verdi started 7/2 second favourite for the Group One Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, but ran poorly, weakening in the closing stages and finishing last of the eight runners. Saeed bin Suroor was unable to give an immediate explanation for her performance. Three weeks after her final race it was announced that Cape Verdi would be retired to Sheikh Mohammed's Gainsborough Stud. Assessment At the 1999 Cartier Racing Awards Cape Verdi was named European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, despite winning only one race that year. She was also the highest rated European three-year-old filly in the official International Classification with a rating of 120. She was assessed at a peak figure of 126 by Timeform. The "Cape Verdi" is a Group Two race named in the filly's honour run in January at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Stud career Cape Verdi has been bred to many leading stallions including Gone West, Dubai Millennium and Elusive Quality but has yet to produce a top class racehorse. She has produced minor winners in Benandonner and Salsa Verdi, both sired by Giant's Causeway and Nabucco, a stakes winner in England during 2013. 2002 Dubai Opera (USA) : Bay filly, foaled 5 March, by Dubai Millennium (GB) – Unraced, dam of winners Rebel Song (IRE)(2009, by Refuse To Bend <IRE>) and Grigolo (2012, by Shamardal <USA>) 2003 Benandonner (USA) : Chesnut colt (gelded), foaled 21 March, by Giant's Causeway (USA) – won 13 races and £148,883 from 117 starts in Britain 2006–15 2004 Salsa Verdi (USA) : Bay