Dark Star is the great-great grandpa on Violet's dam's sire's side. I think that's just so very cool. Dark Star was born in 1950 and won the 1953 Kentucky Derby. He was the only horse who ever beat Native Dancer. Native Dancer won 21 of 22 starts, and Dark Star shut him down on his Triple Crown bid. Native Dancer went on to win the Preakness and Belmont, so it was only Violet's Dark Star that impeded Native Dancer's bid to be part of Triple Crown history! Dark Star's record is 13 starts, 6 firsts, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds. He came up fifth in the Preakness, but was discovered to have a leg injury. What's sort of sad is that he was sold at the Keeneland Sales in 1953, the year he won the Kentucky Derby. It goes to show you how vulnerable thoroughbreds are -- this gorgeaus, big black Kentucky Derby winning horse wasn't wanted by his owners and was sold for $6,500 at Keeneland. Go figure. His lifetime track earnings were $131,337.
You can read about his Derby win at the following link:
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2006/derby_history/derby_charts/years/1953.html