Violet's Blue Larkspur

Violet is related to Blue Larkspur (born 1926), a beautiful stud from E.R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm in Kentucky. He was one of the most important broodmare sires of the 20th century, showing up on the broodmare sires list continuously from 1944-1960. His daughters produced 114 stakes winners and 6 champions. Blue Larkspur produced 290 foals, with 44 stakes winners. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957. And he was voted #100 of the Top 100 race horses of the 20th century by Blood Horse magazine. Of the 127 stakeswinners that Mr. Bradley had over his lifetime on Idle Hour, including Bimelech, Blue Larkspur was considered his best!! His final record was 16: 10-3-1. He won though he received two kicks while racing, and won though he suffered a bowed tendon. He earned $272,070 over his career and was the 1929 Eclipse Horse of the Year and 3-year-old Colt champion and 1930 Champion Handicap Male. Among his wins were the Juvenile Stakes, Saratoga Special, Classic Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Withers Stakes, Arlington Cup, and Stars and Stripes Handicap! When Mr. Bradley passed, he was acquired by the King Ranch in 1946. For Violet, Blue Larkspur was bred to La Troienne to produce Big Event who was bred to War Admiral to make Blue-Eyed Momo in Violet's Francis S line! You can read more about this courageous, sweet, mare-producing stallion at the following links:

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/BlueLarkspur.html

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Larkspur

or

http://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/bluelarkspur.html

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=33

La Troienne -- Hailee and Violet's "Blue Hen"

Hailee and Violet are very proud to have La Troienne in their family tree -- a 20th century "Blue Hen." A Blue Hen is a mare who produces nothing but the best characteristics and nothing but winners!! La Troienne was born in France and imported to the United States. She was not impressive on the race track, but has left an indelible mark on Thoroughbred history as one of the most influential broodmares of all time. She was imported to Idle Hour Stock Farm and bore 15 foals, 12 of which raced, and 10 of which were winners. Her first daughter, Black Helen, was a super-charged race horse who out of 22 starts, won 15 times. She was so powerful as a race horse that Black Helen routinely won against fields of colts. She was declared the U.S. champion 3-year-0ld racing filly. The only colt she could not beat was Omaha, the Triple Crown winner. She was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame.

La Troienne produced many, many famous descendents, including Go for Gin and Buckpasser. She produced many broodmares-of-the-year.

Hailee has an impressive connection to La Troienne. La Troienne and Black Toney produced Bimelech and Bubbling Over (Kentucky Derby winner) was the sire on the dam's side of a Bimelech cross which produced Sir Bim. Sir Bim was crossed on the dam side of a Top Deck sire side to produce a line in Hailee's sire's history! Whoo!

Violet too is impressively connected to La Troienne's history in at least two powerful ways. Again, she has the Bimelech connection and on the dam's side War Admiral (Triple Crown winner) is the sire to produce a dam for Bimelech which produced Better Self, a stakes winner. She also has a La Troienne and Blue Larkspur cross which produced Big Event who was bred to War Admiral to produce Blue Eyed Momo on Violet's dam's side.

Blue Larkspur is very cool as a cross because he won the Belmont Stakes, Juvenile Stakes, Saratoga Special, Classic Stakes, Withers Stakes, Arlington Cup, and Stars and Striples Handicap. He was 1929 Horse of the Year and Champion 3-year-old Colt, and the 1930 Champion Handicap Male!

You can read more about La Troienne, the fabulous "Blue Hen" of the Hailee and Violet Sanchez family tree at my friendly links, The Pedigree Post!
You can also read about her at:
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/LaTroienne.html