Violet's grandpa on her daddy's side is Runaway Groom, a 1979 sire who currently is at stud at the Vinery in Lexington, Kentucky. His 2007 stud fee is $12,500! He is 28 years old, and when he raced, he raced 18, won 6, placed 5, and showed 1. He won the Breeders Stakes, Travers Stakes, and Prince of Wales Stakes. The latter two were Grade 1 Stakes. In fact, by winning the Queens Plate, Prince of Wales and Breeders Stakes at Woodbine, he became the Canadian Triple Crown Winner! He has so-far foaled over 1,000 babies with 22 foal crops, with 139 stakes horses, 54 graded stakes horses, and 13 record setters. Four of his children have become millionaires on the race track. His son, Violet's daddy, Groomstick is #6 of Runaway Groom's top 10 race-earning children. He is considered a precious, if under-appreciated stud. Currently, he is ranked #20 nationally as preferred stud, and in Kentucky he is currently ranked #13. Last year's 2006 breeding season, he finished with the national rank of 78! Not so bad!!! There are a million different ways to rank him though -- producer of dirt track horses, milers, sprinters, etc. In 2006, he was often in the Top 5 on many of these lists. And he is very popular as a stud in New York, Florida and the Southeast region. See how sexy he is in his racing photo?! What a hottie! So, he is 28 years-old and there are some experts who perceive him as very precious. One Reines-de-Course pedigree analyst said that "Nasrullah-line sires are precious to us at this point in the history of breeding." Specifically, of Runaway Groom, this analyst said, "If you're lucky enough to have some of this bloodline, do work it properly and try to keep it alive. It's really pretty precious stuff." You can read more about him and his famous children at the following links:
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and take a look at one of his boys, a 2000 stud named The Lady's Groom. He's hilarious because he looks like the boy version of my very girly Violet!!
or you can even watch him winning the Travers Stakes at the following link. After he won the Canadian Triple Crown, his owner sent him to America to kick some butt here. It's very exciting because he is in last place the entire race and then suddenly comes from behind in the last turn -- he beats the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes winners for that year! They were all entered in that race. What a stud muffin!
You can also read about him at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame! They are very proud of him. So, hey you, Elena. Violet's grandpa can be a trick question for the "Dead or Canadian" game!
1. Velvet Tenderness by Groomstick out of Wining Effort. 
Here is a photo of Yagrumo, Violet's half-brother. He was born in 1998 to Groomstick and Women in Uniform by Double Sonic. He even has a little splash of Ta Wee on his dam's side. He's had kind of a hard-working race horse's life. He is recorded as racing from ages 2 through 6, for a total of 61 races, and a career of 5-17-12. Poor tired Champion..JPG)
So, check this out! One of Hailee's relatives has a book written about her, called Black Gold by the famous Marguerite Henry! Useeit by Bonnie Joe and Effie M was a 1907 thoroughbred mare who is now rumored to have been a Quarter horse and who was dragged all over the West, Mexico and Louisiana to race for Al and Rosa Hoots. She produced the 1924 Kentucky Derby winner, Black Gold, via Black Toney, but he was sterile, poor thing, which ultimately led to his untimely death on the Fairgrounds track in New Orleans.
Here is a photo of During, standing at stud at Claiborne Farms. He is very closely related to Violet. His dad is Cherokee Run who stands at stud at the Darley Stud. Cherokee Run is the 3/4ths brother of Violet's dad, Groomstick. They share the same dad, Runaway Groom, and then the same granddam on their mom's side -- Dame Francesca. During's dam is Blazing Saddle by Blade. Blade is a stud who is a Bold Ruler -- Nasrullah kid and who also has what Violet has -- the Nasrullah/Princequillo sires of sire/dam crosses that lots of horses related to Secretariat luckily have!
In these photos, you can see that During is all lazy on a cool Kentucky morning and he has to suffer the indignity of showing his racing tattoo on his upper lip! What a cutie pie!
Violet's grandpa on her sire's side is Runaway Groom, a 1979 stallion born in Ontario, Canada who had an illustrious career. He was euthanized at his home at Dr. Tom Simon's Vinery near Lexington on June 8, 2007. He lived at The Vinery, working as the king of stallions since 1991. His racing career was 18:6-5-1, and among his achievements, he won the Travers Stakes, and 2/3rds of the Canadian Triple Crown, including the Prince of Wales and Breeders Stakes. He was the 1982 Champion 3-year-old male in Canada and was elected to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2001. He sired 123 stakes horses, 72 stakes winners, and 31 graded stakes winners, including millionaires Wekiva Springs, Down the Aisle, and Najran who currently holds the American record for a mile (1:32 1/5). Runaway Groom sired not only Violet's Groomstick, but the fabulous Cherokee Run.
Ocala, Florida, a town in Marion County is the central location for horse farms! There are over 1,200 horse farms in this small area with over 600 thoroughbred farms. The land in the area is similar to Kentucky Blue Grass! Ocala is also on the Western leg of the Dixie Highway. It has become famous because it is producing world class competitors, including 1956' Kentucky Derby winner, Needles, and the 1978 triple crown winner, Affirmed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture calls Ocala the "Horse Capitol of the World!" Violet's daddy, Groomstick, lived there right before he was sent to New Mexico, and it's the region where my darling Violet was bred and born! In fact, Violet's papers came through the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company! Ocala has many of the best horses on earth! And it has some of the best world class equestrian facilities on earth. You can read more about Violet's home at the following links:
