Hyperion and My Girls!

Violet is related to Hyperion, arguably the best stud of the 20th century, but definitely the best one in England, Ireland and France. Hyperion's record was 13: 9, 1, 2, and he was fantastic in his wins, but even more fantastic as a stud. He was among the top 10 leading sires 16 times, and only St. Simon has beat this record. He was the leading broodmare sire 4 times.

His dam, Selene, was considered the finest racing filly of her time with a record of 22: 16-4-1, and she became a spectacular Blue Hen who had 14 foals. She was a first-class broodmare. His next two dams on his mom's side were Serenissima and Gondolette, also exquisite Blue Hens. His sire was Gainsborough, an English Triple Crown winner and Gold Cup winner, as well as the sire who produced Mah Mahal, the Blue Hen who produced Mahmoud. His grandsire was Bayardo, an even greater racer who produced two English Triple Crown winners, no other stud having done that -- Gainsborough and Gay Crusader.

Hyperion came into being because his breeders were trying to inbreed on the female line, a revolutionary policy at the time. They felt that the Blue Hens in his family tree were very important and should be doubled and tripled, if possible. So, in his immediate family tree, several times, he has the following Blue Hens: Pilgrimage and Canterbury Pilgrim. No wonder he had a sweet temper and liked to save it up for his races! He was a king bred from royal girls!!

Anyway, he passed away at Lord Derby's Woodland Stud in Newmarket. And he had an enormous influence on the sports of racing, dressage, eventing, and jumping. Even Karen O'Connor benefitted from a win on a Rolex horse with his breeding, Worth the Trust! In Violet's family, he produced Pensive, the winner of the 1944 Kentucky Derby!

You can read more about this great racer and stud at the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_(horse)
or
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Selene.html#Hyperion
or
http://www.holsteiner.com/impulsion/bayron2.html
or
http://www.reines-de-course.com/hyperion.htm

Susan's Girl and My Girls!

Susan's Girl (1969-1988) is an amazing mare. She was voted #51 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century. She raced and raced and raced for a career record of 63: 29-14-11. Before they had the grading system, she won 9 stakes in 1972 and earned Champion 3 year-old-filly. Then in the first year of the official grading system, 1973, she won 6 graded races, 4 at the very best level, Grade 1! By then she was close to being the first distaffer at $1 million, so her dad, Fred Hooper, wanted her to win it all. But she chipped a bone in her leg and needed surgery. She was sent to Hooper's Farm near Ocala, Florida, and after the surgical removal of the 3 chips, she spent 2 months being vanned to Lake Weir for a daily swim. So...after her surgery and recovery, she came back kicking it into gear!

Two fillies, Dahlia and Allez France, had already surpassed the $1 million mark in the meantime, but that was in Europe. So, very quickly, Susan's Girl passed the big mark for North America! She won a *ton* of races, including the Signature Stakes, Villager Stakes, Beldame Stakes (twice), Acorn Stakes, Cotillion, Kentucky Oaks, Santa Susana, Gazelle Handicap, Santa Ynez, Pasadena, La Troienne Stakes, Delaware Stakes, Santa Margarita Invititational, Santa Barbara Handicap, Susquehanna, Santa Maria Handicap, Spinster Stakes, Falls City Handicap, Matchmaker Stakes, Apple Blossom, and Long Beach Stakes.

She was ultimately the only filly in the 20th century to win a 3 year-old-championship (1972), and two champion older mare awards (1973, 1975). She was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1976. When she retired, she had 11 foals, several with her stablemate, Tri Jet, and even a foal named Florida Sunshine, with Alydar. She foaled a Grade 1 stakeswinner, Copelan, who was named after the physician who surgically removed her bone chips and oversaw her recovery and healing regimen. All of that, and I couldn't find a photo of her on the internet except on a person's Ebay site where they were selling her Thoroughbred Record front page photo showing her relaxed before her Spinster Stakes win!! Go figure! She is related to my girls in several ways, including Bull Lea, Mahmoud, Blue Larkspur, Sweep, Blenheim, Gainsborough, Hyperion, and La Troienne. The other picture is by my favorite horse artist, Frances Mabel Hollams! You can read more about Susan's Girl at the following link:

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=145

Gallant Bloom and my girls!

Gallant Bloom was voted the #79 top race horse of the 20th century, and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977. She was a 1966 filly from the famous horse, Gallant Man, pictured here in this photo taking second place to Iron Liege in the 1957 Kentucky Derby. I'll mention that in a moment. Gallant Bloom was a tiny horse who in spirit was a hell cat who liked to break loose on the track like a speedster. She beat the very best fillies and mares of her day, including Shuvee, Gamely, Amerigo Lady, and Singing Rain. In her 22 race career, she finished 16-1-1. She earned Champion 2-year-old filly in 1968 and Champion 3-year-old filly in 1969. In fact, she won 12 races in a row from ages 2 through 4. She was so popular for her fierce racing that she swept the voting ballot for Champion 3-year-old, though Shuvee had won the NY Racing Association Triple Crown, by taking the Acorn, Mother Goose Stakes, and Coaching Club Stakes. She had a sort of checkered breeding career, having difficulty getting into foal, though she did make some babies. She passed away in 1991 in her paddock in Old Frankfort Place, Kentucky. My girls are related to her through several lines, including Bull Lea, Plucky Liege, Mahmoud, War Admiral, Bee Mac, Gainsborough, and Dark Ronald.



Now, about her dad! Gallant Man was a very famous horse, not the least of which because Bill Shoemaker had the biggest "duh" moment of his career on him. Gallant Man was winning the Kentucky Derby when Shoemaker misjudged the finish line and pulled up and stood in his stirrups in early victory. Iron Liege took his chance and put a nose in front of Gallant Man for the win. This has followed Shoemaker forever! And followed his trainer, ex-jockey and Hall of Fame trainer from Nebraska, John Nerud! Even the greats have their mistakes! Anyway, Gallant Man was a small tough guy (a little over 15 hands) who ended up beating Bold Ruler in the Belmont Stakes and Metropolitan Handicap! He raced during the golden era of Round Table and Bold Ruler. he earned #36 of the Top 100 race horses of the 20th century! In his stud career, he produced Genuine Risk (through one of his daughters) and, of course, our lovely little Gallant Bloom! You can read more about his daughter at the following link:
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=76

Dahlia and my girls!

My girls are related to the super-achiever, Dahlia! Dahlia was born in 1970 and her dad was originally Nelson Bunker Hunt and then later Paul Allenson. She is a macho, but elegant and girly girl, produced from Vaguely Noble's first crop. She won major group or Grade I races in 5 countries and was the first filly to earn more than $1 million!!! Her original trainer said that she "did everything just beautifully. She raced in France, Ireland, England, the United States, and Canada! She won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes two years running, a major achievement and the sole time a filly did so! She won the Benson & Hedges twice. And she beat 9 classics winning colts! During her career, she was known for explosively powerful, blasting bursts of speed, and could handle rough treatment and come from long distances behind to win. Her final record was 46: 15-3-7, with $1.5 million. She ran from age 2 through 6!! She travelled over 30,000 miles for work during her lifetime. Finally, she settled down to spend her last days at the Diamond A Farm by Versailles, Kentucky! She passed in 2001. She earned 7 championships, including 2 Horse of the Years in England. She was the U.S. Champion Turf Horse of 1974, and she has the Dahlia Handicap named after her at Hollywood Park Racetrack AND the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. In 1981, she was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame, and was votd #50 of the top 100 racehorses of the 20th century. When she retired, she foaled 13 children, including 6 stakes winners, and 4 Grade 1 winners -- a HUGE achievement. Some of her baby daddys included Bold Forbes, What a Pleasure, and Northern Dancer!! She had a girl friend, a dear friend as a pasturemate, Estrapade. They shared the same dad, and they shared the same tragedy of having a baby weaned from them early and passed to a nurse mare because they couldn't produce enough milk. They bonded! My girls, Violet and Hailee are related to Dahlia multiple ways, including through Hyperion, Gainsborough, Sir Gallahad, Gay Crusader, and Nearco. In fact, Dahlia is also related to Gallant Fox through her Sir Gallahad connection! Lucky girl!! You can read more about this elegant, well-travelled, girly super-girl at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahlia_(horse)

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=53

or

http://www.reines-de-course.com/estrapade.htm

or

http://www.racinginfo.uk.com/horses/dahlia.htm

Gainsborough and Violet!

Gainsborough was bred and owned by Lady James Douglas. His track record was 9:5-1-1 and he lived a nice long life of 30 years. He is the sire of Hyperion and Mah Mahal, the dam of Mahmoud. All off these horses are part of Violet's family tree! Gainsborough's dad was Bayardo who was distinguished by being the dad of TWO English Triple Crown winners, Gainsborough and Gay Crusader -- both again, part of Violet's family! When he won the 2000 Guineas (the first jewel in the Triple Crown), it was the first time in history that a woman bred a U.K. classic race winner and the first time in history that a horse wore a woman's colors!! His jockey, Joseph Childs, donated his winnings to his regiment as part of the war effort. He retired to a brilliant stellar stud career! You can read more about this elegant champion and the lady who loved him at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainsborough_(horse)

or

http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=868

All Along and My Girls!!!

My girls are related to All Along, a very important filly with a number of major "firsts" to her credit. She was a French filly owned by Daniel Wildenstein, a renowned French art dealer and highly successful horseman. She won numerous prestigious races in France, England, and Japan, and was one of the top fillies of the last part of the 20th century. Her track record was 21: 9-4-2. She won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1983 and was immediately shipped to Canada where she won the Rothman International, and two weeks later won the Turf Classic at Aqueduct in Jamaica, New York, followed shortly after by a win at the Washington D.C. International in Laurel, Maryland. She had four consecutive major wins in three different countries in just 41 days!!!! It's no wonder that she won the 1983 Eclipse Horse of the Year Award in America and the 1983 Horse of the Year Award in France too. That year, she also earned Older Grass Female. In fact, she was the first foreign-based horse to win the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year!! As a 4-year-old, she became a world champion Eclipse Award for Outstanding Female Turf Horse. And she was the first filly since Regret in 1915 to win the Eclipse Horse of the Year! She won the Champion Older Female Runner in France twice. She earned $3,018,420 over her career in racing, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. AND she was voted #68 top race horse of the twentieth century by Blood Horse magazine. She retired to Three Chimney Farms in Midway, Kentucky and bore 13 children, 11 of whom started, and 4 who were winners!!! She was pensioned in 2003 and then euthanized in 2005 at the ripe age of 26 due to infirmities from old injuries. The late Daniel Wildenstein's son, Alec Wildenstein, said of her passing, "She took us—my father, my brother and myself—on a joy ride like no other, culminating in an achievement we scarcely dared to dream about, which was Horse of the Year in America. Sad as it is to lose her, I am glad she had such a long and healthy life in return for all the happiness she gave us." Of course, my girls are related to this beautiful girl. They share many relatives including these champs: Princequillo, Nasrullah, Bull Lea, Hyperion, Gainsborough, Discovery, Man 'O War, Sweep, Teddy, Bend Or, and Phalaris. You can read more about this great racer and great broodmare and great family member at the following links:

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

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/news/nrm-news-view-story-detail.asp?varID=57

or

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/horses/2005-02-25-all-along-dies_x.htm

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=5

Violet's English Triple Crown Relatives!

So, we have a Triple Crown series in the United States with the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes. But England has had a Triple Crown Series for many years before our young one! Their Triple Crown consists of the 2,000 Guineas (at 1 mile), the Epsom Derby (at 1 1/2 miles), and the St. Leger Stakes (at 1 mile 6 furlongs and 127 yds). Of the 15 English Triple Crown winners, I found after a casual search that Violet is related to 9 of them! She's related to the very first four, and then her last Triple Crown winner was in 1918. Here are her famous English Triple Crown family members: West Australian (1853), Gladiateur (1865), Lord Lyon (1866), Ormonde (1886), Isinglass (1893), Flying Fox (1899), Rock Sand (1903), Gay Crusader (1917) and Gainsborough (1918). The last English Triple Crown winner was in 1970, by the name of Nijinsky. Gainsborough, Violet's most recent English Triple Crown family winner, is in the photo. His sire was Bayardo who also sired Gay Crusader. Gainsborough's dam was Rosedrop, a filly who won the 1910 Epsom Oaks. When Gainsborough retired, he had a brilliant stud career and produced many stakeswinners, such as Violet's Hyperion, and also produced many major studs and breeding mares. Suave, as well as fast! You can read more about the English Triple Crown and Gainsborough at the following links:

http://www.sportingchronicle.com/racing/englishtriplecrown.html

http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument;jsessionid=3FF8916E880D7EC8C17217C47121DCEB?id=868

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainsborough_(horse)

Personal Ensign and my Girls!

In 1984 Personal Ensign was born. She is an amazing mare. At age 2, she broke her left rear pastern and required a surgical implantation of 4 stainless steel screws. She came back from this major event by having a perfect race record. She raced 13 times for 13 wins! Among her stakes wins was a 1988 Breeder's Cup win in a muddy field of 9 horses, including Goodbye Halo and Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors. She came from far behind to win by a nose in what is considered the most exciting finish in Breeders Cup History. She retired following this race as the first undefeated champion in American racing in over 80 years! She was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1993 and was voted by Blood Horse as the #48 of the Top 100 race horses of the 20th century. She earned the Eclipse Award for U.S. Champion Older female in 1988, and earned $1,679,880. She was voted Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1996. Her last foal was a 2006 colt by Forest Wildcat. She's now pensioned as of this year at Claiborne Farm and the breeding shed manager said that at age 22, "She's still in good shape, looks good, and gets around fine. She'll be spending time out in the field with other mares." She's an amazing example of the importance of animal biomedical research. She required major orthpedic surgery and then in her breeding career, she needed major uterine surgery. My girls are related to Personal Ensign in numerous ways. They share these recent relatives: War Admiral, Hyperion, Gainsborough, Man 'O War, Swynford, Isinglass, Pharos, Canterbury Pilgrim, Teddy, Blue Larkspur, Sweep, Ben Brush, La Troienne, Nasrullah, and Princequillo. You can read more about this champion mare at the following sites! Make sure you read the news story about her thrilling "come from behind" victory in the Breeders Cup or perhaps her trouncing of the boys in the Whitney Handicap.

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

or

http://breeding.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35388

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=117

or

http://horseracing.about.com/library/blpensign.htm

Winning Colors and My Girls!!!

Winning Colors was born in 1985, and she was the third filly to win the Kentucky Derby in 1988. In the Derby, she took command early to hold off the champion Forty Niner. Her lifetime earnings were $1,526,837 and she had 19 starts, and 8 wins. Among her wins were the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks. She was called "The Amazon" because she was so big and bold. During her life, she needed surgery for breathing problems, but still came back to racing. She was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2000, the same year as jockey, Julie Krone. She earned third in the Preakness and was voted Champion 3 year-old. She is related to both my girls. Among their shared relatives are Nasrullah, Gainsborough, Man 'O War, Rock Sand, Commando, Voter, Bend Or, Hastings, Pensive, Black Toney, Teddy, and Bull Dog! In these photos, you see her winning the Kentucky Derby and in the winner's circle with her roses (happy girl!). Then you see a photo of her as an older lady who turned grey! You can read more about this amazing mare at the following link:

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=348