A look back at the champions of the breed
One of the greatest legacies in Thoroughbred breeding and racing has been authored by the ruling family head of the Shi’a Isma’illi Muslims, also known as the Aga Khan. The third Aga Khan had a deep love of racing. He set forth in the early twentieth century the foundations for success with astute purchases of fillies that would become fabulous
Read morePerhaps one of the more intriguing anomalies in Thoroughbred breeding are the extraordinary amount of broodmares that were either unraced, or never won a race if they got to a starting gate, that have become heralded matrons in the breeding shed. There are many such mares in the history of the turf that have been grand producers of top class
Read moreThe name of Ballade and her progeny have been frequently mentioned in various articles on this web-site. Her sire is Herbager, a very handsome stallion imported from France by Bull Hancock. The dark bay son of Vandale became a very successful stallion at Claiborne Farm. Herbager won six of eight races with one second place against the best of his generation.
Read moreThoroughbred naming can be a challenging pre-occupation for owners. Some go with a combination of the names of the sire and dam, some are named in honour of family members, while some are cleverly named with a tongue-in-cheek brand of humour, or personal meaning. No Class was named combining part of her sire’s name Nodouble and the name of her
Read moreIn a manner of acquisition very similar to the purchase of La Troienne, Rough Shod II was purchased by A.B. “Bull” Hancock at the December Sales at Newmarket in 1951. Hancock purchased four mares from this sale. One of which was Knight’s Daughter from a consignment of King George VI, who two years later would produce champion Round Table by
Read moreHere we are looking back on another outstanding broodmare sired by Mahmoud, the wonderful Grey Flight. Bred in Kentucky by J. T. Taylor in 1945, she was sold to the Wheatley Stable owned by the Grand Dame of racing owners Mrs. Gladys Mills Phipps, final bid of $35,000, at the 1946 Saratoga yearling sales. Grey Flight became a stakes winner
Read moreAlmahmoud was bred in 1947 by C. V. Whitney in Kentucky. She was sold to Henry Knight as a yearling. This sale would be the first of many pertaining to Almahmoud, as she would change addresses frequently before landing a permanent home with D. G. Van Clief at Nydrie Stud in 1955. The dam of Almahmoud was the unraced broodmare
Read moreMany of the thoroughbreds of the past that are held in high regard, become legendary, almost mystical in reverence to pedigree junkies like myself. Then there are some that are held on a higher pedestal, attaining a level of divine proportion. One such broodmare is La Troienne. Her incredible legacy through her descendants reverberates throughout the breeding world, as there
Read moreAmong the more prominent and revered sire producing broodmares, Plucky Liege is considered as one of the greatest. Bred in 1912 by Lord Michelham, Plucky Liege is by Spearmint – Concertina by St. Simon. Her pedigree shows four crosses of the great sire producing mare of the 1800’s Pocahontas (6x6x6x5). Her sire Spearmint, a son of the legendary Australian bred
Read moreChaucer has gone down as one of the most important broodmare sires in history. The son of the legendary St. Simon and the immortal mare Canterbury Pilgrim was a good but not great race horse. Although he was not a big horse, Chaucer made his mark at stud through his daughters. Perhaps the most accomplished daughter of Chaucer as a
Read more