Unattractive and nervous, Almahmoud showed some ability as a race mare and was moderately successful as a broodmare, but under ordinary circumstances would have been completely forgettable. Her daughters, however, bred on in spectacular fashion to make her one of the outstanding foundation mares of the mid-20th century. Her family is particularly notable for the number of top sires that it has produced.
Race record
11 starts, 4 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$32,760
1949:
1950:
As an individual
A chestnut mare standing no more than 15.3 hands, Almahmoud had bad feet and was both sickle-hocked and cow-hocked. She was fairly correct in front but slightly upright in her pasterns. She had a full dose of the Blenheim II temperament that had passed her sire Mahmoud by and tended to pass on her high-strung, moody disposition to her descendants. Her head was marred by slightly floppy ears.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Almahmoud produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and nine were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Almahmoud was bred by C. V. "Sonny" Whitney. She was purchased as a yearling by Henry H. Knight, who sold the filly to T. D. Taggart for US$15,000 at the 1948 Saratoga yearling sale. Taggart died soon thereafter, and William Helis bought Almahmoud at the dispersal of Taggart's stock for US$15,000. Trained by F. Catrone, Almahmoud raced in Helis' colors at two and three, but before she could commence broodmare duties, Helis died and the young mare was re-acquired by Knight. She went through the ring yet again in 1955 at the dispersal of Knight's stock and was purchased by Danny Van Clief of Nydrie Stud for US$57,000; Van Clief sold an interest in the mare a few months later to his aunt, Mrs Ellsworth H. Augustus of Keswick Stud. Almahmoud was humanely destroyed due to navicular disease in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Almahmoud is inbred 4x5 to 1913 English champion 2-year-old male and 1919 English/Irish champion sire The Tetrarch. She is a full sister to 1954 Test Stakes winner Dispute and 1946 Will Rogers Stakes winner Burra Sahib. Almahmoud is also a full sister to Avatara, second dam of 1974 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner Better Arbitor.
Almahmoud and her siblings were produced from Arbitrator, an unraced daughter of 1934 Belmont Stakes winner Peace Chance and 1924 Futurity Stakes winner Mother Goose (by Chicle). Mother Goose, generally considered the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1924 and the namesake for the modern graded race, also produced the St. Germans filly Gosling, a minor stakes winner as a juvenile; Gooseflesh (by Mad Hatter), second dam of 1953 Comely Handicap winner Home-Made; and Wes (by Mad Hatter), second dam of 1961 Dixie Handicap winner Hunter's Rock (by Hunter's Moon IV).
Produced from the Broomstick mare Flying Witch, Mother Goose is a full sister to 1929 American champion 2-year-old male Whichone and to Free and Easy, whose daughter Night Song (by Royal Minstrel) won the 1936 Queen Mary Stakes in England. Free and Easy is also the second dam of the good steeplechaser The Heir. Returning to Mother Goose, she is also a half sister to stakes-placed Margin (by All Gold), dam of stakes winner Collateral (by St. Germans), and to Witchery (by Peter Pan), dam of 1939 Grand National Steeplechase Handicap winner Whaddon Chase (by Monk's Way) and second dam of 1946 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner Witch Sir.
Books and media
Last updated: January 21, 2022
Race record
11 starts, 4 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$32,760
1949:
- Won Colleen Stakes (first division) (USA, 5.5FD, Monmouth)
1950:
- Won Vineland Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
As an individual
A chestnut mare standing no more than 15.3 hands, Almahmoud had bad feet and was both sickle-hocked and cow-hocked. She was fairly correct in front but slightly upright in her pasterns. She had a full dose of the Blenheim II temperament that had passed her sire Mahmoud by and tended to pass on her high-strung, moody disposition to her descendants. Her head was marred by slightly floppy ears.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Almahmoud produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and nine were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- Cosmah (1953, by Cosmic Bomb) won the 1955 Astarita Stakes on the disqualification of Dark Vintage and placed in four other stakes races. The 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, she produced four stakes winners including three-time American champion filly Tosmah (by Tim Tam) and 1974 United Nations Handicap (USA-G1) winner Halo (by Hail to Reason), a two-time American champion sire. Cosmah is the second dam of 1974 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Cannonade and the third dam of two-time American champion turf female Flawlessly and of 1983 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) winner and French champion miler L'Emigrant.
- Natalma (1957, by Native Dancer) was disqualified from a victory in the 1959 Spinaway Stakes and placed third. She produced four stakes winners including the epochal sire Northern Dancer, a champion in both Canada (where he was the 1964 Horse of the Year) and the United States. Natalma is the second dam of 1972 Canadian Horse of the Year La Prevoyante and the third dam of another great stallion in 1989 Ladbroke Sprint Cup (ENG-G1) winner Danehill, who won nine sire championships in Australia, three in England/Ireland and two in France. Natalma is also the second dam of French Group 3 winner Coup de Folie and the third dam of 1989 French champion 2-year-old male and important sire Machiavellian, 1993 French champion 2-year-old filly Coup de Genie, and1992 Prix Jacques Le Marois (FR-G1) winner Exit to Nowhere.
- Folk Dancer (1959, by Native Dancer; a gelding) was a juvenile stakes winner in Canada.
- Bubbling Beauty (1961, by Hasty Road) produced 1977 Prix de Ganay (FR-G1) winner Arctic Tern (by Sea-Bird). The French champion sire of 1986, Arctic Tern sired 44 stakes winners including 1986 Prix du Jockey Club Lancia (French Derby, FR-G1) winner Bering. Bubbling Beauty is also the second dam of Grade 3 winner Sangria.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Almahmoud was bred by C. V. "Sonny" Whitney. She was purchased as a yearling by Henry H. Knight, who sold the filly to T. D. Taggart for US$15,000 at the 1948 Saratoga yearling sale. Taggart died soon thereafter, and William Helis bought Almahmoud at the dispersal of Taggart's stock for US$15,000. Trained by F. Catrone, Almahmoud raced in Helis' colors at two and three, but before she could commence broodmare duties, Helis died and the young mare was re-acquired by Knight. She went through the ring yet again in 1955 at the dispersal of Knight's stock and was purchased by Danny Van Clief of Nydrie Stud for US$57,000; Van Clief sold an interest in the mare a few months later to his aunt, Mrs Ellsworth H. Augustus of Keswick Stud. Almahmoud was humanely destroyed due to navicular disease in 1971.
Pedigree notes
Almahmoud is inbred 4x5 to 1913 English champion 2-year-old male and 1919 English/Irish champion sire The Tetrarch. She is a full sister to 1954 Test Stakes winner Dispute and 1946 Will Rogers Stakes winner Burra Sahib. Almahmoud is also a full sister to Avatara, second dam of 1974 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner Better Arbitor.
Almahmoud and her siblings were produced from Arbitrator, an unraced daughter of 1934 Belmont Stakes winner Peace Chance and 1924 Futurity Stakes winner Mother Goose (by Chicle). Mother Goose, generally considered the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1924 and the namesake for the modern graded race, also produced the St. Germans filly Gosling, a minor stakes winner as a juvenile; Gooseflesh (by Mad Hatter), second dam of 1953 Comely Handicap winner Home-Made; and Wes (by Mad Hatter), second dam of 1961 Dixie Handicap winner Hunter's Rock (by Hunter's Moon IV).
Produced from the Broomstick mare Flying Witch, Mother Goose is a full sister to 1929 American champion 2-year-old male Whichone and to Free and Easy, whose daughter Night Song (by Royal Minstrel) won the 1936 Queen Mary Stakes in England. Free and Easy is also the second dam of the good steeplechaser The Heir. Returning to Mother Goose, she is also a half sister to stakes-placed Margin (by All Gold), dam of stakes winner Collateral (by St. Germans), and to Witchery (by Peter Pan), dam of 1939 Grand National Steeplechase Handicap winner Whaddon Chase (by Monk's Way) and second dam of 1946 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner Witch Sir.
Books and media
- Almahmoud is one of 24 great broodmares profiled in Edward Bowen's Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century (1999, 2000, The Blood-Horse, Inc.).
- Almahmoud is profiled in Chapter 2 of John Sparkman's Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America's Breeding Industry (1998, Thoroughbred Times Books).
Last updated: January 21, 2022