Althea (USA)
May 20, 1981 – 1995
Alydar (USA) x Courtly Dee (USA), by Never Bend (USA)
American Family 4
May 20, 1981 – 1995
Alydar (USA) x Courtly Dee (USA), by Never Bend (USA)
American Family 4
A brilliant 2-year-old, Althea trained on to defeat males in the 1984 Arkansas Derby (USA-G1), equaling the track record into the bargain. That performance made her the favorite (as an entry with stablemate Life's Magic) for the 1984 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1), but the filly had apparently peaked too soon as she ran next to last behind Swale. She started only once more, again failing to show any of her earlier form, and was retired. As a broodmare her career was short but very productive: the dam of four stakes winners from five foals, she suffered fatal injuries in a paddock collision with another broodmare in 1995.
Race record
15 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,275,255
1983:
1984:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1983)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1983, 1 pound below Miss Oceana, who won three Grade 1 races but did not defeat colts.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1984, 2 pounds below champion Life's Magic.
As an individual
An attractive, strongly-made chestnut mare with powerful hindquarters, Althea preferred to control her races from the front end. She tended to sweat up before her races, but this did not seem to adversely affect her performance; on the contrary, trainer D. Wayne Lukas noted that she ran her worst races when she remained calm and dry in the paddock and the post parade.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Althea produced five named foals, four of which started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Althea was bred and owned by the partnership of Helen Groves (daughter of King Ranch founder Robert Kleberg, Jr.), Helen Alexander (Groves' daughter). She was trained by D. Wayne Lukas.
Pedigree notes
Althea is inbred 4x3 to Nasrullah. She is out of 1983 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee and is a full sister to Grade 2 winners Aishah and Aquilegia, both multiple stakes producers. Courtly Dee also produced 1976 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ali Oop (by Al Hattab), 1985 Cowdin Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ketoh (by Exclusive Native), multiple Grade 2 winner Twining (by Forty Niner), multiple Grade 3 winner Native Courier (by Exclusive Native), and Grade 3-placed stakes winner Princess Oola (by Al Hattab). In addition, through daughters other than Althea, Courtly Dee is the second dam of 1993 Sydney Cup (AUS-G1) winner Azzaam, 1996 Norcros July Cup (ENG-G1) winner Green Desert (an important sire), 1998 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G1) winner Aldiza, and 2002 Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas) winner No Reason and is the third dam of 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner Bayern.
Courtly Dee is a half sister to Grade 2 winner Tom Tulle (by Tom Rolfe) and stakes winner Auhsan (by Nashua). She is also a half sister to Tutu Tulle (by Crazy Kid), dam of Grade 3 winner Tutu Tobago (by Play On). Tulle, in turn, is a half sister to 1955 Arlington Lassie Stakes winner Judy Rullah (by Nasrullah), dam of the good stakes winners Creme dela Creme (by Olympia), Rhubarb (by Barbizon) and Juke Joint (by Raise a Native), and to Princess Matoaka (by Princequillo), dam of 1968 Remsen Stakes winner Palauli (by Pago Pago) and second dam of four stakes winners including 1977 American champion older female Cascapedia.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 11, 2021
Race record
15 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,275,255
1983:
- Won Hollywood Starlet Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- Won Del Mar Futurity (USA-G2, 8FD, Del Mar)
- Won Del Mar Debutante Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Del Mar)
- Won Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Oak Leaf Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Landaluce Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Anoakia Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Santa Anita)
1984:
- Won Arkansas Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Oaklawn Park; equaled track record 1:46-4/5)
- Won Santa Susana Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Las Virgenes Stakes (USA-L, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Fantasy Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1983)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1983, 1 pound below Miss Oceana, who won three Grade 1 races but did not defeat colts.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1984, 2 pounds below champion Life's Magic.
As an individual
An attractive, strongly-made chestnut mare with powerful hindquarters, Althea preferred to control her races from the front end. She tended to sweat up before her races, but this did not seem to adversely affect her performance; on the contrary, trainer D. Wayne Lukas noted that she ran her worst races when she remained calm and dry in the paddock and the post parade.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Althea produced five named foals, four of which started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Destiny Dance (1986, by Nijinsky II) won the 1990 Sheepshead Bay Handicap (USA-G3). She is the dam of 2004 Frizette Stakes (USA-G1) winner Balletto (by Timber Country), in turn the dam of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Villanesca (by Distorted Humor). Destiny Dance is also the dam of Irish Group 3 winner Dearly (by Rahy), dam of Grade 2-placed stakes winner True Cause (by Storm Cat).
- Aurora (1988, by Danzig) won the listed Aqueduct Breeders' Cup Handicap in 1992 and was Grade 3-placed. She is the dam of 1998 Super Derby (USA-G1) winner Arch (by Kris S.; a good sire), 2010 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1) winner Acoma (by Empire Maker), and 2001 United Arab Emirates Horse of the Year Festival of Light (by A.P. Indy). She is also the dam of listed stakes winner Alisios (by Kris S.) and of Antics (by Unbridled), dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Albiano (by Harlan's Holiday) and 2019 American champion female sprinter Covfefe (by Into Mischief). In addition, Aurora is the dam of Asian Empress (by Empire Maker), dam of listed stakes winner Tea Time (by Pulpit); of Aztec Pearl (by A.P. Indy), dam of Grade 3 winner Aztec Sense (by Street Sense); and of Arania (by Dynaformer), dam of Grade 3 winner Campaign (by Curlin).
- Yamanin Paradise (1992, by Danzig) was the Japanese champion 2-year-old filly of 1994. She is the dam of Japanese stakes winner Yamanin Seraphim (by Sunday Silence).
- Alyssum (1994, by Storm Cat) won the listed Nassau County Stakes as a 3-year-old and was Grade 2-placed.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Althea was bred and owned by the partnership of Helen Groves (daughter of King Ranch founder Robert Kleberg, Jr.), Helen Alexander (Groves' daughter). She was trained by D. Wayne Lukas.
Pedigree notes
Althea is inbred 4x3 to Nasrullah. She is out of 1983 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee and is a full sister to Grade 2 winners Aishah and Aquilegia, both multiple stakes producers. Courtly Dee also produced 1976 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ali Oop (by Al Hattab), 1985 Cowdin Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ketoh (by Exclusive Native), multiple Grade 2 winner Twining (by Forty Niner), multiple Grade 3 winner Native Courier (by Exclusive Native), and Grade 3-placed stakes winner Princess Oola (by Al Hattab). In addition, through daughters other than Althea, Courtly Dee is the second dam of 1993 Sydney Cup (AUS-G1) winner Azzaam, 1996 Norcros July Cup (ENG-G1) winner Green Desert (an important sire), 1998 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G1) winner Aldiza, and 2002 Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas) winner No Reason and is the third dam of 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner Bayern.
Courtly Dee is a half sister to Grade 2 winner Tom Tulle (by Tom Rolfe) and stakes winner Auhsan (by Nashua). She is also a half sister to Tutu Tulle (by Crazy Kid), dam of Grade 3 winner Tutu Tobago (by Play On). Tulle, in turn, is a half sister to 1955 Arlington Lassie Stakes winner Judy Rullah (by Nasrullah), dam of the good stakes winners Creme dela Creme (by Olympia), Rhubarb (by Barbizon) and Juke Joint (by Raise a Native), and to Princess Matoaka (by Princequillo), dam of 1968 Remsen Stakes winner Palauli (by Pago Pago) and second dam of four stakes winners including 1977 American champion older female Cascapedia.
Fun facts
- In botany, althea (Hibiscus syriacus) is a flowering shrub. The national flower of South Korea, it is widely grown as an ornamental in North America. It is also known as rose of Sharon, rose mallow and St. Joseph's rod.
- The partnership of Groves, Alexander and Aykroyd had luck on their side in becoming Althea's breeders and in retaining her to race. They bought Courtly Dee for US$900,000 at the 1980 Keeneland November breeding stock sale while she was carrying the future champion. Then, in 1982, plans to sell Althea at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky summer yearling sale fell through when the filly became lame shortly before the sale. The problem turned out to be a foot abscess and soon healed.
- Althea was the first filly to start as favorite for the Kentucky Derby since Nellie Flag in 1934.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: November 11, 2021