Balancoire II (FR)
1911 – 1933
Meddler (GB) x Ballantrae (GB), by Ayrshire (GB)
Family 5-j
"GENETIC GEM"
1911 – 1933
Meddler (GB) x Ballantrae (GB), by Ayrshire (GB)
Family 5-j
"GENETIC GEM"
A juvenile stakes winner in France, Balancoire II was one of four stakes winners produced by mating the good race mare Ballantrae to Meddler. She proved still more valuable as a broodmare in the United States, producing two good stakes winners and several important producing daughters.
Race record
14 starts, 2 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, 17,835 francs
1913:
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Balancoire II produced nine named foals, of which eight started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Balancoire II was bred by Clarence Mackay at his Haras du Fresnay and raced in his colors. After Mackay imported her to the United States in 1918, she passed to the ownership of Harry Payne Whitney, becoming a foundation mare for his stud.
Pedigree notes
Balancoire II is inbred 4x4 to 1863 St. Leger Stakes winner Lord Clifden, 5x5x5 to Lord Clifden's sire Newminster (himself a St. Leger winner and a two-time English/Irish champion sire), and 5x5 to 1852 English dual Classic winner and seven-time English/Irish champion sire Stockwell. She is a full sister to English stakes winners Night Raider II and Melody and American stakes winner Mediant. The last-named mare is the dam of Medora II (by Rabelais), dam of 1922 Travers Stakes winner Little Chief (by Wrack), 1924 Champagne Stakes winner Beatrice (by Jim Gaffney) and four other stakes winners. Balancoire II is also a half sister to Coeur a Coeur (by Teddy), second dam of two -time French champion and four-time French champion sire Djebel (by Tourbillon), two-time Prix d'Ispahan winner Hierocles (by Abjer), Prix de Saint-Firmin winner Djask (by Tourbillon), and multiple French stakes winner Phidias (by Tourbillon).
Balancoire II was produced from the Ayrshire mare Ballantrae, winner of the 1902 Cambridgeshire Stakes, one of England's most valuable and prestigious handicap races. Ballantrae, in turn, was produced from the Touchet mare Abeyance, a useful handicapper who was out of the Mornington mare Minnie Hauk.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 1, 2024
Race record
14 starts, 2 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, 17,835 francs
1913:
- Won Prix La Flèche (FR, Le Tremblay)
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Balancoire II produced nine named foals, of which eight started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
- See Saw II (1916, by Fitz Herbert) produced the stakes winner Tonto Rock (by Trap Rock).
- Escarpolette (1917, by Fitz Herbert) produced the stakes winners Alyssum (by Supremus), Depression (by North Star III) and Howard (by Rolled Stocking). She is the second dam of four stakes winners including 1944 Exterminator Handicap winner Momo Flag and the third dam of 1959 American champion sprinter Intentionally and 1958 Honeymoon Stakes winner Foreverett.
- Balance (by Rabelais) produced stakes winners Flippant (by Pennant), Hornpipe (by Chantey) and Uneasy (by Royal Minstrel). She is the second dam of 1938 American Horse of the Year Seabiscuit and the third dam of 1941 Selima Stakes winner Ficklebush, 1956 Selima Stakes winner Lebkuchen, 1957 Bougainvillea Turf Handicap winner Espea, and 1949 Governor's Lady Handicap winner Brownian.
- Swinging (1922, by Broomstick) placed in six stakes races as a juvenile, leading The Blood-Horse to rank her fourth among the American juvenile fillies of her year in spite of her lack of stakes wins. She is the dam of two-time American Horse of the Year and 1942 American champion sire Equipoise. Through her only daughter, Schwester (an unraced full sister to Equipoise), she is the second dam of 1952 Metropolitan Handicap winner Mameluke and 1946 Correction Handicap winner Recce and the third dam of 1968 Travers Stakes winner Chompion, 1960 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap winner Dotted Swiss, and 1960 Clark Handicap winner Counterrate.
- Blondin (1923, by Broomstick) won the 1926 Empire City Derby and was second in that year's Preakness Stakes. He was not a success at stud, getting only four stakes winners from 115 named foals.
- Distraction (1925, by Chicle) won eight stakes races including the 1928 Wood Memorial Stakes. He sired only one stakes winner from 39 named foals.
- Hilee (1928, by Mad Hatter) produced 1938 Kentucky Oaks winner Flying Lee (by Pennant).
Connections
Balancoire II was bred by Clarence Mackay at his Haras du Fresnay and raced in his colors. After Mackay imported her to the United States in 1918, she passed to the ownership of Harry Payne Whitney, becoming a foundation mare for his stud.
Pedigree notes
Balancoire II is inbred 4x4 to 1863 St. Leger Stakes winner Lord Clifden, 5x5x5 to Lord Clifden's sire Newminster (himself a St. Leger winner and a two-time English/Irish champion sire), and 5x5 to 1852 English dual Classic winner and seven-time English/Irish champion sire Stockwell. She is a full sister to English stakes winners Night Raider II and Melody and American stakes winner Mediant. The last-named mare is the dam of Medora II (by Rabelais), dam of 1922 Travers Stakes winner Little Chief (by Wrack), 1924 Champagne Stakes winner Beatrice (by Jim Gaffney) and four other stakes winners. Balancoire II is also a half sister to Coeur a Coeur (by Teddy), second dam of two -time French champion and four-time French champion sire Djebel (by Tourbillon), two-time Prix d'Ispahan winner Hierocles (by Abjer), Prix de Saint-Firmin winner Djask (by Tourbillon), and multiple French stakes winner Phidias (by Tourbillon).
Balancoire II was produced from the Ayrshire mare Ballantrae, winner of the 1902 Cambridgeshire Stakes, one of England's most valuable and prestigious handicap races. Ballantrae, in turn, was produced from the Touchet mare Abeyance, a useful handicapper who was out of the Mornington mare Minnie Hauk.
Fun facts
- Balancoire means “swing” in French, and this meaning was preserved in the names of some of Balancoire II's daughters and descendants.
Last updated: September 1, 2024