Bessarabian (USA)
March 9, 1982 – c. 1993
Vice Regent (CAN) x Tete de Linotte (CAN), by Turn-to (IRE)
Family 5-g
March 9, 1982 – c. 1993
Vice Regent (CAN) x Tete de Linotte (CAN), by Turn-to (IRE)
Family 5-g
Bred in the United States from Canadian parentage, Bessarabian raced successfully in both countries but gained her greatest acclaim in Canada, where she was a champion at 4. Unfortunately, she did not enjoy a long broodmare career, producing only four foals, and she was unable to establish an enduring family.
Race record
37 starts, 18 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, US$1,032,640 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1984:
1985:
1986:
Honors
Sovereign Award, Canadian champion older female (1986)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1984, 3 pounds below champion filly Outstandingly.
Highweighted at 125 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1984, 3 pounds above the official divisional champion, Deceit Dancer.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1985, 6 pounds below co-highweights Mom's Command (the official divisional champion) and Lady's Secret.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies, 1 pound above the official divisional champion, La Lorgnette.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1986, 13 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Lady's Secret.
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older females, 11 pounds above second-rated Supernatural.
As an individual
A bay mare, Bessarabian won stakes every year on both turf and dirt and was also effective in the slop.
As a producer
Bessarabian produced four named foals; all four started and three were winners. Her best runner was the Alysheba gelding Dagda, winner of the 1996 Canadian Maturity. Bessarabian’s only daughter, the winning Alysheba filly Fors Fortuna, died without issue.
Connections
Foaled in Pennsylvania, Bessarabian was bred by Welcome Farm. A US$122,000 purchase from the 1984 Florida Breeders’ Sales Company’s Hialeah sale of 2-year-olds in training, she was owned by Thor Eaton's Eaton Hall Farm and was trained by Mike Doyle. She was regularly ridden by Gary Stahlbaum from age 2 through the first half of her 4-year-old season.
Pedigree notes
Bessarabian is inbred 4x3 to Windfields, 4x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco (an unbeaten champion on the race course), and 5x5x5 to Nearco’s sire Pharos, a champion sire in England and France. She is a full sister to My Dream Come True, dam of 2001 Canadian champion older male A Fleets Dancer (by Afleet) and second dam of Group 3 winner Market Rally. She is also a half sister to Pajonjan (by Strike Gold), dam of listed stakes winner Welbred Fred (by Brave Shot).
Bessarabian and her siblings are out of multiple stakes-placed Tete de Linotte, a full sister to Plumovent, dam of 1987 Derby Italiano (ITY-G1) winner Zaizoom (by Al Nasr) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Vent d’Ouest (by Cerf Volant). Tete de Linotte is also a half sister to 1968 Canadian champion 3-year-old male Rouletabille (by Nearctic) and to Pierluche (by Pierlou), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Kaigun.
Tete de Linotte, in turn, is out of Pink Nightie (by Windfields), a winning half sister to multiple stakes winner Rambling Wreck (by Chop Chop) and to Gallant Fashion (by Gallant Man), dam of stakes winner Gallant Best (by Best Turn) and second dam of Grade 2 winner The Silver Move. The next dam in Bessarabian’s tail-female lineage, stakes-placed Pink Sapphire (by 1943 Dwyer Stakes winner Vincentive x Lump Sugar, by Bull Lea), is a half sister to Restless Wind (by Windy City II), winner of the 1958 Arlington Futurity and Washington Park Futurity.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 28, 2022
Race record
37 starts, 18 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, US$1,032,640 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1984:
- Won Gardenia Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, The Meadowlands)
- Won Natalma Stakes (second division) (CAN-G3, 8FT, Woodbine)
- Won Ontario Debutante Stakes (CAN-L, 6FD, Fort Erie)
- Won Mazarine Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Nandi Stakes (CAN-R, 6FD, Woodbine)
1985:
- Won Princeton Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FT, Garden State)
- Won Selene Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Lady Angela Stakes (CAN-R, 7FD, Woodbine)
- Won Ontario Colleen Handicap (first division) (CAN-R, 8FT, Woodbine)
- Won Hibiscus Stakes (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Nassau Stakes (second division) (CAN, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
1986:
- Won Woodbine Budweiser Breeders' Cup Stakes (CAN-L, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Ontario Matron Stakes (CAN-R, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Seaway Stakes (CAN-L, 7FD, Woodbine)
- Won Canadian Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Tattling Handicap (CAN-L, 9.5FD, Greenwood)
- 2nd Shirley Jones Handicap (USA-L, 7FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Bal Harbour Stakes (USA, 8.5FT, Hialeah)
- 3rd Arlington Matron Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Victoriana Stakes (CAN-R, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Nassau Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
Honors
Sovereign Award, Canadian champion older female (1986)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1984, 3 pounds below champion filly Outstandingly.
Highweighted at 125 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1984, 3 pounds above the official divisional champion, Deceit Dancer.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1985, 6 pounds below co-highweights Mom's Command (the official divisional champion) and Lady's Secret.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies, 1 pound above the official divisional champion, La Lorgnette.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1986, 13 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Lady's Secret.
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for older females, 11 pounds above second-rated Supernatural.
As an individual
A bay mare, Bessarabian won stakes every year on both turf and dirt and was also effective in the slop.
As a producer
Bessarabian produced four named foals; all four started and three were winners. Her best runner was the Alysheba gelding Dagda, winner of the 1996 Canadian Maturity. Bessarabian’s only daughter, the winning Alysheba filly Fors Fortuna, died without issue.
Connections
Foaled in Pennsylvania, Bessarabian was bred by Welcome Farm. A US$122,000 purchase from the 1984 Florida Breeders’ Sales Company’s Hialeah sale of 2-year-olds in training, she was owned by Thor Eaton's Eaton Hall Farm and was trained by Mike Doyle. She was regularly ridden by Gary Stahlbaum from age 2 through the first half of her 4-year-old season.
Pedigree notes
Bessarabian is inbred 4x3 to Windfields, 4x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco (an unbeaten champion on the race course), and 5x5x5 to Nearco’s sire Pharos, a champion sire in England and France. She is a full sister to My Dream Come True, dam of 2001 Canadian champion older male A Fleets Dancer (by Afleet) and second dam of Group 3 winner Market Rally. She is also a half sister to Pajonjan (by Strike Gold), dam of listed stakes winner Welbred Fred (by Brave Shot).
Bessarabian and her siblings are out of multiple stakes-placed Tete de Linotte, a full sister to Plumovent, dam of 1987 Derby Italiano (ITY-G1) winner Zaizoom (by Al Nasr) and multiple juvenile stakes winner Vent d’Ouest (by Cerf Volant). Tete de Linotte is also a half sister to 1968 Canadian champion 3-year-old male Rouletabille (by Nearctic) and to Pierluche (by Pierlou), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Kaigun.
Tete de Linotte, in turn, is out of Pink Nightie (by Windfields), a winning half sister to multiple stakes winner Rambling Wreck (by Chop Chop) and to Gallant Fashion (by Gallant Man), dam of stakes winner Gallant Best (by Best Turn) and second dam of Grade 2 winner The Silver Move. The next dam in Bessarabian’s tail-female lineage, stakes-placed Pink Sapphire (by 1943 Dwyer Stakes winner Vincentive x Lump Sugar, by Bull Lea), is a half sister to Restless Wind (by Windy City II), winner of the 1958 Arlington Futurity and Washington Park Futurity.
Fun facts
- Bessarabia is a historical region of Eastern Europe, currently divided between Moldova and Ukraine. It is bounded by the Dneister River on the east and by the Prut River on the west.
- The favorite for the 1984 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1), Bessarabian was taken out of the race when Fran’s Valentine started a chain reaction on the first turn which knocked the Eaton Farm filly out of contention. Fran’s Valentine went on to finish first but was disqualified for interference.
- Bessarabian was the first Pennsylvania-bred to earn over US$1 million.
- In 1996, Woodbine renamed the Etobicoke Handicap in Bessarabian’s honor. The race is currently a Grade 2 event for fillies and mares aged 3 and up.
Last updated: December 28, 2022