Versatile, durable, speedy and honest, Better Self had one major problem: he was foaled in the same crop that included Citation and Coaltown. He was no match for either of the Calumet comets, but he nonetheless compiled an honorable race record. At stud, he made significant contributions to the breed through his daughters.
Race record
50 starts, 16 wins, 7 seconds, 6 thirds, US$383,925
1947:
1948:
1949:
1950:
Assessments
Ranked third among American juvenile males of 1947 by The Blood-Horse.
Assigned 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1947, 3 pounds below champion Citation but tied with Hopeful Stakes winner Relic for second place.
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1948 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay horse, Better Self was an honest competitor and a good mover. Rather gangly as a colt, he filled out into an attractive stallion, perhaps a little short in the hip but with a good shoulder and solid coupling.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Better Self sired 143 winners (82.2%) and 14 stakes winners (8.0%) from 174 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Aspidistra (USA), Lady Be Good (USA), Prayer Bell (USA). Tamarona (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Bonnie and Gay (USA), Dr. Fager (USA), Ground Control (USA), Impish (USA), Silent Screen (USA), Ta Wee (USA), The Pruner (USA)
Connections
Better Self was bred by Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. He was owned by the King Ranch. He was trained by Max Hirsch.
Pedigree notes
Better Self is inbred 2x4 to Black Toney and 4x5 to Ben Brush. A full brother to stakes winner Mac Bea (dam of 1959 San Gabriel Handicap winner Macbern, by Bernborough, and second dam of 1973 Oak Tree Invitational, USA-G1, winner Portentous), he is a half brother to 1954 Acorn Stakes winner Riverina (by Princequillo), 1949 Discovery Handicap winner Prophet's Thumb (by Bull Lea), and minor stakes winner Boyar (by Princequillo). Riverina produced 1965 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap winner Moss Vale (by Gallant Man) and 1971 New Orleans Handicap winner Rio Bravo (by Saidam), and Better Self is also a half brother to Bemuse (by Princequillo), dam of stakes winner Never Confuse (by Never Bend) and third dam of German Group 2 winner Malmsley and Grade 3 winners Pima and Pantufla.
Better Self is out of Bee Mac, one of the best juvenile fillies of her year as she won the 1943 Hopeful Stakes from colts and the Spinaway Stakes from her own sex. She is a full sister to Bird of War, dam of stakes winner T. Bird (by Fair Truckle) and second dam of stakes winners Act and Prince Guerrero. Bee Mac is also a half sister to Band O' Green (by Whichone), second dam of the useful handicapper Stratmat, and to Blinking Owl (by Pharamond II), third dam of 1988 American Horse of the Year Alysheba and the good miler and sire Lear Fan. The dam of Bee Mac, Baba Kenny (by Black Servant), is generally considered the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1930 and is a half sister to the good juvenile filly Beanie M. (by Black Servant's sire Black Toney), dam of 1947 Hibiscus Stakes winner Michael B. (by Challenger II) and second dam of the good Canadian stakes winner Royal Spirit and 1967 Jerome Handicap winner High Tribute.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: May 27, 2024
Race record
50 starts, 16 wins, 7 seconds, 6 thirds, US$383,925
1947:
- Won East View Stakes (USA, 6FD, Empire City)
- Won Saratoga Special (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Pimlico Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
1948:
- Won Westchester Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Empire City)
- Won Yankee Handicap (USA, 10FD, Suffolk)
- Won Paumonok Handicap (USA, 6FD, Jamaica)
- Won Discovery Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Dwyer Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Travers Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Saranac Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Butler Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Wood Memorial Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Withers Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
1949:
- Won Carter Handicap (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- Won All American Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Atlantic City)
- 2nd New Rochelle Handicap (USA, 6FD, Empire City)
1950:
- Won Gallant Fox Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
- Won Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Gold Cup (USA, 13FD, Empire City)
Assessments
Ranked third among American juvenile males of 1947 by The Blood-Horse.
Assigned 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1947, 3 pounds below champion Citation but tied with Hopeful Stakes winner Relic for second place.
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old males of 1948 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay horse, Better Self was an honest competitor and a good mover. Rather gangly as a colt, he filled out into an attractive stallion, perhaps a little short in the hip but with a good shoulder and solid coupling.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Better Self sired 143 winners (82.2%) and 14 stakes winners (8.0%) from 174 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 8th on the American broodmare sire list in 1967.
Notable progeny
Aspidistra (USA), Lady Be Good (USA), Prayer Bell (USA). Tamarona (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Bonnie and Gay (USA), Dr. Fager (USA), Ground Control (USA), Impish (USA), Silent Screen (USA), Ta Wee (USA), The Pruner (USA)
Connections
Better Self was bred by Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. He was owned by the King Ranch. He was trained by Max Hirsch.
Pedigree notes
Better Self is inbred 2x4 to Black Toney and 4x5 to Ben Brush. A full brother to stakes winner Mac Bea (dam of 1959 San Gabriel Handicap winner Macbern, by Bernborough, and second dam of 1973 Oak Tree Invitational, USA-G1, winner Portentous), he is a half brother to 1954 Acorn Stakes winner Riverina (by Princequillo), 1949 Discovery Handicap winner Prophet's Thumb (by Bull Lea), and minor stakes winner Boyar (by Princequillo). Riverina produced 1965 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap winner Moss Vale (by Gallant Man) and 1971 New Orleans Handicap winner Rio Bravo (by Saidam), and Better Self is also a half brother to Bemuse (by Princequillo), dam of stakes winner Never Confuse (by Never Bend) and third dam of German Group 2 winner Malmsley and Grade 3 winners Pima and Pantufla.
Better Self is out of Bee Mac, one of the best juvenile fillies of her year as she won the 1943 Hopeful Stakes from colts and the Spinaway Stakes from her own sex. She is a full sister to Bird of War, dam of stakes winner T. Bird (by Fair Truckle) and second dam of stakes winners Act and Prince Guerrero. Bee Mac is also a half sister to Band O' Green (by Whichone), second dam of the useful handicapper Stratmat, and to Blinking Owl (by Pharamond II), third dam of 1988 American Horse of the Year Alysheba and the good miler and sire Lear Fan. The dam of Bee Mac, Baba Kenny (by Black Servant), is generally considered the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1930 and is a half sister to the good juvenile filly Beanie M. (by Black Servant's sire Black Toney), dam of 1947 Hibiscus Stakes winner Michael B. (by Challenger II) and second dam of the good Canadian stakes winner Royal Spirit and 1967 Jerome Handicap winner High Tribute.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: May 27, 2024