Charming Alibi (USA)
March 7, 1963 – 1989
Honeys Alibi (USA) x Adorada II (ARG), by Hierocles (FR)
Family 13-c
March 7, 1963 – 1989
Honeys Alibi (USA) x Adorada II (ARG), by Hierocles (FR)
Family 13-c
Charming Alibi was tough, sound, and good enough to win several lesser stakes races in the Midwest, but she had a rather offbeat pedigree and nothing exceptional on her race record. She also spent the latter half of her broodmare career being put mostly to horses that were fine racers but turned out to be indifferent sires. Few would have expected Charming Alibi to become a mare of long-term international influence, but that is exactly what she became. Besides producing Dahlia, one of the all-time greats, she produced several daughters whose descendants have enjoyed success in France, the United States, and Eastern Europe.
Race record
71 starts, 16 wins, 8 seconds, 9 thirds, US$110,483
1967:
1968:
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1967, 16 pounds below champion Straight Deal.
Rated at 111 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1968, 17 pounds below highweighted Politely and 15 pounds below the official divisional champion, Gamely.
As an individual
A refined, feminine chestnut mare who may have been a little light of bone below the knee, Charming Alibi had well let down hocks, giving her excellent leverage behind. She was tough and sound enough to make 71 starts over four seasons of racing.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Charming Alibi produced 12 named foals, of which six started and three were winners. Her important foals were as follow:
Connections
Foaled in California, Charming Alibi was bred by Rancho Tecolote. She was owned by Holiday Stable and was trained by J. R. Smith. Following her racing career, she was purchased privately from C. F. Parker for US$80,000 by Nelson Bunker Hunt. At the 1988 Hunt dispersal (conducted through the Keeneland January mixed sale), she sold for US$17,000 and was exported to France, where she died in 1989.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1955 Chicagoan Stakes winner Honeys Alibi (by Alibhai out of the top race mare Honeymoon), Charming Alibi is inbred 5x5 to 1909 St. Leger Stakes winner and two-time English/Irish champion sire Bayardo. She is a half sister to stakes winner Tecolotito (by Khaled) and to Compton Lady (by King’s Abbey), dam of 1962 Honeymoon Stakes winner Refanute (by Bit of Ireland), second dam of 1971 Oak Leaf Stakes winner Sporting Lass, and third dam of Grade 3 winner High Pheasant. Charming Alibi is also a half sister to Adorable Shield (by Cover Up), dam of multiple juvenile stakes winner Windsor Belle (by Windsor Ruler).
Charming Alibi, in turn, is out of the Argentine import Adorada II (by two-time Prix d’Ispahan winner Hierocles), whose half sister Escorpina (by British Empire) is the second dam of 1985 Gran Premio Nacional (Uruguayan Derby, URU-G1) winner Snow Empire and the third dam of 1992 Uruguayan champion older female Miss Caribean. Another half sister to Adorada II, the Badruddin mare Blouzelinda, is the third dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Comical.
Adorada II’s dam Gilded Wave (by Gallant Fox) is a full sister to Wave Gal, dam of multiple stakes winner Better Wave (by Better Bet). She is also a half sister to Waves (by Sir Gallahad III), dam of stakes winner Anecdote (by Head Play), and to Ripples (by Sir Gallahad III), second dam of 1954 Gulfstream Park Handicap winner Wise Margin. Gilded Wave and her sisters are out of Ondulation (by Sweeper II), a French-bred daughter of the great foundation mare Frizette.
Fun facts
Last updated: January 22, 2022
Race record
71 starts, 16 wins, 8 seconds, 9 thirds, US$110,483
1967:
- Won Lottie Wolf Memorial Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Hazel Park)
- Won Milette Handicap (USA, 9FD, Detroit)
- Won Old Hat Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Detroit)
- 2nd Pan Zareta Stakes (USA, 6FD, Fair Grounds)
- 2nd Rose Leaves Handicap (USA, 8F+70y, Detroit)
1968:
- Won Dominion Day Stakes (USA, 8FD, Hazel Park)
- 3rd Lottie Wolf Memorial Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Hazel Park)
- 3rd Milette Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hazel Park)
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1967, 16 pounds below champion Straight Deal.
Rated at 111 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1968, 17 pounds below highweighted Politely and 15 pounds below the official divisional champion, Gamely.
As an individual
A refined, feminine chestnut mare who may have been a little light of bone below the knee, Charming Alibi had well let down hocks, giving her excellent leverage behind. She was tough and sound enough to make 71 starts over four seasons of racing.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Charming Alibi produced 12 named foals, of which six started and three were winners. Her important foals were as follow:
- Dahlia (1970, by Vaguely Noble) was the English Horse of the Year in 1973 and 1974, the English and Irish champion 3-year-old filly of 1973, the English champion older female of 1974 and 1975, and the American champion turf horse of 1974. She is the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Dahar (by Lyphard), multiple Grade 1 winner Rivlia (by Riverman), 1990 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Delegant (by Grey Dawn II), 1994 Flower Bowl Handicap (USA-G1) winner Dahlia’s Dreamer (by Theatrical), 1991 Grand Prix d’Evry (FR-G2) winner Wajd (by Northern Dancer), and 1993 Jersey Derby (USA-G2) winner Llandaff (by Lyphard). She is the second dam of 1998 Pertemps St. Leger Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Nedawi, Grade 2 winner Capital Plan, and Group 3 winners Wall Street and Fitful Skies. Dahlia is also the third dam of 2010 Ascot Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Rite of Passage, multiple Brazilian Group 2 winner Perfectly Associat, and French Group 2 winner Nocturnal Fox.
- Wedding (1973, by Noholme II) never raced but is the second dam of 1996 Hungarian champion handicap mare and champion imported handicap mare Widowski, French Group 2 winner Diamond White, and Grade 3 winner Blending Element. She is also the third dam of 2013 Hungarian Horse of the Year Seperate Opinion, Grade 2 winner Texas Ryano, and Grade 3 winner Tiz Elemental.
- Very Charming (1974, by Vaguely Noble) never raced but is the dam of listed stakes winners Theatrical Charmer and Mohaajir (both by Sadler’s Wells). She is also the third dam of French Group 2 winner Dananeyev and French Group 3 winner Charming Groom.
- Captain General (1977, by Vaguely Noble) won the 1981 San Marino Handicap and was Grade 3-placed. He was sent to Mexico in 1984 for stallion duty.
- Golden Alibi (1978, by Empery) never raced but is the dam of French listed stakes winner Dockage (by Riverman) and the second dam of English Group 3 winner Wharf. She is also the third dam of multiple French Group 1 winner Rail Link, 2005 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (FR-G1) winner Linda's Lad, French Group 2 winner Crossharbour, and French Group 3 winners Chelsea Manor, Mainsail, and Vizir Bere.
- Excellent Alibi (1981, by Exceller) won three of her nine starts. The dam of 1994 Anheuser Busch Curragh Cup (IRE-G3) winner Witness Box (by Lyphard), she is also the third dam of 2018 Scandinavian Horse of the Year Our Last Summer, 2012 Czech champion 3-year-old male Kadyny, and Irish Group 3 winner Peace Envoy.
Connections
Foaled in California, Charming Alibi was bred by Rancho Tecolote. She was owned by Holiday Stable and was trained by J. R. Smith. Following her racing career, she was purchased privately from C. F. Parker for US$80,000 by Nelson Bunker Hunt. At the 1988 Hunt dispersal (conducted through the Keeneland January mixed sale), she sold for US$17,000 and was exported to France, where she died in 1989.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1955 Chicagoan Stakes winner Honeys Alibi (by Alibhai out of the top race mare Honeymoon), Charming Alibi is inbred 5x5 to 1909 St. Leger Stakes winner and two-time English/Irish champion sire Bayardo. She is a half sister to stakes winner Tecolotito (by Khaled) and to Compton Lady (by King’s Abbey), dam of 1962 Honeymoon Stakes winner Refanute (by Bit of Ireland), second dam of 1971 Oak Leaf Stakes winner Sporting Lass, and third dam of Grade 3 winner High Pheasant. Charming Alibi is also a half sister to Adorable Shield (by Cover Up), dam of multiple juvenile stakes winner Windsor Belle (by Windsor Ruler).
Charming Alibi, in turn, is out of the Argentine import Adorada II (by two-time Prix d’Ispahan winner Hierocles), whose half sister Escorpina (by British Empire) is the second dam of 1985 Gran Premio Nacional (Uruguayan Derby, URU-G1) winner Snow Empire and the third dam of 1992 Uruguayan champion older female Miss Caribean. Another half sister to Adorada II, the Badruddin mare Blouzelinda, is the third dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Comical.
Adorada II’s dam Gilded Wave (by Gallant Fox) is a full sister to Wave Gal, dam of multiple stakes winner Better Wave (by Better Bet). She is also a half sister to Waves (by Sir Gallahad III), dam of stakes winner Anecdote (by Head Play), and to Ripples (by Sir Gallahad III), second dam of 1954 Gulfstream Park Handicap winner Wise Margin. Gilded Wave and her sisters are out of Ondulation (by Sweeper II), a French-bred daughter of the great foundation mare Frizette.
Fun facts
- Canadian Bound, Charming Alibi’s 1975 colt by Secretariat, sold for US$1.5 million at the 1976 Keeneland July sale, making him the first Thoroughbred yearling sold for seven figures. He never won and was a failure at stud.
Last updated: January 22, 2022