Conquistador Cielo (USA)
March 20, 1979 – December 17, 2002
Mr. Prospector (USA) x K D Princess (USA), by Bold Commander (USA)
Family 8-h
March 20, 1979 – December 17, 2002
Mr. Prospector (USA) x K D Princess (USA), by Bold Commander (USA)
Family 8-h
After showing promise at 2, Conquistador Cielo had to miss the Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) due to the time he lost recovering from the injury that ended his juvenile season. He came back into the public eye in spectacular fashion by winning the 1982 Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1) and Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) within a six-day span, soundly defeating both Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Gato del Sol and Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Aloma's Ruler in the latter race as he galloped in by 14 lengths. After adding an easy score in the Dwyer Stakes (USA-G2) to his tally, he was hailed as a superhorse, but a rather lackluster win in the Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2) followed by a shocking upset in the Travers Stakes (USA-G1) brought him back to the ranks of the merely mortal. He came out of the Travers with a career-ending injury and went to stud at Claiborne Farm, where he compiled a good but not stellar record.
Race record
13 starts, 9 wins, 0 seconds, 2 thirds, US$474,328
1981:
1982:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1981, 12 pounds below co-highweights Deputy Minister (the official divisional champion) and Timely Writer.
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1982, 3 pounds above second-place Aloma's Ruler.
As an individual
A handsome bay horse with short coupling and an excellent shoulder, Conquistador Cielo stood 16.1 hands. He was not quite as strong in the hindquarters as his sire Mr. Prospector but had marked natural speed nonetheless. He handled fast and sloppy surfaces well. He set or prompted the pace in his major wins.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Conquistador Cielo sired 597 winners (64.5%) and 65 stakes winners (7.0%) from 926 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Conquistarose (USA), Marquetry (USA), Norquestor (USA), Wagon Limit (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Abraham Clasic (USA), Agincourt (USA), Apelia (CAN), Blue Sea (CHI), Regal Rose (GB), Sky Conqueror (CAN), Strategic Maneuver (USA), Thornfield (CAN)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Conquistador Cielo was bred by Lewis E. Iandoli. He was owned by Henryk de Kwiatkowski, who paid US$150,000 for him as a yearling at the 1980 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. He was trained by Woody Stephens and ridden to all his stakes victories by Eddie Maple (excepting the Belmont, in which Laffit Pincay Jr. subbed for an injured Maple). Prior to the Travers Stakes, he was syndicated for a then-record valuation of US$36.4 million. He entered stud in 1983 in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm and remained there until his death in December 2002; when he was euthanized due to complications of laminitis. He was buried at Claiborne's Marchmont division next to the grave of Unbridled.
Pedigree notes
Conquistador Cielo is inbred 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah (also a champion sire in England), 5x5x5 to Nasrullah's sire Nearco (an undefeated champion while racing and a two-time champion sire in England) and 5x5 to the great handcapper Discovery, American Horse of the Year in 1935. He is a full brother to Sol de Terre, dam of 2001 San Simeon Handicap (USA-G3) winner Lake William (by Salt Lake).
K D Princess, who produced Conquistador Cielo as her first foal, was a tough, durable mare who was Grade 3-placed on the track. She was the best runner produced from the Turn-to mare Tammy's Turn, also the dam of Miss Fullhouse (by Poker), who was the dam of stakes winner Full Tigress (by El Tigre Grande), the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Over All and Grade 3 winner Repletion, and the third dam of Grade 2 winner For All We Know. Another half sister to K D Princess, Dyna Birdy (by Northern Taste), is the third dam of multiple Japanese Group 2 winner Hit the Target.
A winner on the track, Tammy's Turn is a half sister to restricted stakes winner Silver Creeker (by Brent's Prince) and is out of the unraced Tim Tam mare Tammy Twist. Produced from Whirl Right (a full sister to two-time American Horse of the Year Whirlaway) and a half sister to stakes winner Right Bright (by Sun Again), Tammy Twist is also a half sister to Right About (by Citation), dam of 1977 Florida Derby (USA-G1) winner Ruthie's Native (by Native Royalty), multiple stakes winner Supporting Cast (by Sauce Boat) and stakes winner Grand Creation (by Sauce Boat), and to Breeze-a-Lea (by Bull Lea), dam of multiple stakes winner Prevailing (by Never Bend).
Books and media
Conquistador Cielo is profiled in Chapter 11 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: February 17, 2024
Race record
13 starts, 9 wins, 0 seconds, 2 thirds, US$474,328
1981:
- Won Saratoga Special (USA-G2, 6FD, Saratoga)
1982:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont; new track record 1:33)
- Won Dwyer Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
Honors
- Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame (1983)
- Eclipse Award, American Horse of the Year (1982)
- Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1982)
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1981, 12 pounds below co-highweights Deputy Minister (the official divisional champion) and Timely Writer.
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1982, 3 pounds above second-place Aloma's Ruler.
As an individual
A handsome bay horse with short coupling and an excellent shoulder, Conquistador Cielo stood 16.1 hands. He was not quite as strong in the hindquarters as his sire Mr. Prospector but had marked natural speed nonetheless. He handled fast and sloppy surfaces well. He set or prompted the pace in his major wins.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Conquistador Cielo sired 597 winners (64.5%) and 65 stakes winners (7.0%) from 926 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 10th on the American broodmare sire list in 1999.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1993.
Notable progeny
Conquistarose (USA), Marquetry (USA), Norquestor (USA), Wagon Limit (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Abraham Clasic (USA), Agincourt (USA), Apelia (CAN), Blue Sea (CHI), Regal Rose (GB), Sky Conqueror (CAN), Strategic Maneuver (USA), Thornfield (CAN)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Conquistador Cielo was bred by Lewis E. Iandoli. He was owned by Henryk de Kwiatkowski, who paid US$150,000 for him as a yearling at the 1980 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. He was trained by Woody Stephens and ridden to all his stakes victories by Eddie Maple (excepting the Belmont, in which Laffit Pincay Jr. subbed for an injured Maple). Prior to the Travers Stakes, he was syndicated for a then-record valuation of US$36.4 million. He entered stud in 1983 in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm and remained there until his death in December 2002; when he was euthanized due to complications of laminitis. He was buried at Claiborne's Marchmont division next to the grave of Unbridled.
Pedigree notes
Conquistador Cielo is inbred 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah (also a champion sire in England), 5x5x5 to Nasrullah's sire Nearco (an undefeated champion while racing and a two-time champion sire in England) and 5x5 to the great handcapper Discovery, American Horse of the Year in 1935. He is a full brother to Sol de Terre, dam of 2001 San Simeon Handicap (USA-G3) winner Lake William (by Salt Lake).
K D Princess, who produced Conquistador Cielo as her first foal, was a tough, durable mare who was Grade 3-placed on the track. She was the best runner produced from the Turn-to mare Tammy's Turn, also the dam of Miss Fullhouse (by Poker), who was the dam of stakes winner Full Tigress (by El Tigre Grande), the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Over All and Grade 3 winner Repletion, and the third dam of Grade 2 winner For All We Know. Another half sister to K D Princess, Dyna Birdy (by Northern Taste), is the third dam of multiple Japanese Group 2 winner Hit the Target.
A winner on the track, Tammy's Turn is a half sister to restricted stakes winner Silver Creeker (by Brent's Prince) and is out of the unraced Tim Tam mare Tammy Twist. Produced from Whirl Right (a full sister to two-time American Horse of the Year Whirlaway) and a half sister to stakes winner Right Bright (by Sun Again), Tammy Twist is also a half sister to Right About (by Citation), dam of 1977 Florida Derby (USA-G1) winner Ruthie's Native (by Native Royalty), multiple stakes winner Supporting Cast (by Sauce Boat) and stakes winner Grand Creation (by Sauce Boat), and to Breeze-a-Lea (by Bull Lea), dam of multiple stakes winner Prevailing (by Never Bend).
Books and media
Conquistador Cielo is profiled in Chapter 11 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- “Conquistador cielo” means “conqueror of the sky” in Spanish. The name is drawn from Henryk de Kwiatkowski's interest in aviation and was given in honor of a flying club to which Kwiatkowski belonged.
- Conquistador Cielo was the first 3-year-old to win the Metropolitan Handicap since Arts and Letters won the 1969 edition. Of the 16 3-year-olds to win the “Met Mile” during its history (as of 2023), five were accounted the American Horse of the Year at the end of their 3-year-old seasons.
- Conquistador Cielo's time of 1:33 for the Metropolitan Handicap was not only a Belmont track record but was the fastest mile ever run on a New York track up to that time.
- Conquistador Cielo was the first of five consecutive Belmont Stakes winners for trainer Woody Stephens, an incredible record that may never be duplicated. The streak continued with Caveat (1983), Swale (1984), and Creme Fraiche (1985), ending with Danzig Connection in 1986.
- Conquistador Cielo's juvenile season was cut short due to a saucer fracture of the shin. After slow healing of the injury threatened to abort the colt's 3-year-old season, Woody Stephens decided to try an experimental treatment using electrical currents to stimulate bone growth. Apparently it worked, though too late to prepare the colt for either of the first two Triple Crown races.
- The Eclipse Award voting that made Conquistador Cielo the 1982 American Horse of the Year was the closest ever up to that point, with a tie-breaking system having to be brought into play to separate the 3-year-old from champion older male Lemhi Gold.
- Conquistador Cielo's death was due to an unfortunate chain of events which began with a colic attack late in 2002. The 23-year-old stallion required surgery, which he tolerated well, but injured his right knee during his recuperation. He then developed laminitis in the left foreleg and this, coupled with pre-existing arthritis in one hip, led to the decision to put him down.
Last updated: February 17, 2024