While Courtesy placed in three stakes races at ages 2 and 3, her true ability is a matter for conjecture as she could not be relied on to give her best. Fortunately, she passed on the best of her genetic heritage rather than her personality. Her family became a mainstay of Claiborne Farm's breeding program and has continued primarily through her best producing daughter, Continue.
Race record
22 starts, 3 wins, 7 seconds, 0 thirds, US$21,505
1954:
1955:
Assessments
Rated at 106 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American 2-year-olds of 1954, 11 pounds below champion filly High Voltage.
As an individual
A bay mare, Courtesy had some ability but was ungenuine in temperament.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Courtesy produced 12 foals, of which 11 were starters and eight were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Courtesy was bred and owned by Claiborne Farm.
Pedigree notes
Courtesy is inbred 5x4 to two-time English champion broodmare sire Chaucer and 5x5 to 1911 English champion sire Sundridge. She is a half sister Signal Hill (by Hill Prince), second dam of Italian Group 3 winner Bel Signore.
Courtesy and Signal Hill are out of the winning Hyperion mare Highway Code, is a half sister to 1936 Eclipse Stakes winner Rhodes Scholar (by Pharos) and to Light Sentence (by Pharos), dam of stakes winner Aldis Lamp (by Hyperion) and second dam of 1969 Grand Prix de Paris winner Chaparral. Highway Code, in turn, was produced from 1927 English champion 3-year-old filly Book Law (by Buchan), a winner of the classic St. Leger Stakes against colts.
Produced from the Dark Ronald mare Popingaol, Book Law is a full sister to Book Debt, dam of 1936 Two Thousand Guineas winner Pay Up (by Fairway) and second dam of 1946 Jockey Club Stakes winner Rising Light, and to Tolbooth, dam of multiple Italian stakes winner Torero (by El Greco) and second dam of Traghetto, who was much the best Italian racehorse of his crop. Book Law is also a half sister to 1922 Oaks Stakes winner Pogrom (by Lemberg) and to 1924 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Miss Gadabout (by Cylgad). In addition, Book Law is a half sister to Oubliette (by Valens), dam of stakes winner Hope to Do (by Black Toney), and to Fair Cop (by Fairway), second dam of 1958 Champagne Stakes (in England) winner Sutton Harbour.
Last updated: June 16, 2020
Race record
22 starts, 3 wins, 7 seconds, 0 thirds, US$21,505
1954:
- 2nd Rancocas Stakes (USA, 5FD, Garden State)
- 2nd Polly Drummond Stakes (USA, 5FD, Delaware Park)
1955:
- 2nd Ashland Stakes (USA, 6FD, Keeneland)
Assessments
Rated at 106 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American 2-year-olds of 1954, 11 pounds below champion filly High Voltage.
As an individual
A bay mare, Courtesy had some ability but was ungenuine in temperament.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Courtesy produced 12 foals, of which 11 were starters and eight were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- Duplex (1957, by Double Jay) won four of her 11 starts. She is the dam of 1974 Frizette Stakes (USA-G1) winner Molly Ballantine (by Pretense) and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Baldomero.
- Continue (1958, by Double Jay) produced 1977 Widener Handicap (USA-G1) winner Yamanin (by Herbager), 1972 Governor's Cup Handicap winner List (by Herbager), multiple Grade 3 winner Tuerta (by Forli), and stakes winners Perpetual (by Herbager) and File (by Tom Rolfe). She is the second dam of 1984 American champion 3-year-old male Swale, 1987 American champion 2-year-old male and successful sire Forty Niner, and 1981 Top Flight Handicap (USA-G1) winner Chain Bracelet. In addition, she is the third dam of 1985 General Accident Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) winner Shadeed, 1993 Whitney Handicap (USA-G1) winner Brunswick, 2009 Prix de la Foret (FR-G1) winner Varenar, French Group 2 winner Visindar and French Group 3 winner Visorama.
- Knightly Manner (1961, by Round Table) won nine stakes races including the 1964 Choice Handicap and the 1966 Dixie Handicap. He was exported to England following the 1973 breeding season and from there was sent on to Australia in 1975. Records kept by The Jockey Club credit him with 14 stakes winners from 349 named foals, headed by 1978 Italian champion 3-year-old filly Azzurina.
- Respected (1962, by Round Table) won the 1965 Sana Ynez Stakes. She is the dam of 1974 William Du Pont Jr. Handicap (USA-G2) winner Forage (by Herbager), 1977 Volante Handicap (USA-G3) winner Kulak (by Herbager), and 1981 Carolina Cup Steeplechase Handicap winner Romeo Lima (by Buckpasser). She is also the second dam of Grade 3 winner Infamous Deed and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Highest Glory.
- Dignitas (1965, by Round Table) won the 1969 Charles H. Strub Stakes and was exported to Australia the following year. Records kept by The Jockey Club credit him with 11 stakes winners from 213 named foals, headed by VATC One Thousand Guineas (AUS-G1) winner Princess Talaria.
- Makeyourmanners (1966, by Herbager) never raced. She is the second dam of Brazilian Group 2 winner Ornisham and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Stately Wager.
- Makeacurtsey (1967, by Herbager) placed in three of her 15 starts. She is the dam of 1976 National Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Piney Ridge (by Native Prince) and the third dam of English Group 2 winner Flashy Wings.
- Overton (1968, by Bagdad) placed in six of her eight starts but did not win. She is the dam of multiple juvenile stakes winner Truely Molly (by Jungle Blade).
- Respectful (1970, by Dr. Fager) won one of her six starts. She is the dam of 1981 San Bernardino Handicap (USA-G2) winner Borzoi (by Round Table).
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Courtesy was bred and owned by Claiborne Farm.
Pedigree notes
Courtesy is inbred 5x4 to two-time English champion broodmare sire Chaucer and 5x5 to 1911 English champion sire Sundridge. She is a half sister Signal Hill (by Hill Prince), second dam of Italian Group 3 winner Bel Signore.
Courtesy and Signal Hill are out of the winning Hyperion mare Highway Code, is a half sister to 1936 Eclipse Stakes winner Rhodes Scholar (by Pharos) and to Light Sentence (by Pharos), dam of stakes winner Aldis Lamp (by Hyperion) and second dam of 1969 Grand Prix de Paris winner Chaparral. Highway Code, in turn, was produced from 1927 English champion 3-year-old filly Book Law (by Buchan), a winner of the classic St. Leger Stakes against colts.
Produced from the Dark Ronald mare Popingaol, Book Law is a full sister to Book Debt, dam of 1936 Two Thousand Guineas winner Pay Up (by Fairway) and second dam of 1946 Jockey Club Stakes winner Rising Light, and to Tolbooth, dam of multiple Italian stakes winner Torero (by El Greco) and second dam of Traghetto, who was much the best Italian racehorse of his crop. Book Law is also a half sister to 1922 Oaks Stakes winner Pogrom (by Lemberg) and to 1924 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Miss Gadabout (by Cylgad). In addition, Book Law is a half sister to Oubliette (by Valens), dam of stakes winner Hope to Do (by Black Toney), and to Fair Cop (by Fairway), second dam of 1958 Champagne Stakes (in England) winner Sutton Harbour.
Last updated: June 16, 2020