Dearly Precious inherited much of the speed of her sire Dr. Fager, but unlike him did not carry her speed further than a mile. Within her limits, however, she was as consistent a filly as one could ask. She was a moderately successful broodmare.
Race record
16 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$370,465
1975:
1976:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1975)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1975, making her the co-highweight with Optimistic Gal among juvenile fillies.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1976, 7 pounds below champion Revidere.
As an individual
A elegant, racy-looking bay mare with excellent action, Dearly Precious was on the small side (she measured 15.1 hands at the end of her juvenile season) but had great leverage from hip to hock. She did her best racing on or near the lead but could come from off the pace if her jockey so desired. She was retired from racing after suffering a bowed tendon while winning the 1976 Dark Mirage Stakes.
As a producer
Dearly Precious produced 10 named foals, of which seven started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Dearly Precious was bred by Jean R. Pancoast. She was owned by Richard Bailey, who purchased the filly for US$22,000 from the 1974 Saratoga yearling sale. She was trained by Stephen DiMauro.
Pedigree notes
Dearly Precious is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1982 Little Silver Handicap (USA-G3) winner Immense (by Roberto), dam of French Group 2 winner Panoramic (by Rainbow Quest), Japanese stakes winner Air Zion (by Groom Dancer), and multiple Grade 2 winner Mariah's Storm (by Rahy). Mariah's Storm, in turn, is the dam of 2000 European Horse of the Year and three-time American champion sire Giant's Causeway, three-time Chilean champion sire Tumblebrutus, the good New York regional sire Freud and English Group 2 winner You'resothrilling (all by Storm Cat) and is the second dam of 2014 Irish One Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Marvellous, 2015 Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Gleneagles, 2021 Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner Joan of Arc, multiple Group 1 winner Decorated Knight, 2017 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Happily, Group 2 winner Storm the Stars, and Group 3 winner Coolmore. In addition, Immense is also the dam of Tinaca (by Manila), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Quest Star (by Broad Brush).
Dearly Precious is out of multiple stakes winner Imsodear, a half sister to Isatopper (by Rasper II), dam of Grade 3 winner I'm on Top (by Imasmartee) and second dam of 1982 Oaks d'Italia (ITY-G1) winner Ilenia. Imsodear, in turn, is out of Ironically, a winning daughter of Intent.
Produced from the Heliopolis mare Itsabet, Ironically is a full sister to Iaway, dam of stakes winner Cracker Bon Bon (by Kirrary) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Peanut Butter Onit. Ironically is also a half sister to 1959 Paumonok Handicap winner Isendu (by Inyureye), to multiple stakes winner Ifabody (by Brookfield), and to Iaround (by Round Table), dam of stakes winner I'll Be Around (by Isgala) and second dam of seven black-type stakes winners including 1977 Irish champion 2-year-old filly Sookera, 1984 Jerome Handicap (USA-G1) winner Is Your Pleasure, 1984 Wood Memorial Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Leroy S., and Grade 3 winner I Enclose. In addition, Ironically is a half sister to Is Certain (by No Robbery), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Royal (by Young Emperor) and Grade 2-placed stakes winner In True Form (by Imasmartee). The female family was developed by Harry Isaacs and traces back to Emilia, whose son Australian (imported with her as a suckling) was an important 19th-century stallion in the United States and established a male line still extant today through the descendants of In Reality.
Fun facts
Last updated: July 5, 2023
Race record
16 starts, 12 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$370,465
1975:
- Won Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Sorority Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Astoria Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Colleen Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Monmouth)
- Won Fashion Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Polly Drummond Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Delaware Park)
1976:
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Prioress Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Flirtation Stakes (USA, 6FD, Pimlico)
- Won Dark Mirage Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (USA-G2, Pimlico)
- 2nd Comely Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Belmont)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1975)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1975, making her the co-highweight with Optimistic Gal among juvenile fillies.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1976, 7 pounds below champion Revidere.
As an individual
A elegant, racy-looking bay mare with excellent action, Dearly Precious was on the small side (she measured 15.1 hands at the end of her juvenile season) but had great leverage from hip to hock. She did her best racing on or near the lead but could come from off the pace if her jockey so desired. She was retired from racing after suffering a bowed tendon while winning the 1976 Dark Mirage Stakes.
As a producer
Dearly Precious produced 10 named foals, of which seven started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Dearly Too (1979, by Nijinsky II) won two minor stakes as a 3-year-old. She was of no significance as a broodmare.
- Preciously Dear (1981, by Nijinsky II) won one of her five starts. She is the third dam of multiple Brazilian Group 2 winner Private Party.
- Mister Modesty (1985, by Nijinsky II) won the 1989 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Stakes (USA-G3). He was exported to Venezuela after one season in the United States and is known to have sired at least five stakes winners there.
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Dearly Precious was bred by Jean R. Pancoast. She was owned by Richard Bailey, who purchased the filly for US$22,000 from the 1974 Saratoga yearling sale. She was trained by Stephen DiMauro.
Pedigree notes
Dearly Precious is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1982 Little Silver Handicap (USA-G3) winner Immense (by Roberto), dam of French Group 2 winner Panoramic (by Rainbow Quest), Japanese stakes winner Air Zion (by Groom Dancer), and multiple Grade 2 winner Mariah's Storm (by Rahy). Mariah's Storm, in turn, is the dam of 2000 European Horse of the Year and three-time American champion sire Giant's Causeway, three-time Chilean champion sire Tumblebrutus, the good New York regional sire Freud and English Group 2 winner You'resothrilling (all by Storm Cat) and is the second dam of 2014 Irish One Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Marvellous, 2015 Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Gleneagles, 2021 Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner Joan of Arc, multiple Group 1 winner Decorated Knight, 2017 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Happily, Group 2 winner Storm the Stars, and Group 3 winner Coolmore. In addition, Immense is also the dam of Tinaca (by Manila), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Quest Star (by Broad Brush).
Dearly Precious is out of multiple stakes winner Imsodear, a half sister to Isatopper (by Rasper II), dam of Grade 3 winner I'm on Top (by Imasmartee) and second dam of 1982 Oaks d'Italia (ITY-G1) winner Ilenia. Imsodear, in turn, is out of Ironically, a winning daughter of Intent.
Produced from the Heliopolis mare Itsabet, Ironically is a full sister to Iaway, dam of stakes winner Cracker Bon Bon (by Kirrary) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Peanut Butter Onit. Ironically is also a half sister to 1959 Paumonok Handicap winner Isendu (by Inyureye), to multiple stakes winner Ifabody (by Brookfield), and to Iaround (by Round Table), dam of stakes winner I'll Be Around (by Isgala) and second dam of seven black-type stakes winners including 1977 Irish champion 2-year-old filly Sookera, 1984 Jerome Handicap (USA-G1) winner Is Your Pleasure, 1984 Wood Memorial Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Leroy S., and Grade 3 winner I Enclose. In addition, Ironically is a half sister to Is Certain (by No Robbery), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Royal (by Young Emperor) and Grade 2-placed stakes winner In True Form (by Imasmartee). The female family was developed by Harry Isaacs and traces back to Emilia, whose son Australian (imported with her as a suckling) was an important 19th-century stallion in the United States and established a male line still extant today through the descendants of In Reality.
Fun facts
- Dearly Precious has been honored by having sprint stakes named for her at Aqueduct and Monmouth. The Aqueduct race was last run in 2014 as a 6-furlong race on dirt for 3-year-old fillies, while the Monmouth race, contested under similar conditions, was last run in 2010.
- Dearly Precious was one of two Eclipse Award winners trained by Stephen DiMauro in 1975. The other was American champion 3-year-old male Wajima, and together, the two champions helped lift their trainer to an Eclipse Award of his own as America's top trainer in 1975.
Last updated: July 5, 2023