Devil's Bag (USA)
February 19, 1981 – February 3, 2005
Halo (USA) x Ballade (USA), by Herbager (FR)
Family 12-c
February 19, 1981 – February 3, 2005
Halo (USA) x Ballade (USA), by Herbager (FR)
Family 12-c
A full brother to multiple champion Glorious Song, Devil's Bag gave the impression that he would become one for the ages with the most impressive season for an American-based 2-year-old colt since Secretariat in 1972. He went into winter quarters as a heavy winter book favorite for the Kentucky Derby (USA-G1). Unfortunately, his 3-year-old season did not live up to the hype and he was retired due to a knee injury in May of that year. His stud career likewise failed to meet expectations, although he was a useful sire.
Race record
9 starts, 8 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$302,820
1983:
1984:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1983, 5 pounds above second-rated Swale.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1984, 8 pounds below champion Swale.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown, Devil's Bag stood 16.0-1/2 hands. He was strongly made with powerful hindquarters and excellent muscling down through the gaskins. He had a very easy way of going. As a stallion, he was reasonably well-mannered toward his stud groom but was not particularly sociable and was inclined to bite people who did not have his respect.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Devil's Bag sired 533 winners (53.7%) and 45 stakes winners (4.5%) from 993 named foals; The Blood-Horse credits Devil's Bag with 46 stakes winners (4.6%). As a stallion, Devil's Bag threw more to his sire's proclivities for getting horses that improved with maturity and distance than to his own early maturity and precocious speed.
Sire rankings
Per El Turf (www.elturf.com):
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Buy the Sport (USA), Devil His Due (USA), Devils Bag Copy (USA), Devil's Orchid (USA), Quebrada (USA), Taiki Shuttle (USA), Twilight Agenda (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Balto Star (USA), Bilo (USA), El Brujo (USA), Jules (USA), Orpen (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Devil His Due was bred by E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm. He was purchased by James and Alice Mills' Hickory Ridge Farm for US$325,000 at the 1982 Keeneland July sale. He was trained by Woody Stephens. Following his juvenile season, Devil's Bag was syndicated for US$36 million, a record valuation for a 2-year-old Thoroughbred. He entered stud in 1985 at Claiborne Farm and was humanely destroyed there in February 2005 after fracturing his right hind leg in an accident while being bathed. He is buried at Claiborne's Marchmont division.
Pedigree notes
Devil's Bag is inbred 4x4 to Mahmoud and 5x5x5 to Blue Larkspur. He is a full brother to 1980 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion older female Glorious Song, dam of the important sire Rahy (by Blushing Groom) and of Morn of Song (by Blushing Groom), who was the dam of 2003 Prix Vermeille (FR-G1) winner Mezzo Soprano (by Darshaan) and listed stakes winner Emirates to Dubai (by Storm Cat) and the second dam of Japanese Group 3 winners Frere Jacques and Martinborough and French Group 3 winner Claremont. Glorious Song also produced 1996 American champion turf male Singspiel (by In the Wings), a successful sire in Europe; South African Group 2 winner Rakeen (by Northern Dancer); Ring of Music (by Sadler's Wells), dam of multiple Group 1 winner Campanologist (by Kingmambo) and second dam of Australian Group 2 winner Well Rounded and South African Group 3 winner One Fine Day; and Chansonette (by Mark of Esteem), dam of 2010 N.H.K. Mile Cup (JPN-G1) winner Danon Chantilly (by Fuji Kiseki).
Devil's Bag is also a full brother to Grade 2 winner and 2005 American champion sire Saint Ballado and to Angelic Song, dam of 2002 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sligo Bay (by Sadler's Wells), Japanese stakes winners Lady Ballade (by Unbridled) and Millennium Wing (by Sadler's Wells), and Group 3-placed English stakes winner Wolfe Tone (by Sadler's Wells); second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Danon Ballade and French Group 2 winner Seachange; and third dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Air Almas and Grade 2 winner Yuugiri. In addition, Devil's Bag is a half brother to stakes winner Thaidah (by Vice Regent), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Shakis and third dam of 2010 Indian Two Thousand Guineas winner Ocean and Beyond.
Devil's Bag is out of 1992 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Ballade, a half sister to listed stakes winner Secreto's Glory (by Secreto; dam of the Red Bullet colt Forty Zip, a multiple champion in the Dominican Republic) and multiple stakes winner Vite View (by Reviewer; dam of listed stakes winner Glorious View, by Naskra). Also a half sister to Grade 1-placed Sweeping View (by Reviewer), dam of Grade 3 winner Worth Avenue (by Spend a Buck); to Heathers Surprise (by Best Turn), dam of stakes winner Lady Carson (by Carson City); and to Devil's Sister (by Alleged), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Blacksburg (by Seattle Slew) and multiple Japanese stakes winner Hishi Natalie (by Seattle Slew), Ballade was produced from multiple stakes winner Miss Swapsco (by Cohoes), a half sister to 1982 Monmouth Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mehmet (by His Majesty).
Fun facts
Last updated: October 7, 2023
Race record
9 starts, 8 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$302,820
1983:
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Laurel Futurity (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Laurel; new track record 1:42-1/5)
- Won Cowdin Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Belmont)
1984:
- Won Derby Trial Stakes (USA-L, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Flamingo Prep Stakes (USA, 7FD, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
- Maryland Thoroughbred Hall of Fame (inducted in 2021)
- Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old male (1983)
- Maryland-bred Horse of the Year (1983)
- Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old male (1983)
Assessments
Highweighted at 128 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1983, 5 pounds above second-rated Swale.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1984, 8 pounds below champion Swale.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown, Devil's Bag stood 16.0-1/2 hands. He was strongly made with powerful hindquarters and excellent muscling down through the gaskins. He had a very easy way of going. As a stallion, he was reasonably well-mannered toward his stud groom but was not particularly sociable and was inclined to bite people who did not have his respect.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Devil's Bag sired 533 winners (53.7%) and 45 stakes winners (4.5%) from 993 named foals; The Blood-Horse credits Devil's Bag with 46 stakes winners (4.6%). As a stallion, Devil's Bag threw more to his sire's proclivities for getting horses that improved with maturity and distance than to his own early maturity and precocious speed.
Sire rankings
Per El Turf (www.elturf.com):
- 9th on the Peruvian broodmare sire list in 2012.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1991 and 1993.
Notable progeny
Buy the Sport (USA), Devil His Due (USA), Devils Bag Copy (USA), Devil's Orchid (USA), Quebrada (USA), Taiki Shuttle (USA), Twilight Agenda (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Balto Star (USA), Bilo (USA), El Brujo (USA), Jules (USA), Orpen (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Devil His Due was bred by E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm. He was purchased by James and Alice Mills' Hickory Ridge Farm for US$325,000 at the 1982 Keeneland July sale. He was trained by Woody Stephens. Following his juvenile season, Devil's Bag was syndicated for US$36 million, a record valuation for a 2-year-old Thoroughbred. He entered stud in 1985 at Claiborne Farm and was humanely destroyed there in February 2005 after fracturing his right hind leg in an accident while being bathed. He is buried at Claiborne's Marchmont division.
Pedigree notes
Devil's Bag is inbred 4x4 to Mahmoud and 5x5x5 to Blue Larkspur. He is a full brother to 1980 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion older female Glorious Song, dam of the important sire Rahy (by Blushing Groom) and of Morn of Song (by Blushing Groom), who was the dam of 2003 Prix Vermeille (FR-G1) winner Mezzo Soprano (by Darshaan) and listed stakes winner Emirates to Dubai (by Storm Cat) and the second dam of Japanese Group 3 winners Frere Jacques and Martinborough and French Group 3 winner Claremont. Glorious Song also produced 1996 American champion turf male Singspiel (by In the Wings), a successful sire in Europe; South African Group 2 winner Rakeen (by Northern Dancer); Ring of Music (by Sadler's Wells), dam of multiple Group 1 winner Campanologist (by Kingmambo) and second dam of Australian Group 2 winner Well Rounded and South African Group 3 winner One Fine Day; and Chansonette (by Mark of Esteem), dam of 2010 N.H.K. Mile Cup (JPN-G1) winner Danon Chantilly (by Fuji Kiseki).
Devil's Bag is also a full brother to Grade 2 winner and 2005 American champion sire Saint Ballado and to Angelic Song, dam of 2002 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sligo Bay (by Sadler's Wells), Japanese stakes winners Lady Ballade (by Unbridled) and Millennium Wing (by Sadler's Wells), and Group 3-placed English stakes winner Wolfe Tone (by Sadler's Wells); second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Danon Ballade and French Group 2 winner Seachange; and third dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Air Almas and Grade 2 winner Yuugiri. In addition, Devil's Bag is a half brother to stakes winner Thaidah (by Vice Regent), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Shakis and third dam of 2010 Indian Two Thousand Guineas winner Ocean and Beyond.
Devil's Bag is out of 1992 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Ballade, a half sister to listed stakes winner Secreto's Glory (by Secreto; dam of the Red Bullet colt Forty Zip, a multiple champion in the Dominican Republic) and multiple stakes winner Vite View (by Reviewer; dam of listed stakes winner Glorious View, by Naskra). Also a half sister to Grade 1-placed Sweeping View (by Reviewer), dam of Grade 3 winner Worth Avenue (by Spend a Buck); to Heathers Surprise (by Best Turn), dam of stakes winner Lady Carson (by Carson City); and to Devil's Sister (by Alleged), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Blacksburg (by Seattle Slew) and multiple Japanese stakes winner Hishi Natalie (by Seattle Slew), Ballade was produced from multiple stakes winner Miss Swapsco (by Cohoes), a half sister to 1982 Monmouth Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mehmet (by His Majesty).
Fun facts
- The name "Devil's Bag" alludes to a magical sack mentioned in Washington Irving's short story, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
- Devil’s Bag’s time of 1:21-2/5 for the 1983 Cowdin Stakes was the fastest for 7 furlongs ever run by a 2-year-old in the state of New York.
- The Devil's Bag Stakes was a race contested at Laurel Park Racecourse in honor of the champion.
Last updated: October 7, 2023