Dinner Partner (USA)
May 27, 1959 – 1981?
Tom Fool (USA) x Bluehaze (USA), by Blue Larkspur (USA)
Family 7
May 27, 1959 – 1981?
Tom Fool (USA) x Bluehaze (USA), by Blue Larkspur (USA)
Family 7
Dinner Partner showed some ability as a race mare, but her true strength was as a broodmare. She was the dam of five stakes winners and, through her daughter Native Partner, is the ancestress of champions in North America, Europe, Japan and India. In addition to its success as a source of excellent racehorses, Dinner Partner's family has also been a huge success commercially.
Race record
29 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$47,985
1962:
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1962, 14 pounds below champion Cicada.
As an individual
A bay, Dinner Partner was strongly made. She did not handle off going well. She was out of action for nearly a year after her final start at 3 and was unplaced in seven starts at 4, suggesting either that she had lost interest in racing or had nagging physical issues.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by influential pedigree analyst and turf writer Ellen Parker, Dinner Partner produced 14 foals, of which 12 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled at Whileaway Farm in Kentucky, Dinner Partner was bred by George M. Humphrey, who sold the filly as a weanling to Melville Church II. Consigned to the 1960 Saratoga yearling sale, Dinner Partner sold for $20,000 to Mrs. Ralph C. Wilson and raced in Mr. Wilson's colors. She was trained by J. M. Hart at 2 and was transferred to Lloyd Gentry at 3. Ralph Wilson consigned the mare, then in foal to Hoist the Flag, to the 1976 Keeneland November sale, where she was purchased by Tom Gentry for $125,000. Her last foal, the stakes-placed Graustark colt Appetite, was foaled in 1981.
Pedigree notes
Dinner Partner is inbred 5x5 to Roi Herode and to Ultimus. She is out of Bluehaze, whose full brother Blue Swords won three good stakes races as a juvenile and was arguably the second-best 3-year-old male of 1943 after running second to Count Fleet in the Wood Memorial, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Flaming Swords (by Man o' War), the dam of Bluehaze, also produced Jo Bonner (by Pharamond II), second dam of three stakes winners including 1967 Bay Meadows Handicap winner No Host and third dam of Grade III winner Lee Gary. Produced from Exalted, a High Time half sister to 1925 American champion 3-year-old male American Flag (by Man o' War) and two other stakes winners, she is a full sister to Pomp and Glory, second dam of 1951 Sapling Stakes winner Landseair.
Books and media
Dinner Partner is profiled in Chapter 12 of John Sparkman's Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America's Breeding Industry (2008, Thoroughbred Times Books).
Race record
29 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$47,985
1962:
- Won Misty Isle Stakes (USA, 8FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Cinderella Stakes (USA, 6FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Oaks Prep (USA, 7FD, Churchill Down)
- 3rd Pucker Up Stakes (USA, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Cleopatra Stakes (USA, 7FD, Washington Park)
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1962, 14 pounds below champion Cicada.
As an individual
A bay, Dinner Partner was strongly made. She did not handle off going well. She was out of action for nearly a year after her final start at 3 and was unplaced in seven starts at 4, suggesting either that she had lost interest in racing or had nagging physical issues.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by influential pedigree analyst and turf writer Ellen Parker, Dinner Partner produced 14 foals, of which 12 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Native Partner (1966, by Raise a Native) won the 1969 Woodhaven Handicap and the 1970 Maskette Handicap. She is the dam of 1987 English and French champion sprinter Ajdal (by Northern Dancer), 1977 William Hill Middle Park Stakes (ENG-I) winner Formidable (by Forli), 1982 Fantasy Stakes (USA-I) winner Flying Partner (by Hoist the Flag) and 1978 Prix de Pomone (FR-III) winner Fabuleux Jane (by Le Fabuleux). She is the second dam of 1998 Early Times Turf Classic Stakes (USA-I) winner Joyeux Danseur, Grade II winner Key Dancer and Grade III winners Doubles Partner and Lakeshore Road, and is the third dam of 1991 European Horse of the Year Arazi, also the champion juvenile male of 1991 in both Europe and the United States. Native Partner is also the third dam of two-time Japanese champions Dance Partner and Dance in the Mood, 1993 Canadian champion turf horse Hero's Love, 1996 Japanese champion 3-year-old male Dance in the Dark and 2014 Indian champion older male Machiavellianism, among others of merit.
- Fleeing Partner (1967, by Fleet Nasrullah), a winner, produced multiple stakes winner Varick (by Mr. Prospector).
- Jim French (1968, by Graustark) won six stakes races including the 1971 Santa Anita Derby and was second in the 1971 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Unfortunately, he was a stud failure, getting only six stakes winners from 242 named foals while standing in France and Japan.
- Dance Partner (1969, by Graustark) was stakes-placed on the track. She produced 1994 Royal Whip (IRE-III) winner Dancing Sunset (by Red Sunset) and multiple stakes winner Truly (by In Reality). She is the second dam of two stakes winners and the third dam of multiple English Group III winner Tropical Paradise and Italian Group III winner Harlem Shake.
- Bill Bonbright (1973, by Raise a Native; a gelding) won three stakes races.
- Triomphe (1977, by Hoist the Flag) was a stakes winner in England. He failed to sire a single stakes winner from 116 named foals.
- Don't Sulk (1978, by Graustark) won the 1981 Prix de Royallieu (FR-III) and two other stakes races. She produced 1999 Prix Lupin (FR-I) winner Gracioso, 1995 Bay Meadows Handicap (USA-IIT) winner Caesour and English stakes winner Professional Girl, all by Nureyev. She is the second dam of two stakes winners and the third dam of French Group III winner Puppeteer and German Group III winners Peligroso and Prakasa.
Connections
Foaled at Whileaway Farm in Kentucky, Dinner Partner was bred by George M. Humphrey, who sold the filly as a weanling to Melville Church II. Consigned to the 1960 Saratoga yearling sale, Dinner Partner sold for $20,000 to Mrs. Ralph C. Wilson and raced in Mr. Wilson's colors. She was trained by J. M. Hart at 2 and was transferred to Lloyd Gentry at 3. Ralph Wilson consigned the mare, then in foal to Hoist the Flag, to the 1976 Keeneland November sale, where she was purchased by Tom Gentry for $125,000. Her last foal, the stakes-placed Graustark colt Appetite, was foaled in 1981.
Pedigree notes
Dinner Partner is inbred 5x5 to Roi Herode and to Ultimus. She is out of Bluehaze, whose full brother Blue Swords won three good stakes races as a juvenile and was arguably the second-best 3-year-old male of 1943 after running second to Count Fleet in the Wood Memorial, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Flaming Swords (by Man o' War), the dam of Bluehaze, also produced Jo Bonner (by Pharamond II), second dam of three stakes winners including 1967 Bay Meadows Handicap winner No Host and third dam of Grade III winner Lee Gary. Produced from Exalted, a High Time half sister to 1925 American champion 3-year-old male American Flag (by Man o' War) and two other stakes winners, she is a full sister to Pomp and Glory, second dam of 1951 Sapling Stakes winner Landseair.
Books and media
Dinner Partner is profiled in Chapter 12 of John Sparkman's Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America's Breeding Industry (2008, Thoroughbred Times Books).