Drumtop (USA)
May 4, 1966 – March 4, 1983
Round Table (USA) x Zonah (USA), by Nasrullah (IRE)
Family 5-h
May 4, 1966 – March 4, 1983
Round Table (USA) x Zonah (USA), by Nasrullah (IRE)
Family 5-h
Drumtop was born too soon to become a champion in the American female turf division, which did not have championship voting until 1979 (although she took Kentucky state-bred honors in 1971). This did not stop her from being a formidable contender among American turf runners of both sexes. She was also a good broodmare.
Race record
44 starts, 17 wins, 9 seconds, 3 thirds, US$493,738
1969:
1970:
1971:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1969, 16 pounds below champion Hawaii.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1970, 9 pounds below champion Fort Marcy.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf runners of 1970, 3 pounds above second-rated Jungle Cove.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1971, 1 pound above a 4-way tie for second between Fort Marcy, Manta, Princess Pout and Chompion and 2 pounds above the official divisional champion, Run the Gantlet (a 3-year-old colt).
As an individual
A smallish, deep-bodied bay mare, Drumtop had the sickle hocks of her sire but had powerful hindquarters with muscling extending well into her gaskins. She won on dirt early in her career but was better on turf and improved with age and distance. She generally did her best running from off the pace. Her 1971 season ended when she bowed a tendon while running seventh in the Kelly-Olympic Handicap at Atlantic City on September 4 of that year.
As a producer
Drumtop produced 10 named foals, of which nine started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Drumtop was bred by Susan Proskauer. She was owned by James B. Moseley, who purchased her as a yearling for US$47,000 on the advice of Claiborne Farm’s “Bull” Hancock. She was co-owned by Alice Headley Bell for part of her racing career. She was trained by Roger Laurin. After her retirement, Drumtop was co-owned by Paul Mellon and was maintained at his Rokeby Stud. She died of complications of foaling in 1983.
Pedigree notes
Drumtop’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. She is a full sister to 1975 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place and to stakes-placed Zonely, dam of 1982 Hollywood Derby (USA-G1) winner Victory Zone (by Val de l’Orne) and second dam of multiple French Group 3 winner New Frontier and Grade 3 winner Tank. Drumtop is also a half sister to Georgie (by Damascus), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Georgie’s (by Alleged) and second dam of multiple Group 2 winner George Augustus, German Group 2 winner Mongol Warrior (also champion imported 3-year-old male in Spain in 1996), and Irish Group 3 winner Chimes at Midnight. In addition, Drumtop is a half sister to Zone (by Tulyar), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Maltese Beauty, and to Julia B. (by Herbager), third dam of 1997 Slovakian champion 3-year-old filly Fantasy Friend.
Zonah, the dam of Drumtop and her siblings, is a stakes-placed daughter of five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and is a half-sister to three-time American champion Gamely (by Nasrullah’s champion son Bold Ruler, himself an eight-time American champion sire), dam of 1973 William Hill Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini (by Round Table). Gamely is also the dam of Gambling (by Round Table), second dam of Brazilian Group 2 winner Lancesca and Brazilian Group 3 winner Fuero Juzgo and third dam of Brazilian Group 2 winner Verdena. Another half sister to Zonah, Staretta (by Dark Star), is the dam of stakes winner Lady Brilliance (by Globemaster) and the second dam of 1987 Matriarch Stakes (USA-G1) winner Asteroid Field. In addition, Zonah is a half sister to Aphonia (by Dunce), dam of stakes winners George Spelvin (by Nantallah), Messina (by Secretariat) and Sitzmark (by J. O. Tobin). Aphonia also produced the good Florida regional sire Cutlass (by Damascus) and is the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Grand Jewel, Japanese Group 2 winner Telegnosis and Grade 3 winner Elektraline
Zonah’s dam Gambetta is a stakes-winning half sister to 1965 co-American Horse of the Year Moccasin, 1960 American champion 2-year-old male Ridan and major stakes winner Lt. Stevens, all by Nantallah. Gambetta is also a half sister to stakes-placed Thong (by Nantallah), dam of four stakes winners including 1972 Irish champion 2-year-old male and 1973 English champion miler Thatch and second dam of 1980 French champion miler Nureyev.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 16, 2023
Race record
44 starts, 17 wins, 9 seconds, 3 thirds, US$493,738
1969:
- Won New York Handicap (first division) (USA, 9.5FT, Aqueduct)
- Won Princeton Handicap (USA, 8FT, Garden State)
- Also set a new course record of 1:43-2/5 for 8.5FT at Belmont
1970:
- Won Canadian International Championship (CAN, 13FT, Woodbine)
- Won Columbiana Handicap (first division) (USA, 8.5FT, Hialeah)
- Won Edgemere Handicap (USA, 11FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Massachusetts Handicap (USA, about 12FT, Suffolk)
- 2nd Matron Handicap (USA, 9FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Bowling Green Handicap (USA, 12FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap (USA, Hialeah)
- 2nd Santa Barbara Handicap (USA, 10FT, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Man o' War Stakes (USA, 12FT, Belmont)
1971:
- Won Camden Handicap (USA, 10FT, Garden State; new course record 1:59-4/5)
- Won Palm Beach Handicap (first division) (USA, 8.5FT, Hialeah)
- Won Edgemere Handicap (USA, 11FT, Belmont)
- Won Bowling Green Handicap (USA, 12FT, Belmont; new course record 2:25-2/5)
- Won Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap (USA, 12FT, Hialeah; new course record 2:26-4/5)
- 2nd Century Handicap (USA, 11FT, Hollywood; from third by disqualification)
Honors
- Kentucky-bred champion turf female (1971)
- Eclipse Award nominee, American champion older female (1971)
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1969, 16 pounds below champion Hawaii.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1970, 9 pounds below champion Fort Marcy.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf runners of 1970, 3 pounds above second-rated Jungle Cove.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf runners of 1971, 1 pound above a 4-way tie for second between Fort Marcy, Manta, Princess Pout and Chompion and 2 pounds above the official divisional champion, Run the Gantlet (a 3-year-old colt).
As an individual
A smallish, deep-bodied bay mare, Drumtop had the sickle hocks of her sire but had powerful hindquarters with muscling extending well into her gaskins. She won on dirt early in her career but was better on turf and improved with age and distance. She generally did her best running from off the pace. Her 1971 season ended when she bowed a tendon while running seventh in the Kelly-Olympic Handicap at Atlantic City on September 4 of that year.
As a producer
Drumtop produced 10 named foals, of which nine started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Topsider (1974, by Northern Dancer) won the 1978 Sport Page Handicap and set a Saratoga track record for 6½ furlongs in 1979. A good stallion, he sired 60 stakes winners from 485 foals, headed by 1987 American champion older female North Sider.
- War of Words (1977, by Arts and Letters) was a stakes winner at Belmont as a juvenile and was Grade 3-placed. He sired two stakes winners from 27 named foals.
- Brogan (1980, by Nijinsky II) won the 1983 Prix Berteux (FR-G3) and was runner-up in the 1983 Derby Italiano (ITY-G1). An indifferent sire, he got only three stakes winners from 123 foals.
- Battle Drum (1982, by Alydar) won once in 10 starts. She is the third dam of two-time Puerto Rican champion Discreet Angel.
- Aliata (1983, by Mr. Prospector) ran nine times and won two races in England. She is the dam of restricted stakes-placed runner Storm Boot (by Storm Cat), a useful speed sire. She is also the second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Proctor’s Ledge.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Drumtop was bred by Susan Proskauer. She was owned by James B. Moseley, who purchased her as a yearling for US$47,000 on the advice of Claiborne Farm’s “Bull” Hancock. She was co-owned by Alice Headley Bell for part of her racing career. She was trained by Roger Laurin. After her retirement, Drumtop was co-owned by Paul Mellon and was maintained at his Rokeby Stud. She died of complications of foaling in 1983.
Pedigree notes
Drumtop’s pedigree is outcrossed through five generations. She is a full sister to 1975 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place and to stakes-placed Zonely, dam of 1982 Hollywood Derby (USA-G1) winner Victory Zone (by Val de l’Orne) and second dam of multiple French Group 3 winner New Frontier and Grade 3 winner Tank. Drumtop is also a half sister to Georgie (by Damascus), dam of Grade 3 winner Surely Georgie’s (by Alleged) and second dam of multiple Group 2 winner George Augustus, German Group 2 winner Mongol Warrior (also champion imported 3-year-old male in Spain in 1996), and Irish Group 3 winner Chimes at Midnight. In addition, Drumtop is a half sister to Zone (by Tulyar), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Maltese Beauty, and to Julia B. (by Herbager), third dam of 1997 Slovakian champion 3-year-old filly Fantasy Friend.
Zonah, the dam of Drumtop and her siblings, is a stakes-placed daughter of five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and is a half-sister to three-time American champion Gamely (by Nasrullah’s champion son Bold Ruler, himself an eight-time American champion sire), dam of 1973 William Hill Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini (by Round Table). Gamely is also the dam of Gambling (by Round Table), second dam of Brazilian Group 2 winner Lancesca and Brazilian Group 3 winner Fuero Juzgo and third dam of Brazilian Group 2 winner Verdena. Another half sister to Zonah, Staretta (by Dark Star), is the dam of stakes winner Lady Brilliance (by Globemaster) and the second dam of 1987 Matriarch Stakes (USA-G1) winner Asteroid Field. In addition, Zonah is a half sister to Aphonia (by Dunce), dam of stakes winners George Spelvin (by Nantallah), Messina (by Secretariat) and Sitzmark (by J. O. Tobin). Aphonia also produced the good Florida regional sire Cutlass (by Damascus) and is the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Grand Jewel, Japanese Group 2 winner Telegnosis and Grade 3 winner Elektraline
Zonah’s dam Gambetta is a stakes-winning half sister to 1965 co-American Horse of the Year Moccasin, 1960 American champion 2-year-old male Ridan and major stakes winner Lt. Stevens, all by Nantallah. Gambetta is also a half sister to stakes-placed Thong (by Nantallah), dam of four stakes winners including 1972 Irish champion 2-year-old male and 1973 English champion miler Thatch and second dam of 1980 French champion miler Nureyev.
Fun facts
- Although Run the Gantlet won the 1971 Eclipse Award as American champion grass horse, his title owed much to late-season victories in the United Nations Handicap and Washington D.C. International after Drumtop had been retired from racing. Many horsemen felt that the mare should have won the honors, and the controversy helped provide an impetus for the eventual split of the turf title into championship divisions for males and females in 1979.
- Drumtop was the first filly or mare to win the Hialeah Turf Cup, which became a Grade 1 event when the North American graded race system was inaugurated in 1973.
Last updated: September 16, 2023