Gallant Romeo (USA)
May 20, 1961 – 1986
Gallant Man (GB) x Juliets Nurse (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 23-b
May 20, 1961 – 1986
Gallant Man (GB) x Juliets Nurse (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 23-b
As the son and maternal grandson of Belmont Stakes winners, and with Belmont Stakes winners as the sires of his second and fourth dams, Gallant Romeo should have found classic distances to be his cup of tea—at least on paper. Instead, while he was successful in stakes company at up to a mile and one-sixteenth, his forte (like his dam’s) was sprinting and he had the muscular physique to go with his preference. A near-champion at 5, when his wins included a trouncing of official champion Impressive in the Vosburgh Handicap, Gallant Romeo went on to be a good but not top-class sire.
Race record
29 starts, 15 wins, 3 seconds, 5 thirds, US$202,401
1965:
1966:
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1965, 16 pounds below divisional champion Affectionately.
Rated at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1966, 2 pounds below highweighted Bold Lad but 2 pounds above divisional champion Impressive (a 3-year-old).
As an individual
A powerfully made, blocky bay horse with short cannons, Gallant Romeo stood 15.1 hands. After racing only twice at 2, he was sidelined due to injury for much of his 3-year-old season and had a reputation for having “glass legs.” He was kept in sprints partly because of the difficulty in keeping him sound long enough to develop his stamina for longer trips.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Gallant Romeo sired 271 winners (63.6%) and 42 stakes winners (9.9%) from 426 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Elocutionist (USA), Gallant Bob (USA), My Juliet (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Awe Inspiring (USA), Miss Iron Smoke (USA), Stella Madrid (USA)
Connections
Bred in Kentucky, Gallant Romeo was bred by J. Graham Brown in the name of his Brown Hotel Farms and raced in Brown’s silks throughout his career. He was trained by Willard Proctor. Gallant Romeo entered stud in Kentucky in 1967 at The Stallion Station.
Pedigree notes
Gallant Romeo is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Gay Julie, dam of restricted stakes winner Killer Joe (by Great Neck), and to Lady Juliet, dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Lord de l’Orne (by Val de l’Orne). He is a half brother to the good Midwestern stakes winner Run for Nurse (by Hasty Road); to 1966 Demoiselle Stakes winner Woozem (by Hail to Reason), second dam of French Group 2 winner Raft and third dam of Grade/Group 2 winners Bonash, Media Nox, and Missed Flight; and to 1970 Adirondack Stakes winner Dutiful (by Hail to Reason). Gallant Romeo is also a half brother to She Figures (by Hasty Road), dam of Grade 2 winner Big John Taylor (by Speak John) and third dam of Grade 3 winner Booly; to Another Nurse (by Hasty Road), second dam of Grade 3 winner Social Pro and third dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Aloha Sam; and to Juliets Song (by Spy Song), third dam of Belgian Group 2 winner Run for Brink. In addition, he is a half brother to Juliet’s Aria (by Hasty Road), dam of multiple stakes winner Mezzo (by Ramsinga) and third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Son of a Pistol. Finally, Gallant Romeo is a half brother to Running Juliet (by Round Table), dam of 1975 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Full Out (by Never Bend) and third dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Winnetou, and to Demitasse (by Young Emperor), dam of stakes winner Pavarotti (by What a Pleasure).
Gallant Romeo and his siblings were produced from 1966 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Juliets Nurse. The winner of four stakes events at 2 and 3, Juliets Nurse is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Beau James (by Jamestown) and is out of Nursemaid, a winning daughter of 1914 Belmont Stakes winner Luke McLuke. Nursemaid’s half sister Lo (by St. James) is the dam of minor stakes winners Bay Valley (by Sun Superlette), Lucky Valley (by Sun Superlette), Rover Bill (by Rover), and Big Success (by Succession). Another half sister to Nursemaid, Small Town (by Jamestown), is the dam of stakes winner Lee Town (by Chanlea).
Nursemaid, in turn, is out of Wonderful One (by Eternal), whose half sister June Flower (by Theo. Cook) was a multiple juvenile stakes winner and is the dam of claiming stakes winner Jubilate (by Lucky Hour); June Flower is also the second dam of 1945 Equipoise Mile Handicap winner Daily Trouble. In addition, Wonderful One is a half sister to Jim’s Niece (by Epithet), dam of 1951 Kent Stakes winner High Scud (by Bernborough). Wonderful One and her sisters are out of June Bug, by 1906 American Horse of the Year Burgomaster.
Fun facts
Last updated: February 8, 2022
Race record
29 starts, 15 wins, 3 seconds, 5 thirds, US$202,401
1965:
- Won Olympia Handicap (USA, 6.5FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Warren Wright Handicap (USA, 7FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Phoenix Handicap (USA, 6FD, Keeneland)
- Won Ben Ali Handicap (USA, 8,5FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Washington Park Handicap (USA, 8FD, Washington Park)
1966:
- Won Vosburgh Handicap (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Royal Palm Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- Won Royal Poinciana Handicap (first division) (USA, 6FD, Hialeah)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1965, 16 pounds below divisional champion Affectionately.
Rated at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1966, 2 pounds below highweighted Bold Lad but 2 pounds above divisional champion Impressive (a 3-year-old).
As an individual
A powerfully made, blocky bay horse with short cannons, Gallant Romeo stood 15.1 hands. After racing only twice at 2, he was sidelined due to injury for much of his 3-year-old season and had a reputation for having “glass legs.” He was kept in sprints partly because of the difficulty in keeping him sound long enough to develop his stamina for longer trips.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Gallant Romeo sired 271 winners (63.6%) and 42 stakes winners (9.9%) from 426 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 5th on the American general sire list in 1975; 6th in 1976.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 5th on the American general sire list in 1975; 6th in 1976.
Notable progeny
Elocutionist (USA), Gallant Bob (USA), My Juliet (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Awe Inspiring (USA), Miss Iron Smoke (USA), Stella Madrid (USA)
Connections
Bred in Kentucky, Gallant Romeo was bred by J. Graham Brown in the name of his Brown Hotel Farms and raced in Brown’s silks throughout his career. He was trained by Willard Proctor. Gallant Romeo entered stud in Kentucky in 1967 at The Stallion Station.
Pedigree notes
Gallant Romeo is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Gay Julie, dam of restricted stakes winner Killer Joe (by Great Neck), and to Lady Juliet, dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Lord de l’Orne (by Val de l’Orne). He is a half brother to the good Midwestern stakes winner Run for Nurse (by Hasty Road); to 1966 Demoiselle Stakes winner Woozem (by Hail to Reason), second dam of French Group 2 winner Raft and third dam of Grade/Group 2 winners Bonash, Media Nox, and Missed Flight; and to 1970 Adirondack Stakes winner Dutiful (by Hail to Reason). Gallant Romeo is also a half brother to She Figures (by Hasty Road), dam of Grade 2 winner Big John Taylor (by Speak John) and third dam of Grade 3 winner Booly; to Another Nurse (by Hasty Road), second dam of Grade 3 winner Social Pro and third dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Aloha Sam; and to Juliets Song (by Spy Song), third dam of Belgian Group 2 winner Run for Brink. In addition, he is a half brother to Juliet’s Aria (by Hasty Road), dam of multiple stakes winner Mezzo (by Ramsinga) and third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Son of a Pistol. Finally, Gallant Romeo is a half brother to Running Juliet (by Round Table), dam of 1975 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Full Out (by Never Bend) and third dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Winnetou, and to Demitasse (by Young Emperor), dam of stakes winner Pavarotti (by What a Pleasure).
Gallant Romeo and his siblings were produced from 1966 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Juliets Nurse. The winner of four stakes events at 2 and 3, Juliets Nurse is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Beau James (by Jamestown) and is out of Nursemaid, a winning daughter of 1914 Belmont Stakes winner Luke McLuke. Nursemaid’s half sister Lo (by St. James) is the dam of minor stakes winners Bay Valley (by Sun Superlette), Lucky Valley (by Sun Superlette), Rover Bill (by Rover), and Big Success (by Succession). Another half sister to Nursemaid, Small Town (by Jamestown), is the dam of stakes winner Lee Town (by Chanlea).
Nursemaid, in turn, is out of Wonderful One (by Eternal), whose half sister June Flower (by Theo. Cook) was a multiple juvenile stakes winner and is the dam of claiming stakes winner Jubilate (by Lucky Hour); June Flower is also the second dam of 1945 Equipoise Mile Handicap winner Daily Trouble. In addition, Wonderful One is a half sister to Jim’s Niece (by Epithet), dam of 1951 Kent Stakes winner High Scud (by Bernborough). Wonderful One and her sisters are out of June Bug, by 1906 American Horse of the Year Burgomaster.
Fun facts
- After becoming a multiple stakes winner at the 1965 spring Keeneland meeting, Gallant Romeo came back to top racing form as a 4-year-old after surviving a nearly fatal case of founder caused by his eating green bedding.
- Gallant Romeo bore the nickname “The Old War Horse” because of his repeated comebacks from physical problems.
Last updated: February 8, 2022