Gold Digger (USA)
May 28, 1962 – 1990
Nashua (USA) x Sequence (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 13-c
"GENETIC GEM"
May 28, 1962 – 1990
Nashua (USA) x Sequence (USA), by Count Fleet (USA)
Family 13-c
"GENETIC GEM"
A tough, durable mare who won two editions of the Gallorette Stakes, Gold Digger was of roughly Grade 3 class by modern standards. Her soundness made her ideal as a mate for the brilliant but unsound Raise a Native. Unfortunately, none of the seven foals she produced by Raise a Native inherited her constitution, but the best of them, Mr. Prospector, became something even better than a good racehorse: a great sire and broodmare sire. That would have been enough to maintain Gold Digger's name in pedigrees, but she also produced two more stakes winners by other sires as well as two other daughters of significance as producers.
Race record
35 starts, 10 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$127,255
1964:
1965:
1966:
Assessments
Rated at 107 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1964, 11 pounds below champion Queen Empress.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1965, 12 pounds below champion What a Treat.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1966, 11 pounds below co-champions Open Fire and Summer Scandal.
As an individual
A bay mare, Gold Digger was well-made if rather plain.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Gold Digger produced 12 named foals, of which seven started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Gold Digger was bred by Leslie Combs II and Brownell Combs. She raced in the colors of Leslie Combs' wife Dorothy (née Enslow). She was trained by Jouette Reed. She spent her broodmare career at Spendthrift Farm and died there in 1990.
Pedigree notes
Gold Digger is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1955 Cowdin Stakes winner Noorsaga (by Noor) and steeplechase stakes winner Hermod (by Royal Charger). She is also a half sister to Inviting (by My Babu), dam of stakes winners Without Peer (by Creme Dela Creme) and Intriguing Honor (by Sham), second dam of Grade 2 winner Tall Grass Walker and third dam of 1998 American champion older female Escena, Irish Group 2 winner Humbel, and Grade 3 winner Showlady. In addition, Gold Digger is a half sister to Bold Sequence (by Bold Ruler), dam of multiple stakes winner Born to Lead (by Mr. Leader), second dam of two-time Vosburgh Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sewickley and 1993 Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1) winner Shared Interest, and third dam of 1999 King's Bishop Stakes (USA-G1) winner Forestry and 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) winner Cash Run.
Gold Digger was produced from 1948 Princess Pat Stakes winner Sequence, a full sister to 1953 Modesty Handicap winner Bella Figura and to Miss Fleetwood, second dam of Grade 3 winner Bombay Duck. Sequence is also a half sister to 1951 Sheridan Handicap winner Bernwood (by Bernborough) and to Amiga (by Mahmoud), dam of 1967 Carter Handicap winner Tumiga (by Tudor Minstrel), 1963 Salvator Mile winner Dedimoud (by Dedicate) and 1958 San Felipe Handicap winner Carrier X. (by Count Fleet) and second dam of French Group 3 winner Sham's Princess. In addition, Sequence is a half sister to Ellenwood (by Shannon II), second dam of 1973 American Derby (USA-G1) winner Bemo.
The next dam in the tail-female line is 1942 Kentucky Oaks winner Miss Dogwood (by Bull Dog), a half sister to 1943 American co-champion 2-year-old filly Durazna (by Bull Lea) and to Crepe Myrtle (by Equipoise), dam of 1948 American champion 2-year-old filly Myrtle Charm and ancestress of 1977 American Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Miss Dogwood and her siblings are out of Myrtlewood, the American champion sprinter and handicap female of 1936.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 29, 2024
Race record
35 starts, 10 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$127,255
1964:
- 3rd Matron Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
1965:
- Won Gallorette Stakes (USA, 9FD, Pimlico)
- Won Yo Tambien Handicap (USA, 6.5FD, Hawthorne)
- Won Marigold Stakes (USA, 9FD, Latonia)
- 2nd Kentucky Oaks (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
1966:
- Won Gallorette Stakes (USA, 9FD, Pimlico)
- Won Columbiana Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
Assessments
Rated at 107 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1964, 11 pounds below champion Queen Empress.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1965, 12 pounds below champion What a Treat.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1966, 11 pounds below co-champions Open Fire and Summer Scandal.
As an individual
A bay mare, Gold Digger was well-made if rather plain.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Gold Digger produced 12 named foals, of which seven started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Mr. Prospector (1970, by Raise a Native) won two stakes races and set two track records at six furlongs. He was the American champion sire of 1987 and 1988 and the American champion broodmare sire of 1997-2003, 2005 and 2006.
- Gold Standard (1971, by Sea-Bird) won stakes races at 3 and 5.
- Myrtlewood Lass (1972, by Ribot) won two of 14 starts. Her stakes-placed daughter Amelia Bearhart (by Bold Hour) received a Sovereign Award as the 1996 Canadian Broodmare of the Year after producing 1993 Hollywood Derby (USA-G1) winner Explosive Red (by Explodent), 1995 Ontario Colleen Stakes winner Ruby Ransom (by Red Ransom), and 1996 Breeders' Stakes winner Chief Bearhart (by Chief's Crown), the Canadian champion turf horse of that year. Chief Bearhart later added to his dam's reputation by winning six more championship titles including Canadian Horse of the Year honors in 1997 and 1998 and an Eclipse Award as the American champion turf male of 1997. Amelia Bearhart is also the second dam of multiple Canadian Grade 2 winner Strut the Stage and multiple English Group 3 winner Sacred Song. In addition, she is the third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Private Zone, French Group 2 winner Multidimensional, and multiple Canadian Grade 3 winner Aldous Snow. Returning to Myrtlewood Lass, her daughter Joy of Myrtlewood (by Northern Jove), is the second dam of 2008 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) winner Oken Bruce Lee.
- Lillian Russell (1977, by Prince John) won two stakes races as a 4-year-old. She is the second dam of 2003 Indian Two Thousand Guineas winner Rapidash, Grade 2 winner Igotrhythm, and Grade 3 winner Slew Gin Fizz and is also the third dam of 2010 Arkansas Derby (USA-G1) winner Line of David, Japanese Group 2 winner Sakura Gospel, and Grade 3 winner Evo Campo.
- Gold Mine (1981, by Raise a Native) never raced but is the dam of stakes winner Etiquette (by Raja Baba).
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Gold Digger was bred by Leslie Combs II and Brownell Combs. She raced in the colors of Leslie Combs' wife Dorothy (née Enslow). She was trained by Jouette Reed. She spent her broodmare career at Spendthrift Farm and died there in 1990.
Pedigree notes
Gold Digger is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1955 Cowdin Stakes winner Noorsaga (by Noor) and steeplechase stakes winner Hermod (by Royal Charger). She is also a half sister to Inviting (by My Babu), dam of stakes winners Without Peer (by Creme Dela Creme) and Intriguing Honor (by Sham), second dam of Grade 2 winner Tall Grass Walker and third dam of 1998 American champion older female Escena, Irish Group 2 winner Humbel, and Grade 3 winner Showlady. In addition, Gold Digger is a half sister to Bold Sequence (by Bold Ruler), dam of multiple stakes winner Born to Lead (by Mr. Leader), second dam of two-time Vosburgh Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sewickley and 1993 Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1) winner Shared Interest, and third dam of 1999 King's Bishop Stakes (USA-G1) winner Forestry and 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) winner Cash Run.
Gold Digger was produced from 1948 Princess Pat Stakes winner Sequence, a full sister to 1953 Modesty Handicap winner Bella Figura and to Miss Fleetwood, second dam of Grade 3 winner Bombay Duck. Sequence is also a half sister to 1951 Sheridan Handicap winner Bernwood (by Bernborough) and to Amiga (by Mahmoud), dam of 1967 Carter Handicap winner Tumiga (by Tudor Minstrel), 1963 Salvator Mile winner Dedimoud (by Dedicate) and 1958 San Felipe Handicap winner Carrier X. (by Count Fleet) and second dam of French Group 3 winner Sham's Princess. In addition, Sequence is a half sister to Ellenwood (by Shannon II), second dam of 1973 American Derby (USA-G1) winner Bemo.
The next dam in the tail-female line is 1942 Kentucky Oaks winner Miss Dogwood (by Bull Dog), a half sister to 1943 American co-champion 2-year-old filly Durazna (by Bull Lea) and to Crepe Myrtle (by Equipoise), dam of 1948 American champion 2-year-old filly Myrtle Charm and ancestress of 1977 American Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Miss Dogwood and her siblings are out of Myrtlewood, the American champion sprinter and handicap female of 1936.
Fun facts
- In American slang, a “gold digger” is a woman who seeks relationships with men based on her perception of potential financial benefit rather than love. Less commonly, the term can refer to a gold miner; the name of Gold Digger's son Mr. Prospector alludes to this latter sense.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 29, 2024