Green Valley II (FR)
1967 – After Spring 1991
Val de Loir (FR) x Sly Pola (USA), by Spy Song (USA)
Family 16-c
1967 – After Spring 1991
Val de Loir (FR) x Sly Pola (USA), by Spy Song (USA)
Family 16-c
Green Valley II was no bargain as a race mare, for she never made it to the race course in spite of having set a new French record sale price for a yearling filly when sold at the 1968 Deauville yearling sale. As a producer, however, she would have been a bargain at almost any price. The dam of six stakes winners, including the champion racehorse and influential sire Green Dancer, Green Valley II stands at the head of a strong international family.
Race record
Unraced
As an individual
An attractive dark bay or brown mare; no further data available.
As a producer
Green Valley II produced 15 named foals, of which 12 started and 10 won. Her important foals were as follow:
Connections
Foaled in France, Green Valley was bred by Gertrude Widener. Due to declining health, Mrs. Widener dispersed her stock in 1968, resulting in Green Valley II's being purchased for 410,000 francs at the Deauville yearling sale by Madame Pierre Wertheimer. Madame Wertheimer bred the mare's first two foals, Green Dancer and the 1973 Turn-to horse Grunewald, and Green Valley II's foals of 1974-1985 were bred by Jacques Wertheimer. The mare's last three foals were bred by Wertheimer et Frere.
Pedigree notes
Green Valley II is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to French stakes winner Green Herb (by Herbager) and to El Palomar (by Le Mesnil), dam of 1979 Italian champion 2-year-old male Pareo (by Armos). Green Valley II is also a half sister to Foxy One (by Sanctus), second dam of 1985 Norsk Oaks (NOR-G1) winner Sangelin, and to Pola de Raggia (by River Peace), third dam of 2003 Prix Maurice de Gheest (FR-G1) winner Polezza.
Green Valley II's dam Sly Pola won the 1959 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp and three other stakes races. She is a half sister to the very quick Polamia (by Mahmoud) who won the 1957 Prix de Bois and produced five stakes winners including 1964 French champion 2-year-old male Grey Dawn II (by Herbager; a very good sire), 1966 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas) winner Right Away (by Right Royal V; dam of stakes winner Timmy's Way and second dam of French Group 2 winners High Sierra and Garde Royale); and 1968 Prix La Rochette winner Mia Pola (by Relko). Through Mia Pola, Polamia is the ancestress of 1995 European Horse of the Year Dream Well and Grade/Group 1 winners Super Sheila, Metamorphose, and Sulamani. Sly Pola is also a half sister to Takawalk (by Native Dancer), winner of the 1963 Prix La Rochette.
Sly Pola was produced from Ampola (by Pavot), a winning half sister to six stakes winners produced from the Blue Larkspur mare Blue Denim. The sibling group includes 1958 Travers Stakes winner Piano Jim (by Bernborough); multiple English stakes winner Blue Prince (by Princequillo); multiple American stakes winners Tahiti (by Polynesian), Green Baize (by Case Ace) and Suleiman (by Mahmoud); and the good steeplechaser Policeman Day (by Challedon). Ampola is also a half sister to Lighter (by Coastal Traffic), dam of multiple stakes producers Barge (by Curandero) and Sunny Morning (by Amber Morn); to Sail Cloth (by War Admiral); dam of multiple stakes winners Mainsheet (by Alycidon) and First Mate (by Limelight); to Dungaree (by Princequillo), dam of 1970 Amory L. Haskell Handicap and Hawthorne Gold Cup winner Gladwin (by First Landing); and to Coque Blue (by Daumier), dam of Canadian stakes winner Moonreindeer (by Dark Star).
Last updated: December 21, 2023
Race record
Unraced
As an individual
An attractive dark bay or brown mare; no further data available.
As a producer
Green Valley II produced 15 named foals, of which 12 started and 10 won. Her important foals were as follow:
- Green Dancer (1972, by Nijinsky II) was the second-rated juvenile male in both England and France in 1974 and trained on to win the 1975 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (FR-G1). He was the French champion sire of 1991 and was also an important broodmare sire.
- Ercolano (1974, by Sir Ivor) won the 1977 Prix du Lys (FR-G3). He stood in Italy and was not particularly successful.
- Pink Valley (1975, by Never Bend) won the 1977 Prix d'Aumale. She is the dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Pink (by Northern Dancer), Group 2-placed multiple French stakes winner Ring Pink (by Bering) and multiple French stakes winner Lypink (by Lyphard).
- L'engadine (1976, by Secretariat) produced French stakes winner La Romance (by Lyphard).
- Sir Raleigh (1977, by Sir Ivor) won the 1981 Prix de la Chapelle. A regional sire in New York and Maryland, he had little impact.
- Northern Valley (1978, by Northern Dancer) produced Irish stakes winner Judicial (by Law Society), second dam of Indian Two Thousand Guineas winner Berlioz.
- Val Danseur (1980, by Nijinsky II) won the 1986 Golden Gate Handicap (USA-G2) and Rolling Green Handicap (USA-G3). He sired only six foals, of which three won.
- Vallee Dansante (1981, by Lyphard) is the dam of 1991 Prix Cleopatre (FR-G3) winner Brooklyn's Dance (by Shirley Heights) and French stakes winner Princesse Dansante (by King's Best). Brooklyn's Dance, in turn, is the dam of six stakes winners including 2012 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (FR-G1) winner Solemia (by Poliglote) and multiple French Group 3 winner Prospect Wells (by Poliglote's sire Sadler's Wells) and is the second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Chintz and French Group 3 winner Pollara. In addition, Vallee Dansante's stakes-placed daughter Krissante (by Kris) is the dam of 2000 French champion juvenile male Okavango (by Kingmambo) while another daughter, Quest of Fire (by Rainbow Quest), is the second dam of two-time Gran Premio di Milano (ITY-G1) winner Quijano. In addition, Vallee Dansante's daughter Funsie (by Saumarez) is the dam of 2007 European champion 3-year-old male Authorized (by Montjeu), winner of the 2007 Derby Stakes (ENG-G1).
- Irish Valley (1982, by Irish River) is the dam of 1995 European champion 2-year-old male Alhaarth (by Unfuwain) and 1990 Prix du Calvados (FR-G3) winner Green Pola (by Nijinsky II), dam of Japanese stakes winner Cape Lizburne (by Bering). Irish Valley is also the second dam of 2010 Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) winner Makfi and English Group 3 winner Aqaleem.
- Soviet Lad (1985, by Nureyev) won the 1988 Prix de Pontarme and was Grade 1-placed. He stood in the United States, Ireland and France but was not a success in any of his locations.
- Valthea (1989, by Antheus) produced French stakes winner Vert Val (by Septieme Ciel), dam of English Group 3 winner Russian Valour (by Fasliyev).
Connections
Foaled in France, Green Valley was bred by Gertrude Widener. Due to declining health, Mrs. Widener dispersed her stock in 1968, resulting in Green Valley II's being purchased for 410,000 francs at the Deauville yearling sale by Madame Pierre Wertheimer. Madame Wertheimer bred the mare's first two foals, Green Dancer and the 1973 Turn-to horse Grunewald, and Green Valley II's foals of 1974-1985 were bred by Jacques Wertheimer. The mare's last three foals were bred by Wertheimer et Frere.
Pedigree notes
Green Valley II is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to French stakes winner Green Herb (by Herbager) and to El Palomar (by Le Mesnil), dam of 1979 Italian champion 2-year-old male Pareo (by Armos). Green Valley II is also a half sister to Foxy One (by Sanctus), second dam of 1985 Norsk Oaks (NOR-G1) winner Sangelin, and to Pola de Raggia (by River Peace), third dam of 2003 Prix Maurice de Gheest (FR-G1) winner Polezza.
Green Valley II's dam Sly Pola won the 1959 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp and three other stakes races. She is a half sister to the very quick Polamia (by Mahmoud) who won the 1957 Prix de Bois and produced five stakes winners including 1964 French champion 2-year-old male Grey Dawn II (by Herbager; a very good sire), 1966 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas) winner Right Away (by Right Royal V; dam of stakes winner Timmy's Way and second dam of French Group 2 winners High Sierra and Garde Royale); and 1968 Prix La Rochette winner Mia Pola (by Relko). Through Mia Pola, Polamia is the ancestress of 1995 European Horse of the Year Dream Well and Grade/Group 1 winners Super Sheila, Metamorphose, and Sulamani. Sly Pola is also a half sister to Takawalk (by Native Dancer), winner of the 1963 Prix La Rochette.
Sly Pola was produced from Ampola (by Pavot), a winning half sister to six stakes winners produced from the Blue Larkspur mare Blue Denim. The sibling group includes 1958 Travers Stakes winner Piano Jim (by Bernborough); multiple English stakes winner Blue Prince (by Princequillo); multiple American stakes winners Tahiti (by Polynesian), Green Baize (by Case Ace) and Suleiman (by Mahmoud); and the good steeplechaser Policeman Day (by Challedon). Ampola is also a half sister to Lighter (by Coastal Traffic), dam of multiple stakes producers Barge (by Curandero) and Sunny Morning (by Amber Morn); to Sail Cloth (by War Admiral); dam of multiple stakes winners Mainsheet (by Alycidon) and First Mate (by Limelight); to Dungaree (by Princequillo), dam of 1970 Amory L. Haskell Handicap and Hawthorne Gold Cup winner Gladwin (by First Landing); and to Coque Blue (by Daumier), dam of Canadian stakes winner Moonreindeer (by Dark Star).
Last updated: December 21, 2023