Hero's Honor (USA)
April 28, 1980 – May 1998
Northern Dancer (CAN) x Glowing Tribute (USA), by Graustark (USA)
Family 1-x
April 28, 1980 – May 1998
Northern Dancer (CAN) x Glowing Tribute (USA), by Graustark (USA)
Family 1-x
The first stakes winner produced by 1993 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Glowing Tribute, Hero's Honor got her distinguished career off with a flourish by becoming a multiple Grade 1 winner. He was a useful sire after his retirement but did not achieve the levels attained by many of Northern Dancer's other good sons. He is perhaps best remembered as the broodmare sire of 2004 American champion sire Elusive Quality.
Race record
18 starts, 8 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$499,025
1983:
1984:
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1984, 7 pounds below champion John Henry but fourth overall.
As an individual
A good-sized, strong, well-made bay horse, Hero's Honor was longer-legged and had more scope than many from the Northern Dancer tribe. He also had a straighter hind leg but was perhaps slightly back at the knee. He had good early speed. He was strictly a turf horse according to trainer Mack Miller and scored his only major dirt success over a sloppy track. (According to the New York Times' account of the race, he was the only runner shod with mud caulks after the race came off the turf course due to heavy rains and was essentially the lone speed in a short field.)
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Hero's Honor sired 231 winners (60.8%) and 32 stakes winners (8.4%) from 380 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Hero's Love (USA), Super Quercus (FR)
Notable progeny of daughters
Onibus Espacial (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Hero's Honor was bred and owned by Paul Mellon, who raced him in the name of his Rokeby Stables. He was trained by Mack Miller. He entered stud in 1985 at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky. He was exported to France following the 1990 Northern Hemisphere breeding season and stood at Haras de Roiville beginning in 1991. He later moved to Haras du Petit Tellier, dying there in May 1998.
Pedigree notes
Hero's Honor is inbred 4x5 to Hyperion. He is a full brother to 1984 Diana Handicap (USA-G2) winner Wild Applause, whose four stakes winners include 1990 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eastern Echo (by Damascus) and 2004 Argentine champion sire Roar (by Forty Niner). He is a half brother to two-time Diana Handicap (USA-G2) winner Glowing Honor (by Seattle Slew; third dam of 2014/2015 Chilean Horse of the Year Il Campione) and to Grade 3 winners Coronation Cup (by Chief's Crown) and Mackie (by Summer Squall; a multiple graded stakes producer). Hero's Honor is also a half brother to stakes winner Seattle Glow (by Seattle Slew) and to Victoria Cross (by Spectacular Bid), dam of 2001 European champion sprinter Mozart (by Danehill) and Grade 3 winner England Expects (by Topsider).
Hero's Honor and his siblings were produced from multiple Grade 2 winner Glowing Tribute, the 1993 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Glowing Tribute is a half sister to Courting Days (by Bold Lad), dam of Irish Group 2 winner and useful sire Magesterial (by Northern Dancer), and to Wealth of Nations (by Key to the Mint), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Lite Light.
Glowing Tribute and her sisters are out of 1964 Arlington-Washington Stakes winner Admiring (by Hail to Reason), a full sister to Priceless Gem. The winner of the 1965 Futurity Stakes and Frizette Stakes, Priceless Gem is the dam of the great French race mare Allez France (by Sea-Bird), multiple Grade 1 producer Lady Winborne (by Secretariat), and four-time New Zealand champion sire Noble Bijou (by Vaguely Noble). Admiring is also a half sister to three-time American champion Affectionately (by Swaps), dam of 1970 American Horse of the Year Personality (by Hail to Reason), and to Searching Around (by Round Table), dam of stakes winner Stashed (by Key to the Mint). The next dam in Hero's Honor's tail-female line is National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame member Searching (by War Admiral), a foundation mare for the Bieber-Jacobs Stable's breeding program.
Last updated: June 15, 2022
Race record
18 starts, 8 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$499,025
1983:
- 3rd Rutgers Handicap (first division) (USA-G2, 11FT, The Meadowlands)
1984:
- Won Bowling Green Handicap (USA-G1, 11FT, Belmont)
- Won United Nations Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FT, Atlantic City)
- Won Red Smith Handica0 (USA-G2, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Fort Marcy Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5T, Aqueduct)
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1984, 7 pounds below champion John Henry but fourth overall.
As an individual
A good-sized, strong, well-made bay horse, Hero's Honor was longer-legged and had more scope than many from the Northern Dancer tribe. He also had a straighter hind leg but was perhaps slightly back at the knee. He had good early speed. He was strictly a turf horse according to trainer Mack Miller and scored his only major dirt success over a sloppy track. (According to the New York Times' account of the race, he was the only runner shod with mud caulks after the race came off the turf course due to heavy rains and was essentially the lone speed in a short field.)
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Hero's Honor sired 231 winners (60.8%) and 32 stakes winners (8.4%) from 380 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 8th on the French general sire list in 1998.
Notable progeny
Hero's Love (USA), Super Quercus (FR)
Notable progeny of daughters
Onibus Espacial (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Hero's Honor was bred and owned by Paul Mellon, who raced him in the name of his Rokeby Stables. He was trained by Mack Miller. He entered stud in 1985 at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky. He was exported to France following the 1990 Northern Hemisphere breeding season and stood at Haras de Roiville beginning in 1991. He later moved to Haras du Petit Tellier, dying there in May 1998.
Pedigree notes
Hero's Honor is inbred 4x5 to Hyperion. He is a full brother to 1984 Diana Handicap (USA-G2) winner Wild Applause, whose four stakes winners include 1990 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eastern Echo (by Damascus) and 2004 Argentine champion sire Roar (by Forty Niner). He is a half brother to two-time Diana Handicap (USA-G2) winner Glowing Honor (by Seattle Slew; third dam of 2014/2015 Chilean Horse of the Year Il Campione) and to Grade 3 winners Coronation Cup (by Chief's Crown) and Mackie (by Summer Squall; a multiple graded stakes producer). Hero's Honor is also a half brother to stakes winner Seattle Glow (by Seattle Slew) and to Victoria Cross (by Spectacular Bid), dam of 2001 European champion sprinter Mozart (by Danehill) and Grade 3 winner England Expects (by Topsider).
Hero's Honor and his siblings were produced from multiple Grade 2 winner Glowing Tribute, the 1993 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Glowing Tribute is a half sister to Courting Days (by Bold Lad), dam of Irish Group 2 winner and useful sire Magesterial (by Northern Dancer), and to Wealth of Nations (by Key to the Mint), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Lite Light.
Glowing Tribute and her sisters are out of 1964 Arlington-Washington Stakes winner Admiring (by Hail to Reason), a full sister to Priceless Gem. The winner of the 1965 Futurity Stakes and Frizette Stakes, Priceless Gem is the dam of the great French race mare Allez France (by Sea-Bird), multiple Grade 1 producer Lady Winborne (by Secretariat), and four-time New Zealand champion sire Noble Bijou (by Vaguely Noble). Admiring is also a half sister to three-time American champion Affectionately (by Swaps), dam of 1970 American Horse of the Year Personality (by Hail to Reason), and to Searching Around (by Round Table), dam of stakes winner Stashed (by Key to the Mint). The next dam in Hero's Honor's tail-female line is National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame member Searching (by War Admiral), a foundation mare for the Bieber-Jacobs Stable's breeding program.
Last updated: June 15, 2022