Hero's Love (USA)
February 26, 1988 – c. 2011
Hero's Honor (USA) x Balloon Race (USA), by Pleasant Colony (USA)
Family 7
February 26, 1988 – c. 2011
Hero's Honor (USA) x Balloon Race (USA), by Pleasant Colony (USA)
Family 7
The immediate pedigree of Hero's Love suggested a late-maturing, staying turf runner, and Hero's Love herself turned out to be exactly that in spite of the speed-oriented proclivities of her tail-female line. The best grass horse in Canada in 1993, she did fairly well as a broodmare.
Race record
42 starts, 9 wins, 10 seconds, 5 thirds, US$787, 680 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1992:
1993:
1994:
Honors
Sovereign Award, Canadian champion turf horse (1993)
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1992, 15 pounds below champion Flawlessly.
Rated at 112 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf horses of 1992, 15 pounds below highweighted Snurge (a 5-year-old horse) and 13 pounds below official divisional champion Rainbows for Life (a 4-year-old colt).
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1993, 8 pounds below champion Flawlessly.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf horses of 1993, 3 pounds below highweighted Explosive Red (a 3-year-old colt).
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1994, 9 pounds below co-highweights Flawlessly and Hatoof (the official divisional champion).
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Hero's Love produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hero's Love was bred by Thomas Mellon Evans and was owned by Frank Stronach. She was trained by Daniel Vella. She spent her broodmare career as the property of Stronach's Adena Springs breeding operation, producing her last foal, the Thunder Gulch mare Ingenious Girl, in 2011.
Pedigree notes
Hero's Love is inbred 4x4 to the undefeated European champion Ribot and the fine race mare and producer Flower Bed through the full brothers Graustark and His Majesty, both talented racehorses and important sires. She carries an additional cross of Ribot at the fifth generation and is also inbred 4x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer and 5x5 to 1937 American Horse of the Year War Admiral, an American champion sire and two-time champion broodmare sire.
Hero's Love was produced from unraced Balloon Race, whose dam Flying Partner (by Hoist the Flag) won the 1982 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G1) and is a half sister to 1987 English and French champion sprinter Ajdal (by Northern Dancer). Produced from the good racer and excellent broodmare Native Partner (Raise a Native x Dinner Partner, by Tom Fool), Flying Partner is also a half sister to 1978 Prix de Pomone (FR-G3) winner Fabuleux Jane (by Le Fabuleux). The last-named mare is the dam of 1998 Early Times Turf Classic (USA-G1) winner Joyeux Dancer (by Nureyev), 1987 Anne Arundel Handicap (USA-G3) winner Doubles Partner (by Damascus; third dam of Grade 2 winner Let), French stakes winner Fabuleux Dancer (by Nijinsky II), and Group 3-placed Danseur Fabuleux (by Northern Dancer), dam of 1991 European Horse of the Year and American champion juvenile Arazi (by Blushing Groom) and 2001 Champagne Lanson Sussex Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Noverre (by Rahy). Through other daughters, Fabuleux Jane is also the second dam of Grade 3 winner Silent Roar and the third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Lovemelikearock.
In addition, Flying Partner is a half sister to several other noteworthy broodmares. The most important of them is Key Partner (by Key to the Mint), dam of 1985 Matchmaker Stakes (USA-G2) winner Key Dancer (by Nijinsky II; second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Smart Robin) and her full sister, Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Key Flyer; second dam of two-time Japanese champions Dance Partner and Dance in the Mood and 1996 Japanese champion 3-year-old male Dance in the Dark; and third dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Federalist and Japanese Group 3 winner Dance Fantasia.
Another important half sister to Flying Partner is Group 3-placed Bev Bev (by Nijinsky II), dam of Group 3-placed listed stakes winner Spectacular Bev (by Spectacular Bid); second dam of 2014 Indian champion older male Machiavellianism, 2004 John A. Morris Handicap (USA-I) winner Link River, English Group 3 winner Stelvio and Grade 3 winner Sterling Pound; and third dam of Grade 2 winner Exchange Rate (a successful sire) and English Group 3 winner Sabre d'Argent. Flying Partner is also a half sister to Farewell Partner (by Northern Dancer), dam of 1997 Stars and Stripes Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap (USA-G3) winner Lakeshore Road (by Alleged) and multiple listed stakes winner Secret Partner (by Rahy; dam of stakes winner Malitzin, by Dynaformer), and to Tennis Partner (by Northern Dancer), second dam of 2009 Oakleigh Plate (AUS-G1) winner Swiss Ace.
Last updated: May 31, 2022
Race record
42 starts, 9 wins, 10 seconds, 5 thirds, US$787, 680 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1992:
- 2nd Nassau Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- 2nd Canadian Breeders' Cup Handicap (CAN-L, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd E. P. Taylor Stakes (CAN-G2, 10FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Modesty Stakes (USA-G3, 9.5FT, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Bayou Handicap (USA-L, about 9FT, Fair Grounds)
1993:
- Won E. P. Taylor Stakes (CAN-G2, 10FT, Woodbine)
- Won Modesty Stakes (USA-G3, 9.5FT, Arlington Park)
- Won Jockey Club Handicap (CAN-L, 9FT, Woodbine)
- Won Joe Namath Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FT, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Bewitch Stakes (USA-G3, 9FT, Keeneland)
- 3rd Nassau Stakes (CAN-L, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
1994:
- Won San Gorgonio Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Santa Ana Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Matchmaker Stakes (USA-G2, 9.5FT, Atlantic City)
- 3rd E. P. Taylor Stakes (CAN-G2, 10FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Buena Vista Handicap (USA-G3, 8FT, Santa Anita)
Honors
Sovereign Award, Canadian champion turf horse (1993)
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1992, 15 pounds below champion Flawlessly.
Rated at 112 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf horses of 1992, 15 pounds below highweighted Snurge (a 5-year-old horse) and 13 pounds below official divisional champion Rainbows for Life (a 4-year-old colt).
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1993, 8 pounds below champion Flawlessly.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf horses of 1993, 3 pounds below highweighted Explosive Red (a 3-year-old colt).
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females of 1994, 9 pounds below co-highweights Flawlessly and Hatoof (the official divisional champion).
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Hero's Love produced 14 named foals, of which 11 started and eight won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Herzblatt (1997, by Cozzene) won three of her 14 starts and produced stakes winner Awesome Hero (by Awesome Again).
- Love Kiss (1998, by Gone West) was a listed stakes winner at 2 and was Grade III-placed. She is the dam of Grade II-placed multiple stakes winner Hampstead Heath (by Macho Uno).
- Love Sting (2000, by Lit de Justice) won the listed Calder Oaks as a 3-year-old. She is the dam of two-time Peruvian champion miler Arezzo (by Rock Hard Ten).
- Blushing Doe (2005, by Running Stag) never raced but is the dam of 2016 Turkish champion 2-year-old filly Waneta (by Mountain Cat).
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hero's Love was bred by Thomas Mellon Evans and was owned by Frank Stronach. She was trained by Daniel Vella. She spent her broodmare career as the property of Stronach's Adena Springs breeding operation, producing her last foal, the Thunder Gulch mare Ingenious Girl, in 2011.
Pedigree notes
Hero's Love is inbred 4x4 to the undefeated European champion Ribot and the fine race mare and producer Flower Bed through the full brothers Graustark and His Majesty, both talented racehorses and important sires. She carries an additional cross of Ribot at the fifth generation and is also inbred 4x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer and 5x5 to 1937 American Horse of the Year War Admiral, an American champion sire and two-time champion broodmare sire.
Hero's Love was produced from unraced Balloon Race, whose dam Flying Partner (by Hoist the Flag) won the 1982 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G1) and is a half sister to 1987 English and French champion sprinter Ajdal (by Northern Dancer). Produced from the good racer and excellent broodmare Native Partner (Raise a Native x Dinner Partner, by Tom Fool), Flying Partner is also a half sister to 1978 Prix de Pomone (FR-G3) winner Fabuleux Jane (by Le Fabuleux). The last-named mare is the dam of 1998 Early Times Turf Classic (USA-G1) winner Joyeux Dancer (by Nureyev), 1987 Anne Arundel Handicap (USA-G3) winner Doubles Partner (by Damascus; third dam of Grade 2 winner Let), French stakes winner Fabuleux Dancer (by Nijinsky II), and Group 3-placed Danseur Fabuleux (by Northern Dancer), dam of 1991 European Horse of the Year and American champion juvenile Arazi (by Blushing Groom) and 2001 Champagne Lanson Sussex Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Noverre (by Rahy). Through other daughters, Fabuleux Jane is also the second dam of Grade 3 winner Silent Roar and the third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Lovemelikearock.
In addition, Flying Partner is a half sister to several other noteworthy broodmares. The most important of them is Key Partner (by Key to the Mint), dam of 1985 Matchmaker Stakes (USA-G2) winner Key Dancer (by Nijinsky II; second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Smart Robin) and her full sister, Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Key Flyer; second dam of two-time Japanese champions Dance Partner and Dance in the Mood and 1996 Japanese champion 3-year-old male Dance in the Dark; and third dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Federalist and Japanese Group 3 winner Dance Fantasia.
Another important half sister to Flying Partner is Group 3-placed Bev Bev (by Nijinsky II), dam of Group 3-placed listed stakes winner Spectacular Bev (by Spectacular Bid); second dam of 2014 Indian champion older male Machiavellianism, 2004 John A. Morris Handicap (USA-I) winner Link River, English Group 3 winner Stelvio and Grade 3 winner Sterling Pound; and third dam of Grade 2 winner Exchange Rate (a successful sire) and English Group 3 winner Sabre d'Argent. Flying Partner is also a half sister to Farewell Partner (by Northern Dancer), dam of 1997 Stars and Stripes Breeders' Cup Turf Handicap (USA-G3) winner Lakeshore Road (by Alleged) and multiple listed stakes winner Secret Partner (by Rahy; dam of stakes winner Malitzin, by Dynaformer), and to Tennis Partner (by Northern Dancer), second dam of 2009 Oakleigh Plate (AUS-G1) winner Swiss Ace.
Last updated: May 31, 2022