Honest Pleasure (USA)
March 28, 1973 – August 17, 1992
What a Pleasure (USA) x Tularia (GB), by Tulyar (IRE)
Family 11-f
March 28, 1973 – August 17, 1992
What a Pleasure (USA) x Tularia (GB), by Tulyar (IRE)
Family 11-f
A champion at 2, Honest Pleasure trained on to remain among the leaders of his generation at 3. winning four Grade 1 races, and might have taken the 3-year-old championship from dual Classic winner Bold Forbes had he been able to score a win against older males in the fall. Unfortunately, he saw only limited action as a 4-year-old. He became a useful but not top-flight stallion.
Race record
25 starts, 12 wins, 6 seconds, 2 thirds, US$839,997
1975:
1976:
1977:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old male (1975)
Assessments
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1975, 2 pounds above second-rated Telly's Pop.
Tied at 126 pounds with divisional champion Bold Forbes atop the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1976, 1 pound above Elocutionist and Majestic Light.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1977, 18 pounds below divisional champion Forego.
As an individual
A well-balanced dark bay or brown horse, Honest Pleasure handled both fast and sloppy going well. He was a front runner by preference but was courageous when challenged. He tended to become edgy and sweat up before his races.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Honest Pleasure sired 248 winners (67.5%) and 26 stakes winners (6.2%) from 430 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Again Tomorrow (USA), Bedside Promise (USA), Leroy S (USA), Judge Angelucci (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Preach (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Honest Pleasure was bred by Waldemar Farms. He was purchased for US$45,000 at the 1974 Saratoga yearling sale by Bertram and Diana Firestone and raced in Bertram Firestone's silks. He was trained by LeRoy Jolley. Honest Pleasure entered stud in 1978 in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm. In 1987, he moved to Double Diamond Farm in Florida. From there, he moved to Harris Farms, California in 1991, where he died of heat stroke on August 17, 1992.
Pedigree notes
Honest Pleasure is inbred 4x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is inbred 5x5 to 1918 English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough and to three-time English/Irish champion sire Blandford. He is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner For the Moment. He is a half brother to Canadian stakes winner Hop Hop (by Chop Chop) and to stakes-placed Canalu (by Canadian Champ), dam of stakes winners Vickie’s Champ (by Victorian Era; dam of Canadian stakes winner Victorious Lad, by Dial a Lad) and Julie’s Bet (by Val de l’Orne), second dam of multiple Italian Group 3 winner Dewanadance, and third dam of Italian Group 3 winner Divina Estate. In addition, Honest Pleasure is a half brother to Nearly a Monarch (by Grey Monarch), dam of 1974 Whitney Handicap (USA-G2) winner Nearly On Time (by Pollux) and second dam of Italian Group 2 winner Damascus Regal. Finally, Honest Pleasre is a half brother to Tularane (by Canebora), dam of multiple Canadian stakes winner Spoil Her (by Polar Palace).
Tularia, the dam of Honest Pleasure, won the 1958 International Handicap at Fort Erie and is a half sister to the good English stakes winner Burnt Brown (by The Phoenix). She is also a half sister to Topping News (by Bright News), third dam of 1979 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1) winner Burn’s Return and multiple Grade 2 winner Chas Conerly.
Tularia and her siblings are out of 1943 Irish champion 3-year-old filly Suntop II (by 1933 Coronation Cup and Champion Stakes winner Dastur), winner of the 1943 Irish One Thousand Guineas and Irish Oaks. Suntop II, in turn, is out of Sunny Mountain (by 1920 Newmarket St. Leger winner Abbots Trace, by Tracery), whose dam Lysandra (by the noted stayer and stamina source Son-in-Law) is a half sister to 1924 Park Hill Stakes winner Charley’s Mount (by Charles O’Malley).
Last updated: July 12, 2024
Race record
25 starts, 12 wins, 6 seconds, 2 thirds, US$839,997
1975:
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Laurel Futurity (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Laurel)
- Won Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA-G1, 6.5FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Cowdin Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Belmont)
1976:
- Won Florida Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Hialeah)
- Won Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga; new track record 2:00-1/5)
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Marlboro Cup Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Woodward Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont; dead heat with Stumping)
- 3rd Monmouth Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
1977:
- Won Ben Ali Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old male (1975)
Assessments
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1975, 2 pounds above second-rated Telly's Pop.
Tied at 126 pounds with divisional champion Bold Forbes atop the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1976, 1 pound above Elocutionist and Majestic Light.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1977, 18 pounds below divisional champion Forego.
As an individual
A well-balanced dark bay or brown horse, Honest Pleasure handled both fast and sloppy going well. He was a front runner by preference but was courageous when challenged. He tended to become edgy and sweat up before his races.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Honest Pleasure sired 248 winners (67.5%) and 26 stakes winners (6.2%) from 430 named foals of racing age.
Notable progeny
Again Tomorrow (USA), Bedside Promise (USA), Leroy S (USA), Judge Angelucci (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Preach (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Honest Pleasure was bred by Waldemar Farms. He was purchased for US$45,000 at the 1974 Saratoga yearling sale by Bertram and Diana Firestone and raced in Bertram Firestone's silks. He was trained by LeRoy Jolley. Honest Pleasure entered stud in 1978 in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm. In 1987, he moved to Double Diamond Farm in Florida. From there, he moved to Harris Farms, California in 1991, where he died of heat stroke on August 17, 1992.
Pedigree notes
Honest Pleasure is inbred 4x4 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is inbred 5x5 to 1918 English Triple Crown winner Gainsborough and to three-time English/Irish champion sire Blandford. He is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner For the Moment. He is a half brother to Canadian stakes winner Hop Hop (by Chop Chop) and to stakes-placed Canalu (by Canadian Champ), dam of stakes winners Vickie’s Champ (by Victorian Era; dam of Canadian stakes winner Victorious Lad, by Dial a Lad) and Julie’s Bet (by Val de l’Orne), second dam of multiple Italian Group 3 winner Dewanadance, and third dam of Italian Group 3 winner Divina Estate. In addition, Honest Pleasure is a half brother to Nearly a Monarch (by Grey Monarch), dam of 1974 Whitney Handicap (USA-G2) winner Nearly On Time (by Pollux) and second dam of Italian Group 2 winner Damascus Regal. Finally, Honest Pleasre is a half brother to Tularane (by Canebora), dam of multiple Canadian stakes winner Spoil Her (by Polar Palace).
Tularia, the dam of Honest Pleasure, won the 1958 International Handicap at Fort Erie and is a half sister to the good English stakes winner Burnt Brown (by The Phoenix). She is also a half sister to Topping News (by Bright News), third dam of 1979 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1) winner Burn’s Return and multiple Grade 2 winner Chas Conerly.
Tularia and her siblings are out of 1943 Irish champion 3-year-old filly Suntop II (by 1933 Coronation Cup and Champion Stakes winner Dastur), winner of the 1943 Irish One Thousand Guineas and Irish Oaks. Suntop II, in turn, is out of Sunny Mountain (by 1920 Newmarket St. Leger winner Abbots Trace, by Tracery), whose dam Lysandra (by the noted stayer and stamina source Son-in-Law) is a half sister to 1924 Park Hill Stakes winner Charley’s Mount (by Charles O’Malley).
Last updated: July 12, 2024