There was a time when horsemen of the old Bluegrass would almost rather have seen a daughter go to an unsuitable marriage than part with one of their farm's four-legged matriarchs. Such mares were virtually irreplaceable treasures, and the only ways to acquire them or their immediate descendants were usually either marriage into the human family of the owner or purchase on the relatively rare occasions when they came up for auction due to the dispersal of an owner's estate or the need to reduce a broodmare band.
Acquiring a well-bred filly with a deep family is a little easier nowadays thanks to the much larger auction market for young horses, but the reasons for the old-timers' attitude were never more apparent than during October 1's stakes action, when race after race was won by horses tracing to one of the great queens of the paddocks. Among them:
This isn't to say that every filly descended from an important matriarch is worth retaining; even the best families require culling. Nonetheless, the persistence of class in top families is well worth noting and good reason to give decent fillies from these families every chance as broodmares.
Acquiring a well-bred filly with a deep family is a little easier nowadays thanks to the much larger auction market for young horses, but the reasons for the old-timers' attitude were never more apparent than during October 1's stakes action, when race after race was won by horses tracing to one of the great queens of the paddocks. Among them:
- Chandelier Stakes (USA-I) winner Noted and Quoted, tail-female to Iltis (family of My Dear Girl, In Reality, Glint of Gold, Diamond Shoal, Zanzibar, Ensconse, Tank's Prospect and Al Kazeem).
- Rodeo Drive Stakes (USA-IT) winner Avenge is a great-granddaughter of Homespun (family of Mashaallah, Folk Art, Local Talent and Eishin Champ).
- Vosburgh Stakes (USA-I) winner Joking is a fourth-generation descendant of Narrate (family of Johannesburg, Minardi, Tale of the Cat and Pulpit).
- Zenyatta Stakes (USA-I) winner Stellar Wind is a fourth-generation descendant of Indian Nurse (family of Melodist, Love Sign, Great Hunter and Mor Spirit).
- Pilgrim Stakes (USA-IIIT) winner Oscar Performance, tail-female to Blitey (family of Heavenly Prize, Dancing Spree, We Can Seek, Finder's Fee, Good Reward and Pure Prize).
- The Sprinters Stakes (JPN-I) winner Red Falx and Eddie D. Stakes (USA-IIIT) winner Holy Lute, both tail-female to Real Delight (family of Alydar, Our Mims, Christmas Past, Codex and Grand Slam).
This isn't to say that every filly descended from an important matriarch is worth retaining; even the best families require culling. Nonetheless, the persistence of class in top families is well worth noting and good reason to give decent fillies from these families every chance as broodmares.
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