Idun (USA)
April 14, 1955 – 1979?
Royal Charger (GB) x Tige O'Myheart (USA), by Bull Lea (USA)
Family 4-m
April 14, 1955 – 1979?
Royal Charger (GB) x Tige O'Myheart (USA), by Bull Lea (USA)
Family 4-m
Unlike many another top auction yearling, Idun proved a great bargain even at her high purchase price. A two-time American champion, she was the last top runner produced by the branch of Family 4-m descended from Margaret Lawrence. Her record as a broodmare was much less impressive than her record on the track.
Race record
30 starts, 17 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds, US$392,490
1957:
1958:
1959:
Honors
Assessments
In the 1957 Triangle Publications poll, Idun was actually ranked as the best American juvenile of either sex.
Idun was weighted at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1957, tops among 2-year-old fillies and 5 pounds better than her closest rivals, Poly Hi and Sequoia.
Weighted at 123 pounds on the 1958 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1958, 4 pounds below 5-year-old Bornastar (the year's champion handicap female) but 1 pound above the next best 3-year-old filly, A Glitter.
Weighted at 123 pounds on the 1959 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American fillies and mares, 7 pounds below champion Tempted but tied for third overall.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare with excellent overall balance and a marked overstride at the walk, Idun stood 15.2-1/2 hands at the withers in December of her 3-year-old season, with her height at the hips measuring 15.3. She was blockier than either her sire or her dam, with strong muscling through her forearms and gaskins. Her hocks were slightly out behind her. While she could be a handful in the mornings, she was professional and completely game and genuine in actual racing, and she enjoyed human attention around the barn. She ran with an unusually low-headed and efficient gait. She never won beyond a mile and one-sixteenth.
As a producer
Idun produced nine named foals, of which seven started and five won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Idun was bred by Leslie Combs II and John W. Hanes. She was purchased by Mrs. Charles Ulrich Bay (later Mrs. Michael J. Paul) for US$63,000, then a record for a yearling Thoroughbred filly at auction, from the 1956 Keeneland summer sale. She was trained by Sherrill Ward, Jr. Following her racing career, Idun passed into the hands of Mr. and Mrs. John Galbreath and lived out her days at their Darby Dan Farm. She produced her last foal, the Good Counsel gelding North Bay, in 1979.
Pedigree notes
Idun is inbred 5x5 to 1906 Derby Stakes winner Spearmint. She is a full sister to 1959 Saratoga Special winner Irish Lancer and to the minor stakes winner Honor Bright. She is a half sister to Endearment (by Alibhai), dam of 1970 Laurance Armour Handicap winner Indian Emerald (by Jaipur), and to China Trade (by Swaps), dam of French stakes winner Amani (by Lyphard). She is also a half sister to A Bonny Irish Lass (by Bold Ruler), dam of stakes winner Tom's Lass (by Tom Rolfe) and third dam of Airdrie Apache, a notable sire of white and paint Thoroughbreds.
Idun is out of Tige O'Myheart, a full sister to Preakness Stakes winner Faultless. Tige O'Myheart, in turn, was produced from 1939 American co-champion 3-year-old filly Unerring (by Insco), a full sister to 1938 Kentucky Derby winner Lawrin and to 1940 Kentucky Oaks winner Inscolassie. Unerring is also a half sister to stakes winners Lawley (by Sir Martin) and Modern Times (by Pataud) and to Spring Glory (by Bow to Me), dam of the minor stakes winner Glory Glory (by War Glory).
Unerring and her siblings were produced from Margaret Lawrence, a half sister to 1914 Futurity Stakes winner Trojan and a half sister to Pyrope (by Sir Wilfred), dam of the minor stakes winner Undercover (by Under Fire). The next dam in Unerring's tail-female line, Bohemia (by Wagner), won two stakes races and is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Colonel Wagner. Their dam Mattie T., in turn, is by Billet out of Jaconet and, thus, is a full sister to 1888 American co-champion 3-year-old male Sir Dixon and the good stakes winner Belvedere. Mattie T. is also a half sister to The Niece (by Alarm), dam of the good racer and sire Uncle (by Star Shoot), and to Lady Pepper (by Hindoo), dam of 1902 Alabama Stakes winner Par Excellence (by Kantaka).
Fun facts
Last updated: March 5, 2024
Race record
30 starts, 17 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds, US$392,490
1957:
- Won Gardenia Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- Won Matron Stakes (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Frizette Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
1958:
- Won Gazelle Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Mother Goose Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Delaware Handicap (USA, 9FD, Delaware)
- 3rd Roamer Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Jamaica)
1959:
- Won Colonial Handicap (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
- Won Liberty Belle Handicap (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Columbiana Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- Won Maskette Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Beldame Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Interborough Handicap (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Regret Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Vagrancy Handicap (USA, 7FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Distaff Handicap (USA, 7FD, Belmont)
Honors
- American champion 2-year-old filly (1957)
- American champion 3-year-old filly (1958)
Assessments
In the 1957 Triangle Publications poll, Idun was actually ranked as the best American juvenile of either sex.
Idun was weighted at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1957, tops among 2-year-old fillies and 5 pounds better than her closest rivals, Poly Hi and Sequoia.
Weighted at 123 pounds on the 1958 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1958, 4 pounds below 5-year-old Bornastar (the year's champion handicap female) but 1 pound above the next best 3-year-old filly, A Glitter.
Weighted at 123 pounds on the 1959 Daily Racing Form Free Handicap for American fillies and mares, 7 pounds below champion Tempted but tied for third overall.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown mare with excellent overall balance and a marked overstride at the walk, Idun stood 15.2-1/2 hands at the withers in December of her 3-year-old season, with her height at the hips measuring 15.3. She was blockier than either her sire or her dam, with strong muscling through her forearms and gaskins. Her hocks were slightly out behind her. While she could be a handful in the mornings, she was professional and completely game and genuine in actual racing, and she enjoyed human attention around the barn. She ran with an unusually low-headed and efficient gait. She never won beyond a mile and one-sixteenth.
As a producer
Idun produced nine named foals, of which seven started and five won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Bless Swaps (1962, by Swaps) is the second dam of Grade III winner Forty Nine Sunsets.
- Ben Adhem (1972, by Ribot) won two stakes at Longacres as a 4-year-old.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Idun was bred by Leslie Combs II and John W. Hanes. She was purchased by Mrs. Charles Ulrich Bay (later Mrs. Michael J. Paul) for US$63,000, then a record for a yearling Thoroughbred filly at auction, from the 1956 Keeneland summer sale. She was trained by Sherrill Ward, Jr. Following her racing career, Idun passed into the hands of Mr. and Mrs. John Galbreath and lived out her days at their Darby Dan Farm. She produced her last foal, the Good Counsel gelding North Bay, in 1979.
Pedigree notes
Idun is inbred 5x5 to 1906 Derby Stakes winner Spearmint. She is a full sister to 1959 Saratoga Special winner Irish Lancer and to the minor stakes winner Honor Bright. She is a half sister to Endearment (by Alibhai), dam of 1970 Laurance Armour Handicap winner Indian Emerald (by Jaipur), and to China Trade (by Swaps), dam of French stakes winner Amani (by Lyphard). She is also a half sister to A Bonny Irish Lass (by Bold Ruler), dam of stakes winner Tom's Lass (by Tom Rolfe) and third dam of Airdrie Apache, a notable sire of white and paint Thoroughbreds.
Idun is out of Tige O'Myheart, a full sister to Preakness Stakes winner Faultless. Tige O'Myheart, in turn, was produced from 1939 American co-champion 3-year-old filly Unerring (by Insco), a full sister to 1938 Kentucky Derby winner Lawrin and to 1940 Kentucky Oaks winner Inscolassie. Unerring is also a half sister to stakes winners Lawley (by Sir Martin) and Modern Times (by Pataud) and to Spring Glory (by Bow to Me), dam of the minor stakes winner Glory Glory (by War Glory).
Unerring and her siblings were produced from Margaret Lawrence, a half sister to 1914 Futurity Stakes winner Trojan and a half sister to Pyrope (by Sir Wilfred), dam of the minor stakes winner Undercover (by Under Fire). The next dam in Unerring's tail-female line, Bohemia (by Wagner), won two stakes races and is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Colonel Wagner. Their dam Mattie T., in turn, is by Billet out of Jaconet and, thus, is a full sister to 1888 American co-champion 3-year-old male Sir Dixon and the good stakes winner Belvedere. Mattie T. is also a half sister to The Niece (by Alarm), dam of the good racer and sire Uncle (by Star Shoot), and to Lady Pepper (by Hindoo), dam of 1902 Alabama Stakes winner Par Excellence (by Kantaka).
Fun facts
- In Norse mythology, Idun was the goddess who had charge of the apples of youth, which the gods ate in order to stay young and vigorous.
- Idun set a new American record for earnings by a juvenile filly, garnering US$220,955. The previous record holder, Top Flight, had held her record for 26 years.
Last updated: March 5, 2024