Irish Jay (USA)
April 17, 1957 – 1982
Double Jay (USA) x Irish Witch (USA), by Bold Irishman (USA)
Family 23
April 17, 1957 – 1982
Double Jay (USA) x Irish Witch (USA), by Bold Irishman (USA)
Family 23
Irish Jay was born with a badly twisted set of forelegs but overcame her deformity to become one of the best American fillies of her crop. She passed her speed and her courage on to her foals, becoming a successful broodmare. Her female line continues through the descendants of her champion daughter Queen Empress.
Race record
15 starts, 7 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$216,075
1959:
1960:
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1959, 2 pounds below champion My Dear Girl but tied with Heavenly Body for second among American juvenile fillies.
Ranked third among American juvenile fillies of 1959 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1960, 13 pounds below champion Berlo.
As an individual
According to Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton, Irish Jay was pigeon-toed and knock-kneed with "corkscrew legs" but was "very brave" on the racetrack. Excepting her bad forelegs, she was very attractive with a beautifully chiseled, Arabian-like head; wide hips; straight hind legs, an unusually long pelvis; and muscular forearms. Hatton estimated that she would mature at 16 hands. She often stumbled coming out of the gate but could produce a brilliant finishing kick. She was sociable around the barn.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Irish Jay produced 14 named foals, of which nine started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Irish Jay was bred and owned by Wheatley Stable. She was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. She began her broodmare career as the property of Wheatley Stable, later passing to Ogden Phipps after the death of Wheatley Stable owner Gladys Mills Phipps in 1970, Irish Jay died in 1982.
Pedigree notes
Possessing a pedigree steeped in the bloodlines developed by the Whitney family, E. R. Bradley, and James R. Keene, Irish Jay is inbred 3x4 to 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II and four-time American champion sire Sir Gallahad III. She is also inbred 4x5 to 1907 American champion 3-year-old male Peter Pan and 4x5x5 to Whisk Broom II’s sire, 1879 American champion older male and three-time American champion sire Broomstick. Irish Jay is a half sister to Magical Hour (by Princequillo), dam of stakes winner Dona Maya (by Reviewer) and third dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Pertex and Argentine Group 3 winner Permisionaria. Irish Jay is also a half sister to Weird (by Tulyar), dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Funny Peculiar (by Funny Fellow).
Irish Jay and her siblings are out of stakes winner Irish Witch (by 1940 Pimlico Futurity winner Bold Irishman, by Sir Gallahad III), whose half sister Endor (by Menow) is the dam of stakes winner Big End (by Beau Gar). Irish Witch, in turn, is out of stakes winner Witchlike (by Diavolo), a half sister to 1947 Haggin Stakes winner Roman In (by Arigotal).
Witchlike was produced from the stakes-placed Sir Gallahad III mare Romanesque. Produced from the Irish import Erne (by White Eagle), Romanesque is a full sister to 1933 Champagne Stakes winner Hadagal; to multiple stakes winner Pansy Walker, second dam of the high-class gelding Social Outcast; and to Lady Erne, second dam of 1949 Kentucky Derby winner Ponder. Romanesque is also a half sister to Gallerne (by Gallant Fox), dam of stakes winner Milkwagonjoe (by Chicstraw), and to Erne Castle (by Blenheim II), second dam of 1958 Longacres Mile winner Collaborator.
Last updated: August 30, 2024
Race record
15 starts, 7 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$216,075
1959:
- Won Spinaway Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga; from second by disqualification of Natalma)
- Won Demoiselle Stakes (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Schuylerville Stakes (first division) (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Fashion Stakes (USA, 5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Frizette Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Matron Stakes (USA, 6FD, Belmont)
1960:
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Comely Stakes (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Prioress Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Betsy Ross Stakes (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1959, 2 pounds below champion My Dear Girl but tied with Heavenly Body for second among American juvenile fillies.
Ranked third among American juvenile fillies of 1959 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1960, 13 pounds below champion Berlo.
As an individual
According to Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton, Irish Jay was pigeon-toed and knock-kneed with "corkscrew legs" but was "very brave" on the racetrack. Excepting her bad forelegs, she was very attractive with a beautifully chiseled, Arabian-like head; wide hips; straight hind legs, an unusually long pelvis; and muscular forearms. Hatton estimated that she would mature at 16 hands. She often stumbled coming out of the gate but could produce a brilliant finishing kick. She was sociable around the barn.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Irish Jay produced 14 named foals, of which nine started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Queen Empress (1962, by Bold Ruler) was the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1964. She is the dam of stakes winner Hail Emperor (by Graustark), the second dam of 1989 CIGA Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (FR-G1) winner Silver Fling and German Group 3 winner Imperial Fling, and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Powder Bowl and Italian Group 3 winner Gesture. Her more distant descendants include 1996 American champion 3-year-old filly Jewel Princess; Grade/Group 2 winners Duhail, Globalize, and My Princess Jess; Grade/Group 3 winners Kenya, Tizamagician, and Zantenda; and 2016 Queen’s Plate winner Sir Dudley Digges.
- King Emperor (1966, by Bold Ruler) won the 1968 Pimlico-Laurel Futurity. He was a useful stallion, siring 20 stakes winners from 355 named foals.
- What Luck (1967, by Bold Ruler) won two of his six starts. A good stallion, he sired 46 stakes winners from 639 named foals, headed by 1977 American champion sprinter What a Summer and 1983 American champion older female Ambassador of Luck. In addition, What Luck sired the champion racing Quarter Horses Lucks Gay Chic and What Lucks Gay Chic.
- Land of Eire (1975, by Herbager) won the 1981 Widener Handicap (USA-G1). He sired only one stakes winner from 103 named foals.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Irish Jay was bred and owned by Wheatley Stable. She was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons. She began her broodmare career as the property of Wheatley Stable, later passing to Ogden Phipps after the death of Wheatley Stable owner Gladys Mills Phipps in 1970, Irish Jay died in 1982.
Pedigree notes
Possessing a pedigree steeped in the bloodlines developed by the Whitney family, E. R. Bradley, and James R. Keene, Irish Jay is inbred 3x4 to 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II and four-time American champion sire Sir Gallahad III. She is also inbred 4x5 to 1907 American champion 3-year-old male Peter Pan and 4x5x5 to Whisk Broom II’s sire, 1879 American champion older male and three-time American champion sire Broomstick. Irish Jay is a half sister to Magical Hour (by Princequillo), dam of stakes winner Dona Maya (by Reviewer) and third dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Pertex and Argentine Group 3 winner Permisionaria. Irish Jay is also a half sister to Weird (by Tulyar), dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Funny Peculiar (by Funny Fellow).
Irish Jay and her siblings are out of stakes winner Irish Witch (by 1940 Pimlico Futurity winner Bold Irishman, by Sir Gallahad III), whose half sister Endor (by Menow) is the dam of stakes winner Big End (by Beau Gar). Irish Witch, in turn, is out of stakes winner Witchlike (by Diavolo), a half sister to 1947 Haggin Stakes winner Roman In (by Arigotal).
Witchlike was produced from the stakes-placed Sir Gallahad III mare Romanesque. Produced from the Irish import Erne (by White Eagle), Romanesque is a full sister to 1933 Champagne Stakes winner Hadagal; to multiple stakes winner Pansy Walker, second dam of the high-class gelding Social Outcast; and to Lady Erne, second dam of 1949 Kentucky Derby winner Ponder. Romanesque is also a half sister to Gallerne (by Gallant Fox), dam of stakes winner Milkwagonjoe (by Chicstraw), and to Erne Castle (by Blenheim II), second dam of 1958 Longacres Mile winner Collaborator.
Last updated: August 30, 2024