Izvestia (CAN)
May 5, 1987 – October 21, 1991
Icecapade (USA) x Shy Spirit (CAN), by Personality (USA)
Family 2-n
May 5, 1987 – October 21, 1991
Icecapade (USA) x Shy Spirit (CAN), by Personality (USA)
Family 2-n
Whether Izvestia or Wild Again was the best racing son of Icecapade is open to debate, but Izvestia was certainly the more versatile, capturing major events on both dirt and turf including a sweep of the Canadian Triple Crown. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to emulate Wild Again's success as a stallion as he broke a leg while racing as a 4-year-old and had to be euthanized.
Race record
21 starts, 11 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, US$2,702,527 (includes Canadian earnings)
1990:
1991:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 131 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 1990, 6 pounds above second-rated Shot Gun Scott.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American-raced 3-year-old males of 1990, 4 pounds below champion Unbridled.
Highweighted on the Canadian Free Handicap for older males of 1991 at 127 pounds, 2 pounds above second-rated Candid Cameron.
Rated at 127 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf runners of 1991, 2 pounds below champion Sky Classic.
As an individual
A gray colt, Izvestia was muscular but not blocky and had excellent balance.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Izvestia was bred and owned by Kinghaven Farms. He was trained by Roger Attfield. He suffered a compound fracture of his left hind leg while competing in the 1991 Rothmans International (CAN-G1) and had to be euthanized as a result.
Pedigree notes
Izvestia is inbred 2x4 to 1958 Canadian Horse of the Year Nearctic and 3x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer. He is a half brother to 1991 Philadelphia Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Key Spirit (by Key to the Mint); to stakes winners Introspective (by Kennedy Road) and Unduplicated (by Nodouble); and to stakes-placed Playful Spirit (by Bold Hour), dam of 1992 Mazarine Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Play All Day (by Steady Growth) and stakes-winning steeplechaser Electron (by Wild Again) and second dam of three stakes winners including 1998 Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1) winner Hedonist and 2002 Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G2) winner Seeking Daylight. Izvestia is also a half brother to Lady Avalon (by Sensitive Prince), dam of stakes winner Freeroll (by Touch Gold) and Canadian restricted stakes winner Avalon Gold (by Steady Growth), and to Appealing Spirit (by Valid Appeal), dam of stakes winner Endlessly (by End Sweep).
Izvestia's dam Shy Spirit was the 1990 Canadian Broodmare of the Year. She is a half sister to juvenile stakes winner and 1989 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Passing Mood (by Buckpasser), dam of 1989 Canadian Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year With Approval (by Caro), 1997 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) and Buick Haskell Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Touch Gold (by Deputy Minister), and stakes winners Sweeping Change (by Secretariat), Bar U Mood (by Saratoga Six), and Daijin (by Deputy Minister). Through the last-named mare, Passing Mood is the second dam of 2009 Falls City Handicap (USA-G2) winner Serenading and the third dam of 2011 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Brilliant Star, Japanese Group 3 winner Touch Me Not and Canadian Grade 3 winner Painting.
Shy Spirit is also a half sister to Greenaway (by Arts and Letters), dam of restricted states winner Frog Princess (by Sensitive Prince; dam of the similar stakes winner Proof's Prince, by Proof), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Pies Prospect and third dam of Grade 3 winner Bad Action. In addition, Shy Spirit is a half sister to Moody Maiden (by Apalachee), dam of restricted stakes winner Nothing Special (by Tejabo), second dam of 1990 Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1) winner Haynesfield and third dam of German Group 2 winner Ambassador, and to Princess Laika (by Blushing Groom), dam of listed stakes winner Cool Gold Mood (by Premier Ministre), second dam of six stakes winners including 2006 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Healthy Addiction and Grade 3 winners Maren's Meadow and First Blush, and third dam of 2015 Vanity Handicap (USA-G1) winner My Sweet Addiction, Grade 2 winner Yara and Peruvian Group 3 winner Mukhtar.
Shy Spirit and her siblings were produced from 1969 Canadian Oaks winner Cool Mood (by Northern Dancer), whose stakes-placed full sister Christmas Wishes produced multiple Jamaican stakes winner Mr. Nutcracker (by Mr. Prospector) and is the second dam of 1987 Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) winner Buryyourbelief. Produced from 1954 Acorn Stakes winner Happy Mood (by Mahmoud), Cool Mood is also a half sister to Canadian stakes winner Miss Suzaki (by Tompion), dam of Grade 2 winner Coverack (by Cornish Prince) and Grade 2-placed multiple stakes winner Go to the Bank (by Bold Hour), and to Laurel Festival (by Hill Prince), second dam of Grade 2 winner Simple Magic.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 31, 2022
Race record
21 starts, 11 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, US$2,702,527 (includes Canadian earnings)
1990:
- Won Molson Export Million Stakes (CAN-G2, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Forerunner Stakes (USA-G3, 9FT, Keeneland)
- Won Queen's Plate Stakes (CAN-R, 10FD, Woodbine)
- Won Prince of Wales Stakes (CAN-R, 9.5FD, Fort Erie)
- Won Breeders' Stakes (CAN-R, 12FT, Woodbine)
- Won Heresy Breeders' Cup Stakes (CAN-L, 8FT, Woodbine)
- Won Transylvania Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FT, Keeneland)
- Won Plate Trial Stakes (CAN-R, 9FD, Woodbine)
- 3rd Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
1991:
- Won Canadian Turf Club Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Eclipse Handicap (CAN-G3, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd New Hampshire Handicap (USA-G3, about 9FT, Rockingham)
- 3rd Arlington Handicap (USA-G3, 10FT, Arlington Park)
Honors
- Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (1999)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian Horse of the Year (1990)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old male (1990)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion turf horse (1990)
Assessments
Highweighted at 131 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old males of 1990, 6 pounds above second-rated Shot Gun Scott.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American-raced 3-year-old males of 1990, 4 pounds below champion Unbridled.
Highweighted on the Canadian Free Handicap for older males of 1991 at 127 pounds, 2 pounds above second-rated Candid Cameron.
Rated at 127 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for turf runners of 1991, 2 pounds below champion Sky Classic.
As an individual
A gray colt, Izvestia was muscular but not blocky and had excellent balance.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Izvestia was bred and owned by Kinghaven Farms. He was trained by Roger Attfield. He suffered a compound fracture of his left hind leg while competing in the 1991 Rothmans International (CAN-G1) and had to be euthanized as a result.
Pedigree notes
Izvestia is inbred 2x4 to 1958 Canadian Horse of the Year Nearctic and 3x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Native Dancer. He is a half brother to 1991 Philadelphia Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Key Spirit (by Key to the Mint); to stakes winners Introspective (by Kennedy Road) and Unduplicated (by Nodouble); and to stakes-placed Playful Spirit (by Bold Hour), dam of 1992 Mazarine Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Play All Day (by Steady Growth) and stakes-winning steeplechaser Electron (by Wild Again) and second dam of three stakes winners including 1998 Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1) winner Hedonist and 2002 Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G2) winner Seeking Daylight. Izvestia is also a half brother to Lady Avalon (by Sensitive Prince), dam of stakes winner Freeroll (by Touch Gold) and Canadian restricted stakes winner Avalon Gold (by Steady Growth), and to Appealing Spirit (by Valid Appeal), dam of stakes winner Endlessly (by End Sweep).
Izvestia's dam Shy Spirit was the 1990 Canadian Broodmare of the Year. She is a half sister to juvenile stakes winner and 1989 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Passing Mood (by Buckpasser), dam of 1989 Canadian Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year With Approval (by Caro), 1997 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) and Buick Haskell Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Touch Gold (by Deputy Minister), and stakes winners Sweeping Change (by Secretariat), Bar U Mood (by Saratoga Six), and Daijin (by Deputy Minister). Through the last-named mare, Passing Mood is the second dam of 2009 Falls City Handicap (USA-G2) winner Serenading and the third dam of 2011 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Brilliant Star, Japanese Group 3 winner Touch Me Not and Canadian Grade 3 winner Painting.
Shy Spirit is also a half sister to Greenaway (by Arts and Letters), dam of restricted states winner Frog Princess (by Sensitive Prince; dam of the similar stakes winner Proof's Prince, by Proof), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Pies Prospect and third dam of Grade 3 winner Bad Action. In addition, Shy Spirit is a half sister to Moody Maiden (by Apalachee), dam of restricted stakes winner Nothing Special (by Tejabo), second dam of 1990 Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1) winner Haynesfield and third dam of German Group 2 winner Ambassador, and to Princess Laika (by Blushing Groom), dam of listed stakes winner Cool Gold Mood (by Premier Ministre), second dam of six stakes winners including 2006 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Healthy Addiction and Grade 3 winners Maren's Meadow and First Blush, and third dam of 2015 Vanity Handicap (USA-G1) winner My Sweet Addiction, Grade 2 winner Yara and Peruvian Group 3 winner Mukhtar.
Shy Spirit and her siblings were produced from 1969 Canadian Oaks winner Cool Mood (by Northern Dancer), whose stakes-placed full sister Christmas Wishes produced multiple Jamaican stakes winner Mr. Nutcracker (by Mr. Prospector) and is the second dam of 1987 Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) winner Buryyourbelief. Produced from 1954 Acorn Stakes winner Happy Mood (by Mahmoud), Cool Mood is also a half sister to Canadian stakes winner Miss Suzaki (by Tompion), dam of Grade 2 winner Coverack (by Cornish Prince) and Grade 2-placed multiple stakes winner Go to the Bank (by Bold Hour), and to Laurel Festival (by Hill Prince), second dam of Grade 2 winner Simple Magic.
Fun facts
- Izvestia was the name of a long-running newspaper in the Soviet Union. The name translates approximately as “news.”
- Izvestia's Canadian Triple Crown sweep in 1990 made his jockey Don Seymour the only man to have ridden two Canadian Triple Crown winners, as Seymour had been aboard Triple Crown champion With Approval the previous year.
- Izvestia was the second of three Canadian Triple Crown winners trained by Roger Attfield, who also trained With Approval (1989) and Peteski (1993).
- Izvestia set a single-season earnings record for Canadian-breds of US$2,486,667 during his 3-year-old campaign.
- The careers of Izvestia and his “cousin” With Approval have some interesting parallels. Both were gray colts. After sweeping the Canadian Triple Crown in back-to-back years and earning Canadian Broodmare of the Year honors for their respective dams (who were half sisters), both earned the same three Sovereign Awards as Horse of the Year, champion 3-year-old male and champion turf horse. Both also became Grade 2 winners on turf in the United States as 4-year-olds.
Last updated: December 31, 2022