King's Daughter (USA)
1903 – 1930
Ornament (USA) x Queenlike II (USA), by Kinglike (USA)
American Family 3
1903 – 1930
Ornament (USA) x Queenlike II (USA), by Kinglike (USA)
American Family 3
King's Daughter was not quite up to beating the very best of her day, but she was a speedy and consistent runner who kept her form over seven seasons of racing. While she never recovered her previous level after a grueling dead-heat win in her second race as an 8-year-old, she retired with wide public acclaim and with a slew of track records to her name at sprint and intermediate distances. She was less successful as a broodmare although she had a number of minor stakes winners among her descendants.
Race record
106 starts, 38 wins, 15 seconds, 7 thirds, US$36,783
1905:
1906:
1907:
1908:
1909:
1910:
1911:
As an individual
A lightly-made, racy bay mare, King's Daughter had an excellent shoulder but was light through the flank. She was sometimes nervous and excitable to the point of hurting her own chances in a race. She did not handle off going well.
As a producer
King's Daughter produced 11 named foals. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
King's Daughter was bred and owned by Thomas Clay McDowell at his Ashland Stud and spent her entire broodmare career at Ashland.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1897 American Horse of the Year Ornament, King's Daughter is inbred 5x4 to two-time English champion sire King Tom. She is a half sister to 1908 Kentucky Oaks winner Ellen-a-Dale (by Alan-a-Dale) and to stakes winner Advantage (by Pirate of Penzance).
Queenlike II, the dam of King's Daughter and her siblings, was a good race mare who won the Clipsetta Stakes and the Belles Stakes at 2 and the Ashland Oaks as a 3-year-old of 1894. A daughter of the juvenile stakes winner Kinglike, she was the only racer or broodmare of significance produced from Pouponne, a daughter of the English import Macaroon (by 1863 Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes winner Macaroni) and the Planet mare Fantan. The next dam, Fanchon (by Australian), won the 1872 Manhattan Handicap and was produced from the fine race mare Idlewild (by Lexington), whose full sister Aerolite produced two-time American champion Spendthrift (by Australian) and others of importance.
Fun facts
Photo credit
King's Daughter, Willie Knapp up, after running in the 1905 Prospect Handicap at Gravesend. Photo by John C. Hemment, September 22, 1905. From the Keeneland Library Hemment Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2024
Race record
106 starts, 38 wins, 15 seconds, 7 thirds, US$36,783
1905:
- Won Willow Handicap (USA, 5.5FD, Gravesend)
- 2nd Dash Stakes (USA, 5FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Belles Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Holly Handicap (USA, about 6FD, Gravesend)
- 3rd Golden Rod Stakes (USA, 6.5FT, Sheepshead Bay)
- Also set new track record of :47-3/4 for 4 furlongs on dirt at Lexington
1906:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Coney Island Handicap (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 3rd Glen Cove Handicap (USA, 6FD, Brighton Beach)
1907:
- Won Culver Handicap (USA, about 6FD, Gravesend)
1908:
- Set new track record of 1:38-4/5 for 8 furlongs on dirt at Churchill Downs
- Set new track record of 1:42-4/5 for a mile and 70 yards on dirt at Fort Erie
- Set new track record of 1:26 for 7 furlongs on dirt at City Park
1909:
- Won Commonwealth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Decoration Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Latonia; new track record 1:44-4/5)
- 2nd Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Empire City Handicap (USA, 9FD, Empire City)
- 3rd Ocean Handicap (USA,, 8FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Also equaled the Sheepshead Bay track record for 9 furlongs on dirt of 1:51
1910:
- Won Clark Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Lexington Brewery Handicap (USA, 6FD, Lexington; new track record 1:12-3/5)
- Won St. Leger Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
1911:
- Won Bourbon Handicap (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs; dead heat with Ozama)
As an individual
A lightly-made, racy bay mare, King's Daughter had an excellent shoulder but was light through the flank. She was sometimes nervous and excitable to the point of hurting her own chances in a race. She did not handle off going well.
As a producer
King's Daughter produced 11 named foals. Her important foals are as follow:
- Queen Errant (1914, by Ballot) won a minor stakes winner at 3.
- Princess Royal (1918, by Uncle) was unplaced in two starts but produced the minor stakes winner Nella R. (by The Manager).
Connections
King's Daughter was bred and owned by Thomas Clay McDowell at his Ashland Stud and spent her entire broodmare career at Ashland.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1897 American Horse of the Year Ornament, King's Daughter is inbred 5x4 to two-time English champion sire King Tom. She is a half sister to 1908 Kentucky Oaks winner Ellen-a-Dale (by Alan-a-Dale) and to stakes winner Advantage (by Pirate of Penzance).
Queenlike II, the dam of King's Daughter and her siblings, was a good race mare who won the Clipsetta Stakes and the Belles Stakes at 2 and the Ashland Oaks as a 3-year-old of 1894. A daughter of the juvenile stakes winner Kinglike, she was the only racer or broodmare of significance produced from Pouponne, a daughter of the English import Macaroon (by 1863 Two Thousand Guineas and Derby Stakes winner Macaroni) and the Planet mare Fantan. The next dam, Fanchon (by Australian), won the 1872 Manhattan Handicap and was produced from the fine race mare Idlewild (by Lexington), whose full sister Aerolite produced two-time American champion Spendthrift (by Australian) and others of importance.
Fun facts
- Following King's Daughter's score in the Kentucky Oaks, Thomas McDowell had her insured with Lloyd's of London for US$10,000. She was possibly the first Oaks winner to be so covered.
- King's Daughter's retirement from racing was announced on August 27, 1911, in the Louisville Courier-Journal, which gave her career a rarely-seen level of coverage that attests to both her class and her popularity.
Photo credit
King's Daughter, Willie Knapp up, after running in the 1905 Prospect Handicap at Gravesend. Photo by John C. Hemment, September 22, 1905. From the Keeneland Library Hemment Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2024