Foaled 45 years ago, Sam-Son's foundation mare No Class has to be one of the most misnamed animals in Thoroughbred history. Stakes-placed on the track, the daughter of Nodouble produced four Canadian champions (one also an American champion) and founded a matriarchy that leads to Sam-Son homebred El Tormenta, upset winner of the Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (CAN-IT).
Sky Classic, who was the American champion turf male of 1992 in addition to winning three Canadian championships, was the best runner produced by No Class and was a successful sire as well. Nonetheless, the jewel in the crown of the 1985 Canadian Broodmare of the Year was her daughter Classy 'n Smart (by Smarten). The Canadian champion 3-year-old filly of 1984, Classy 'n Smart made two magnificent contributions to her breed that led to her being recognized as a Canadian Broodmare of the Year in her own right. The first, Dance Smartly (by Danzig), swept the Canadian Triple Crown and won the Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-I) to earn titles as Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old filly in 1991 before producing two Queen's Plate winners and becoming the third generation of her family to become a Canadian Broodmare of the Year. The other was Smart Strike, a Grade I winner who became the last great sire son of Mr. Prospector. Twice America's champion sire, he has been well succeeded by his sons Curlin and English Channel.
Classy 'n Smart also produced Grade I winner Full of Wonder and Grade II winner Strike Smartly (both by Mr. Prospector), and her unraced daughter Seattle Classic (by Seattle Slew) has not been too far behind Dance Smartly as a broodmare. Her best runner was 1999 Mazarine Stakes (CAN-I) winner Hello Seattle (by Deputy Minister), the Canadian champion 2-year-old filly of that year, and she also produced stakes winner Sail from Seattle (by Gone West).
Unfortunately, Hello Seattle did not live to produce any foals, but her half sister Fleet of Foot (by Gone West) has helped fill in the gap. While she made only five starts, she showed some ability by placing in three stakes races at ages 3 and 4, and she is the dam of multiple Grade III winner His Race to Win (by Stormy Atlantic). Still in production as of 2019, she slipped this year's foal but has a 2018 full brother to His Race to Win waiting in the wings. Equally important for the future, two of her daughters have already become stakes producers: Torreadora (by El Prado), who is the dam of El Tormenta to a cover by Stormy Atlantic, and Fresia (by El Prado), whose 2016 Uncle Mo colt Galilean is a three-time stakes winner.
No Class has plenty of well-bred female descendants still in production, so her family is hardly in danger of extinction. Nonetheless, it is nice to see her clan returning to its Canadian roots and capturing one of the biggest Canadian races of the year for the farm that has nurtured this bloodline for generations.
Sky Classic, who was the American champion turf male of 1992 in addition to winning three Canadian championships, was the best runner produced by No Class and was a successful sire as well. Nonetheless, the jewel in the crown of the 1985 Canadian Broodmare of the Year was her daughter Classy 'n Smart (by Smarten). The Canadian champion 3-year-old filly of 1984, Classy 'n Smart made two magnificent contributions to her breed that led to her being recognized as a Canadian Broodmare of the Year in her own right. The first, Dance Smartly (by Danzig), swept the Canadian Triple Crown and won the Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-I) to earn titles as Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old filly in 1991 before producing two Queen's Plate winners and becoming the third generation of her family to become a Canadian Broodmare of the Year. The other was Smart Strike, a Grade I winner who became the last great sire son of Mr. Prospector. Twice America's champion sire, he has been well succeeded by his sons Curlin and English Channel.
Classy 'n Smart also produced Grade I winner Full of Wonder and Grade II winner Strike Smartly (both by Mr. Prospector), and her unraced daughter Seattle Classic (by Seattle Slew) has not been too far behind Dance Smartly as a broodmare. Her best runner was 1999 Mazarine Stakes (CAN-I) winner Hello Seattle (by Deputy Minister), the Canadian champion 2-year-old filly of that year, and she also produced stakes winner Sail from Seattle (by Gone West).
Unfortunately, Hello Seattle did not live to produce any foals, but her half sister Fleet of Foot (by Gone West) has helped fill in the gap. While she made only five starts, she showed some ability by placing in three stakes races at ages 3 and 4, and she is the dam of multiple Grade III winner His Race to Win (by Stormy Atlantic). Still in production as of 2019, she slipped this year's foal but has a 2018 full brother to His Race to Win waiting in the wings. Equally important for the future, two of her daughters have already become stakes producers: Torreadora (by El Prado), who is the dam of El Tormenta to a cover by Stormy Atlantic, and Fresia (by El Prado), whose 2016 Uncle Mo colt Galilean is a three-time stakes winner.
No Class has plenty of well-bred female descendants still in production, so her family is hardly in danger of extinction. Nonetheless, it is nice to see her clan returning to its Canadian roots and capturing one of the biggest Canadian races of the year for the farm that has nurtured this bloodline for generations.
RSS Feed