A good juvenile in England, North Star III was imported to the United States after his 2-year-old season with the intent of further racing but went unsound and had to be retired. His influence on American bloodstock was more limited than it might otherwise have been due to the unsoundness he often transmitted, but he did sire 1926 Kentucky Derby winner Bubbling Over, who passed on North Star III's genes to future generations through his important daughters Baby League and Hildene. He also sired Blossom Time, dam of the excellent sire Blue Larkspur, and Blue Warbler, dam of 1934 American champion 2-year-old male Balladier.
Race record
6 starts, 2 wins, £3,375
1916:
Assessments
Rated second among English-raced juveniles on the Free Handicap for 1916.
As an individual
Highly-strung and temperamental to the point that Idle Hour Stock Farm staff referred to him as "the lunatic," North Star III was a light-bodied, light-boned chestnut horse with tied-in front tendons.
As a stallion
Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (Blood-Horse) lists North Star III as having sired 28 stakes winners (11.8%) from 237 foals. His progeny were typically speedy but were often light-boned and unsound.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Blossom Time (USA), Blue Warbler (USA), Boot to Boot (USA), Bubbling Over (USA), Far Star (USA)
Connections
North Star III was bred and owned by Jack B. Joel. He was imported to the United States by A. K. Macomber at a reported price of US$60,000. He was sold to Colonel Edward Riley Bradley at a price variously reported at US$20,000 or US$30,000 in August 1917 and entered stud at Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm in 1918. While he was a successful sire, Bradley began reducing use of the stallion after his farm manager, Olin Gentry, pointed out the unsoundness common to North Star III's progeny and those of his daughters shortly after Bubbling Over's Derby win. North Star III injured a leg in a paddock accident several years before his death and eventually had to be put down when the leg would no longer bear his weight.
Pedigree notes
North Star III is inbred 5x4 to 1863 St. Leger Stakes winner Lord Clifden. His full sister Starflight produced juvenile stakes winner Insco (by Sir Gallahad III), who proved to be a good sire but died young. Starflight also produced the Black Jester colt Star Jester, a stakes winner in Canada, and is the second dam of 1937 Arlington Futurity winner Teddy's Comet (by Teddy) and the third dam of 1960 Cambridgeshire Stakes winner Midsummer Night (by Djeddah).
North Star III's dam Angelic is an unraced half sister to 1907 Oaks Stakes winner Glass Doll (by Isinglass) and to Congratulations (by Matchmaker), dam of 1910 Deutsches St. Leger winner Cola Rienzi (by St. Maclou). Angelic's dam Fota (by Hampton) is a winning full sister to the good English stakes winner Phocion and to Herminia, dam of Manchester Cup winner Herminius (by Lowland Chief).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photograph by Sutcliffe; commissioned for Colonel Bradley's private photo album. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: October 18, 2020
Race record
6 starts, 2 wins, £3,375
1916:
- Won Middle Park Plate (ENG, 6FT, Newmarket)
- 2nd Dewhurst Stakes (ENG, 7FT, Newmarket)
Assessments
Rated second among English-raced juveniles on the Free Handicap for 1916.
As an individual
Highly-strung and temperamental to the point that Idle Hour Stock Farm staff referred to him as "the lunatic," North Star III was a light-bodied, light-boned chestnut horse with tied-in front tendons.
As a stallion
Sires and Dams of Stakes Winners 1925-1985 (Blood-Horse) lists North Star III as having sired 28 stakes winners (11.8%) from 237 foals. His progeny were typically speedy but were often light-boned and unsound.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1926
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1929
Notable progeny
Blossom Time (USA), Blue Warbler (USA), Boot to Boot (USA), Bubbling Over (USA), Far Star (USA)
Connections
North Star III was bred and owned by Jack B. Joel. He was imported to the United States by A. K. Macomber at a reported price of US$60,000. He was sold to Colonel Edward Riley Bradley at a price variously reported at US$20,000 or US$30,000 in August 1917 and entered stud at Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm in 1918. While he was a successful sire, Bradley began reducing use of the stallion after his farm manager, Olin Gentry, pointed out the unsoundness common to North Star III's progeny and those of his daughters shortly after Bubbling Over's Derby win. North Star III injured a leg in a paddock accident several years before his death and eventually had to be put down when the leg would no longer bear his weight.
Pedigree notes
North Star III is inbred 5x4 to 1863 St. Leger Stakes winner Lord Clifden. His full sister Starflight produced juvenile stakes winner Insco (by Sir Gallahad III), who proved to be a good sire but died young. Starflight also produced the Black Jester colt Star Jester, a stakes winner in Canada, and is the second dam of 1937 Arlington Futurity winner Teddy's Comet (by Teddy) and the third dam of 1960 Cambridgeshire Stakes winner Midsummer Night (by Djeddah).
North Star III's dam Angelic is an unraced half sister to 1907 Oaks Stakes winner Glass Doll (by Isinglass) and to Congratulations (by Matchmaker), dam of 1910 Deutsches St. Leger winner Cola Rienzi (by St. Maclou). Angelic's dam Fota (by Hampton) is a winning full sister to the good English stakes winner Phocion and to Herminia, dam of Manchester Cup winner Herminius (by Lowland Chief).
Fun facts
- According to an unconfirmed rumor reported by author Abram S. Hewitt, Colonel Bradley's acquisition of North Star III may have represented the settling of a gambling debt rather than a sale by Macomber.
Photo credit
Photograph by Sutcliffe; commissioned for Colonel Bradley's private photo album. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: October 18, 2020