Persian Maid was not a great race mare, nor was she a great producer in her own lifetime. Her gift to her breed was her daughters, who helped establish a largely American branch of the great English family of Altoviscar.
Race record
6 starts, 5 wins, 1 seconds, 0 thirds, US$4863 (converted from English earnings)
1949:
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1949, 12 pounds below champion filly Diableretta.
As an individual
A bay mare, Persian Maid raced only as a juvenile. She was temperamental--Timeform’s Racehorses of 1949 described her as “a terror in the paddock”—and had sharp, quick action rather than the longer, more efficient stride suggested by her staying ancestry.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Persian Maid produced 15 named foals, of which 13 were starters and 10 were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Persian Maid was bred and owned by John Arthur Dewar, master of Homestall Stud. She was trained by Sir Noel Murless. She bred three foals in England before being sold for the equivalent of US$29,000 at the 1954 Tattersalls December sale as part of the dispersal of Dewar’s estate’s bloodstock. Imported to the United States, she was owned by Bwamazon Farm. After producing nine foals in as many years for Bwamazon, she was barren for two seasons before producing two foals as the property of John Clark, having changed hands for US$4,200 at the 1965 Keeneland November sale. She was barren again in 1968 and bred her final named foal, the Determine filly Ian Maid, for Marty Wygod. She died in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Persian Maid is inbred 4x3 to two-time English champion sire Phalaris, 5x4 to two-time English champion broodmare sire Chaucer, 5x4 to two-time English champion sire Gallinule (a five-time champion broodmare sire), and 5x5 to nine-time English champion sire St.. Simon. She is a half sister to 1947 Queen Anne Stakes winner Woodruffe (by Bois Roussel) and to Mysusie (by Atout Maitre), third dam of 1977 Gran Premio Sudamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura de Carrera (ARG-G1) winner Mudali. She is also a half sister to Lavender Walk (by Prince Chevalier), second dam of 1964 Palace House Stakes winner Ruby Laser and Irish Group 3 winner Regal Ray and third dam of 1969 King George Stakes winner Laser Light, French Group 2 winner Zoumorrod, Argentine Group 3 winner Soy Sureno, and Panamanian Group 3 winner Anastasia.
Persian Maid was produced from Aroma (Fairway x Aloe, by Son-in-Law), a winning half sister to the important English broodmares Feola (by Friar Marcus) and Sweet Aloe (by Cameronian). The former is the dam of Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Knight’s Daughter (by Sir Cosmo), 1946 One Thousand Guineas winner Hypericum (by Hyperion), 1948 Yorkshire Oaks winner Angelola (by Donatello II; dam of 1954 English champion older male Aureole, by Hyperion), and 1950 Yorkshire Oaks winner Above Board (by Straight Deal; dam of the good stakes winners Doutelle, by Prince Chevalier, and Above Suspicion, by Court Martial) and is the ancestress of the great sires and racers Sideral and Round Table, dual European Classic winner Highclere, 1953/1954 Argentine champion 3-year-old filly Siderea, and the great European producer Height of Fashion, among many others of merit. The latter is the second dam of two-time English champion Alcide and the third dam of 1959 Derby Stakes winner Parthia.
Books and media
Persian Maid is profiled in Chapter 26 of John Sparkman’s Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America’s Breeding Industry (2008, Thoroughbred Times).
Last updated: April 25, 2023
Race record
6 starts, 5 wins, 1 seconds, 0 thirds, US$4863 (converted from English earnings)
1949:
- Won Boscawen Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Newmarket—a conditions race)
- Also won four 2-year-old plates at five and six furlongs
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1949, 12 pounds below champion filly Diableretta.
As an individual
A bay mare, Persian Maid raced only as a juvenile. She was temperamental--Timeform’s Racehorses of 1949 described her as “a terror in the paddock”—and had sharp, quick action rather than the longer, more efficient stride suggested by her staying ancestry.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Persian Maid produced 15 named foals, of which 13 were starters and 10 were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- Mixed Marriage (1952, by Tudor Minstrel) started only once without winning. She is the dam of Atan (by Native Dancer), who won his only start before making his mark on the Thoroughbred by siring the Group 1 winner and notable sire Sharpen Up. She also produced the excellent broodmare Tamerett (by Tim Tam), Through Tamerett, Mixed Marriage is the second dam of 1980 Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) winner and English champion miler Known Fact, a good sire; of multiple Grade 1 winner Tentam, another good sire; of Grade 2 winner Terete, and of 1970 Tremont Stakes winner Tamtent, Through Tamerett’s daughters, Mixed Marriage is the third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tappiano, 1987 Dwyer Stakes (USA-G1) winner Gone West (yet another good sire), Grade 2 winner Lion Cavern, and English Group 3 winner True Hero, and is the ancestress of 2011 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Oatsee.
- Birthday Present (1954, by Precipitation) was a multiple stakes winner in England on the flat and was also a successful racer over jumps.
- Book of Verse (1956, by One Count) won five of 57 starts. She is the dam of two-time Delaware Handicap winner Obeah (by Cyane) and of 1982 Santa Maria Handicap (USA-G2) winner Targa (by Cannonade). She is the second dam of two-time American champion filly Go for Wand; Grade 2 winners Dance Spell, Discorama, and Garden Verse; multiple Grade 3 winner Mamselle Bebette; and the good Maryland sire Carnivalay. She is also the third dam of 1986 Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1) winner Garthorn and Canadian Grade 3 winner Overpeer.
- Rapide (1958, by Bimelech) won two of her 25 starts. She is the dam of restricted stakes winner Rapid Repeater (by Mr. Tal).
- Dark Complexion (1959, by Summer Tan) was unplaced in her only start. She is the dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Legion (by Roman Line) and stakes winner Manya (by Reneged) and is the second dam of 1982/1983 Argentine Mare of the Year Miss Keat, 1991 Matron Stakes (USA-G1) winner Anh Duong, and Argentine Group 2 winner Bumi Bay. She is also the third dam of multiple Panamanian Group 1 winner Aventurera and Grade 3 winner Firey Challenge.
- Heliosian (1961, by Helioscope) never raced. She is the second dam of 1974 Oaks d’Italia (ITY-G1) winner Red Girl and the third dam of 1980 Premio Parioli (Italian Two Thousand Guineas, ITY-G2) winner Red Rocket and multiple South African Group 3 winner Old Rituals.
- Isfahan (1962, by King of the Tudors) won one of her six starts. She is the dam of Venezuelan Group 3 winner Islamic (by Guapo) and Venezuelan stakes winner Rausuli (by Taki) and is the second dam of 1985 Venezuelan Horse of the Year Iraqui.
- Ian Maid (1969, by Determine) was unplaced in eight starts but is the dam of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Sans Critique (by Reviewer)
Connections
Persian Maid was bred and owned by John Arthur Dewar, master of Homestall Stud. She was trained by Sir Noel Murless. She bred three foals in England before being sold for the equivalent of US$29,000 at the 1954 Tattersalls December sale as part of the dispersal of Dewar’s estate’s bloodstock. Imported to the United States, she was owned by Bwamazon Farm. After producing nine foals in as many years for Bwamazon, she was barren for two seasons before producing two foals as the property of John Clark, having changed hands for US$4,200 at the 1965 Keeneland November sale. She was barren again in 1968 and bred her final named foal, the Determine filly Ian Maid, for Marty Wygod. She died in 1972.
Pedigree notes
Persian Maid is inbred 4x3 to two-time English champion sire Phalaris, 5x4 to two-time English champion broodmare sire Chaucer, 5x4 to two-time English champion sire Gallinule (a five-time champion broodmare sire), and 5x5 to nine-time English champion sire St.. Simon. She is a half sister to 1947 Queen Anne Stakes winner Woodruffe (by Bois Roussel) and to Mysusie (by Atout Maitre), third dam of 1977 Gran Premio Sudamericana de Fomento del Sangre Pura de Carrera (ARG-G1) winner Mudali. She is also a half sister to Lavender Walk (by Prince Chevalier), second dam of 1964 Palace House Stakes winner Ruby Laser and Irish Group 3 winner Regal Ray and third dam of 1969 King George Stakes winner Laser Light, French Group 2 winner Zoumorrod, Argentine Group 3 winner Soy Sureno, and Panamanian Group 3 winner Anastasia.
Persian Maid was produced from Aroma (Fairway x Aloe, by Son-in-Law), a winning half sister to the important English broodmares Feola (by Friar Marcus) and Sweet Aloe (by Cameronian). The former is the dam of Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Knight’s Daughter (by Sir Cosmo), 1946 One Thousand Guineas winner Hypericum (by Hyperion), 1948 Yorkshire Oaks winner Angelola (by Donatello II; dam of 1954 English champion older male Aureole, by Hyperion), and 1950 Yorkshire Oaks winner Above Board (by Straight Deal; dam of the good stakes winners Doutelle, by Prince Chevalier, and Above Suspicion, by Court Martial) and is the ancestress of the great sires and racers Sideral and Round Table, dual European Classic winner Highclere, 1953/1954 Argentine champion 3-year-old filly Siderea, and the great European producer Height of Fashion, among many others of merit. The latter is the second dam of two-time English champion Alcide and the third dam of 1959 Derby Stakes winner Parthia.
Books and media
Persian Maid is profiled in Chapter 26 of John Sparkman’s Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America’s Breeding Industry (2008, Thoroughbred Times).
Last updated: April 25, 2023