Although she had a pedigree that suggested stamina as her forte, Plucky Liege turned out to be a quick juvenile who failed to train on, taking after her third dam Frivolity. Exported to France following her racing career, Plucky Liege established a record as a dam of important sires rivaled only by the 19th-century matron Pocahontas and the Earl of Derby's great producer Selene. Plucky Liege also bred on through her daughters, particularly Marguerite de Valois, whose great-granddaughter Cequillo became a notable foundation mare in her own right.
Race record
13 starts, 4 wins, £1,811
1914:
1915:
Assessments
Earned a rating of 117 pounds on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1914, third among juvenile fillies.
As an individual
A lengthy bay mare, Plucky Liege had sickle hocks and tended to transmit them to her descendants. She was speedy and precocious but never won beyond five furlongs or after her juvenile season.
As a producer
Plucky Liege produced 12 named foals, of which 11 won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Plucky Liege was bred and owned by Herbert Stern 1st Baron Michelham, who sold her to his secretary, Captain Jefferson Davis Cohn, following her racing career. Plucky Liege was sold to Leon Volterra prior to producing her last foal, Bois Roussel. She died in March 1937 after having produced a dead foal by Casterari a week earlier.
Pedigree notes
Plucky Liege is inbred 4x5 to two-time leading English sire King Tom and 5x5 to 1851 St. Leger Stakes winner and two-time leading English sire Newminster. She is a half sister to Garron Lass (by Roseland), whose Friar Marcus daughter Friar's Daughter produced 1935 English Triple Crown winner Bahram (by Blandford) and 1932 Irish Derby winner Dastur (by Solario) and established her own branch of the family. Plucky Liege's dam Concertina is out of Comic Song (by Petrarch), whose dam Frivolity (by Macaroni) won the 1869 Middle Park Plate but failed to train on at 3.
Fun facts
Last updated: August 11, 2023
Race record
13 starts, 4 wins, £1,811
1914:
- Won Great Sapling Plate (ENG, 5FT)
1915:
- 3rd Queensbury Handicap (ENG, 5FT)
Assessments
Earned a rating of 117 pounds on the Free Handicap for English juveniles of 1914, third among juvenile fillies.
As an individual
A lengthy bay mare, Plucky Liege had sickle hocks and tended to transmit them to her descendants. She was speedy and precocious but never won beyond five furlongs or after her juvenile season.
As a producer
Plucky Liege produced 12 named foals, of which 11 won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Marguerite de Valois (1919, by Teddy) won four races in France. Imported to the United States, she produced 1939 Acorn Stakes winner Hostility (by Man o' War). Hostility, in turn, produced 1951 Black Helen Handicap winner Antagonism (by Eight Thirty), dam of 1962 Selima Stakes winner Fool's Play (by Tom Fool), and the Mahmoud mare Boldness, whose daughter Cequillo is the ancestress of a numerous family that includes champions or Grade/Group 1 winners Dr. Patches, Blue Finn, Fappiano, Ogygian, Honour and Glory, Torrential, Clabber Girl, Keeper Hill, Who's for Dinner, Hunting Tower, Go Deputy, Dare and Go, A Shin Forward, and Toho Jackal. Another daughter of Marguerite de Valois, Mademoiselle de Valo, is the third dam of 1965 American Horse of the Year Roman Brother.
- Sir Gallahad III (1920, by Teddy) won the 1923 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) and a number of other good races, including a 1924 match race against the brilliant Épinard. Imported to the United States by a syndicate organized by Arthur Hancock of Claiborne Farm, Sir Gallahad III led the American general sire list four times and the American broodmare sire list a record 12 times.
- Noor Jahan (1921, by Teddy) was not an important winner or producer in her own time but is the fourth dam of 1963 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) winner Sanctus and the fifth dam of 1967 Oaks Stakes winner Pia.
- Bull Dog (1927, by Teddy) won the 1930 Prix Daphnis. Imported to the United States, Bull Dog led the American general sire list once and the American broodmare sire list three times.
- Quatre Bras II (1928, by Teddy) was a stakes winner in France and the United States and stood in the latter country. The best of his nine stakes winners was Eurasian, winner of the 1943 Travers Stakes.
- Admiral Drake (1931, by Craig an Eran) won the 1934 Grand Prix de Paris, then a race considered equal in stature to the French Classics. He led the French general sire list posthumously in 1955 and the French broodmare sire list in 1956.
- Bel Aethel (1933, by Aethelstan II) won the 1936 Prix Daru. He died at the age of 10 but left five stakes winners from his 76 named foals.
- Bois Roussel (1935, by Vatout) won the 1938 Derby Stakes in England and the Prix Juigne in France. He led the English general sire list in 1949 and led the English broodmare sire list in 1959 and 1960.
Connections
Plucky Liege was bred and owned by Herbert Stern 1st Baron Michelham, who sold her to his secretary, Captain Jefferson Davis Cohn, following her racing career. Plucky Liege was sold to Leon Volterra prior to producing her last foal, Bois Roussel. She died in March 1937 after having produced a dead foal by Casterari a week earlier.
Pedigree notes
Plucky Liege is inbred 4x5 to two-time leading English sire King Tom and 5x5 to 1851 St. Leger Stakes winner and two-time leading English sire Newminster. She is a half sister to Garron Lass (by Roseland), whose Friar Marcus daughter Friar's Daughter produced 1935 English Triple Crown winner Bahram (by Blandford) and 1932 Irish Derby winner Dastur (by Solario) and established her own branch of the family. Plucky Liege's dam Concertina is out of Comic Song (by Petrarch), whose dam Frivolity (by Macaroni) won the 1869 Middle Park Plate but failed to train on at 3.
Fun facts
- Although Lord Michelson is Plucky Liege's breeder of record, he actually purchased Concertina for 2,800 guineas while she was carrying the future foundation mare.
- Plucky Liege began her racing career still unnamed and was known at that time as “the Concertina filly” after the English custom of referring to an unnamed colt or filly under the name of its dam. She was originally named "Lucky Liege," then had her named changed to "Plucky Liege" due to Lord Michelson's admiration for the defense of the city of Liège, Belgium, during World War I.
- Plucky Liege was 23 when Bois Roussel was foaled, making her the oldest mare to produce a winner of the Derby Stakes in the 20th century. (The oldest mare ever to produce a Derby Stakes winner was Horatia, who was 25 when she produced 1806 victor Paris.)
Last updated: August 11, 2023