Prairie Bayou (USA)
March 4, 1990 – June 5, 1993
Little Missouri (USA) x Whiffling (USA), by Wavering Monarch (USA)
Family 9-f
March 4, 1990 – June 5, 1993
Little Missouri (USA) x Whiffling (USA), by Wavering Monarch (USA)
Family 9-f
The most consistent American sophomore male of his generation, Prairie Bayou seemed almost unstoppable once he found his stride early in his 3-year-old season, and many observers felt that his loss to Sea Hero in the Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) was due more to a superb ride by Jerry Bailey on Sea Hero than to the two runners' respective merits. The big gelding vindicated his fans' opinion by winning the Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) and seemed to be in good position and running easily in the Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) when he shattered his left foreleg, ending both his career and his life.
Race record
12 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,450,621
1992:
1993:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1993)
Assessments
Rated at 108 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1992, 18 pounds below champion Gilded Time.
Highweighted at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1993, 2 pounds above second-rated Sea Hero.
As an individual
A big, strong, rather gawky chestnut gelding, Prairie Bayou was honest and unflinchingly game when racing. He usually came from well off the pace. He possessed a sharp turn of foot. He was a very kind horse to handle and loved to train and race. He was gelded as a yearling in hopes that it would keep him from gaining too much weight on his forehand.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Prairie Bayou was bred and owned by John Anthony Edwards' Loblolly Stable (which at the time was co-owned by Edwards' ex-wife, Mary Lynn Dudley) and was trained by Thomas Bohannon. He was ridden to his Preakness Stakes victory by Mike Smith. After his fatal breakdown, he was buried at Longfield Farm near Goshen, Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
A son of 1986 Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Little Missouri (by the good sire Cox's Ridge), Prairie Bayou is inbred 4x3 to 1957 American Horse of the Year and eight-time American champion sire Bold Ruler. He is a half brother to 1995 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (USA-G2) winner Flitch (by Demons Begone).
Prairie Bayou and Flitch were produced from the winning Wavering Monarch mare Whiffling. A half sister to minor stakes winner Chess Game (by Avatar), Whiffling is in turn out of stakes-placed Queen's Gambit (by Bold Ruler), a full sister to Grade 3 winner Ward McAllister. Queen's Gambit is also a half sister to Grade 3 winner Social Business (by Private Account), dam of listed stakes winner Squire Jones (by Seeking the Gold), and to Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Hasty Reply (by Pronto). In addition, Queen's Gambit is a half sister to Grade 3-placed listed winner Snobishness (by Forli), dam of Italian Group 3 winner Oh So Snobish (by Quadratic) and multiple English listed winner Oh So Choosy (by Top Command) and second dam of four stakes winners including 1988 Bernard Baruch Handicap (USA-G1) winner My Big Boy. Another half sister to Queen's Gambit, Grade 1-placed multiple stakes winner Banner Gala (by Hoist the Flag), is the second dam of multiple Peruvian Group 3 winner Good Luck Keny. Finally, Queen's Gambit is a half sister to Roberto's Social (by Roberto), dam of Japanese listed stakes winner Excellence Robin (by Polish Navy).
Queen's Gambit and her siblings were produced from the winning Tim Tam mare So Social, a half sister to 1962 Discovery Handicap winner Comic (by Tom Fool). Also a half sister to Duchess Rae (by Hitting Away), dam of Belgian stakes winner El Moreno (by Noble Table); to Flighty Duchess (by Sunrise Flight), dam of stakes winner Blue Ribbon Girl (by Star Envoy); to Topolina (by Tropical Breeze), dam of stakes winner Goodbyeyouall (by Good Behaving); to Our First Pleasure (by What a Pleasure), dam of restricted stakes winner Josh's Joy (by Dr. Blum); and to Trevera (by Peace Corps), second dam of 2000 Premio Ignacio e Ignacio F. Correas (ARG-G1) winner Taboo, So Social is out of His Duchess (by Blenheim II), a stakes-placed half sister to two-time Saratoga Cup winner Busanda (by War Admiral; dam of 1966 American Horse of the Year Buckpasser, by Tom Fool, and 1963 Futurity Stakes winner Bupers, by Double Jay) and multiple stakes winner Auditing (by Count Fleet).
Books and media:
Fun facts
Last updated: May 6, 2023
Race record
12 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,450,621
1992:
- 2nd Inner Harbor Stakes (USA-L, 9FD, Laurel)
1993:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Jim Beam Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Turfway Park)
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Whirlaway Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Count Fleet Stakes (USA-L, 8F+70yD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Pappa Riccio Stakes (USA-L, 8F+70yD, Aqueduct)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1993)
Assessments
Rated at 108 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1992, 18 pounds below champion Gilded Time.
Highweighted at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1993, 2 pounds above second-rated Sea Hero.
As an individual
A big, strong, rather gawky chestnut gelding, Prairie Bayou was honest and unflinchingly game when racing. He usually came from well off the pace. He possessed a sharp turn of foot. He was a very kind horse to handle and loved to train and race. He was gelded as a yearling in hopes that it would keep him from gaining too much weight on his forehand.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Prairie Bayou was bred and owned by John Anthony Edwards' Loblolly Stable (which at the time was co-owned by Edwards' ex-wife, Mary Lynn Dudley) and was trained by Thomas Bohannon. He was ridden to his Preakness Stakes victory by Mike Smith. After his fatal breakdown, he was buried at Longfield Farm near Goshen, Kentucky.
Pedigree notes
A son of 1986 Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Little Missouri (by the good sire Cox's Ridge), Prairie Bayou is inbred 4x3 to 1957 American Horse of the Year and eight-time American champion sire Bold Ruler. He is a half brother to 1995 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (USA-G2) winner Flitch (by Demons Begone).
Prairie Bayou and Flitch were produced from the winning Wavering Monarch mare Whiffling. A half sister to minor stakes winner Chess Game (by Avatar), Whiffling is in turn out of stakes-placed Queen's Gambit (by Bold Ruler), a full sister to Grade 3 winner Ward McAllister. Queen's Gambit is also a half sister to Grade 3 winner Social Business (by Private Account), dam of listed stakes winner Squire Jones (by Seeking the Gold), and to Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Hasty Reply (by Pronto). In addition, Queen's Gambit is a half sister to Grade 3-placed listed winner Snobishness (by Forli), dam of Italian Group 3 winner Oh So Snobish (by Quadratic) and multiple English listed winner Oh So Choosy (by Top Command) and second dam of four stakes winners including 1988 Bernard Baruch Handicap (USA-G1) winner My Big Boy. Another half sister to Queen's Gambit, Grade 1-placed multiple stakes winner Banner Gala (by Hoist the Flag), is the second dam of multiple Peruvian Group 3 winner Good Luck Keny. Finally, Queen's Gambit is a half sister to Roberto's Social (by Roberto), dam of Japanese listed stakes winner Excellence Robin (by Polish Navy).
Queen's Gambit and her siblings were produced from the winning Tim Tam mare So Social, a half sister to 1962 Discovery Handicap winner Comic (by Tom Fool). Also a half sister to Duchess Rae (by Hitting Away), dam of Belgian stakes winner El Moreno (by Noble Table); to Flighty Duchess (by Sunrise Flight), dam of stakes winner Blue Ribbon Girl (by Star Envoy); to Topolina (by Tropical Breeze), dam of stakes winner Goodbyeyouall (by Good Behaving); to Our First Pleasure (by What a Pleasure), dam of restricted stakes winner Josh's Joy (by Dr. Blum); and to Trevera (by Peace Corps), second dam of 2000 Premio Ignacio e Ignacio F. Correas (ARG-G1) winner Taboo, So Social is out of His Duchess (by Blenheim II), a stakes-placed half sister to two-time Saratoga Cup winner Busanda (by War Admiral; dam of 1966 American Horse of the Year Buckpasser, by Tom Fool, and 1963 Futurity Stakes winner Bupers, by Double Jay) and multiple stakes winner Auditing (by Count Fleet).
Books and media:
- “Bayou Blues,” an essay on Prairie Bayou's Preakness win and death, is the fifth chapter of Steve Haskins' Tales from the Triple Crown (2008, Blood-Horse Publications).
- Prairie Bayou is profiled in Chapter 12 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Prairie Bayou was named for a bayou between Little Rock and Hot Springs in Arkansas.
- Prairie Bayou was the first gelding to win the Preakness Stakes since Holiday in 1914.
- In an interview with Mike Klingaman of the Baltimore Sun, Jockey Mike Smith later said of Prairie Bayou, “If the sun came out while he was grazing, he'd just lie down and enjoy the day. And you could lie down on top of him.”
- Around the barn, Prairie Bayou was known as “Prairie Dog.”
- Prairie Bayou was the second horse to suffer a fatal breakdown in an American Triple Crown race since Black Hills fractured a leg during the running of the 1959 Belmont Stakes. Ironically, the first was Union City, who fractured an ankle while narrowly avoiding a collision with Prairie Bayou in the Preakness Stakes just three weeks earlier.
- Prairie Bayou was the namesake for a stakes race at Turfway Park. Carded for horses aged 3 and up, it was last contested in 2019.
Last updated: May 6, 2023