Primonetta (USA)
February 14, 1958 – January 16, 1993
Swaps (USA) x Banquet Bell (USA), by Polynesian (USA)
Family 16-h
February 14, 1958 – January 16, 1993
Swaps (USA) x Banquet Bell (USA), by Polynesian (USA)
Family 16-h
Primonetta helped get the stud career of her sire Swaps off to a most auspicious start by providing him with a champion from his first crop. One of the best race mares among the elite group of mares awarded the palm as Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, she produced four high-class racers among her foals and might have had an even better record if not hampered by frequent barrenness.
Race record
25 starts, 17 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, $306,690
1960:
1961:
1962:
Honors
American champion handicap female (1962)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1960, 5 pounds below champion Bowl of Flowers.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1961, second by 2 pounds to champion Bowl of Flowers.
Ranked second to Bowl of Flowers among American 3-year-old fillies of 1961 by The Blood-Horse.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1962, 1 pound above Shirley Jones.
As an individual
A well-balanced, exceptionally attractive golden chestnut, Primonetta stood 16 hands. She had strong shoulders, wide hips, good muscling throughout her hindquarters and stifles, excellent leverage from hip to hock and clean legs, though she could be faulted for a trifle too much angulation in her hind legs. She tended to be aggressive and difficult to handle in the saddling enclosure when sitting on a top effort but was otherwise intelligent and professional. She was thoroughly game and needed no encouragement to give her best, and was inclined to resent the whip. She was a good doer.
As a producer
The 1978 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, Primonetta produced seven named foals, of which six started and won. She had reproductive problems throughout her breeding career and managed to produce living foals in back-to-back years only once; further, several of her daughters and granddaughters also had a history of difficulty in conceiving or maintaining a pregnancy. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Primonetta was bred and owned by John Galbreath's Darby Dan Farm. She was trained by James Conway. She was pensioned in 1984 after having been barren the preceding three years. She died of an apparent heart attack in January 1993 and was buried at Darby Dan Farm in Ohio.
Pedigree notes
Primonetta is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion Selene, a great 20th-century foundation mare. She is also inbred 5x5 to five-time English champion sire Polymelus. She is a full sister to 1963 American champion 3-year-old male Chateaugay and a half sister to Luiana (by My Babu), dam of 1974 American champion 3-year-old male Little Current (by Sea-Bird), multiple Grade 1 winner Prayers'n Promises (by Foolish Pleasure), and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Water Dance (by Nijinsky II). Luiana is also the second dam of four stakes winners including French Group 2 winner Nabeel Dancer and Australian Group 3 winner Almazyoon and the third dam of 2007 King's Bishop Stakes (USA-G1) winner Hard Spun, Grade 2 winner Magic Storm, and Grade/Group 3 winners Cutting Blade, El Maze, and Buffalo Berry.
Primonetta and her siblings are out of juvenile stakes winner Banquet Bell, whose half sister Desert (by Heliopolis) is the dam of juvenile stakes winner Never More (by Berseem). Also a half sister to Countess Albie (by Pet Bully), dam of English Group 2 winner Otha (by Ribot), multiple English stakes winner Sky Rocket (by Warfare), and Irish stakes winner Octavo (by Roberto), Banquet Bell is out of the Pot au Feu mare Dinner Horn (out of Tophorn, by Bull Dog), a half sister to 1945 Selima Stakes and 1946 Modesty Stakes winner Athene (by Heliopolis). The last-named mare is, in turn, the dam of 1954 San Juan Capistrano Handicap winner By Zeus (by Count Fleet) and 1956 Camino Real Handicap winner Lychnus (by Ardan).
Fun facts
Last updated: September 20, 2023
Race record
25 starts, 17 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, $306,690
1960:
- Won Marguerite Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
1961:
- Won Delaware Oaks (USA, 9FD, Delaware)
- Won Alabama Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Prioress Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Miss Woodford Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Spinster Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Monmouth Oaks (USA, 9FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Beldame Stakes (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- Also equaled the track record of 1:08-2/5 for 6FD in an allowance at Monmouth.
1962:
- Won Spinster Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Molly Pitcher Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Monmouth)
- Won Falls City Handicap (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Regret Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
Honors
American champion handicap female (1962)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1960, 5 pounds below champion Bowl of Flowers.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1961, second by 2 pounds to champion Bowl of Flowers.
Ranked second to Bowl of Flowers among American 3-year-old fillies of 1961 by The Blood-Horse.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1962, 1 pound above Shirley Jones.
As an individual
A well-balanced, exceptionally attractive golden chestnut, Primonetta stood 16 hands. She had strong shoulders, wide hips, good muscling throughout her hindquarters and stifles, excellent leverage from hip to hock and clean legs, though she could be faulted for a trifle too much angulation in her hind legs. She tended to be aggressive and difficult to handle in the saddling enclosure when sitting on a top effort but was otherwise intelligent and professional. She was thoroughly game and needed no encouragement to give her best, and was inclined to resent the whip. She was a good doer.
As a producer
The 1978 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, Primonetta produced seven named foals, of which six started and won. She had reproductive problems throughout her breeding career and managed to produce living foals in back-to-back years only once; further, several of her daughters and granddaughters also had a history of difficulty in conceiving or maintaining a pregnancy. Her important foals are as follow:
- Grenfall (1968, by Graustark) won the 1971 Gallinule Stakes (IRE-G2) and Vauxhall Trial Stakes (IRE-G3). He sired 12 stakes winners from 379 named foals, headed by multiple Grade 2 winner and 1978 Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) runner-up Grenzen.
- Maud Muller (1971, by Graustark) won the 1974 Gazelle Handicap (USA-G2) and Ashland Stakes (USA-G3) and placed in three Grade 1 races. She was a disappointing broodmare.
- Prince Thou Art (1972, by Hail to Reason) won the 1975 Florida Derby (USA-G1) and placed in three other Grade 1 races. He had to be humanely destroyed in November 1975 after fracturing sesamoids during a workout.
- Cum Laude Laurie (1974, by Hail to Reason) won the 1977 Spinster Stakes (USA-G1), Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1), Delaware Oaks (USA-G1), and Beldame Stakes (USA-G1) and was ranked second to Our Mims among that year's American 3-year-old fillies on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap. She produced only two foals but is the third dam of Grade 3 winner Desert Air.
- Sunshine O'My Life (1980, by Graustark) produced multiple Grade 3 winner Dance O'My Life (by Sovereign Dancer).
Connections
Primonetta was bred and owned by John Galbreath's Darby Dan Farm. She was trained by James Conway. She was pensioned in 1984 after having been barren the preceding three years. She died of an apparent heart attack in January 1993 and was buried at Darby Dan Farm in Ohio.
Pedigree notes
Primonetta is inbred 4x5 to two-time English champion Selene, a great 20th-century foundation mare. She is also inbred 5x5 to five-time English champion sire Polymelus. She is a full sister to 1963 American champion 3-year-old male Chateaugay and a half sister to Luiana (by My Babu), dam of 1974 American champion 3-year-old male Little Current (by Sea-Bird), multiple Grade 1 winner Prayers'n Promises (by Foolish Pleasure), and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Water Dance (by Nijinsky II). Luiana is also the second dam of four stakes winners including French Group 2 winner Nabeel Dancer and Australian Group 3 winner Almazyoon and the third dam of 2007 King's Bishop Stakes (USA-G1) winner Hard Spun, Grade 2 winner Magic Storm, and Grade/Group 3 winners Cutting Blade, El Maze, and Buffalo Berry.
Primonetta and her siblings are out of juvenile stakes winner Banquet Bell, whose half sister Desert (by Heliopolis) is the dam of juvenile stakes winner Never More (by Berseem). Also a half sister to Countess Albie (by Pet Bully), dam of English Group 2 winner Otha (by Ribot), multiple English stakes winner Sky Rocket (by Warfare), and Irish stakes winner Octavo (by Roberto), Banquet Bell is out of the Pot au Feu mare Dinner Horn (out of Tophorn, by Bull Dog), a half sister to 1945 Selima Stakes and 1946 Modesty Stakes winner Athene (by Heliopolis). The last-named mare is, in turn, the dam of 1954 San Juan Capistrano Handicap winner By Zeus (by Count Fleet) and 1956 Camino Real Handicap winner Lychnus (by Ardan).
Fun facts
- Primonetta's name means “first little one” in Italian, reflecting the fact that she was Swaps' first foal.
- The Primonetta Stakes is a stakes for fillies and mares aged 3 and older at Laurel Park. As of 2023, it is carded for 6 furlongs on dirt.
Last updated: September 20, 2023