Princess Turia (USA)
February 25, 1953 – 1975
Heliopolis (GB) x Blue Delight (USA), by Blue Larkspur (USA)
Family 9-c
February 25, 1953 – 1975
Heliopolis (GB) x Blue Delight (USA), by Blue Larkspur (USA)
Family 9-c
The third of three Kentucky Oaks winners produced from the excellent matron Blue Delight, Princess Turia was not far removed from her champion half sister Real Delight in raw talent. She was less consistent, however, due in part to physical issues and in part to a moody disposition that was perhaps related to pain; a less courageous filly would probably never have made it to the races, much less proved a high-class racer. When the Princess was right, she was a formidable competitor who ranked with the best fillies of her crop. As of 2019, she remains the only Kentucky Oaks winner to have produced a winner of any of the American Triple Crown races.
Race record
31 starts, 13 wins, 4 seconds, 5 thirds, US$250,800
1956:
1957:
Assessments
Weighted at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1956, 5 pounds below champion 3-year-old filly Doubledogdare but third in her division.
Weighted at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1957, 2 pounds below champion handicap female Pucker Up but second in the division.
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Princess Turia stood close to 16 hands. She had a deep girth and a long pelvis. Unfortunately, she also had twisted forelegs and flat feet and could be trained only lightly between races. She became severely ill in the fall of her 3-year-old season and nearly died. At 4, she required round-the-clock poulticing of her inflamed ankles to be able to make her engagements in Delaware Park's "Distaff Big Three" series of races. When healthy, she was sensible and businesslike off the track and absolutely courageous on it.
As a producer
Princess Turia produced nine named foals, of which six started and five won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Princess Turia was bred and owned by Calumet Farm. She was trained by Horace “Jimmy” Jones and was ridden to her Kentucky Oaks victory by William Hartack. She died in 1975 and was buried in the Calumet Farm horse cemetery.
Pedigree notes
Princess Turia is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1952 American champion 3-year-old filly and champion handicap female Real Delight, dam of stakes winners Plum Cake (by Ponder), No Fooling (by Tom Fool), and Spring Sunshine (by Nashua). Real Delight is the second dam of Grade 2 winners Sugar Plum Time and Dazzle Me Jolie, Grade 3 winners Raise a Cup and Lucky So 'n So, 1969 Sport Page Handicap winner Lonesome River, 1971 Juvenile Stakes winner and 1980/1981 South African champion sire Plum Bold, and 1977 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Sweet Tooth. Through Sweet Tooth, Real Delight is the third dam of 1977 American champion 3-year-old filly Our Mims, the great runner and sire Alydar, and 1980 Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sugar and Spice, and she is also the third dam of 1982 American champion 3-year-old filly Christmas Past, Grade 2 winner Eminency, and Grade 3 winners Katonka and Pruneplum.
In addition, Princess Turia is a half sister to 1953 Kentucky Oaks winner Bubbley, second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Who Duzzit, and to the stakes-winning colts All Blue and Kentucky Pride, all by Bull Lea. She is also a half sister to Whirling Lark (by Whirlaway), dam of 1955 Gotham Stakes winner Go Lightly (by Faultless) and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner El Senor, Grade 2 winner Carry the Banner, and Grade 3 winners Jamila Kadir and Strawberry Wine.
Princess Turia's dam Blue Delight won six stakes races including the 1940 Arlington Lassie Stakes and the 1942 Arlington Matron Handicap. She is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Lightspur and is out of juvenile stakes winner Chicleight (by Chicle). Chicleight, in turn, is a half sister to multiple stakes winners Siskin (by Épinard), Hygro (by Épinard), and Errard (by Challenger II) and is out of the Honeywood mare Ruddy Light, herself the winner of the 1923 Clipsetta Stakes.
Books and media
Princess Turia is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Princess Turia, Henry Moreno up, following her win in the 1956 Acorn Stakes. Bernard Stanley Morgan photo, May 19, 1956. From the Keeneland Library Morgan Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library for any questions related to use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2023
Race record
31 starts, 13 wins, 4 seconds, 5 thirds, US$250,800
1956:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont; dead heat with Beyond)
- Won Cleopatra Handicap (USA, 8FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Black Eyed Susan Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Coaching Club American Oaks (USA, 11FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Oaks Prep (USA, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Delaware Oaks (USA, 9FD, Delaware)
- 3rd Jersey Belle Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
1957:
- Won Delaware Handicap (USA, 10FD, Delaware)
- Won New Castle Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Delaware)
- 3rd Wilmington Handicap (USA, 6FD, Delaware)
Assessments
Weighted at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1956, 5 pounds below champion 3-year-old filly Doubledogdare but third in her division.
Weighted at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1957, 2 pounds below champion handicap female Pucker Up but second in the division.
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Princess Turia stood close to 16 hands. She had a deep girth and a long pelvis. Unfortunately, she also had twisted forelegs and flat feet and could be trained only lightly between races. She became severely ill in the fall of her 3-year-old season and nearly died. At 4, she required round-the-clock poulticing of her inflamed ankles to be able to make her engagements in Delaware Park's "Distaff Big Three" series of races. When healthy, she was sensible and businesslike off the track and absolutely courageous on it.
As a producer
Princess Turia produced nine named foals, of which six started and five won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Tim's Princess (1962, by Tim Tam) is the dam of stakes winner Native Heritage (by Raise a Native) and is the second dam of two minor stakes winners.
- Forward Pass (1965, by On-and-On) won the 1968 Preakness Stakes outright and inherited the win in the 1968 Kentucky Derby after apparent victor Dancer's Image was disqualified on a drug positive. The American co-champion 3-year-old male of 1968, he sired only six unremarkable stakes winners from 180 named foals.
- Turn to Turia (1973, by Best Turn) won the 1975 Sanford Stakes (USA-G2) and two other juvenile stakes races.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Princess Turia was bred and owned by Calumet Farm. She was trained by Horace “Jimmy” Jones and was ridden to her Kentucky Oaks victory by William Hartack. She died in 1975 and was buried in the Calumet Farm horse cemetery.
Pedigree notes
Princess Turia is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to 1952 American champion 3-year-old filly and champion handicap female Real Delight, dam of stakes winners Plum Cake (by Ponder), No Fooling (by Tom Fool), and Spring Sunshine (by Nashua). Real Delight is the second dam of Grade 2 winners Sugar Plum Time and Dazzle Me Jolie, Grade 3 winners Raise a Cup and Lucky So 'n So, 1969 Sport Page Handicap winner Lonesome River, 1971 Juvenile Stakes winner and 1980/1981 South African champion sire Plum Bold, and 1977 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Sweet Tooth. Through Sweet Tooth, Real Delight is the third dam of 1977 American champion 3-year-old filly Our Mims, the great runner and sire Alydar, and 1980 Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sugar and Spice, and she is also the third dam of 1982 American champion 3-year-old filly Christmas Past, Grade 2 winner Eminency, and Grade 3 winners Katonka and Pruneplum.
In addition, Princess Turia is a half sister to 1953 Kentucky Oaks winner Bubbley, second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Who Duzzit, and to the stakes-winning colts All Blue and Kentucky Pride, all by Bull Lea. She is also a half sister to Whirling Lark (by Whirlaway), dam of 1955 Gotham Stakes winner Go Lightly (by Faultless) and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner El Senor, Grade 2 winner Carry the Banner, and Grade 3 winners Jamila Kadir and Strawberry Wine.
Princess Turia's dam Blue Delight won six stakes races including the 1940 Arlington Lassie Stakes and the 1942 Arlington Matron Handicap. She is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Lightspur and is out of juvenile stakes winner Chicleight (by Chicle). Chicleight, in turn, is a half sister to multiple stakes winners Siskin (by Épinard), Hygro (by Épinard), and Errard (by Challenger II) and is out of the Honeywood mare Ruddy Light, herself the winner of the 1923 Clipsetta Stakes.
Books and media
Princess Turia is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Princess Turia's dead heat with Beyond in the 1956 Acorn Stakes marked a rare dead heat between stablemates as both fillies were owned by Calumet Farm and trained by Jimmy Jones. The two regularly ran as an entry in 1956, but the Acorn Stakes was Beyond's only stakes victory and the only time she came anywhere close to outfinishing Princess Turia.
Photo credit
Princess Turia, Henry Moreno up, following her win in the 1956 Acorn Stakes. Bernard Stanley Morgan photo, May 19, 1956. From the Keeneland Library Morgan Collection; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library for any questions related to use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2023