Proud Clarion (USA)
January 19, 1964 – December 17, 1981
Hail to Reason (USA) x Breath O'Morn (USA), by Djeddah (FR)
Family 1-t
January 19, 1964 – December 17, 1981
Hail to Reason (USA) x Breath O'Morn (USA), by Djeddah (FR)
Family 1-t
Damascus was considered a sure thing for the 1967 Kentucky Derby, but when the dust settled, longshot Proud Clarion wore the roses in the high moment of his racing career. Damascus, uncharacteristically rank at the Derby, resumed his usual professional demeanor and turned the tables in both the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, and Proud Clarion retired with only one other stakes win to his credit. As a stallion, he got good percentages of winners and minor stakes winners but was known mostly as a sire of hardy bread-and-butter runners.
Race record
25 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$218,730
1967:
Assessments
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1967, 10 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Damascus.
As an individual
A bay horse, Proud Clarion was a well-built, rather leggy individual of classic type. His fetlock joints were weak and he was not the soundest of runners. He was nervous and a poor doer as a juvenile but became calmer and a better eater as he matured.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Proud Clarion sired 245 winners (73.8%) and 31 stakes winners (9.3%) from 332 named foals.
Notable progeny
Proud Birdie (USA), Proud Lou (USA)
Connections
Proud Clarion was bred and owned by John Galbreath's Darby Dan Farm. He was trained by Loyd “Boo” Gentry Jr. He entered stud in 1969 at Darby Dan and later moved to Spendthrift Farm, where he died in 1981. He was buried at Spendthrift.
Pedigree notes
Proud Clarion is inbred 5x5 to 1923 French champion sire Teddy. He is a half brother to 1973 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner Knightly Dawn (by Sir Gaylord) and to Kingman Reef (by Sailor), dam of stakes winners Bold Thryst (by Imbros), Midnight Traveler (by Without Fail) and Proud Pocket (by Full Pocket) and third dam of 2003 Venezuelan champion older female Gran Barbara. In addition, Proud Clarion is a half brother to Hippodrone (by Drone), third dam of 2012 Grande Prêmio São Paulo (BRZ-G1) winner Invictus.
Breath O'Morn, the dam of Proud Clarion, is a half sister to 1956 Black Helen Handicap winner Clear Dawn (by Heliopolis), 1962 Jerome Handicap winner Black Beard (by Swaps). multiple stakes winner Big Darby (by Swaps) and 1957 Betsy Ross Stakes winner Evening Time (by Citation). The last-named mare is the second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner My Friend Gus and the third dam of 1986 Vanity Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Magnificent Lindy.
Breath O'Morn and her siblings were produced from 1946 Columbiana Handicap winner Darby Dunedin (by Blenheim II), whose full sister Blenheim Girl is the second dam of Grade 2 winner Take Off. Darby Dunedin is also a half sister to 1934 Enquirer Handicap winner New Deal (by Broadway Jones); to 1937 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes winner Mountain Ridge (by Royal Minstrel); to stakes-placed Johns Dear (by Johnstown), dam of the stakes-winning steeplechaser Coveted (by Discovery); and to Boy Crazy (by Broadway Jones), dam of stakes winner Arjuna (by Firozepore). The next dam in the tail-female line is the stakes-winning juvenile Ethel Dear (by Peter Pan), a full sister to 1929 New Orleans Handicap winner Vermajo.
Books and media
Proud Clarion is profiled in Chapter 9 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: February 5, 2020
Race record
25 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds, US$218,730
1967:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Roamer Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:55)
- 2nd Queens County Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Blue Grass Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
Assessments
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1967, 10 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Damascus.
As an individual
A bay horse, Proud Clarion was a well-built, rather leggy individual of classic type. His fetlock joints were weak and he was not the soundest of runners. He was nervous and a poor doer as a juvenile but became calmer and a better eater as he matured.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Proud Clarion sired 245 winners (73.8%) and 31 stakes winners (9.3%) from 332 named foals.
Notable progeny
Proud Birdie (USA), Proud Lou (USA)
Connections
Proud Clarion was bred and owned by John Galbreath's Darby Dan Farm. He was trained by Loyd “Boo” Gentry Jr. He entered stud in 1969 at Darby Dan and later moved to Spendthrift Farm, where he died in 1981. He was buried at Spendthrift.
Pedigree notes
Proud Clarion is inbred 5x5 to 1923 French champion sire Teddy. He is a half brother to 1973 Jersey Derby (USA-G1) winner Knightly Dawn (by Sir Gaylord) and to Kingman Reef (by Sailor), dam of stakes winners Bold Thryst (by Imbros), Midnight Traveler (by Without Fail) and Proud Pocket (by Full Pocket) and third dam of 2003 Venezuelan champion older female Gran Barbara. In addition, Proud Clarion is a half brother to Hippodrone (by Drone), third dam of 2012 Grande Prêmio São Paulo (BRZ-G1) winner Invictus.
Breath O'Morn, the dam of Proud Clarion, is a half sister to 1956 Black Helen Handicap winner Clear Dawn (by Heliopolis), 1962 Jerome Handicap winner Black Beard (by Swaps). multiple stakes winner Big Darby (by Swaps) and 1957 Betsy Ross Stakes winner Evening Time (by Citation). The last-named mare is the second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner My Friend Gus and the third dam of 1986 Vanity Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Magnificent Lindy.
Breath O'Morn and her siblings were produced from 1946 Columbiana Handicap winner Darby Dunedin (by Blenheim II), whose full sister Blenheim Girl is the second dam of Grade 2 winner Take Off. Darby Dunedin is also a half sister to 1934 Enquirer Handicap winner New Deal (by Broadway Jones); to 1937 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes winner Mountain Ridge (by Royal Minstrel); to stakes-placed Johns Dear (by Johnstown), dam of the stakes-winning steeplechaser Coveted (by Discovery); and to Boy Crazy (by Broadway Jones), dam of stakes winner Arjuna (by Firozepore). The next dam in the tail-female line is the stakes-winning juvenile Ethel Dear (by Peter Pan), a full sister to 1929 New Orleans Handicap winner Vermajo.
Books and media
Proud Clarion is profiled in Chapter 9 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Proud Clarion's Derby took place in a tense atmosphere occasioned by earlier civil rights protests in the Louisville area. Because of the potential for riots, several Derby Week activities were canceled including the Pegasus Parade and a country music concert, and the Kentucky National Guard was called out to bolster the Louisville Police Department and a contingent of Kentucky State Police at the Derby. Another disruption was caused by the University of Louisville, which refused to send its band to play “My Old Kentucky Home” for the post parade after receiving threats from an anonymous caller. Two other schools also refused to send their bands for similar reasons, and members of the Louisville Musician Union filled in at the last minute.
- Braulio Baeza had been the contract rider for Darby Dan Farm, but his contract expired six days before the Kentucky Derby and was not renewed by mutual consent. He ended up riding Ogden Phipps' champion juvenile male Successor (who ran sixth), while Bobby Ussery picked up the mount on Proud Clarion just three days before the Derby and did not actually meet his mount until 15 minutes before post time.
- Proud Clarion was nearly the “one that got away” for Darby Dan, which had been looking to sell the colt for US$50,000 after he ran a bad race at Hialeah early in 1967. Fortunately for John Galbreath, the prospective buyer backed out.
- As of Derby morning, Proud Clarion's fate as a Derby starter remained up in the air due to overcast, misty conditions. He had not worked well over off surfaces, and trainer “Boo” Gentry later admitted that if it had started raining earlier on Derby day than it did, he would have scratched his colt from the race. As it was, the rain that finally came was only enough to dampen the track slightly, and the Derby went off on a track rated “fast.” Even given those conditions, Gentry was later quoted by Derby historian Jim Bolus as saying, “I couldn't have bet on him [Proud Clarion].”
Last updated: February 5, 2020