Resaca inherited her sire Middleground's unsoundness, but she also inherited a fair share of his considerable talent. Temporarily the leader of the 1959 sophomore fillies after defeating the previous season's champion 2-year-old filly Quill in the Coaching Club American Oaks and downing eventual divisional co-champion Silver Spoon in the Delaware Oaks, Resaca tailed off after the latter race and never won again. She died without issue.
Race record
11 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$132,501
1958:
1959:
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1958, 7 pounds below champion Quill.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1959, 3 pounds below co-highweights High Bid and Silver Spoon and 2 pounds below Royal Native (who shared the official championship with Silver Spoon).
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old fillies of 1959 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay mare, Resaca had bad ankles.
Connections
Foaled in Texas, Resaca was bred and owned by the King Ranch. She was trained by Max Hirsch.
Pedigree notes
Resaca is inbred 5x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Commando and 5x5 to 1907 American champion Peter Pan, a son of Commando. She is a half sister to 1962 Vineland Handicap winner Tamarona (by Better Self) and to juvenile stakes winner Sandusky (by Depth Charge).
Retama, the dam of Resaca, is a winning half sister to the stakes-winning juvenile Chocolate Beau (by Beau Max), the dam of juvenile stakes winners Satin Gold (by Tulyar) and Olmec (by Pago Pago). Olmec, in turn, produced Grade 3 winner Soldier Boy (by Tumiga), multiple stakes winner Passamaquoddy (by Drone), and Grade 2 winner Navajo Princess (by Drone). The last-named mare was the dam of the brilliant European champion Dancing Brave (the best 3-year-old of his year in both England and France as well as the English champion miler of 1986) and 1992 Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner Jolypha, both by Lyphard.
Returning to Retama, she is also a half sister to Bonnie Google (by Better Self), dam of 1971 Matron Stakes winner Bonnie and Gay (by Sir Gaylord) and stakes winners La Noticia (by Sir Gaylord) and Lady Offshore (by Sir Ivor) as well as second dam of French Group 3 winner Look Fast; to Otrora (by Equestrian); dam of juvenile stakes winner Big Felly (by Navigator); and to New Front (by Bold Venture), dam of multiple juvenile stakes winner Brave Front (by Chanlea). Retama and her siblings were produced from the stakes-placed Equipoise mare Otra, whose dam Tenez (by Friar Rock) also produced 1938 American champion 3-year-old filly Handcuff (by Whichone; dam of 1949 Dixie Handicap winner Chains, by Firethorn, and second dam of 1950 Diana Handicap winner Ouija and 1954 Spinaway Stakes winner Gandharva), 1949 Delaware Oaks winner Nasophar (by Mahmoud), stakes winner Bastogne (by Sky Raider) and stakes-placed Dipsy Doodle (by Equipoise; dam of 1948 Myrtlewood Stakes winner Daily Dip, by Mahmoud, and 1950 Shevlin Stakes winner Dooly, by Eight Thirty, and second dam of 1956 Peter Pan Handicap winner Jazz Age and 1961 Choice Stakes winner Orleans Doge).
Books and media
Resaca is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: October 12, 2023
Race record
11 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$132,501
1958:
- 2nd Gardenia Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
1959:
- Won Coaching Club American Oaks (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Delaware Oaks (USA, 9FD, Delaware)
Assessments
Rated at 110 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1958, 7 pounds below champion Quill.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1959, 3 pounds below co-highweights High Bid and Silver Spoon and 2 pounds below Royal Native (who shared the official championship with Silver Spoon).
Ranked fourth among American 3-year-old fillies of 1959 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A bay mare, Resaca had bad ankles.
Connections
Foaled in Texas, Resaca was bred and owned by the King Ranch. She was trained by Max Hirsch.
Pedigree notes
Resaca is inbred 5x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Commando and 5x5 to 1907 American champion Peter Pan, a son of Commando. She is a half sister to 1962 Vineland Handicap winner Tamarona (by Better Self) and to juvenile stakes winner Sandusky (by Depth Charge).
Retama, the dam of Resaca, is a winning half sister to the stakes-winning juvenile Chocolate Beau (by Beau Max), the dam of juvenile stakes winners Satin Gold (by Tulyar) and Olmec (by Pago Pago). Olmec, in turn, produced Grade 3 winner Soldier Boy (by Tumiga), multiple stakes winner Passamaquoddy (by Drone), and Grade 2 winner Navajo Princess (by Drone). The last-named mare was the dam of the brilliant European champion Dancing Brave (the best 3-year-old of his year in both England and France as well as the English champion miler of 1986) and 1992 Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner Jolypha, both by Lyphard.
Returning to Retama, she is also a half sister to Bonnie Google (by Better Self), dam of 1971 Matron Stakes winner Bonnie and Gay (by Sir Gaylord) and stakes winners La Noticia (by Sir Gaylord) and Lady Offshore (by Sir Ivor) as well as second dam of French Group 3 winner Look Fast; to Otrora (by Equestrian); dam of juvenile stakes winner Big Felly (by Navigator); and to New Front (by Bold Venture), dam of multiple juvenile stakes winner Brave Front (by Chanlea). Retama and her siblings were produced from the stakes-placed Equipoise mare Otra, whose dam Tenez (by Friar Rock) also produced 1938 American champion 3-year-old filly Handcuff (by Whichone; dam of 1949 Dixie Handicap winner Chains, by Firethorn, and second dam of 1950 Diana Handicap winner Ouija and 1954 Spinaway Stakes winner Gandharva), 1949 Delaware Oaks winner Nasophar (by Mahmoud), stakes winner Bastogne (by Sky Raider) and stakes-placed Dipsy Doodle (by Equipoise; dam of 1948 Myrtlewood Stakes winner Daily Dip, by Mahmoud, and 1950 Shevlin Stakes winner Dooly, by Eight Thirty, and second dam of 1956 Peter Pan Handicap winner Jazz Age and 1961 Choice Stakes winner Orleans Doge).
Books and media
Resaca is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- A resaca is a type of oxbow lake resulting from natural channels of the Rio Grande which were created by seasonal flooding. After the floods passed, these channels became cut off from the river and formed lakes that have no inlet or outlet. They are found in the southern part of Cameron County, Texas.
Last updated: October 12, 2023