Sensational (USA)
April 22, 1974 – 2000
Hoist the Flag (USA) x Meritus (USA), by Bold Ruler (USA)
Family 16-h
April 22, 1974 – 2000
Hoist the Flag (USA) x Meritus (USA), by Bold Ruler (USA)
Family 16-h
If not always living up to her name, Sensational was an American champion at 2 and showed good form at 3 and 4. Unfortunately, she was never able to produce a living foal, but she at least lived out a long life as a pensioner.
Race record
44 starts, 9 wins, 9 seconds, 9 thirds, $496,395
1976:
1977:
1978:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted among American juvenile fillies of 1976 at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, 2 pounds above second-rated Mrs. Warren and Squander.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1977, 7 pounds below champion Our Mims.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1978, 7 pounds below champion Late Bloomer.
As an individual
“A lovely brown filly” according to Daily Racing Form writer Joe Hirsch, Sensational stood 15.3½ hands at the end of her 2-year-old season and had plenty of substance combined with her good looks. She raced best when kept off the early pace and allowed to come on in the stretch.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sensational was bred and owned by the Brady family’s Mill House. She was trained by Woody Stephens.
Pedigree notes:
Sensational is outcrossed through five generations. She was the only stakes winner and the only filly produced by 1969 Spinaway Stakes winner Meritus, a full sister to 1970 Canadian Turf Handicap winner and five-time South African champion sire Jungle Cove. Meritus is a half sister to 1965 Oaks Stakes winner Long Look (by Ribot), dam of Grade 2 winner North Broadway (by Bold Ruler) and French stakes winner Come Back and third dam of 1991 Italian Horse of the Year Pigeon Voyageur, multiple Brazilian Group 1 winner Dust’n Roses, French Group 3 winner Ocean Falls, and 1992 Austrian champion 3-year-old male Rubico. Meritus is also a half sister to stakes-placed Music Please (by To Market), dam of 1973 Selima Stakes (USA-G1) winner Dancealot (by Round Table), 1975 Everglades Stakes (USA-G2) winner Ascetic (by Damascus), and stakes winner Play It My Way (by Never Bend); second dam of Grade 2 winner Tights; and third dam of 1992 Jerome Handicap (USA-G1) winner Furiously.
Meritus and her siblings are out of Santorin, a winning daughter of 1950 Arlington Classic winner Greek Song (by Heliopolis). Santorin is a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Gay Meeting (by Sir Gaylord), dam of Grade 3 winner Gay Jitterbug (by Northern Dancer) and second dam of 1989 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (USA-G1) winner Trumpet’s Blare and Grade 3 winner Passing Vice. Santorin is also a half sister to Tomina (by Tom Fool), second dam of 1999 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Anne Campbell and French Group 3 winner Repercutionist, and to Idle Thoughts (by Bold Ruler), second dam of Grade/Group 3 winners Super Cook and Niodini.
Santorin and her siblings, in turn, are out of 1953 Acorn Stakes winner Secret Meeting (by Alibhai), whose dam Burgoo Maid (by Burgoo King) won five stakes races in the Midwest during a career spanning 101 starts. The next dam in Sensational’s tail-female line, Miss Kid (Atwell x War Feathers, by Man o’ War), is a half sister to two-time American champion War Plumage (by On Watch), to 1938 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner War Minstrel (by Royal Minstrel), to 1938 Diamond State Stakes winner War Magic (by Pharamond II), and to 1951 Harbor Hill Steeplechase Handicap winner Boom Boom (by Case Ace).
Fun facts
Last updated: September 19, 2023
Race record
44 starts, 9 wins, 9 seconds, 9 thirds, $496,395
1976:
- Won Selima Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Laurel)
- Won Frizette Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Astarita Stakes (USA-G3, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Colleen Stakes (second division) (USA, 5.5FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Sorority Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Saratoga)
1977:
- Won Ladies Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Post Deb Stakes (USA-G3, 8F+70yD, Monmouth)
- 2nd Alabama Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Gazelle Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Long Look Handicap (USA, 10FD, The Meadowlands)
- 3rd Hibiscus Stakes (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
1978:
- Won Hawthorne Handicap (USA, 8.5FT, Hollywood)
- 2nd Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Gamely Handicap (first division) (USA-G2, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Santa Barbara Handicap (USA-G1, 10FT, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Maskette Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Milady Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
Honors
- Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1977)
- Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1976)
Assessments
Highweighted among American juvenile fillies of 1976 at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap, 2 pounds above second-rated Mrs. Warren and Squander.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1977, 7 pounds below champion Our Mims.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1978, 7 pounds below champion Late Bloomer.
As an individual
“A lovely brown filly” according to Daily Racing Form writer Joe Hirsch, Sensational stood 15.3½ hands at the end of her 2-year-old season and had plenty of substance combined with her good looks. She raced best when kept off the early pace and allowed to come on in the stretch.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sensational was bred and owned by the Brady family’s Mill House. She was trained by Woody Stephens.
Pedigree notes:
Sensational is outcrossed through five generations. She was the only stakes winner and the only filly produced by 1969 Spinaway Stakes winner Meritus, a full sister to 1970 Canadian Turf Handicap winner and five-time South African champion sire Jungle Cove. Meritus is a half sister to 1965 Oaks Stakes winner Long Look (by Ribot), dam of Grade 2 winner North Broadway (by Bold Ruler) and French stakes winner Come Back and third dam of 1991 Italian Horse of the Year Pigeon Voyageur, multiple Brazilian Group 1 winner Dust’n Roses, French Group 3 winner Ocean Falls, and 1992 Austrian champion 3-year-old male Rubico. Meritus is also a half sister to stakes-placed Music Please (by To Market), dam of 1973 Selima Stakes (USA-G1) winner Dancealot (by Round Table), 1975 Everglades Stakes (USA-G2) winner Ascetic (by Damascus), and stakes winner Play It My Way (by Never Bend); second dam of Grade 2 winner Tights; and third dam of 1992 Jerome Handicap (USA-G1) winner Furiously.
Meritus and her siblings are out of Santorin, a winning daughter of 1950 Arlington Classic winner Greek Song (by Heliopolis). Santorin is a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Gay Meeting (by Sir Gaylord), dam of Grade 3 winner Gay Jitterbug (by Northern Dancer) and second dam of 1989 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (USA-G1) winner Trumpet’s Blare and Grade 3 winner Passing Vice. Santorin is also a half sister to Tomina (by Tom Fool), second dam of 1999 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Anne Campbell and French Group 3 winner Repercutionist, and to Idle Thoughts (by Bold Ruler), second dam of Grade/Group 3 winners Super Cook and Niodini.
Santorin and her siblings, in turn, are out of 1953 Acorn Stakes winner Secret Meeting (by Alibhai), whose dam Burgoo Maid (by Burgoo King) won five stakes races in the Midwest during a career spanning 101 starts. The next dam in Sensational’s tail-female line, Miss Kid (Atwell x War Feathers, by Man o’ War), is a half sister to two-time American champion War Plumage (by On Watch), to 1938 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner War Minstrel (by Royal Minstrel), to 1938 Diamond State Stakes winner War Magic (by Pharamond II), and to 1951 Harbor Hill Steeplechase Handicap winner Boom Boom (by Case Ace).
Fun facts
- Sensational is the second American stakes winner of that name. The first was an 1895 gelding by 1879 American champion 2-year-old male Sensation that won the Bouquet Stakes at Morris Park as a juvenile.
Last updated: September 19, 2023