The last of four full siblings produced by Rough Shod II to the cover of Nantallah, Thong was the weakest on the racetrack but a powerhouse as a broodmare, While she did not have quite the immediate success of her sister Moccasin, her branch of the family has bred on to splendid effect and has become noted as a source of sire power.
Race record
22 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 5 thirds, US$50,036
1966:
Assessments
Rated at 112 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1966, 4 pounds below champion juvenile filly Regal Gleam.
As an individual
A bay mare. She was consistent and reasonably durable but failed to improve on her juvenile form.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by influential pedigree analyst and turf writer Ellen Parker, Thong produced 13 named foals. All started and nine were winners. Her important foals were as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Thong was bred and owned by Claiborne Farm. She died in 1986 at Claiborne's Marchmont division and was buried in the farm's broodmare cemetery.
Pedigree notes
Thong is inbred 5x3 to three-time English leading sire Blandford. She is a full sister to 1961 American co-champion 2-year-old colt Ridan and to the good stakes winner Lt. Stevens, both good sires. She is also a full sister to 1965 American champion 2-year-old filly and co-Horse of the Year Moccasin, whose seven stakes winners include 1971 English and Irish champion 2-year-old male Apalachee (by Round Table) and 1982 Irish champion older male and sprinter Belted Earl (by Damascus).
Thong is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Gambetta (by My Babu), dam of three-time American champion Gamely (by Bold Ruler) and stakes winner Staretta (by Dark Star). Gambetta is the second dam of 1971 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini, 1973 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place, and the top-flight turf mare Drumtop.
Produced from 1934 Yorkshire Oaks winner Dalmary (by Blandford), Thong's dam Rough Shod II is a half sister to 1948 Leicestershire Oaks winner Corinacy (by Mieuxcé) and to Gold Mary (by Solario), dam of the stakes-winning Nearco fillies Flying Slipper and Nectarine and their multiple stakes-producing full sister Sarie. Gold Mary is also the dam of Spring Light (by Signal Light), dam of 1961 Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Light Year (by Chamier). Rough Shod II is also a half sister to stakes-placed Jennydang (by Colombo), whose stakes-winning son Pewter Platter (by Owen Tudor) became a good sire in Brazil, and to Miss Know All (by Rhodes Scholar), sire of the good stakes winner Le Sage (by Chamossaire).
Fun facts
Last updated: November 16, 2020
Race record
22 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 5 thirds, US$50,036
1966:
- 2nd Alcibiades Stakes (USA, about 7.25FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Golden Rod Stakes (USA, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Selima Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Laurel)
Assessments
Rated at 112 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1966, 4 pounds below champion juvenile filly Regal Gleam.
As an individual
A bay mare. She was consistent and reasonably durable but failed to improve on her juvenile form.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by influential pedigree analyst and turf writer Ellen Parker, Thong produced 13 named foals. All started and nine were winners. Her important foals were as follow:
- Special (1969, by Forli) failed to place in her only start after bleeding badly. She atoned for her sins by producing 1977 Irish champion juvenile filly Fairy Bridge (by Bold Reason) and 1980 French champion miler Nureyev as her second and third foals. Both had only brief racing careers, but Fairy Bridge produced four stakes winners by Northern Dancer headed by multiple Group 1 winner and 14-time leading English/Irish sire Sadler's Wells, while Nureyev became a great sire in his own right. Special is also the dam of multiple Graded stakes winners and producers Number and Bound, both by Northern Dancer's great son Nijinsky II.
- Thatch (1970, by Forli) was the Irish champion juvenile male of 1972 and the English champion miler of 1973. He was a good sire of sprinters and milers in Europe.
- Lisadell (1971, by Forli) won the 1974 Coronation Stakes (ENG-G2). She produced 1992 Smurfit National Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Fatherland (by Sadler's Wells) and Irish stakes winners Yeats (by Nijinsky II) and Golden Dome (by Golden Fleece). Lisadell is the second dam of 1996 American champion steeplechaser Correggio, Grade 2 winner Sword Dance, and German Group 3 winner Miss Tobacco and is the third dam of 2004 Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Bachelor Duke, multiple Group 1 winner El Condor Pasa, Irish Group 3 winner Endless Joy, and Indian One Thousand Guineas winner Alma Mater.
- King Pellinore (1972, by Round Table) was a multiple Grade 1 winner and placed in two European Classics. He was a failure at stud.
- Espadrille (1977, by Damascus) won the 1980 Busanda Stakes and was Grade 3-placed. Her only foal, Pump (by Forli), produced multiple Group 2 winner Docksider (by Topsider), 1994 Bankverein Swiss Derby winner Filao Beach (by Alysheba), and multiple Irish stakes winner Classic Sport (by Nijinsky II).
- Handsewn (1981, by Sir Ivor) produced Grade 3 winner Hymn (by Fairy King) and Irish Group 3 winner Festival Hall (by Sadler's Wells). She is the second dam of Australian Group 2 winner Dreamscape, Brazilian Group 3 winner Dragonet and Argentine Group 3 winner Salsa Inglesa. She is also the third dam of 2007 Grande Prêmio Roberto e Nelson Grimaldi Seabra (BRZ-G1) winner Re Thong, 2019 Gran Premio Dardo Rocha (ARG-G1) winner Solo Un Momento, and Brazilian Group 3 winner Violeiro.
- Geiger Counter (1982, by Mr. Prospector) won two of seven races. He became a quite useful sire while standing in Canada and Australia, getting 54 stakes winners from 940 named foals prior to his death in 2000.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Thong was bred and owned by Claiborne Farm. She died in 1986 at Claiborne's Marchmont division and was buried in the farm's broodmare cemetery.
Pedigree notes
Thong is inbred 5x3 to three-time English leading sire Blandford. She is a full sister to 1961 American co-champion 2-year-old colt Ridan and to the good stakes winner Lt. Stevens, both good sires. She is also a full sister to 1965 American champion 2-year-old filly and co-Horse of the Year Moccasin, whose seven stakes winners include 1971 English and Irish champion 2-year-old male Apalachee (by Round Table) and 1982 Irish champion older male and sprinter Belted Earl (by Damascus).
Thong is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Gambetta (by My Babu), dam of three-time American champion Gamely (by Bold Ruler) and stakes winner Staretta (by Dark Star). Gambetta is the second dam of 1971 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini, 1973 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place, and the top-flight turf mare Drumtop.
Produced from 1934 Yorkshire Oaks winner Dalmary (by Blandford), Thong's dam Rough Shod II is a half sister to 1948 Leicestershire Oaks winner Corinacy (by Mieuxcé) and to Gold Mary (by Solario), dam of the stakes-winning Nearco fillies Flying Slipper and Nectarine and their multiple stakes-producing full sister Sarie. Gold Mary is also the dam of Spring Light (by Signal Light), dam of 1961 Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Light Year (by Chamier). Rough Shod II is also a half sister to stakes-placed Jennydang (by Colombo), whose stakes-winning son Pewter Platter (by Owen Tudor) became a good sire in Brazil, and to Miss Know All (by Rhodes Scholar), sire of the good stakes winner Le Sage (by Chamossaire).
Fun facts
- Thong's name refers to a type of sandal held to the foot by a thong or strap passing between the big toe and its neighbor and then forking to either side of the sole.
Last updated: November 16, 2020