To Market was arguably the best racehorse sired by the grand stayer Market Wise. While he lacked his sire's boundless stamina, he was gifted with more precocity and speed and made a strong comeback at 4 after having to sit out much his his 3-year-old season. He was a useful sire who got one champion in Hurry to Market but is better remembered today as the broodmare sire of 1966 American co-champion handicap male Bold Bidder and 1981 American champion older female and 1989 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Relaxing. He also sired Stop On Red, second dam of the great Spectacular Bid.
Race record
36 starts, 12 wins, 4 seconds, 5 thirds, US$387,325
1950:
1952:
1953:
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1950, 6 pounds below highweighted Uncle Miltie and 4 pounds below the official champion, Battlefield.
Rated fourth among American juveniles of 1950 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated eighth among American older males of 1952 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1953, 21 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Tom Fool.
As an individual
A big chestnut horse, To Market was inclined to become gross even while in training. His racing career was compromised by ankle trouble, but when sound, he was a good horse on any going.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, To Market sired 224 winners (70.0%) and 23 stakes winners (7.2%) from 320 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Commissary (USA), High Bid (USA), Hurry to Market (USA), Marking Time (USA), Rising Market (USA), Sale Day (USA), Viking Spirit (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, To Market was bred and owned by Sam Mason II. He was trained by William James “Buddy” Hirsch. Mason sold To Market to the King Ranch during the colt's 4-year-old season.
Pedigree notes
To Market is inbred 4x5 to three-time American champion sire Broomstick. He is a half brother to stakes winners Tidewater (by Spy Song) and Hickory Stick (by Better Self). He is also a half brother to Caesar's Wife (by Better Self), dam of 1962 Royal Poinciana Handicap winner Beau Admiral (by Beau Max).
Pretty Does, the dam of To Market, is a half sister to stakes winner Salerno (by Questionnaire) and to Airosa (by Heliopolis), dam of 1970 Benjamin F. Lindheimer Handicap winner Kerry's Time (by Kerry Chief) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Robsphere. Pretty Does is also a half sister to Drop Dead (by Bull Dog), dam of 1961 Bowling Green Handicap winner Dead Center (by Great Circle); to Edgey (by Roman), second dam of four stakes winners including 1970 Beverly Hills Handicap and Matron Handicap winner Pattee Canyon; and to Broadway Smile (by Bolero), dam of multiple stakes winner Lazovich (by Admiral Drake).
Pretty Does and her siblings are out of the Sickle mare Creese. The next dam in To Market's tail-female line is 1927 Interborough Handicap winner Circlet (by Whisk Broom II), a half sister to stakes winners Nusakan (by Sun Briar) and Aldershot (by Man o' War). Circlet is also a half sister to Cimru (by Bryn Mawr), second dam of 1954 Prix d'Harcourt winner Gerocourt, and to Console (by Under Fire), dam of stakes winner Kind Gesture (by Zacaweista) and second dam of three stakes winners. Circlet's stakes-winning dam Coronis (by Voter), a half sister to 1926 Cambridgeshire Stakes winner Insight II (by Oversight), is out of Court Dress (by Disguise). Through another daughter, Inaugural (also by Voter), Court Dress is the ancestress of such notables as 1981 Canadian Horse of the Year and two-time American champion sire Deputy Minister, 1999 American Horse of the Year Charismatic, 2002 European Horse of the Year Rock of Gibraltar, and two-time American champion sire Exclusive Native, among many others.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Rcord (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: October 28, 2020
Race record
36 starts, 12 wins, 4 seconds, 5 thirds, US$387,325
1950:
- Won Arlington Futurity (USA, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Washington Park Futurity (USA, 6FD, Washington Park)
1952:
- Won Arlington Handicap (USA, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (USA, 10FD, Hawthorne; new track record 2:01-2/5)
- Won Massachusetts Handicap (USA, 10FD, Suffolk; new track record 2:01-2/5)
- Won San Carlos Handicap (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Washington Park Handicap (USA, 8FD, Washington Park)
- 2nd Edgemere Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Carter Handicap (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
1953:
- 2nd Brandywine Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Delaware)
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1950, 6 pounds below highweighted Uncle Miltie and 4 pounds below the official champion, Battlefield.
Rated fourth among American juveniles of 1950 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated eighth among American older males of 1952 by The Blood-Horse.
Rated at 115 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1953, 21 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Tom Fool.
As an individual
A big chestnut horse, To Market was inclined to become gross even while in training. His racing career was compromised by ankle trouble, but when sound, he was a good horse on any going.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, To Market sired 224 winners (70.0%) and 23 stakes winners (7.2%) from 320 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1961.
Notable progeny
Commissary (USA), High Bid (USA), Hurry to Market (USA), Marking Time (USA), Rising Market (USA), Sale Day (USA), Viking Spirit (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, To Market was bred and owned by Sam Mason II. He was trained by William James “Buddy” Hirsch. Mason sold To Market to the King Ranch during the colt's 4-year-old season.
Pedigree notes
To Market is inbred 4x5 to three-time American champion sire Broomstick. He is a half brother to stakes winners Tidewater (by Spy Song) and Hickory Stick (by Better Self). He is also a half brother to Caesar's Wife (by Better Self), dam of 1962 Royal Poinciana Handicap winner Beau Admiral (by Beau Max).
Pretty Does, the dam of To Market, is a half sister to stakes winner Salerno (by Questionnaire) and to Airosa (by Heliopolis), dam of 1970 Benjamin F. Lindheimer Handicap winner Kerry's Time (by Kerry Chief) and second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Robsphere. Pretty Does is also a half sister to Drop Dead (by Bull Dog), dam of 1961 Bowling Green Handicap winner Dead Center (by Great Circle); to Edgey (by Roman), second dam of four stakes winners including 1970 Beverly Hills Handicap and Matron Handicap winner Pattee Canyon; and to Broadway Smile (by Bolero), dam of multiple stakes winner Lazovich (by Admiral Drake).
Pretty Does and her siblings are out of the Sickle mare Creese. The next dam in To Market's tail-female line is 1927 Interborough Handicap winner Circlet (by Whisk Broom II), a half sister to stakes winners Nusakan (by Sun Briar) and Aldershot (by Man o' War). Circlet is also a half sister to Cimru (by Bryn Mawr), second dam of 1954 Prix d'Harcourt winner Gerocourt, and to Console (by Under Fire), dam of stakes winner Kind Gesture (by Zacaweista) and second dam of three stakes winners. Circlet's stakes-winning dam Coronis (by Voter), a half sister to 1926 Cambridgeshire Stakes winner Insight II (by Oversight), is out of Court Dress (by Disguise). Through another daughter, Inaugural (also by Voter), Court Dress is the ancestress of such notables as 1981 Canadian Horse of the Year and two-time American champion sire Deputy Minister, 1999 American Horse of the Year Charismatic, 2002 European Horse of the Year Rock of Gibraltar, and two-time American champion sire Exclusive Native, among many others.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the collection of Quarter Horse Rcord (Susan Larkin); used by permission.
Last updated: October 28, 2020