An attractive filly of the best Thoroughbred type, What a Treat ran to her looks at 3, racing successfully over 6 to 10 furlongs and over all types of track conditions. She sealed her divisional championship with three straight victories against top company, concluding by defeating champions Affectionately and Tosmah and the high-class older mare Steeple Jill in the Beldame Stakes. She was not as successful at 4 but proved a valuable broodmare, producing a champion sire and three daughters who were either the dams or granddams of graded or Group stakes winners.
Race record
30 starts, 11 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, US$321,608
1964:
1965:
1966:
Honors
American champion 3-year-old filly (1965)
Assessments
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1965, 3 pounds above second-rated Marshua and Straight Deal.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1966, 6 pounds below co-champion handicap females Open Fire and Summer Scandal.
As an individual
A “lithe and graceful” bay mare according to Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton, What a Treat stood about 15.3 hands and had the flat musculature of a stayer. Her legs were clean and correct. She was said to have been intelligent and possessed of a kindly disposition. She could handle any track conditions.
As a producer
What a Treat produced seven named foals, four of which started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled at George D. Widener Jr.'s Erdenheim Farm, What a Treat raced as a homebred for Widener and was trained by Sylvester Veitch. She began her broodmare career at Widener's Old Kenney Farm. Following Widener's death in December 1971, she was sold through the Keeneland Sales for US$450,000 (then a world record price for a broodmare) to a French-based syndicate. Her last foal, the Foolish Pleasure filly Fiscal Folly, was produced in 1979.
Pedigree notes
What a Treat is inbred 5x5 to 1923 French champion sire Teddy. She is a half sister to 1967 Widener Handicap winner Ring Twice (by Gallant Man) and to Exotic Treat (by Vaguely Noble), dam of 1982 English and Irish champion 3-year-old male Golden Fleece (by Nijinsky II) and stakes winner Office Wife (by Secretariat); second dam of Group 3 winners Dance Treat and Summertime Legacy; and third dam of 2011 Prix Saint-Alary (FR-G1) winner Wavering, 2011 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (FR-G1) winner Mandaean, and Group 3 winner South Easter. What a Treat is also a half sister to Another Treat (by Cornish Prince), second dam of 2001 Czech Horse of the Year Tribal Instinct, German Group 2 winner Robin des Pins, multiple French Group 3 winner Mystery Rays, and Irish Group 3 winner Ahkaam, and third dam of Grade/Group 3 winner King of Happiness. In addition, What a Treat is a half sister to Rouslana (by Forli), second dam of Grade 3 winner Freezees.
What a Treat is out of 1957 Ladies Handicap winner Rare Treat, a half sister to 1962 American champion 3-year-old male Jaipur (by Nasrullah). Rare Treat is also a half sister to stakes-placed Rare Exchange (by Swaps), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Love's Exchange and French Group 3 winner Golden Era and third dam of Italian Group 3 winner Funny Baby and Grade 3 winner Foreverness. In addition, Rare Treat is a half sister to stakes-placed Battle of Roses (by Yorktown), dam of Grade 3 winner Thirty Years (by Bold Hour) and third dam of 1993 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Personal Hope, Grade 2 winners Crowned and Dixie Flag, and multiple Grade 3 winner Betty Lobelia.
Rare Treat and her siblings were produced from multiple juvenile stakes winner Rare Perfume (by Eight Thirty), a full sister to multiple stakes winner Ambergris and to Thirty Scents, dam of stakes winner Solstice (by Solar Slipper) and second dam of 1968 Tidal Handicap winner More Scents. Produced from the Sir Gallahad III mare Fragrance (a half sister to three stakes winners), Rare Perfume is also a half sister to multiple stakes winners Scent (by Jamestown) and to Incense (by Mahmoud), dam of stakes winner Roman Incense (by Roman) and second dam of two-time San Pasqual Handicap winner Kings Favor.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: April 9, 2022
Race record
30 starts, 11 wins, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, US$321,608
1964:
- 3rd Schuylerville Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Saratoga)
1965:
- Won Alabama Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Mimosa Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- Won Beldame Stakes (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Prioress Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Comely Stakes (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Gazelle Handicap (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Jasmine Stakes (USA, 6FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Mother Goose Stakes (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Coaching Club American Oaks (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
1966:
- Won Black Helen Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Bed o' Roses Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd New York Handicap (second division) (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- Also set new course record of 1:40-3/5 for 8.5FT at Saratoga.
Honors
American champion 3-year-old filly (1965)
Assessments
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1965, 3 pounds above second-rated Marshua and Straight Deal.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1966, 6 pounds below co-champion handicap females Open Fire and Summer Scandal.
As an individual
A “lithe and graceful” bay mare according to Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton, What a Treat stood about 15.3 hands and had the flat musculature of a stayer. Her legs were clean and correct. She was said to have been intelligent and possessed of a kindly disposition. She could handle any track conditions.
As a producer
What a Treat produced seven named foals, four of which started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Bendara (1969, by Never Bend) was stakes-placed on the track. She is the dam of 1978 Ladies Handicap (USA-G1) winner Ida Delia (by Graustark), 1989 Las Palmas Handicap (USA-G2) winner Nikishka (by Nijinsky II), and multiple listed stakes winner Esperanto (by Nijinsky II). In addition, she is the second dam of 1997 Strub Stakes (USA-G1) winner Victory Speech and the third dam of English Group 3 winner Jack Dexter and Brazilian Group 3 winner Villeron.
- Treat Me Nobly (1972, by Vaguely Noble) never raced but is the second dam of 1998 Royal Whip Stakes (IRE-G2) winner Make No Mistake and the third dam of 2018 Sussex Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Lightning Spear.
- Be My Guest (1974, by Northern Dancer) won three Group races as a 3-year-old including the Waterford Crystal Mile (ENG-G2). He was the English/Irish champion sire of 1982.
- Starushka (1977, by Sham) never raced but is the dam of 1984 Premio Legnano (ITY-G2) winner Vers La Caisse and 1986 Premio Legnano (ITY-G2) winner High Competence, both by The Minstrel. She is also the third dam of Grade 2 winner Tom's Ready and Japanese Group 2 winner Jean Gros.
Connections
Foaled at George D. Widener Jr.'s Erdenheim Farm, What a Treat raced as a homebred for Widener and was trained by Sylvester Veitch. She began her broodmare career at Widener's Old Kenney Farm. Following Widener's death in December 1971, she was sold through the Keeneland Sales for US$450,000 (then a world record price for a broodmare) to a French-based syndicate. Her last foal, the Foolish Pleasure filly Fiscal Folly, was produced in 1979.
Pedigree notes
What a Treat is inbred 5x5 to 1923 French champion sire Teddy. She is a half sister to 1967 Widener Handicap winner Ring Twice (by Gallant Man) and to Exotic Treat (by Vaguely Noble), dam of 1982 English and Irish champion 3-year-old male Golden Fleece (by Nijinsky II) and stakes winner Office Wife (by Secretariat); second dam of Group 3 winners Dance Treat and Summertime Legacy; and third dam of 2011 Prix Saint-Alary (FR-G1) winner Wavering, 2011 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (FR-G1) winner Mandaean, and Group 3 winner South Easter. What a Treat is also a half sister to Another Treat (by Cornish Prince), second dam of 2001 Czech Horse of the Year Tribal Instinct, German Group 2 winner Robin des Pins, multiple French Group 3 winner Mystery Rays, and Irish Group 3 winner Ahkaam, and third dam of Grade/Group 3 winner King of Happiness. In addition, What a Treat is a half sister to Rouslana (by Forli), second dam of Grade 3 winner Freezees.
What a Treat is out of 1957 Ladies Handicap winner Rare Treat, a half sister to 1962 American champion 3-year-old male Jaipur (by Nasrullah). Rare Treat is also a half sister to stakes-placed Rare Exchange (by Swaps), second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Love's Exchange and French Group 3 winner Golden Era and third dam of Italian Group 3 winner Funny Baby and Grade 3 winner Foreverness. In addition, Rare Treat is a half sister to stakes-placed Battle of Roses (by Yorktown), dam of Grade 3 winner Thirty Years (by Bold Hour) and third dam of 1993 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Personal Hope, Grade 2 winners Crowned and Dixie Flag, and multiple Grade 3 winner Betty Lobelia.
Rare Treat and her siblings were produced from multiple juvenile stakes winner Rare Perfume (by Eight Thirty), a full sister to multiple stakes winner Ambergris and to Thirty Scents, dam of stakes winner Solstice (by Solar Slipper) and second dam of 1968 Tidal Handicap winner More Scents. Produced from the Sir Gallahad III mare Fragrance (a half sister to three stakes winners), Rare Perfume is also a half sister to multiple stakes winners Scent (by Jamestown) and to Incense (by Mahmoud), dam of stakes winner Roman Incense (by Roman) and second dam of two-time San Pasqual Handicap winner Kings Favor.
Fun facts
- What a Treat got her name partly from her dam's and partly from her owner's pleasure that a mating between the muscular sprinter-type Tudor Minstrel and the sparely made, staying Rare Treat had turned out so well.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: April 9, 2022