Not many mares can boast of having three champions and a Broodmare of the Year among their foals and “grandfoals,” but this is the case for Banquet Bell, who rose from the claiming ranks to become a jewel in the paddocks of Darby Dan Farm. While her family has not bred on quite as strongly as might have been hoped after this initial explosion of class, it is still very much alive through the descendants of Banquet Bell's daughter Luiana.
Race record
15 starts, 1 win, 0 seconds, 3 thirds, US$9,472
1953:
As an individual
A well-balanced, attractive golden chestnut, Banquet Bell was symmetrical and muscular but was hampered by injuries throughout her racing career.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Banquet Bell produced 11 named foals, of which eight started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Banquet Bell was bred by Ira Drymon, who sold her for US$9,000 at the 1952 Keeneland summer yearling sale. The buyer was John Galbreath of Darby Dan Farm. Banquet Bell was trained by J. Long. She was pensioned following the 1973 breeding season.
Pedigree notes
Banquet Bell is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to Desert (by Heliopolis) is the dam of juvenile stakes winner Never More (by Berseem). Also a half sister to Countess Albie (by Pet Bully), dam of English Group 2 winner Otha (by Ribot), multiple English stakes winner Sky Rocket (by Warfare), and Irish stakes winner Octavo (by Roberto), Banquet Bell is out of the Pot au Feu mare Dinner Horn, a half sister to 1945 Selima Stakes and 1946 Modesty Stakes winner Athene (by Heliopolis). The last-named mare is, in turn, the dam of 1954 San Juan Capistrano Handicap winner By Zeus (by Count Fleet) and 1956 Camino Real Handicap winner Lychnus (by Ardan).
Dinner Horn is out of the Bull Dog mare Tophorn, a full sister to multiple stakes winner Bulwark. Their dam Leghorn (by Celt) was stakes-placed on the track and is a half sister to the minor stakes winner Chianti (by High Time) and to War Feathers (by Man o' War), dam of two-time American champion War Plumage (by On Watch), 1938 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner War Minstrel (by Royal Minstrel), 1938 Diamond State Stakes winner War Magic (by Pharamond II), and three-time steeplechase stakes winner Boom Boom (by Case Ace), and second dam of 1943 Modesty Handicap winner Burgoo Maid (by Burgoo King). Leghorn is also a half sister to Tuscan Maiden (by Maiden Erlegh), dam of stakes winner Fairy Maiden (by Gnome).
Leghorn and her siblings are out of the William Rufus mare Tuscan Red, whose dam Fine Feathers (by Gallinule) also produced Doreid (by Galloping Simon), dam of 1934 Saratoga Special winner Boxthorn (by Blue Larkspur). The next dam in Banquet Bell's tail-female line, the Sheen mare Splendid, is a half sister to Sceptre (by Persimmon), the winner of four of the five English Classic races in 1902 and still regarded as one of the greatest mares ever to grace the Turf anywhere in the world.
Books and media
Banquet Bell is one of 24 distinguished American broodmares profiled in Edward Bowen's Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century (1999, 2000, The Blood-Horse, Inc.).
Fun facts
Last updated: September 19, 2023
Race record
15 starts, 1 win, 0 seconds, 3 thirds, US$9,472
1953:
- Won Gulfstream Park Turf Club Dinner Stakes (second division) (USA, 3FD, Gulfstream Park)
As an individual
A well-balanced, attractive golden chestnut, Banquet Bell was symmetrical and muscular but was hampered by injuries throughout her racing career.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Banquet Bell produced 11 named foals, of which eight started and six won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Primonetta (1958, by Swaps) was the American champion handicap female of 1962. She earned Kentucky Broodmare of the Year honors in 1978 after producing multiple Grade 1 winner Cum Laude Laurie (by Hail to Reason; third dam of Grade 3 winner Desert Air), 1975 Florida Derby (USA-G1) winner Prince Thou Art (by Hail to Reason), 1971 Gallinule Stakes (IRE-G2) winner Grenfall (by Graustark), and 1974 Gazelle Handicap (USA-G2) winner Maud Muller (by Graustark). Primonetta is also the dam of Sunshine O'My Life (by Graustark), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Dance O'My Life (by Sovereign Dancer).
- Chateaugay (1960, by Swaps) won the 1963 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and was the American champion 3-year-old male of that year. He sired 23 stakes winners in North America and Japan but little that approached his own class other than multiple Grade 1 winner True Knight and Japanese champion 2-year-old male Hokuto Flag.
- Luiana (by My Babu) never raced but is the dam of 1974 American champion 3-year-old male Little Current (by Sea-Bird), multiple Grade 1 winner Prayers'n Promises (by Foolish Pleasure), and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Water Dance (by Nijinsky II). Luiana is also the second dam of four stakes winners including French Group 2 winner Nabeel Dancer and Australian Group 3 winner Almazyoon and the third dam of 2007 King's Bishop Stakes (USA-G1) winner Hard Spun, Grade 2 winner Magic Storm, and Grade/Group 3 winners Cutting Blade, El Maze, and Buffalo Berry.
Connections
Banquet Bell was bred by Ira Drymon, who sold her for US$9,000 at the 1952 Keeneland summer yearling sale. The buyer was John Galbreath of Darby Dan Farm. Banquet Bell was trained by J. Long. She was pensioned following the 1973 breeding season.
Pedigree notes
Banquet Bell is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to Desert (by Heliopolis) is the dam of juvenile stakes winner Never More (by Berseem). Also a half sister to Countess Albie (by Pet Bully), dam of English Group 2 winner Otha (by Ribot), multiple English stakes winner Sky Rocket (by Warfare), and Irish stakes winner Octavo (by Roberto), Banquet Bell is out of the Pot au Feu mare Dinner Horn, a half sister to 1945 Selima Stakes and 1946 Modesty Stakes winner Athene (by Heliopolis). The last-named mare is, in turn, the dam of 1954 San Juan Capistrano Handicap winner By Zeus (by Count Fleet) and 1956 Camino Real Handicap winner Lychnus (by Ardan).
Dinner Horn is out of the Bull Dog mare Tophorn, a full sister to multiple stakes winner Bulwark. Their dam Leghorn (by Celt) was stakes-placed on the track and is a half sister to the minor stakes winner Chianti (by High Time) and to War Feathers (by Man o' War), dam of two-time American champion War Plumage (by On Watch), 1938 Stars and Stripes Handicap winner War Minstrel (by Royal Minstrel), 1938 Diamond State Stakes winner War Magic (by Pharamond II), and three-time steeplechase stakes winner Boom Boom (by Case Ace), and second dam of 1943 Modesty Handicap winner Burgoo Maid (by Burgoo King). Leghorn is also a half sister to Tuscan Maiden (by Maiden Erlegh), dam of stakes winner Fairy Maiden (by Gnome).
Leghorn and her siblings are out of the William Rufus mare Tuscan Red, whose dam Fine Feathers (by Gallinule) also produced Doreid (by Galloping Simon), dam of 1934 Saratoga Special winner Boxthorn (by Blue Larkspur). The next dam in Banquet Bell's tail-female line, the Sheen mare Splendid, is a half sister to Sceptre (by Persimmon), the winner of four of the five English Classic races in 1902 and still regarded as one of the greatest mares ever to grace the Turf anywhere in the world.
Books and media
Banquet Bell is one of 24 distinguished American broodmares profiled in Edward Bowen's Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century (1999, 2000, The Blood-Horse, Inc.).
Fun facts
- During her racing career, Banquet Bell could have been claimed for as little as US$4,000.
Last updated: September 19, 2023