Be My Guest (USA)
April 12, 1974 – February 19, 2004
Northern Dancer (CAN) x What a Treat (USA), by Tudor Minstrel (GB)
Family 8-c
April 12, 1974 – February 19, 2004
Northern Dancer (CAN) x What a Treat (USA), by Tudor Minstrel (GB)
Family 8-c
Be My Guest was a nice racehorse but was not one of Northern Dancer's great sons on the turf; at the end of 1977, he was rated as no better than the sixth-best horse in his own stable. (To put matters into perspective, the stable was that of Vincent O'Brien, who had champions Alleged, The Minstrel and Godswalk in his barn that year as well as multiple Group 1 winner Artaius.) At stud, Be My Guest joined the long parade of his sire's successful sons at stud, heading the combined English/Irish sire list in 1982, and became one of the early stud successes for the now-international Coolmore conglomerate.
Race record
7 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, £28,814
1977:
Assessments
Be My Guest earned a Timeform rating of 126 pounds as a 3-year-old.
On the official handicap, Be My Guest was ranked ninth among English and Irish runners of 1977.
As an individual
A well-balanced, attractive chestnut horse of the Northern Dancer type, Be My Guest had a well laid shoulder and strong hindquarters but could be faulted for sickle hocks. His career was ended by a foot bruise suffered while he was training for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (ENG-G2).
As a stallion
Be My Guest was not particularly prepotent or consistent as a sire and his progeny were often not as attractive as he. According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Be My Guest sired 630 winners (53.6%) and 67 stakes winners (5.7%) from 1175 named foals; The Blood-Horse
credits Be My Guest with 78 stakes winners (6.6%).
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Assert (IRE), Astronef (IRE), Double Bed (FR), Go and Go (IRE), Luth Enchantee (FR), On the House (IRE), Pelder (IRE), Pentire (GB), Tryphosa (IRE), Valentine Waltz (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Be My Guest was bred by Walter Haefner. He raced in the colors of Diana Manning; according to Tony Morris' The Stallions, Ms. Manning actually represented a partnership that included Robert Sangster. The colt's price of 127,000 guineas at the 1975 Goffs Yearling Sales was at the time a record for a yearling sold at public auction in Europe. Syndicated for £800,000 during his stallion career, Be My Guest stood at Coolmore Stud in County Tipperary, Ireland, and died there in 2004 after having been pensioned prior to the previous year's breeding season.
Pedigree notes
Be My Guest is inbred 4x4 to 1933 English dual Classic winner and six-time English champion sire Hyperion and 4x5 to two-time English champion sire Pharos. He is a half brother to stakes-placed Bendara (by Never Bend), 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). Bendara is also 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.
Returning to Be My Guest, he is also a half brother to Treat Me Nobly (by Vaguely Noble), 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. In addition, he is a half brother to Starushka (by Sham), 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) and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Tom's Ready.
Be My Guest is out of What a Treat, the American champion 3-year-old filly of 1965. 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, in turn, is out of 1957 Ladies Handicap winner Rare Treat (by Stymie), 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.
Books and media
Be My Guest is one of 75 Thoroughbred stallions profiled in Tony Morris' The Stallions (1990, The Crowood Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: November 8, 2020
Race record
7 starts, 4 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, £28,814
1977:
- Won Waterford Crystal Mile (ENG-G2, 8FT, Goodwood)
- Won Desmond Stakes (IRE-G3, 8FT, The Curragh)
- Won Ladbroke Blue Riband Trial Stakes (ENG-G3, 8f+110yT, Epsom)
- 2nd Nijinsky Stakes (IRE-G2, 10FT, The Curragh)
Assessments
Be My Guest earned a Timeform rating of 126 pounds as a 3-year-old.
On the official handicap, Be My Guest was ranked ninth among English and Irish runners of 1977.
As an individual
A well-balanced, attractive chestnut horse of the Northern Dancer type, Be My Guest had a well laid shoulder and strong hindquarters but could be faulted for sickle hocks. His career was ended by a foot bruise suffered while he was training for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (ENG-G2).
As a stallion
Be My Guest was not particularly prepotent or consistent as a sire and his progeny were often not as attractive as he. According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Be My Guest sired 630 winners (53.6%) and 67 stakes winners (5.7%) from 1175 named foals; The Blood-Horse
credits Be My Guest with 78 stakes winners (6.6%).
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1982; 6th in 1984 and 1987.
- 2nd on the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 2002; 7th in 1997 and 2001.
- 3rd on the French broodmare sire list in 2000; 7th in 2002.
Notable progeny
Assert (IRE), Astronef (IRE), Double Bed (FR), Go and Go (IRE), Luth Enchantee (FR), On the House (IRE), Pelder (IRE), Pentire (GB), Tryphosa (IRE), Valentine Waltz (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Be My Guest was bred by Walter Haefner. He raced in the colors of Diana Manning; according to Tony Morris' The Stallions, Ms. Manning actually represented a partnership that included Robert Sangster. The colt's price of 127,000 guineas at the 1975 Goffs Yearling Sales was at the time a record for a yearling sold at public auction in Europe. Syndicated for £800,000 during his stallion career, Be My Guest stood at Coolmore Stud in County Tipperary, Ireland, and died there in 2004 after having been pensioned prior to the previous year's breeding season.
Pedigree notes
Be My Guest is inbred 4x4 to 1933 English dual Classic winner and six-time English champion sire Hyperion and 4x5 to two-time English champion sire Pharos. He is a half brother to stakes-placed Bendara (by Never Bend), 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). Bendara is also 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.
Returning to Be My Guest, he is also a half brother to Treat Me Nobly (by Vaguely Noble), 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. In addition, he is a half brother to Starushka (by Sham), 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) and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Tom's Ready.
Be My Guest is out of What a Treat, the American champion 3-year-old filly of 1965. 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, in turn, is out of 1957 Ladies Handicap winner Rare Treat (by Stymie), 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.
Books and media
Be My Guest is one of 75 Thoroughbred stallions profiled in Tony Morris' The Stallions (1990, The Crowood Press).
Fun facts
- Be My Guest's sale price stood as a European record for less than a month before being surpassed by the Mill Reef colt Million, who sold for 202,000 guineas. Million was far less successful as a racer and as a sire, however.
- A bronze statue of Be My Guest stands at the entrance to the Goffs sale ring in County Kildare, Ireland, testifying to his importance to the rise of the Irish breeding and sales industry to international importance.
Last updated: November 8, 2020