Before Dawn (USA)
March 30, 1979 – 2006
Raise a Cup (USA) x Moonbeam (USA), by Tim Tam (USA)
Family 23-b
March 30, 1979 – 2006
Raise a Cup (USA) x Moonbeam (USA), by Tim Tam (USA)
Family 23-b
The best American 2-year-old filly of 1981, Before Dawn was the last champion trained by John Veitch for Calumet Farm. She trained on well through the spring of her 3-year-old season but regressed badly after a game second in the Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) and did not win again. She was disappointing as a producer of winners, but her daughters had some success as broodmares.
Race record
14 starts, 9 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, $432,855
1981:
1982:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1981)
Assessments
Highweighted among juvenile fillies at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1981, 1 pound above Header Card.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1982, 8 pounds below champion Christmas Past.
As an individual
A bay filly, Before Dawn ran capably on both fast and muddy surfaces.
As a producer
Before Dawn produced 11 named foals; all 11 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Before Dawn was bred and owned by Calumet Farm. She was trained by John Veitch. Her first seven foals were bred by Calumet Farm, with two bred in partnership witn Gussin No. 1. Afterward, Before Dawn passed to the ownership of Mervyn Stewkesbury, who bred her remaining foals. She died in Ireland early in 2006.
Pedigree notes
Sired by multiple Grade 3 winner Raise a Cup (by Raise a Native), Before Dawn is inbred 4x4x4 to five-time American champion sire Bull Lea, 5x5x5x5 to Bull Lea’s sire Bull Dog (the American champion sire of 1943), and 5x5 to 1929 American Horse of the Year Blue Larkspur. She is a full sister to Better Than Before, third dam of Venezuelan champion 3-year-old filly Somethingregal. She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Before Sundown (by Conquistador Cielo), dam of Venezuelan listed stakes winner Vinatero (by Oceanic Dancer).
Moonbeam is a half sister to 1958 Coaching Club American Oaks winner A Glitter (by Khaled), second dam of Grade 3 winner Bantan and third dam of Grade 3 winner Thesunshinesbright, and to multiple Grade 2 winner Gleaming (by Herbager). Moonbeam also a half sister to Cabaret (by Tom Fool), third dam of Grade 2 winner Terra Incognita.
Moonbeam and her siblings were produced from A Gleam, who was the second-rated American 3-year-old filly of 1952 behind her stablemate Real Delight. A half sister to two-time Widener Handicap winner Bardstown (by Alibhai), to stakes winner Coiner (by Whirlaway), and to Diamond Tear (by Count Fleet; dam of the good sprint stakes mare Sun Glint, by Sun Again, and second dam of the good 3-year-old sprinter Sunny Tim), A Gleam is out of Twilight Tear (by Bull Lea), the 1944 American Horse of the Year.
Last updated: February 27, 2023
Race record
14 starts, 9 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, $432,855
1981:
- Won Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Matron Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Belmont)
- Won Astarita Stakes (USA-G2, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Fashion Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Champagne Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
1982:
- Won Fair Grounds Oaks (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Fair Grounds)
- Won Jasmine Stakes (USA, 6FD, Hialeah)
- Won Hibiscus Stakes (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Fantasy Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old filly (1981)
Assessments
Highweighted among juvenile fillies at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1981, 1 pound above Header Card.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1982, 8 pounds below champion Christmas Past.
As an individual
A bay filly, Before Dawn ran capably on both fast and muddy surfaces.
As a producer
Before Dawn produced 11 named foals; all 11 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Wee Small Hours (1984, by Seattle Slew) won two of her 11 starts. She is the dam of multiple restricted stakes winner J. P. Jet (by A. P. Jet).
- Beautiful Gold (1986, by Mr. Prospector) placed in five stakes races, including two listed events. She is the dam of multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Big Gold (by Brian’s Time).
- Moranbon (by Sagace) placed in two listed stakes races in France. She is the second dam of multiple German Group 3 winner Maranilla.
- Matins (1989, by Seattle Slew) won one of her 10 starts. She is the dam of 1998 Golden Slipper Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Prowl (by Marauding) and 2001 Wellington Thoroughbred Breeders’ Guineas (NZ-G2) winner I Rock My World (by King’s Theatre).
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Before Dawn was bred and owned by Calumet Farm. She was trained by John Veitch. Her first seven foals were bred by Calumet Farm, with two bred in partnership witn Gussin No. 1. Afterward, Before Dawn passed to the ownership of Mervyn Stewkesbury, who bred her remaining foals. She died in Ireland early in 2006.
Pedigree notes
Sired by multiple Grade 3 winner Raise a Cup (by Raise a Native), Before Dawn is inbred 4x4x4 to five-time American champion sire Bull Lea, 5x5x5x5 to Bull Lea’s sire Bull Dog (the American champion sire of 1943), and 5x5 to 1929 American Horse of the Year Blue Larkspur. She is a full sister to Better Than Before, third dam of Venezuelan champion 3-year-old filly Somethingregal. She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Before Sundown (by Conquistador Cielo), dam of Venezuelan listed stakes winner Vinatero (by Oceanic Dancer).
Moonbeam is a half sister to 1958 Coaching Club American Oaks winner A Glitter (by Khaled), second dam of Grade 3 winner Bantan and third dam of Grade 3 winner Thesunshinesbright, and to multiple Grade 2 winner Gleaming (by Herbager). Moonbeam also a half sister to Cabaret (by Tom Fool), third dam of Grade 2 winner Terra Incognita.
Moonbeam and her siblings were produced from A Gleam, who was the second-rated American 3-year-old filly of 1952 behind her stablemate Real Delight. A half sister to two-time Widener Handicap winner Bardstown (by Alibhai), to stakes winner Coiner (by Whirlaway), and to Diamond Tear (by Count Fleet; dam of the good sprint stakes mare Sun Glint, by Sun Again, and second dam of the good 3-year-old sprinter Sunny Tim), A Gleam is out of Twilight Tear (by Bull Lea), the 1944 American Horse of the Year.
Last updated: February 27, 2023