A big, strong filly, Beldame took on all comers regardless of age or sex and was easily the best filly or mare bred by August Belmont II. Yet for all Beldame's prowess, Belmont had more than his share of bad luck with her. She spent the 1904 season--her best--racing under lease to Belmont's friend Newton Bennington and never showed quite the same form while racing in Belmont's colors. Belmont was unfortunate with her in another way, as she was a disappointing producer. Belmont's experiences with her reinforced his opinion that hard-raced fillies seldom made good broodmares and led him to pursue a policy of racing the fillies he bred very lightly or not at all; thus, the majority of the daughters of his great sires Fair Play and Rock Sand had little or no opportunity to prove their racing merit.
Race record
31 starts, 17 wins, 6 seconds, 4 thirds, US$102,135
1903:
1904:
1905:
Honors
As an individual
A good-sized, masculine chestnut filly, Beldame was a finicky eater with a taste for corn on the cob rather than oats. She was docile enough around the barn but nervous, high-strung, and strong-willed at the track. She had a low, efficient stride and typically ran with her head held low. She typically ran her best races on or near the lead. She was apparently physically sound throughout her racing career but lost her zest for racing toward the end of her 4-year-old season.
As a producer
Beldame produced seven foals, of which three won. Her eldest daughter Ballot Bred (by Meddler; originally named Consensa), produced French-bred Bistouri, who became a useful sire after being imported to the United States.
Connections
Beldame was bred and owned by August Belmont II but raced under lease to Newton Bennington in 1904. She was trained by J. Hyland for most of her juvenile season, then by Fred Burlew through June 1905. She finished out her career in the care of A. J. Joyner. Beldame died in 1924.
Pedigree notes
Beldame is inbred 5x4 to four-time English champion sire Touchstone, winner of the 1851 St. Leger Stakes. She is a half sister to 1907 Preakness Stakes winner Don Enreque (by Hastings) and two other stakes winners. Her dam, Bella-Donna, is a half sister to Wharfedale (by Hermit), whose son Watercress won important stakes in England and was a good sire in the United States. Bella-Donna is also a half sister to Bonnie Gal (by Galopin), dam of the good racer and sire Disguise (by Domino) and two other stakes winners and second dam of Black Toney (Peter Pan x Belgravia), the foundation sire of Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. The family descends from the great foundation mare Queen Mary.
Books and media
“Beldame” is the third chapter in Women of the Year: Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor, a Blood-Horse compilation published in 2004 by Eclipse Press. The book was later updated and re-issued in 2011 as Horse Racing Divas: From Azeri to Zenyatta, Twelve Fillies and Mares Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor.
Fun facts
Last updated: December 3, 2021
Race record
31 starts, 17 wins, 6 seconds, 4 thirds, US$102,135
1903:
- Won Vernal Stakes (USA, 5FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Great Filly Stakes (USA, 6FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Clover Stakes (USA, 5FD, Gravesend)
- 3rd Matron Stakes (USA, 6FD, Morrison Park)
1904:
- Won Carter Handicap (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Ladies Handicap (USA, 8FD, Morrison Park)
- Won Gazelle Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Gravesend)
- Won Mermaid Stakes (USA, 9FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won Alabama Stakes (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- Won Dolphin Stakes (USA, 9FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won September Stakes (USA, 11FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- Won First Special (USA, 10FD, Gravesend)
- Won Second Special (USA, 12FD, Gravesend)
- 2nd Test Handicap (USA, 8FD, Brighton)
- 3rd Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Morrison Park)
1905:
- Won Standard Stakes (USA, 10FD, Gravesend)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA, 10FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Advance Stakes (USA, 11FD, Sheepshead Bay)
- 2nd Brighton Mile (USA, 8FD, Brighton)
- 2nd Saratoga Cup (USA, 14FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Brighton Handicap (USA, 10FD, Brighton)
- 3rd Saratoga Handicap (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1956)
- American Horse of the Year (1904)
- American champion 3-year-old filly (1904)
- American champion handicap female (1904)
As an individual
A good-sized, masculine chestnut filly, Beldame was a finicky eater with a taste for corn on the cob rather than oats. She was docile enough around the barn but nervous, high-strung, and strong-willed at the track. She had a low, efficient stride and typically ran with her head held low. She typically ran her best races on or near the lead. She was apparently physically sound throughout her racing career but lost her zest for racing toward the end of her 4-year-old season.
As a producer
Beldame produced seven foals, of which three won. Her eldest daughter Ballot Bred (by Meddler; originally named Consensa), produced French-bred Bistouri, who became a useful sire after being imported to the United States.
Connections
Beldame was bred and owned by August Belmont II but raced under lease to Newton Bennington in 1904. She was trained by J. Hyland for most of her juvenile season, then by Fred Burlew through June 1905. She finished out her career in the care of A. J. Joyner. Beldame died in 1924.
Pedigree notes
Beldame is inbred 5x4 to four-time English champion sire Touchstone, winner of the 1851 St. Leger Stakes. She is a half sister to 1907 Preakness Stakes winner Don Enreque (by Hastings) and two other stakes winners. Her dam, Bella-Donna, is a half sister to Wharfedale (by Hermit), whose son Watercress won important stakes in England and was a good sire in the United States. Bella-Donna is also a half sister to Bonnie Gal (by Galopin), dam of the good racer and sire Disguise (by Domino) and two other stakes winners and second dam of Black Toney (Peter Pan x Belgravia), the foundation sire of Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. The family descends from the great foundation mare Queen Mary.
Books and media
“Beldame” is the third chapter in Women of the Year: Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor, a Blood-Horse compilation published in 2004 by Eclipse Press. The book was later updated and re-issued in 2011 as Horse Racing Divas: From Azeri to Zenyatta, Twelve Fillies and Mares Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor.
Fun facts
- Beldame and her contemporary Artful were the first two fillies or mares to be inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, both in 1956.
- Beldame was only the second filly or mare to win the Suburban Handicap, following Imp in 1899. Unlike Imp, who was getting weight concessions from a number of her rivals, Beldame carried the top weight by scale.
- There is some controversy regarding Beldame's total earnings. Statistics kept by the Daily Racing Form indicate that she earned US$102,570, but a race-by-race accounting from editions of Goodwin's Official Turf Guide yields a total of US$102,135. Regardless, she was the third filly or mare to reach career earnings over US$100,000, following Miss Woodford and Firenze.
- During the winter of 1904-1905, the Thoroughbred Record held an essay contest to select the best mate for Beldame's first breeding. Both the winning essay (submitted by Allan Winn of Chicago) and the majority of the judging committee chose two-time leading American sire Meddler, who indeed became Beldame's first mate following her retirement.
- The Beldame Stakes was inaugurated in 1906 at Aqueduct. Originally a 5-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, it is currently a Grade 2 race for fillies and mares aged 3 and up and is contested over 9 furlongs on dirt at Belmont Park.
- During Beldame's last two seasons at the track, her inseparable companion was a roan pony who accompanied her wherever she went except for actual races. When she retired from racing, the pony retired from racetrack life with her.
Last updated: December 3, 2021