Blushing John (USA)
March 9, 1985 – After 2004
Blushing Groom (FR) x La Griffe (USA), by Prince John (USA)
Family 22-d
March 9, 1985 – After 2004
Blushing Groom (FR) x La Griffe (USA), by Prince John (USA)
Family 22-d
Blushing John was talented, consistent, and hard-trying but lacked the brilliant tactical turn of foot and agility evidenced by his sire, although he had strong acceleration when straightened away for a drive. As such, he was overshadowed by the excellent 3-year-olds Sunday Silence and Easy Goer during his championship season. He was a disappointing sire in both the United States and Japan.
Race record
14 starts, 7 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$1,281,863 (including converted French earnings)
1987:
1988:
1989:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older male (1989)
Assessments
Rated third on the French Free Handicap for juveniles of 1987.
As an individual
Blushing John was a good-sized, powerful horse who stood over a lot of ground and had a long, sweeping stride. He preferred to be on or near the pace in his races. His trainer, Dick Lundy, described him as very intelligent and quick to learn. He handled dirt, firm, turf, and slop well but did not care for soft turf.
As a stallion
According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Blushing John sired 17 stakes winners (3.5%) and 260 winners (54.2%) from 480 named foals.
Notable progeny
Blushing K. D. (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Lady of Shamrock (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Blushing John was bred by North Ridge Farm (Frank Groves). He was owned by Allen E. Paulson, who purchased Blushing John for US$850,000. The horse was trained by François Boutin in France and by Richard Lundy in the United States. He entered stud in 1990 in Kentucky at Brookfield Farm. In 11998, he was exported to Japan to stand at Hayata Stud on the island of Hokkaido, later moving to Maruzen Hashimoto Farm. He was pensioned in 2004.
Pedigree notes
Blushing John is inbred 5x5 to 1941 Derby Stakes winner Owen Tudor. He is a half brother to 1983 California Jockey Club Handicap (USA-G3) winner Night Fire (by Cannonade), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Amal Hayati (by Seattle Song), and to multiple stakes winner Shamaritan (by Sham), dam of multiple Japanese stakes winner Eishin Washington (by Ogygian).
Blushing John and his siblings are out of unraced La Griffe, whose stakes-placed half sister Grafitti Gal is the second dam of 1998 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Lucky Roberto and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Night Patrol. The sisters are out of Grade 2 winner Grafitti, whose stakes-winning half sister Pantomime (by The Axe II) is the second dam of 1988 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1) winner Aptostar and Grade 3 winner Man Alright.
The next dam in Blushing John’s tail-female line, Fictitious, is a winning daughter of three-time English champion Abernant. A half sister to 1954 Cambridgeshire Handicap winner Minstrel (by Tudor Minstrel), multiple stakes winner Glass House (by Polynesian), and English juvenile stakes winner Danube (by Dante), Fictitious is out of the Blue Peter mare Mermaid II, a mutliple stakes-winning half sister to stakes-winning Highland Laddie (by Hyperion). Another daughter of Mermaid II, stakes-placed Chanty (by Tudor Minstrel), is the second dam of Italian Group 3 winner Arctic Walker.
Last updated: December 16, 2024
Race record
14 starts, 7 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds, US$1,281,863 (including converted French earnings)
1987:
- Won Prix Saint-Roman (FR-G3, 1800mT, Longchamp)
- 3rd Criterium de Saint-Cloud (FR-G1, 2000mT, Saint-Cloud)
1988:
- Won Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas) (FR-G1, 1600mT, Longchamp)
- Won Prix de Fontainebleau (FR-G3, 1600mT, Longchamp)
1989:
- Won Pimlico Special Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Hollywood)
- Won Razorback Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
- Won Washington Park Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Californian Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Classic Stakes (USA-G1. 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion older male (1989)
Assessments
Rated third on the French Free Handicap for juveniles of 1987.
As an individual
Blushing John was a good-sized, powerful horse who stood over a lot of ground and had a long, sweeping stride. He preferred to be on or near the pace in his races. His trainer, Dick Lundy, described him as very intelligent and quick to learn. He handled dirt, firm, turf, and slop well but did not care for soft turf.
As a stallion
According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Blushing John sired 17 stakes winners (3.5%) and 260 winners (54.2%) from 480 named foals.
Notable progeny
Blushing K. D. (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Lady of Shamrock (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Blushing John was bred by North Ridge Farm (Frank Groves). He was owned by Allen E. Paulson, who purchased Blushing John for US$850,000. The horse was trained by François Boutin in France and by Richard Lundy in the United States. He entered stud in 1990 in Kentucky at Brookfield Farm. In 11998, he was exported to Japan to stand at Hayata Stud on the island of Hokkaido, later moving to Maruzen Hashimoto Farm. He was pensioned in 2004.
Pedigree notes
Blushing John is inbred 5x5 to 1941 Derby Stakes winner Owen Tudor. He is a half brother to 1983 California Jockey Club Handicap (USA-G3) winner Night Fire (by Cannonade), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Amal Hayati (by Seattle Song), and to multiple stakes winner Shamaritan (by Sham), dam of multiple Japanese stakes winner Eishin Washington (by Ogygian).
Blushing John and his siblings are out of unraced La Griffe, whose stakes-placed half sister Grafitti Gal is the second dam of 1998 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Lucky Roberto and the third dam of Grade 2 winner Night Patrol. The sisters are out of Grade 2 winner Grafitti, whose stakes-winning half sister Pantomime (by The Axe II) is the second dam of 1988 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1) winner Aptostar and Grade 3 winner Man Alright.
The next dam in Blushing John’s tail-female line, Fictitious, is a winning daughter of three-time English champion Abernant. A half sister to 1954 Cambridgeshire Handicap winner Minstrel (by Tudor Minstrel), multiple stakes winner Glass House (by Polynesian), and English juvenile stakes winner Danube (by Dante), Fictitious is out of the Blue Peter mare Mermaid II, a mutliple stakes-winning half sister to stakes-winning Highland Laddie (by Hyperion). Another daughter of Mermaid II, stakes-placed Chanty (by Tudor Minstrel), is the second dam of Italian Group 3 winner Arctic Walker.
Last updated: December 16, 2024