Bowl of Flowers (USA)
April 15, 1958 – After Spring 1979
Sailor (GB) x Flower Bowl (USA), by Alibhai (GB)
Family 4-d
April 15, 1958 – After Spring 1979
Sailor (GB) x Flower Bowl (USA), by Alibhai (GB)
Family 4-d
A beautiful golden chestnut, Bowl of Flowers was not particularly robust but had no shortage of class. She was good enough at 2 that there were those who thought her better than the champion juvenile male, Hail to Reason. While somewhat less outstanding at 3, she was still good enough to dominate her division. Like her dam Flower Bowl, she was not the most reliable of producers but had a respectable broodmare career in spite of her fertility issues.
Race record
16 starts, 10 wins, 3 second, 3 thirds, US$398,504
1960:
1961:
Honors
Assessments
Topweighted among juvenile fillies at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1960, 4 pounds above the second-rated filly, Rose Bower.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1961 2 pounds above second-rated Primonetta.
As an individual
An attractive filly with an Arabian-like head, long neck and smooth topline, Bowl of Flowers had a short back and strong coupling but could be faulted for being light of bone below the knee and with less than ideal ankles. She was also slightly lop-eared. She was said to have had rather rough action stemming from her being higher at the hips than the withers. She performed best in cooler weather and was a strong stretch runner. She had a calm disposition. She measured 15.3 hands at the end of her 2-year-old season. She was retired from racing after fracturing a sesamoid while training at Hialeah in early 1962.
As a producer
Bowl of Flowers produced six named foals, of which four started and two won. Her broodmare career was hampered by frequent barrenness and slips. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Bowl of Flowers raced as a homebred for Isabel Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable. She was trained by Elliott Burch. She was acquired by Whitney Stone's Morven Stud when Brookmeade dispersed on Sloane's death. Her last report as a broodmare was as being barren in 1979.
Pedigree notes
Bowl of Flowers is inbred 5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand. She is a half sister to the stakes-winning full brothers Graustark and His Majesty, both by Ribot and both notable sires. She is also a half sister to Yetive (by Ribot), third dam of Grade 3 winner Flags Waving.
One of the better American older females of 1956, Bowl of Flowers' dam Flower Bowl is a full sister to stakes winner Floral Park, second dam of 1989 Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G1) winner Rootentootenwooten; third dam of 1989 Derby Italiano (ITY-G1) winner Prorutori, Grade 3 winner Kukulcan, and Australian Group 3 winner Stormy Regent; and fourth dam of 2013 American champion female sprinter Groupie Doll. Flower Bowl is also a half sister to stakes winner Brambles (by Beau Max); to Multiflora (by Beau Max), dam of three-time American champion filly Gallant Bloom (by Gallant Man) and second dam of Australian Group 3 winner Lady's Slipper and Irish Group 3 winner Misty Valley; and to Green Finger (by Better Self), dam of Grade 2 winner Free Hand (by Gallant Man) and multiple stakes winner Blandford Park (by Little Current) and third dam of multiple Australian Group 1 winner Our Poetic Prince and multiple Grade 3 winner Take Me Out.
Flower Bed, the second dam of Bowl of Flowers, is by Beau Pere out of the Mahmoud mare Boudoir II, making her a half sister to 1950 Santa Anita Derby winner Your Host (by Alibhai). She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Your Hostess (by Alibhai), dam of 1974 Ladies Handicap (USA-G1) winner Coraggioso (by Gallant Man), 1967 Arlington-Washington Futurity winner T. V. Commercial (by T. V. Lark), 1963 Schuylerville Stakes winner Gallatia (by Gallant Man), stakes winner Royal Clipper (by Royal Charger) and Gay Hostess (by Royal Charger), dam of 1969 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Majestic Prince and 1971 English champion 2-year-old male Crowned Prince. In further removes, Your Hostess is the ancestress of 1974 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, FR-G1) winner and French champion 3-year-old male Caracolero, 1984 Ever Ready Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Secreto and 1998 American champion 3-year-old male Real Quiet.
Fun facts
Last updated: May 17, 2024
Race record
16 starts, 10 wins, 3 second, 3 thirds, US$398,504
1960:
- Won National Stallion Stakes (Fillies) (USA, 5.5FD, Belmont; new track record 1:04-1/5)
- Won Frizette Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Gardenia Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
1961:
- Won Coaching Club American Oaks (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Spinster Stakes (USA, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Mother Goose Stakes (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Alabama Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Roamer Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Aqueduct)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (2004)
- American champion 2-year-old filly (1960)
- American champion 3-year-old filly (1961)
Assessments
Topweighted among juvenile fillies at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1960, 4 pounds above the second-rated filly, Rose Bower.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1961 2 pounds above second-rated Primonetta.
As an individual
An attractive filly with an Arabian-like head, long neck and smooth topline, Bowl of Flowers had a short back and strong coupling but could be faulted for being light of bone below the knee and with less than ideal ankles. She was also slightly lop-eared. She was said to have had rather rough action stemming from her being higher at the hips than the withers. She performed best in cooler weather and was a strong stretch runner. She had a calm disposition. She measured 15.3 hands at the end of her 2-year-old season. She was retired from racing after fracturing a sesamoid while training at Hialeah in early 1962.
As a producer
Bowl of Flowers produced six named foals, of which four started and two won. Her broodmare career was hampered by frequent barrenness and slips. Her important foals are as follow:
- Royal Bowl (1968, by Royal Gunner) was stakes-placed on the track. She is the third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Danger.
- Big Burn (1970, by Never Burn) never raced but was a moderately successful sire. The Jockey Club credits him with 20 stakes winners.
- Whiskey Road (1972, by Nijinsky II) was a winner in Ireland. Sent to Australia, he proved a better stallion than racehorse. The best of his 26 stakes winners was multiple Group 1 winner Strawberry Road, a champion in Australia and Germany and a good sire in the United States.
- Spruce Bouquet (1977, by Big Spruce) won the 1981 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (USA-G2) but failed at stud.
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Bowl of Flowers raced as a homebred for Isabel Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable. She was trained by Elliott Burch. She was acquired by Whitney Stone's Morven Stud when Brookmeade dispersed on Sloane's death. Her last report as a broodmare was as being barren in 1979.
Pedigree notes
Bowl of Flowers is inbred 5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand. She is a half sister to the stakes-winning full brothers Graustark and His Majesty, both by Ribot and both notable sires. She is also a half sister to Yetive (by Ribot), third dam of Grade 3 winner Flags Waving.
One of the better American older females of 1956, Bowl of Flowers' dam Flower Bowl is a full sister to stakes winner Floral Park, second dam of 1989 Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G1) winner Rootentootenwooten; third dam of 1989 Derby Italiano (ITY-G1) winner Prorutori, Grade 3 winner Kukulcan, and Australian Group 3 winner Stormy Regent; and fourth dam of 2013 American champion female sprinter Groupie Doll. Flower Bowl is also a half sister to stakes winner Brambles (by Beau Max); to Multiflora (by Beau Max), dam of three-time American champion filly Gallant Bloom (by Gallant Man) and second dam of Australian Group 3 winner Lady's Slipper and Irish Group 3 winner Misty Valley; and to Green Finger (by Better Self), dam of Grade 2 winner Free Hand (by Gallant Man) and multiple stakes winner Blandford Park (by Little Current) and third dam of multiple Australian Group 1 winner Our Poetic Prince and multiple Grade 3 winner Take Me Out.
Flower Bed, the second dam of Bowl of Flowers, is by Beau Pere out of the Mahmoud mare Boudoir II, making her a half sister to 1950 Santa Anita Derby winner Your Host (by Alibhai). She is also a half sister to stakes-placed Your Hostess (by Alibhai), dam of 1974 Ladies Handicap (USA-G1) winner Coraggioso (by Gallant Man), 1967 Arlington-Washington Futurity winner T. V. Commercial (by T. V. Lark), 1963 Schuylerville Stakes winner Gallatia (by Gallant Man), stakes winner Royal Clipper (by Royal Charger) and Gay Hostess (by Royal Charger), dam of 1969 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Majestic Prince and 1971 English champion 2-year-old male Crowned Prince. In further removes, Your Hostess is the ancestress of 1974 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, FR-G1) winner and French champion 3-year-old male Caracolero, 1984 Ever Ready Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Secreto and 1998 American champion 3-year-old male Real Quiet.
Fun facts
- Hall of Fame trainer Elliott Burch ranked Bowl of Flowers as among the top five horses he trained during his career and possibly as the best filly he ever trained.
- The Bowl of Flowers Stakes was a now-discontinued race at Belmont Park. Its best-known winner was 1986 Horse of the Year Lady's Secret, who won the race as a 3-year-old in 1985.
Last updated: May 17, 2024