Charming Mary (ARG)
June 20, 1975 – c. 1988
Morston (FR) x Mary Charlotte (GB), by Charlottesville (GB)
Family 5-j
June 20, 1975 – c. 1988
Morston (FR) x Mary Charlotte (GB), by Charlottesville (GB)
Family 5-j
Charming Mary was conceived during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season and was exported to Argentina in utero. Thus, according to the Southern Hemisphere calendar, Charming Mary officially became a yearling on July 1, 1975, when she was just 11 days old. She did not race until she was actually three full years old, but she made up for lost time by earning an Argentine championship as the best of her sex in 1980. She spent her brief breeding career in New York, producing only three foals.
Race record
27 starts, 9 wins, 8 seconds, 6 thirds
1979:
1980:
1981:
Honors
Pellegrini Award, Argentine Mare of the Year (1980)
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Charming Mary was tough, hardy, and consistent but rose to the top level only once during her racing career.
As a producer
Charming Mary produced three named foals; of those foals, only one made it to the track and none won. Of her two daughters, the more important was Charming Forli (by Forli), the second dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Club Royal.
Connections
Imported to Argentina in utero, Charming Mary was bred by Haras Trinidad. She was trained by Adolfo R. Giovanetti. She was exported to the USA in 1982 and did not race further when there. Her first foal was bred by William Entenmann, and her remaining two were bred by Timber Bay Farm. She was last recorded in the produce records as having produced a dead foal in 1988.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1973 Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Morston, Charming Mary is inbred 5x4 to the unbeaten Italian champion Nearco (a two-time leader of the English/Irish general sire list) and 5x4 to three-time French champion sire Tourbillon, winner of the 1931 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby). She is a half sister to Argentine listed stakes winner Muscadet (by Farnesio).
Mary Charlotte, the dam of Charming Mary, was bred in England and was sent to the United States to race, winning two of 10 starts in America. After producing a 1970 colt by Sword Dancer, she returned to England, bred two more foals there, and was finally exported to Argentina in 1975. She is a half sister to Credo (by Crepello), winner of the 1963 Great Yorkshire Handicap and the 1964 Chester Cup. She is also a half sister to Nan (by Nearco), dam of multiple English stakes winner Gulf Pearl (by Persian Gulf), and to Marvedo (by Molvedo), second dam of 1992 Spanish champion hurdler Magallanes and third dam of multiple English Group 3 winner Warningford. In addition, Mary Charlotte is a half sister to Marsy, second dam of 1988 Richelieu Guineas (SAF-G1) winner Young England, and to La Savona (by Orgoglio), second dam of Australian Group 2 winner Princess d’Or.
Mary Charlotte and her siblings were produced from 1952 Irish Oaks third Marsyaka, a daughter of the excellent French stayer Marsyas. Produced from the Tourbillon mare Nokka (a stakes-placed full sister to two-time French champion racer and four-time French champion sire Djebel), Marsyaka is a half sister to Savannah (by Jock), dam of 1951 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte winner Pharad (by Pharis), and to Phanokka (by Pharis), dam of 1964 Ventnor Turf Handicap winner Phantom Shot (by Gun Shot).
Last updated: February 26, 2026
Race record
27 starts, 9 wins, 8 seconds, 6 thirds
1979:
- 3rd Premio Carlos Tomkinson (ARG-G2, 1600mD, Palermo)
1980:
- Won Gran Premio Copa de Plata (ARG-G1, 2000mT, San Isidro)
- Won Premio Eudoro J. Balsa (ARG-G3, 1600mT, San Isidro)
- Won Premio Omega (ARG-G3, 1600mT, San Isidro)
- Won Premio Ricardo y Ezequiel Fernandez Guerrico (ARG-G3, 1600mT, San Isidro)
- 2nd Premio Gilberto Lerena (ARG-G2, 1600mD, Palermo)
- 2nd Premio Mexico (ARG-G3, 1600mD, Palermo)
- 2nd Premio Ante Diem (ARG-G3, San Isidro)
- 2nd Premio Asociacion de Proprietarios de Caballos de Carrera (ARG-G3, 1400mD, Palermo)
- 2nd Premio Juan Shaw (ARG-G3, 2200mT, San Isidro)
- 3rd Premio M. V. Chevalier (ARG-L, San Isidro)
1981:
- 2nd Premio Abril (ARG-G2, 1800mT, San Isidro)
- 3rd Premio Juan Shaw (ARG-G3, 2200mT, San Isidro)
- 3rd Premio Federico de Alvear (ARG, 2200mT, San Isidro)
Honors
Pellegrini Award, Argentine Mare of the Year (1980)
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Charming Mary was tough, hardy, and consistent but rose to the top level only once during her racing career.
As a producer
Charming Mary produced three named foals; of those foals, only one made it to the track and none won. Of her two daughters, the more important was Charming Forli (by Forli), the second dam of Argentine Group 2 winner Club Royal.
Connections
Imported to Argentina in utero, Charming Mary was bred by Haras Trinidad. She was trained by Adolfo R. Giovanetti. She was exported to the USA in 1982 and did not race further when there. Her first foal was bred by William Entenmann, and her remaining two were bred by Timber Bay Farm. She was last recorded in the produce records as having produced a dead foal in 1988.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1973 Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Morston, Charming Mary is inbred 5x4 to the unbeaten Italian champion Nearco (a two-time leader of the English/Irish general sire list) and 5x4 to three-time French champion sire Tourbillon, winner of the 1931 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby). She is a half sister to Argentine listed stakes winner Muscadet (by Farnesio).
Mary Charlotte, the dam of Charming Mary, was bred in England and was sent to the United States to race, winning two of 10 starts in America. After producing a 1970 colt by Sword Dancer, she returned to England, bred two more foals there, and was finally exported to Argentina in 1975. She is a half sister to Credo (by Crepello), winner of the 1963 Great Yorkshire Handicap and the 1964 Chester Cup. She is also a half sister to Nan (by Nearco), dam of multiple English stakes winner Gulf Pearl (by Persian Gulf), and to Marvedo (by Molvedo), second dam of 1992 Spanish champion hurdler Magallanes and third dam of multiple English Group 3 winner Warningford. In addition, Mary Charlotte is a half sister to Marsy, second dam of 1988 Richelieu Guineas (SAF-G1) winner Young England, and to La Savona (by Orgoglio), second dam of Australian Group 2 winner Princess d’Or.
Mary Charlotte and her siblings were produced from 1952 Irish Oaks third Marsyaka, a daughter of the excellent French stayer Marsyas. Produced from the Tourbillon mare Nokka (a stakes-placed full sister to two-time French champion racer and four-time French champion sire Djebel), Marsyaka is a half sister to Savannah (by Jock), dam of 1951 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte winner Pharad (by Pharis), and to Phanokka (by Pharis), dam of 1964 Ventnor Turf Handicap winner Phantom Shot (by Gun Shot).
Last updated: February 26, 2026