Dark Mirage (USA)
1965 – July 9, 1969
Persian Road II (GB) x Home by Dark (USA), by Hill Prince (USA)
Family 9-b
1965 – July 9, 1969
Persian Road II (GB) x Home by Dark (USA), by Hill Prince (USA)
Family 9-b
A tiny filly who attracted little attention as a yearling or juvenile, Dark Mirage blossomed in her 3-year-old season to become perhaps the most dominant sophomore filly since 1945 Horse of the Year Busher. She won nine of 10 starts in 1968, including a sweep of New York's Triple Tiara series by an average of over nine lengths, and seemed set to continue in her winning ways after taking her first start at 4. Disaster struck in her next race, however, as she dislocated her right front fetlock when bumped hard at the start of the Santa Margarita Handicap. For a time it seemed that she might be saved for breeding, but laminitis eventually set in and forced her humane destruction, leaving memories as her only legacy.
Race record
27 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$362,788
1968:
1969:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1968, 2 pounds above Gay Matelda.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1969, 2 pounds below champion Gamely.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown, Dark Mirage stood 15.1 hands and barely topped 700 pounds but was hard to fault as a racing machine. While her hind legs had a touch too much angulation, Dark Mirage possessed great length from hip to hock, giving her tremendous leverage and a long stride. She had an excellent shoulder and extremely powerful quarters for her size. She could come from far back or prompt the pace as needed.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Dark Mirage was bred by Duval Headley, who sold the filly for US$6,000 at the Keeneland summer yearling sale. The buyer was Lloyd Miller, who campaigned Dark Mirage throughout her racing career. Dark Mirage was trained by Everett W. King and was ridden to her Kentucky Oaks and Triple Tiara triumphs by Manuel Ycaza.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the good English handicapper Persian Road II Dark Mirage is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to stakes winners Bold Impulse and Gray Mirage, both by Bold Bidder. The latter mare is the dam of stakes winner Texas Gem (by Canonero II) and the second dam of Indian Skimmer, a two-time champion older female in England, 1988 champion older female in Ireland and 1989 champion older female in France. Gray Mirage is also the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Missy's Mirage, 1995 Ballerina Handicap (USA-G1) winner Classy Mirage and Grade/Group 2 winners Country Pine (a useful sire in Florida) and Courvoisier and is the third dam of 2003 Atto Mile Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Touch of the Blues, 2009 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Dublin and Australian Group 2 winner Spring Thaw.
Returning to Dark Mirage, she is also a half sister to Timely Tammy (by Tim Tam), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Timely Writer and 1987 Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1) winner Timely Assertion and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Citichy; to Dusky Evening (by Tim Tam), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Javamine (by Nijinsky II) and second dam of 1987 Irish champion sprinter Bluebird, multiple Grade 1 winner Java Gold and Group III winner Spicy Story; and to Reunion (by Admiral's Voyage), dam of stakes winner Saratoga Revelry (by Full Out). Dark Mirage and her siblings are out of Home by Dark, a half sister to 1964 Test Stakes winner Time for Bed (by Bold Ruler), the second dam of Grade 3 winner Firgie's Jule and the third dam of Grade 3 winners My Girl Jeannie and Bold Wench.
Produced from 1949 Spinaway Stakes winner Sunday Evening (by Eight Thirty), Home by Dark is also a half sister to Prayer Bell (by Better Self), dam of 1969 American champion 2-year-old male Silent Screen (by Prince John), 1979 Poinsettia Stakes (USA-G3) winner Belladora (by Stage Door Johnny) and multiple stakes winner Prayer Cap (by Thinking Cap) and the third dam of 2013 Carter Handicap (USA-G1) winner Swagger Jack, 2001 Mercury Sprint (SAF-G1) winner All Will Be Well; Grade 2 winners Tap Dance, Silver Music and Musical Ghost; and Canadian Grade 3 winner With Flair. Another half sister to Home by Dark, Royal Society (by Royal Charger), is the second dam of 1979 Puerto Rican champion imported 2-year-old male Lazy Eyes and Grade 2 winner Nordic Prince. Sunday Evening herself is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Mesmer (by Third Degree) and to Aching Back (by War Admiral), dam of 1962 Del Mar Futurity winner Slipped Disc (by Decathlon) and 1969 Summer Stakes winner Admiral's Road (by Lord Quillo) and second dam of 1967 Illinois Derby winner Royal Malabar.
Books and media
Dark Mirage is profiled in Chapter 9 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: December 30, 2022
Race record
27 starts, 12 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$362,788
1968:
- Won Prioress Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- Won La Troienne Stakes (USA, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont; equaled track record 1:34-4/5)
- Won Mother Goose Stakes (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Coaching Club American Oaks (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Monmouth Oaks (USA, 9FD, Monmouth)
- Won Delaware Oaks (USA, 9FD, Delaware)
1969:
- Won Santa Maria Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1974)
- American champion 3-year-old filly (1968)
Assessments
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1968, 2 pounds above Gay Matelda.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1969, 2 pounds below champion Gamely.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown, Dark Mirage stood 15.1 hands and barely topped 700 pounds but was hard to fault as a racing machine. While her hind legs had a touch too much angulation, Dark Mirage possessed great length from hip to hock, giving her tremendous leverage and a long stride. She had an excellent shoulder and extremely powerful quarters for her size. She could come from far back or prompt the pace as needed.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Dark Mirage was bred by Duval Headley, who sold the filly for US$6,000 at the Keeneland summer yearling sale. The buyer was Lloyd Miller, who campaigned Dark Mirage throughout her racing career. Dark Mirage was trained by Everett W. King and was ridden to her Kentucky Oaks and Triple Tiara triumphs by Manuel Ycaza.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the good English handicapper Persian Road II Dark Mirage is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to stakes winners Bold Impulse and Gray Mirage, both by Bold Bidder. The latter mare is the dam of stakes winner Texas Gem (by Canonero II) and the second dam of Indian Skimmer, a two-time champion older female in England, 1988 champion older female in Ireland and 1989 champion older female in France. Gray Mirage is also the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Missy's Mirage, 1995 Ballerina Handicap (USA-G1) winner Classy Mirage and Grade/Group 2 winners Country Pine (a useful sire in Florida) and Courvoisier and is the third dam of 2003 Atto Mile Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Touch of the Blues, 2009 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Dublin and Australian Group 2 winner Spring Thaw.
Returning to Dark Mirage, she is also a half sister to Timely Tammy (by Tim Tam), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Timely Writer and 1987 Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1) winner Timely Assertion and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Citichy; to Dusky Evening (by Tim Tam), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Javamine (by Nijinsky II) and second dam of 1987 Irish champion sprinter Bluebird, multiple Grade 1 winner Java Gold and Group III winner Spicy Story; and to Reunion (by Admiral's Voyage), dam of stakes winner Saratoga Revelry (by Full Out). Dark Mirage and her siblings are out of Home by Dark, a half sister to 1964 Test Stakes winner Time for Bed (by Bold Ruler), the second dam of Grade 3 winner Firgie's Jule and the third dam of Grade 3 winners My Girl Jeannie and Bold Wench.
Produced from 1949 Spinaway Stakes winner Sunday Evening (by Eight Thirty), Home by Dark is also a half sister to Prayer Bell (by Better Self), dam of 1969 American champion 2-year-old male Silent Screen (by Prince John), 1979 Poinsettia Stakes (USA-G3) winner Belladora (by Stage Door Johnny) and multiple stakes winner Prayer Cap (by Thinking Cap) and the third dam of 2013 Carter Handicap (USA-G1) winner Swagger Jack, 2001 Mercury Sprint (SAF-G1) winner All Will Be Well; Grade 2 winners Tap Dance, Silver Music and Musical Ghost; and Canadian Grade 3 winner With Flair. Another half sister to Home by Dark, Royal Society (by Royal Charger), is the second dam of 1979 Puerto Rican champion imported 2-year-old male Lazy Eyes and Grade 2 winner Nordic Prince. Sunday Evening herself is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Mesmer (by Third Degree) and to Aching Back (by War Admiral), dam of 1962 Del Mar Futurity winner Slipped Disc (by Decathlon) and 1969 Summer Stakes winner Admiral's Road (by Lord Quillo) and second dam of 1967 Illinois Derby winner Royal Malabar.
Books and media
Dark Mirage is profiled in Chapter 9 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Because of Dark Mirage's tiny size, officials for the Keeneland summer yearling sale initially rejected her entry into the sale, arguing that she was too small to have a reasonable chance of making a decent racehorse. Duval Headley had to appeal the decision before the sale board to get her in.
- Dark Mirage was the first filly to capture New York's Triple Tiara series of the Acorn Stakes, Mother Goose Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks. The races were linked beginning in 1961, when the New York Racing Association began offering a US$25,000 bonus for any filly who could sweep the series. Ironically, the bonus was dropped after the 1967 racing season, just before Dark Mirage succeeded in accomplishing the feat. Seven more fillies have since won the series: Shuvee (1969), Chris Evert (1974), Ruffian (1975), Davona Dale (1979), Mom's Command (1985), Open Mind (1989), and Sky Beauty (1993).
- Dark Mirage's Mother Goose Stakes was nearly canceled in the wake of the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy on June 6, 1968. As Senator Kennedy's funeral was scheduled for the morning of June 8—the day of the Mother Goose—the New York Racing Association requested a cancellation of that day's card but was denied by the New York Racing Commission, which pointed out that the official day of mourning for Senator Kennedy was scheduled for the following day, June 9. Fans apparently agreed with the Racing Commission's decision as 38,440 showed up to see Dark Mirage win easily by 10 lengths.
- Dark Mirage was the fifth filly to complete the Kentucky Oaks/Coaching Club American Oaks double. The other fillies who have achieved this feat are Princess Doreen (1924), Wistful (1949), How (1951), Real Delight (1952), Davona Dale (1979), Bold 'n Determined (1980), Goodbye Halo (1988), Open Mind (1989), Lite Light (1991), Ashado (2004), Princess of Sylmar (2013), and Abel Tasman (2017).
- The last race of Dark Mirage's 3-year-old season, the Delaware Oaks, was run as a betless exhibition as only two rivals showed up to oppose the champion. Dark Mirage made an exhibition of it, coasting home by two lengths after leading by as much as seven in the stretch. She did not race again at 3 due to a quarter crack.
- Dark Mirage was known to racing fans as the “Tiny Tigress.”
- Had Dark Mirage lived to go to the breeding shed, her first mating would have been with 1968 American Horse of the Year Dr. Fager.
- The year before Dark Mirage became a star, Persian Road II was sold for US$8,000 through the 1967 Keeneland mixed sale and was relocated to Connecticut, where he stood for US$500. He did not live to benefit from his daughter's success as he was killed by a blood clot on December 26, 1968.
Last updated: December 30, 2022