Dear Birdie (USA)
March 19, 1987 – c. 2010
Storm Bird (CAN) x Hush Dear (USA), by Silent Screen (USA)
Family 8-f
March 19, 1987 – c. 2010
Storm Bird (CAN) x Hush Dear (USA), by Silent Screen (USA)
Family 8-f
After the 1992 death of her husband, Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney, Marylou Whitney dropped out of horse racing for a while but found herself unable to stay away. Accordingly, she went on a quest to purchase mares carrying the old Whitney bloodlines for her own racing and breeding program. Among the mares she acquired was Dear Birdie, a well-bred but modestly talented daughter of Storm Bird who had gained her only stakes placing in a non-blacktype race. Dear Birdie required a lot of patience between a case of ulcers that necessitated her being nursed back to health and a succession of disappointing foals, but she finally repaid Mrs. Whitney’s kindness by producing a champion and a multiple Grade 1 winner for her, a feat which earned her honors as the 2004 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Unfortunately, her daughters have not bred on as well as might be hoped thus far.
Race record
20 starts, 2 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$30,430
1990:
As an individual
A refined, feminine chestnut mare, Dear Birdie was close-coupled with prominent withers and powerful hindquarters. Like many of Storm Bird’s progeny, she could be faulted for being a little light on bone.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Dear Birdie produced 15 named foals, of which 13 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Dear Birdie was bred by Echo Valley Horse Farm (Donald and Shirley Sucher). After producing her first foal for Mrs. James A. Winn, she was purchased privately by Marylou Whitney, who bred five foals from her. The mare was then acquired by Blue Goose Stable, which bred Grade 2-placed Mountain Bird (by Mt. Livermore) from her before Dear Birdie returned to Whitney’s broodmare band. After producing Birdstone in 2001, Dear Birdie passed to the ownership of Whitney’s nephew Leverett Miller, who bred stakes-placed So Long Birdie (by Pioneering) from her. After being repurchased by Whitney, Dear Birdie produced her final five foals as the property of Marylou Whitney Stables.
Pedigree notes
Dear Birdie is inbred 5x4 to unbeaten Nearco, a two-time champion on the combined English/Irish general sire list, and 5x5 to five-time American champion sire Bull Lea. A half sister to listed stakes winner Noactor (by Theatrical), she is out of multiple Grade 2 winner Hush Dear (by Silent Screen), a half sister to multiple stakes winner Plains and Simple (by Twist the Axe). Hush Dear is also a half sister to Go South (by Jean-Pierre), dam of Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Silvino (by Our Native), and to Tommy’s Date (by Tom Rolfe), whose granddaughter Swing By was champion 3-year-old filly in Jamaica in 2006 and Horse of the Year in Trinidad in 2007.
Hush Dear and her sisters are out of 1971 Ashland Stakes winner You All (by Nashua), a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Shoo Dear (dam of listed stakes winner Leprechauns Wish, by Lyphard’s Wish) and a half sister to Hail Hail (by Hail to Reason), dam of French Group 3 winner Reason to Trick (by Clever Trick) and juvenile stakes winner Madame Premier (by Raja Baba; dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Northern Premier, by Northern Baby). Also a half sister to Snow the Judge (by Court Recess), dam of listed stakes winner Bharal (by Forceten), You All is out of 1962 New York Handicap winner Honey Dear, by Counterpoint.
Last updated: April 12, 2022
Race record
20 starts, 2 wins, 1 second, 3 thirds, US$30,430
1990:
- 2nd Senorita Stakes (USA-N, about 8FT, Louisiana Downs)
As an individual
A refined, feminine chestnut mare, Dear Birdie was close-coupled with prominent withers and powerful hindquarters. Like many of Storm Bird’s progeny, she could be faulted for being a little light on bone.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Dear Birdie produced 15 named foals, of which 13 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Dearest Gulch (1996, by Gulch) won two of her three starts. She is the third dam of Grade 3 winner Pretty Birdie.
- Bird Town (2000, by Cape Town) was the American champion 3-year-old filly of 2003 after winning the Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) and the Acorn Stakes (USA-G1). She is the dam of 2017 Alysheba Stakes (USA-G2) and Fred W. Hooper Stakes (USA-G3) winner Bird Song (by Unbridled’s Song).
- Birdstone (2001, by Grindstone) won three Grade 1 races and is best known for his upset of 2004 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Smarty Jones in the 2004 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1). As of November 2020, he has sired 22 stakes winners headed by 2009 American champion 3-year-old male Summer Bird.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Dear Birdie was bred by Echo Valley Horse Farm (Donald and Shirley Sucher). After producing her first foal for Mrs. James A. Winn, she was purchased privately by Marylou Whitney, who bred five foals from her. The mare was then acquired by Blue Goose Stable, which bred Grade 2-placed Mountain Bird (by Mt. Livermore) from her before Dear Birdie returned to Whitney’s broodmare band. After producing Birdstone in 2001, Dear Birdie passed to the ownership of Whitney’s nephew Leverett Miller, who bred stakes-placed So Long Birdie (by Pioneering) from her. After being repurchased by Whitney, Dear Birdie produced her final five foals as the property of Marylou Whitney Stables.
Pedigree notes
Dear Birdie is inbred 5x4 to unbeaten Nearco, a two-time champion on the combined English/Irish general sire list, and 5x5 to five-time American champion sire Bull Lea. A half sister to listed stakes winner Noactor (by Theatrical), she is out of multiple Grade 2 winner Hush Dear (by Silent Screen), a half sister to multiple stakes winner Plains and Simple (by Twist the Axe). Hush Dear is also a half sister to Go South (by Jean-Pierre), dam of Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Silvino (by Our Native), and to Tommy’s Date (by Tom Rolfe), whose granddaughter Swing By was champion 3-year-old filly in Jamaica in 2006 and Horse of the Year in Trinidad in 2007.
Hush Dear and her sisters are out of 1971 Ashland Stakes winner You All (by Nashua), a full sister to juvenile stakes winner Shoo Dear (dam of listed stakes winner Leprechauns Wish, by Lyphard’s Wish) and a half sister to Hail Hail (by Hail to Reason), dam of French Group 3 winner Reason to Trick (by Clever Trick) and juvenile stakes winner Madame Premier (by Raja Baba; dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Northern Premier, by Northern Baby). Also a half sister to Snow the Judge (by Court Recess), dam of listed stakes winner Bharal (by Forceten), You All is out of 1962 New York Handicap winner Honey Dear, by Counterpoint.
Last updated: April 12, 2022