Drosselmeyer (USA)
April 1, 2007 – Living
Distorted Humor (USA) x Golden Ballet (USA), by Moscow Ballet (USA)
Family 10-d
April 1, 2007 – Living
Distorted Humor (USA) x Golden Ballet (USA), by Moscow Ballet (USA)
Family 10-d
Drosselmeyer was gifted with considerable racing ability, but he also had a lazy disposition that made getting the best from him less than easy. He was also perceived as a horse that lacked tactical speed, which did not make him an easy sell as a stallion. He was more successful in Brazil (where he was a shuttle sire in 2012-2015) than in Kentucky and relocated permanently to Brazii following the 2016 Northern Hemisphere breeding season.
Race record
16 starts, 5 wins, 5 seconds, 2 third, US$3,728,170
2010:
2011:
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds for his Belmont Stakes performance on the 2010 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 18 pounds below overall highweight Harbinger, 12 pounds below top-rated dirt horse Blame (who earned his rating in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic), and 7 pounds below the top-rated 3-year-old males on dirt, Eclipse Award winner Lookin At Lucky (who earned his 124-pound rating in the Izod Haskell Invitational Stakes, USA-G1) and Eskendereya (whose rating was based on his performance in the Wood Memorial, USA-G1).
Rated at 124 pounds for his performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on the 2011 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below overall highweight Frankel but best among dirt performers worldwide.
As an individual
A chestnut horse with a long stride, Drosselmeyer had an excellent shoulder but was sickle-hocked. He was lazy and required constant riding but could deliver a long, sustained drive.
As a stallion
Thus far, Drosselmeyer is a Classic sire in Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay. He was awarded the Mossoró Trophy as Brazil's "Stallion of the Year" for 2018/19.
Sire rankings
Per the Associação Brasileíra de Criadores e Proprietários do Cavalo do Corrida (https://abcpcc.com.br):
Per Padrillos en Linea (https://padrillosenlinea.com):
Per the Stud Book Uruguayo (https://www/studbook.com.uy):
Notable progeny
Bay Ovar (BRZ), Empoderada (BRZ), Evidências (BRZ), Filo Di Arianna (BRZ), For Flying (BRZ), Great Spirit (BRZ), Hurakan Americo (USA), Jolie Olimpica (BRZ), King David (BRZ), Monanfan (BRZ), Nautilus (BRZ), Night of Rose (BRZ), Pavão (BRZ), Sea Dream (BRZ), Vito Corleone (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Drosselmeyer was bred by Aaron and Marie Jones. He was owned by WinStar Farm. He was trained by Bill Mott and was ridden to both his Belmont Stakes win and his Breeders’ Cup Classic win by Mike Smith. He entered stud in 2012 in Kentucky at WinStar Farm and shuttled to Stud TNT in Brazil in 2012-2015. In 2016, he was sold to Stud TNT and relocated permanently to Brazil.
Pedigree notes
Drosselmeyer is inbred 4x4 to the great international sire Northern Dancer. He is a half brother to Grade1-placed listed stakes winner Stage Luck (by Unbridled’s Song) and to Ghizlaan (by Seeking the Gold), dam of listed stakes winners Arabda ((by Elnadim) and Ghaaly (by Tamayuz).
Drosselmeyer is out of multiple Grade 1 winner Golden Ballet (by the Group 3-winning Nijinsky II horse Moscow Ballet), a half sister to Grade 1-placed Grade 3 winner Gilded Gem (by Smarty Jones). Golden Ballet is also a half sister to Bronze Route (by Mud Route), dam of stakes winners Top Seed (by Grand Slam) and Bronzed (by Fed Biz).
Golden Ballet was produced from the unraced Slew o’ Gold mare Golden Jewel Box, whose half sister Country Cruise (by Riverman) is the dam of stakes winner Magic of Sunrise (by Woodman). Golden Jewel Box, in turn, is out of Miss Storm Bird (by Storm Bird), a half sister to Grade 2 winner Hawkin’s Special (by Great Sun), to multiple Grade 3 winner Chati (by Terrible Tiger), and to stakes winner Sun Lover (by Conquistador Cielo). The last-named mare is the dam of listed stakes winner Tahoe City (by Fast Play), and Miss Storm Bird is also a half sister to Landingham’s Lover (by Vanlandingham), dam of restricted stakes winners Kas I’m Going To (by Coup de Kas) and Wayne’s Classy Girl (by Wayne’s Crane).
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Drosselmeyer’s win in the 2010 Belmont Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRYDjjqq8bA.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo of Drosselmeyer's maiden victory taken by Jessica Morgan in 2009. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 3, 2025
Race record
16 starts, 5 wins, 5 seconds, 2 third, US$3,728,170
2010:
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Dwyer Stakes (USA-G2,8.5FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Louisiana Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Fair Grounds)
2011:
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won One Count Stakes (USA, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G2,12FD, Belmont)
Assessments
Rated at 117 pounds for his Belmont Stakes performance on the 2010 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 18 pounds below overall highweight Harbinger, 12 pounds below top-rated dirt horse Blame (who earned his rating in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic), and 7 pounds below the top-rated 3-year-old males on dirt, Eclipse Award winner Lookin At Lucky (who earned his 124-pound rating in the Izod Haskell Invitational Stakes, USA-G1) and Eskendereya (whose rating was based on his performance in the Wood Memorial, USA-G1).
Rated at 124 pounds for his performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on the 2011 World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below overall highweight Frankel but best among dirt performers worldwide.
As an individual
A chestnut horse with a long stride, Drosselmeyer had an excellent shoulder but was sickle-hocked. He was lazy and required constant riding but could deliver a long, sustained drive.
As a stallion
Thus far, Drosselmeyer is a Classic sire in Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay. He was awarded the Mossoró Trophy as Brazil's "Stallion of the Year" for 2018/19.
Sire rankings
Per the Associação Brasileíra de Criadores e Proprietários do Cavalo do Corrida (https://abcpcc.com.br):
- 2nd on the Brazilian general sire list in 2017/18 and 2021/22; 3rd in 2022/23 and 2023/24; 6th in 2018/19; 9th in 2016/17
Per Padrillos en Linea (https://padrillosenlinea.com):
- 10th on the Uruguayan general sire list in 2023.
Per the Stud Book Uruguayo (https://www/studbook.com.uy):
- 4th on the Uruguayan general sire list in 2019; 5th in 2024; 7th in 2018; 8th in 2020; 9th in 2017; 10th in 2023.
Notable progeny
Bay Ovar (BRZ), Empoderada (BRZ), Evidências (BRZ), Filo Di Arianna (BRZ), For Flying (BRZ), Great Spirit (BRZ), Hurakan Americo (USA), Jolie Olimpica (BRZ), King David (BRZ), Monanfan (BRZ), Nautilus (BRZ), Night of Rose (BRZ), Pavão (BRZ), Sea Dream (BRZ), Vito Corleone (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Drosselmeyer was bred by Aaron and Marie Jones. He was owned by WinStar Farm. He was trained by Bill Mott and was ridden to both his Belmont Stakes win and his Breeders’ Cup Classic win by Mike Smith. He entered stud in 2012 in Kentucky at WinStar Farm and shuttled to Stud TNT in Brazil in 2012-2015. In 2016, he was sold to Stud TNT and relocated permanently to Brazil.
Pedigree notes
Drosselmeyer is inbred 4x4 to the great international sire Northern Dancer. He is a half brother to Grade1-placed listed stakes winner Stage Luck (by Unbridled’s Song) and to Ghizlaan (by Seeking the Gold), dam of listed stakes winners Arabda ((by Elnadim) and Ghaaly (by Tamayuz).
Drosselmeyer is out of multiple Grade 1 winner Golden Ballet (by the Group 3-winning Nijinsky II horse Moscow Ballet), a half sister to Grade 1-placed Grade 3 winner Gilded Gem (by Smarty Jones). Golden Ballet is also a half sister to Bronze Route (by Mud Route), dam of stakes winners Top Seed (by Grand Slam) and Bronzed (by Fed Biz).
Golden Ballet was produced from the unraced Slew o’ Gold mare Golden Jewel Box, whose half sister Country Cruise (by Riverman) is the dam of stakes winner Magic of Sunrise (by Woodman). Golden Jewel Box, in turn, is out of Miss Storm Bird (by Storm Bird), a half sister to Grade 2 winner Hawkin’s Special (by Great Sun), to multiple Grade 3 winner Chati (by Terrible Tiger), and to stakes winner Sun Lover (by Conquistador Cielo). The last-named mare is the dam of listed stakes winner Tahoe City (by Fast Play), and Miss Storm Bird is also a half sister to Landingham’s Lover (by Vanlandingham), dam of restricted stakes winners Kas I’m Going To (by Coup de Kas) and Wayne’s Classy Girl (by Wayne’s Crane).
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Drosselmeyer’s win in the 2010 Belmont Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRYDjjqq8bA.
Fun facts
- Drosselmeyer was named for a character from the ballet The Nutcracker.
- Drosselmeyer’s victory in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Classic was voted the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s “Moment of the Year” for 2011.
- Drosselmeyer is one of only three horses to win both the Belmont Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The others are A.P. Indy, who won both races in 1992, and American Pharoah, who won both in 2015.
Photo credit
Photo of Drosselmeyer's maiden victory taken by Jessica Morgan in 2009. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 3, 2025