1938 was not an inspiring year for 3-year-olds in North America, and 1938 Kentucky Oaks winner Flying Lee was no great exception to that rule. While she was tough and durable, she lacked the consistency and brilliance of a truly top performer, and she was a better racer than broodmare.
Race record
55 starts, 10 wins, 8 seconds, 5 thirds, US$23,395
1938:
1939:
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Flying Lee produced 10 named foals, of which nine started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Flying Lee was bred and owned by Hal Price Headley. She was trained by Headley's nephew, Duval Headley. She produced six foals for Hal Price Headley before being sold to John Clark, who bred one foal from her before selling her on. She produced her last three foals as the property of Reno Renfrew. Her last known foal, the Spy Song filly High Spy, was born in 1958.
Pedigree notes
Flying Lee is inbred 4x5 to the good Cup horse and 1887 English champion sire Hampton. She is a half sister to Who Me (by Menow), dam of stakes winner Yes You (by Eight Thirty).
Hilee, the dam of Flying Lee, is a winning half sister to 1926 Empire City Derby winner Blondin (by Broomstick), to 1928 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Distraction (by Chicle), and to stakes-placed Swinging (by Broomstick), dam of two-time American Horse of the Year Equipoise and second dam of 1946 Correction Handicap winner Recce and 1952 Metropolitan Handicap winner Mameluke. Hilee is also a half sister to Escarpolette (by Fitz Herbert), dam of stakes winners Alyssum (by Supremus), Depression (by North Star III) and Howard (by Rolled Stocking) and second dam of four stakes winners including 1944 Exterminator Handicap winner Momo Flag. In addition, Hilee is a half sister to See Saw II (by Fitz Herbert), dam of stakes winner Tonto Rock (by Trap Rock) and to Balance (by Rabelais), dam of stakes winners Flippant (by Pennant), Hornpipe (by Chantey), and Uneasy (by Royal Minstrel) and second dam of 1938 American Horse of the Year Seabiscuit.
Hilee is out of 1913 Prix La Flèche winner Balancoire II (by Meddler), who became a notable foundation mare for the Whitney breeding program after being imported to the United States in 1918. She, in turn, was produced from the Ayrshire mare Ballantrae, winner of the 1902 Cambridgeshire Stakes and also the dam of English stakes winners Night Raider II and Melody and American stakes winner Mediant, all by Meddler. Another daughter of Ballantrae, Coeur a Coeur (by Teddy), is the second dam of two-time French champion and four-time French champion sire Djebel (by Tourbillon), two-time Prix d'Ispahan winner Hierocles (by Abjer), Prix de Saint-Firmin winner Djask (by Tourbillon), and multiple French stakes winner Phidias (by Tourbillon).
Books and media
Flying Lee is profiled in Chapter 6 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Last updated: September 1, 2023
Race record
55 starts, 10 wins, 8 seconds, 5 thirds, US$23,395
1938:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
1939:
- Won Santa Margarita Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Diana Handicap (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Flying Lee produced 10 named foals, of which nine started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Flying Time (1946, by Eight Thirty) is the dam of Puerto Rican stakes winner Jovial Kid (by Jovial Jove).
- Flags Flying (1948, by Menow) was stakes-placed on the track. She is the third dam of multiple Panamanian Group 1 winner El Gran Capo.
Connections
Flying Lee was bred and owned by Hal Price Headley. She was trained by Headley's nephew, Duval Headley. She produced six foals for Hal Price Headley before being sold to John Clark, who bred one foal from her before selling her on. She produced her last three foals as the property of Reno Renfrew. Her last known foal, the Spy Song filly High Spy, was born in 1958.
Pedigree notes
Flying Lee is inbred 4x5 to the good Cup horse and 1887 English champion sire Hampton. She is a half sister to Who Me (by Menow), dam of stakes winner Yes You (by Eight Thirty).
Hilee, the dam of Flying Lee, is a winning half sister to 1926 Empire City Derby winner Blondin (by Broomstick), to 1928 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Distraction (by Chicle), and to stakes-placed Swinging (by Broomstick), dam of two-time American Horse of the Year Equipoise and second dam of 1946 Correction Handicap winner Recce and 1952 Metropolitan Handicap winner Mameluke. Hilee is also a half sister to Escarpolette (by Fitz Herbert), dam of stakes winners Alyssum (by Supremus), Depression (by North Star III) and Howard (by Rolled Stocking) and second dam of four stakes winners including 1944 Exterminator Handicap winner Momo Flag. In addition, Hilee is a half sister to See Saw II (by Fitz Herbert), dam of stakes winner Tonto Rock (by Trap Rock) and to Balance (by Rabelais), dam of stakes winners Flippant (by Pennant), Hornpipe (by Chantey), and Uneasy (by Royal Minstrel) and second dam of 1938 American Horse of the Year Seabiscuit.
Hilee is out of 1913 Prix La Flèche winner Balancoire II (by Meddler), who became a notable foundation mare for the Whitney breeding program after being imported to the United States in 1918. She, in turn, was produced from the Ayrshire mare Ballantrae, winner of the 1902 Cambridgeshire Stakes and also the dam of English stakes winners Night Raider II and Melody and American stakes winner Mediant, all by Meddler. Another daughter of Ballantrae, Coeur a Coeur (by Teddy), is the second dam of two-time French champion and four-time French champion sire Djebel (by Tourbillon), two-time Prix d'Ispahan winner Hierocles (by Abjer), Prix de Saint-Firmin winner Djask (by Tourbillon), and multiple French stakes winner Phidias (by Tourbillon).
Books and media
Flying Lee is profiled in Chapter 6 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Last updated: September 1, 2023