Grenzen (USA)
April 28, 1975 – July 2004
Grenfall (USA) x My Poly (USA), by Cyclotron (USA)
Family 10-a
April 28, 1975 – July 2004
Grenfall (USA) x My Poly (USA), by Cyclotron (USA)
Family 10-a
Grenzen was inbred to 1947 American champion sprinter Polynesian and ran to that heritage on the track, proving a speedy and talented filly who needed a favorable pace scenario to get as far as 9 furlongs. While she produced only one stakes winner from 13 foals, that runner was Grade 1 winner Twilight Agenda. More importantly for the long run, Grenzen produced four graded/Group stakes producers (two of which produced Grade/Group 1 winners) as well as two other daughters who became the second and/or third dams of graded/Group stakes winners.
Race record
24 starts, 8 wins, 7 seconds, 3 thirds, US$346,490
1977:
1978:
1979:
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1977, 6 pounds below champion filly Lakeville Miss.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1978, 4 pounds below champion Tempest Queen.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1979, 7 pounds below champion Waya but tied for fourth overall.
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Grenzen was strongly made and had a good, straight hind leg. She was speedy and typically raced on the lead, holding it as long as she could. She had a strong-willed, independent disposition which she tended to pass to her foals, along with her muscular build.
As a producer
Grenzen produced 13 named foals, of which 10 started and nine won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Grenzen was bred by William Walker and Fayette Farm (Mrs. Howard Wells), who sold her for US$11,000 at the 1976 Keeneland September yearling sale. She was owned by Jacqueline Woolsey, Marjorie Schaffer and Diana Delaplaine, who at the end of Grenzen's 3-year-old season contracted to sell Grenzen for US$400,000 to Mrs. Walter Haefner with the sale to take effect at the end of Grenzen's racing career. Grenzen was trained by Loren Rettele. As a broodmare, she was owned by Walter Haefner's Moyglare Stud and was boarded at Eaton Farm in Kentucky. She was pensioned from broodmare duty in 1998 and died in 2004.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1971 Gallinule Stakes (IRE-G2) winner Grenfall (a son of Graustark and Primonetta), Grenzen is inbred 4x3 to 1947 American champion sprinter Polynesian and 5x5x4 to 1933 English dual Classic winner and six-time champion sire Hyperion. She is a half sister to stakes winner Bold Who (by Bold Lark) and to Groton Poly (by Groton), dam of stakes winner Poly's Parade (by Parade of Stars). She is also a half sister to Autumn Shower (by Parade of Stars), dam of stakes winner Sooner Showers (by Arts and Letters)
Grenzen and her siblings were produced from My Poly, a winner by the stakes-winning Pensive horse Cyclotron out of the unraced Polynesian mare Polywich. Polywich, in turn, was produced from the War Admiral mare Wichuraiana, whose half sister Coquelicot (by Man o' War) produced 1944 American champion juvenile male Pavot (by Case Ace) and 1946 Choice Stakes winner Lovat (by Jamestown). Produced from the unraced Pennant mare Fleur, Wichuriana is also a half sister to stakes-placed My Rose (by Snark), dam of 1966 Sussex Turf Handicap winner Portsmouth (by Blue Prince) and multiple stakes winner Momus (by Natchez)
Books and media
Grenzen is one of the Thoroughbreds profiled in photographs and essays in Barbara Livingston's More Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds (2007, Blood-Horse Publications).
Fun facts
Last updated: May 19, 2021
Race record
24 starts, 8 wins, 7 seconds, 3 thirds, US$346,490
1977:
- 2nd Oak Leaf Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Anoakia Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Santa Anita)
1978:
- Won Santa Susana Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Santa Ynez Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Las Palmas Handicap (USA-G3, 9FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Pasadena Stakes (USA, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Ashland Stakes (USA-G2, about 7FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Linda Vista Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd La Habra Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Las Flores Handicap (USA, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Hollywood Oaks (USA-G2, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd La Centinela Stakes (USA, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- Also equaled the Santa Anita track record of 1:07-4/5 for 6FD
1979:
- Won Santa Maria Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Santa Monica Handicap (USA-G2, 7FD, Santa Anita)
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1977, 6 pounds below champion filly Lakeville Miss.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1978, 4 pounds below champion Tempest Queen.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1979, 7 pounds below champion Waya but tied for fourth overall.
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Grenzen was strongly made and had a good, straight hind leg. She was speedy and typically raced on the lead, holding it as long as she could. She had a strong-willed, independent disposition which she tended to pass to her foals, along with her muscular build.
As a producer
Grenzen produced 13 named foals, of which 10 started and nine won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Irish Edition (1980, by Alleged) won one of her three starts. She is the dam of 1990 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Go and Go (by Be My Guest) and of Group 2-placed Irish listed stakes winner In Time's Eye (by Singspiel). Through her daughter Latest Chapter (by Ahonoora), she is the second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Social Harmony and the third dam of 2009 Tattersalls Gold Cup Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Casual Conquest and Irish Group 3 winner Afternoon Sunlight.
- Hire a Brain (1981, by Seattle Slew) also won one of three starts. She is the second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Woodlander and the third dam of Grade/Group 2 winners Azar and Coal Front.
- Growth Rate (1984, by Blushing Groom) won one of eight starts. She is the dam of German Group 2 winner Munaaji (by Storm Cat).
- Miracle Drug (1985, by Seattle Slew) was unplaced in two starts. She is the second dam of Grade 2 winner Steel Light and Group 2 winner Calming Influence.
- Twilight Agenda (1986, by Devil's Bag) won the 1991 Meadowlands Cup Handicap (USA-G1) and six other graded stakes races. According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, he sired 15 stakes winners from 365 named foals while standing in Kentucky, Texas and Louisiana.
- Market Slide (1991, by Gulch) was Grade 3-placed on the track. She is the dam of 2002 VRC Melbourne Cup (AUS-G1) winner Media Puzzle (by Theatrical) and multiple Group 1 winner Refuse to Bend (by Sadler's Wells) and is also the second dam of 2014 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (USA-G1) winner Rich Tapestry.
- Touch of Truth (1996, by Storm Cat) won both her starts. She is the dam of Grade 3 winner Society Hostess (by Seeking the Gold) and is the second dam of multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Emerging Talent, Argentine Group 2 winner Suska and multiple Grade 3 winner Winning Cause. She is also the third dam of 2018 Polla de Potrancas (Argentine One Thousand Guineas, ARG-G1) and Gran Premio Selección (Argentine Oaks, ARG-G1) winner Summer Love.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Grenzen was bred by William Walker and Fayette Farm (Mrs. Howard Wells), who sold her for US$11,000 at the 1976 Keeneland September yearling sale. She was owned by Jacqueline Woolsey, Marjorie Schaffer and Diana Delaplaine, who at the end of Grenzen's 3-year-old season contracted to sell Grenzen for US$400,000 to Mrs. Walter Haefner with the sale to take effect at the end of Grenzen's racing career. Grenzen was trained by Loren Rettele. As a broodmare, she was owned by Walter Haefner's Moyglare Stud and was boarded at Eaton Farm in Kentucky. She was pensioned from broodmare duty in 1998 and died in 2004.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1971 Gallinule Stakes (IRE-G2) winner Grenfall (a son of Graustark and Primonetta), Grenzen is inbred 4x3 to 1947 American champion sprinter Polynesian and 5x5x4 to 1933 English dual Classic winner and six-time champion sire Hyperion. She is a half sister to stakes winner Bold Who (by Bold Lark) and to Groton Poly (by Groton), dam of stakes winner Poly's Parade (by Parade of Stars). She is also a half sister to Autumn Shower (by Parade of Stars), dam of stakes winner Sooner Showers (by Arts and Letters)
Grenzen and her siblings were produced from My Poly, a winner by the stakes-winning Pensive horse Cyclotron out of the unraced Polynesian mare Polywich. Polywich, in turn, was produced from the War Admiral mare Wichuraiana, whose half sister Coquelicot (by Man o' War) produced 1944 American champion juvenile male Pavot (by Case Ace) and 1946 Choice Stakes winner Lovat (by Jamestown). Produced from the unraced Pennant mare Fleur, Wichuriana is also a half sister to stakes-placed My Rose (by Snark), dam of 1966 Sussex Turf Handicap winner Portsmouth (by Blue Prince) and multiple stakes winner Momus (by Natchez)
Books and media
Grenzen is one of the Thoroughbreds profiled in photographs and essays in Barbara Livingston's More Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds (2007, Blood-Horse Publications).
Fun facts
- Grenzen means “to border on” or “to verge on” in German.
- At the time of Grenzen's death, fully a quarter of Moyglare Stud's broodmare band consisted of mares from her family.
Last updated: May 19, 2021