A modestly-priced yearling of solid but not particularly fashionable breeding, Hildene failed to win a single race. On top of her lack of racing prowess, she was a bleeder and had poor vision. These characteristics made her an unlikely prospect to become a top broodmare. But what she did have was an abundance of the Ben Brush/Domino blood which had proven potent in the Keene and Whitney studs, and so it proved for Christopher Chenery's Meadow Stud. The 1950 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, Hildene ended up producing five stakes winners as well as two broodmare daughters of distinction.
Race record
8 starts, 0 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$100
Honors
Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Broodmare of the Year (1950)
As an individual
A short-coupled bay mare, Hildene had strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg. She was somewhat long and overly sloped in the pasterns, but her legs and joints were otherwise smoothly finished and correct. She inherited defective vision from her sire Bubbling Over and went blind as a broodmare. She was also a known bleeder.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Hildene produced 13 named foals. 12 were starters and nine were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hildene was bred by Edward F. Simms' Xalapa Farm. She was owned by Christopher Chenery, who bought her for US$750 from Xalapa Stud's 1939 dispersal, and became a foundation mare for his Meadow Stud.
Pedigree notes
Hildene is inbred 4x4 to Ben Brush, 5x4 to Commando, 5x5x5 to Commando's sire Domino and 5x5 to 1887 English champion sire Hampton. She is a half sister to stakes winners Silas and Napoleon, both by Crucifixion.
Fancy Racket, the dam of Hildene, failed to win in four starts. Her dam Ultimate Fancy (by Ultimus) was likewise undistinguished on the track but is a half sister to Idle Tale (by Superman), dam of multiple stakes winner Idle Dell (by Delhi) and second dam of 1927 Matron Stakes and Pimlico Futurity winner Glade. Another half sister to Ultimate Fancy, Blushes (by Hurst Park) is the second dam of 1928 Champagne Stakes winner Healy and 1931 Jerome Handicap winner Ironclad, while a third half sister, Just Fancy (by Colin), is the dam of stakes winner Our Fancy (by Busy American).
Idle Fancy (by Ben Brush), the dam of Ultimate Fancy and her sisters, is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Trance, dam of multiple stakes winner Irish Dream (by The Curragh), and a half sister to stakes winners Miss Tenny (by Tenny; dam of multiple stakes winner Gold Ten, by Goldcrest), Runaway Girl (by Domino; dam of three stakes winners including 1910 Carter Handicap winner Gretna Green, by Ben Brush) and Peter Quince (by Commando). The next dam in Hildene's tail-female line, Fair Vision (by Touchet), was imported from England and is out of the Scottish Chief mare Enchantress.
Books and media
Hildene is one of 24 great broodmares profiled in Edward Bowen's Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century (1999, 2000, The Blood-Horse, Inc.).
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: January 3, 2023
Race record
8 starts, 0 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third, US$100
Honors
Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Broodmare of the Year (1950)
As an individual
A short-coupled bay mare, Hildene had strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg. She was somewhat long and overly sloped in the pasterns, but her legs and joints were otherwise smoothly finished and correct. She inherited defective vision from her sire Bubbling Over and went blind as a broodmare. She was also a known bleeder.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Hildene produced 13 named foals. 12 were starters and nine were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- Mangohick (1944, by Sun Beau; a gelding) won two stakes races among his 23 wins from 97 starts.
- Hill Prince (1947, by Princequillo) won four American championships or co-championships, including honors as the American Horse of the Year in 1950. He was a good but not outstanding sire, getting 23 stakes winners.
- First Flush (1948, by Flushing II) failed to win in three starts but produced 1964 Sorority Stakes winner Bold Experience (by Bold Ruler), dam of 1972 Florida Derby and Wood Memorial Stakes winner Upper Case (by Round Table) and stakes winner Ms. Ross (by Hoist the Flag) and second dam of 1989 Irish St. Leger (IRE-G1) winner Petite Ile. First Flush is also the dam of stakes winners Virginia Delegate (by Bold Ruler) and Copper Canyon (by Bryan G.), second dam of 1987 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Crusader Sword, 1988 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1) winner Cherokee Colony and 1995 Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Turk Passer and the third dam of 1995 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Silken Cat. Another daughter of First Flush, Bold Matron (by Bold Ruler), is the second dam of four stakes winners including Grade 2 winner Ring of Light.
- Satsuma (1949, by Bossuet) produced three-time American champion filly Cicada (by Bryan G.), dam in turn of stakes winner Cicada's Pride (by Sir Gaylord).
- Prince Hill (1951, by Princequillo; a gelding), won two stakes events among his eight victories from 57 starts.
- Third Brother (1953, by Princequillo) won the 1956 Roamer Handicap and three other stakes races among his nine victories from 69 starts. He died in 1963, leaving six stakes winners from 94 named foals including 1965 American Horse of the Year Roman Brother.
- First Landing (1956, by Turn-to) was the American champion 2-year-old male of 1958 and was among the leading American older males of 1960. He was an inconsistent stallion but begot one outstanding racehorse iamong his 27 stakes winners in two-time American champion Riva Ridge.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Hildene was bred by Edward F. Simms' Xalapa Farm. She was owned by Christopher Chenery, who bought her for US$750 from Xalapa Stud's 1939 dispersal, and became a foundation mare for his Meadow Stud.
Pedigree notes
Hildene is inbred 4x4 to Ben Brush, 5x4 to Commando, 5x5x5 to Commando's sire Domino and 5x5 to 1887 English champion sire Hampton. She is a half sister to stakes winners Silas and Napoleon, both by Crucifixion.
Fancy Racket, the dam of Hildene, failed to win in four starts. Her dam Ultimate Fancy (by Ultimus) was likewise undistinguished on the track but is a half sister to Idle Tale (by Superman), dam of multiple stakes winner Idle Dell (by Delhi) and second dam of 1927 Matron Stakes and Pimlico Futurity winner Glade. Another half sister to Ultimate Fancy, Blushes (by Hurst Park) is the second dam of 1928 Champagne Stakes winner Healy and 1931 Jerome Handicap winner Ironclad, while a third half sister, Just Fancy (by Colin), is the dam of stakes winner Our Fancy (by Busy American).
Idle Fancy (by Ben Brush), the dam of Ultimate Fancy and her sisters, is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Trance, dam of multiple stakes winner Irish Dream (by The Curragh), and a half sister to stakes winners Miss Tenny (by Tenny; dam of multiple stakes winner Gold Ten, by Goldcrest), Runaway Girl (by Domino; dam of three stakes winners including 1910 Carter Handicap winner Gretna Green, by Ben Brush) and Peter Quince (by Commando). The next dam in Hildene's tail-female line, Fair Vision (by Touchet), was imported from England and is out of the Scottish Chief mare Enchantress.
Books and media
Hildene is one of 24 great broodmares profiled in Edward Bowen's Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century (1999, 2000, The Blood-Horse, Inc.).
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: January 3, 2023