Like her sire, How was no plodder but nonetheless was at her best over the long haul. She was something of a hard-luck filly, losing a shoe in the Acorn Stakes and coming out of the New Castle Handicap with a wrenched back, but still managed to flash enough ability to be ranked among the best fillies of her crop. Her tough luck continued into her broodmare career as she managed to produce only three foals. One wonders what she might have accomplished had she had a more normal production record, as one of those three foals was Pocahontas, a stakes winner and the 1965 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.
Race record
39 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$157,075
1950:
1951:
1952:
1953:
Assessments
Ranked second among American 3-year-old fillies of 1951 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A small brown mare, How was athletic and stayed very well.
As a producer
How produced three named foals, of which two started. Her only foal of any importance was Pocahontas (1955, by Roman), winner of the 1957 Schuylerville Stakes during her racing days. Pocahontas is the dam of 1965 American champion 3-year-old male Tom Rolfe (by Ribot); Chieftain (by Bold Ruler), a major stakes winner at 2, 3 and 4; French Group 3 winner Lady Rebecca (by Sir Ivor); 1968 Blandford Stakes winner Wenona; and Group 3-placed Irish stakes winner Ahdeek (by Reindeer). She is the second dam of the important European sire and Italian Group 3 winner Alzao, 1979 Premio Roma (ITY-G1) winner Noble Saint and Grade 2 winner Ripon and is the third dam of 1983 Norwegian champion 3-year-old male What Nonsense, multiple Grade 1 winner Squeak, Grade/Group 2 winners Absentia and Dieter Jet, and Group 3 winners Makatani and My Sister.
Connections
How was bred by the exiled Georgian prince Dmitri Djordjadze (or Jorjadze), who with his American-born wife Audrey Emery raced Thoroughbreds under the name of Boone Hall Stable. How was owned by Herman B. Delman and was trained by Horatio Luro. She won both the Kentucky Oaks and the Coaching Club American Oaks under Eddie Arcaro's handling. After producing Pocahontas, she was sold to Barry Ryan. She produced two completely undistinguished colts during Ryan's first three years of ownership and then failed to produce a live foal for six consecutive years before being sent to England in 1964. She had no known produce abroad.
Pedigree notes
How is inbred 4x5 to 1910 City and Suburban Handicap winner White Eagle and 5x5 to 1909 Derby Stakes winner Minoru. She is a full sister to 1954 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Cherokee Rose, second dam of 1971 American Horse of the Year Ack Ack, 1974 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Just the Time and grade 2 winner Delay. How is also a full sister to 1957 Spinaway Stakes winner Sequoia, dam of 1973 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Sham (by Pretense) and 1971 San Bernardino Handicap winner Dendron (by Tatán) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Top Competitor and 1972 Astarita Stakes winner Princess Doubleday.
How and her siblings were produced from The Squaw II, a half sister to 1947 Grand Prix de Paris winner Avenger (by Victrix) and to Dynamite II (by Dogat), second dam of 1959 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes winner Toluene. The Squaw II's dam Minnewaska (by Blandford) is out of 1926 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Nipisiquit (by Buchan), also the dam of the good English stakes winner Raymond (by Gainsborough). Nipisiquit, in turn, was produced from 1918 Falmouth Stakes winner Herself (by Neil Gow), whose other foals include the 1933 Oaks Stakes winner, Chatelaine (by Phalaris).
Books and media
How is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: December 1, 2022
Race record
39 starts, 7 wins, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$157,075
1950:
- Equaled the 6-furlong track record of 1:08-1/5 at Belmont
1951:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Coaching Club American Oaks (USA, 11FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Top Flight Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- 3rd New Castle Handicap (USA, 10FD, Delaware)
- 3rd Ashland Stakes (USA, 6FD, Keeneland)
1952:
- Won Ladies Handicap (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
1953:
- 2nd Tropical Handicap (USA, 9FD, Tropical Park)
- 3rd Ladies Handicap (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
Assessments
Ranked second among American 3-year-old fillies of 1951 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A small brown mare, How was athletic and stayed very well.
As a producer
How produced three named foals, of which two started. Her only foal of any importance was Pocahontas (1955, by Roman), winner of the 1957 Schuylerville Stakes during her racing days. Pocahontas is the dam of 1965 American champion 3-year-old male Tom Rolfe (by Ribot); Chieftain (by Bold Ruler), a major stakes winner at 2, 3 and 4; French Group 3 winner Lady Rebecca (by Sir Ivor); 1968 Blandford Stakes winner Wenona; and Group 3-placed Irish stakes winner Ahdeek (by Reindeer). She is the second dam of the important European sire and Italian Group 3 winner Alzao, 1979 Premio Roma (ITY-G1) winner Noble Saint and Grade 2 winner Ripon and is the third dam of 1983 Norwegian champion 3-year-old male What Nonsense, multiple Grade 1 winner Squeak, Grade/Group 2 winners Absentia and Dieter Jet, and Group 3 winners Makatani and My Sister.
Connections
How was bred by the exiled Georgian prince Dmitri Djordjadze (or Jorjadze), who with his American-born wife Audrey Emery raced Thoroughbreds under the name of Boone Hall Stable. How was owned by Herman B. Delman and was trained by Horatio Luro. She won both the Kentucky Oaks and the Coaching Club American Oaks under Eddie Arcaro's handling. After producing Pocahontas, she was sold to Barry Ryan. She produced two completely undistinguished colts during Ryan's first three years of ownership and then failed to produce a live foal for six consecutive years before being sent to England in 1964. She had no known produce abroad.
Pedigree notes
How is inbred 4x5 to 1910 City and Suburban Handicap winner White Eagle and 5x5 to 1909 Derby Stakes winner Minoru. She is a full sister to 1954 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Cherokee Rose, second dam of 1971 American Horse of the Year Ack Ack, 1974 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Just the Time and grade 2 winner Delay. How is also a full sister to 1957 Spinaway Stakes winner Sequoia, dam of 1973 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Sham (by Pretense) and 1971 San Bernardino Handicap winner Dendron (by Tatán) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Top Competitor and 1972 Astarita Stakes winner Princess Doubleday.
How and her siblings were produced from The Squaw II, a half sister to 1947 Grand Prix de Paris winner Avenger (by Victrix) and to Dynamite II (by Dogat), second dam of 1959 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes winner Toluene. The Squaw II's dam Minnewaska (by Blandford) is out of 1926 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Nipisiquit (by Buchan), also the dam of the good English stakes winner Raymond (by Gainsborough). Nipisiquit, in turn, was produced from 1918 Falmouth Stakes winner Herself (by Neil Gow), whose other foals include the 1933 Oaks Stakes winner, Chatelaine (by Phalaris).
Books and media
How is profiled in Chapter 8 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- How was the first of a record four Kentucky Oaks winners for champion jockey Eddie Arcaro, who also won with Real Delight (1952), Bubbley (1953), and Bug Brush (1958). Manuel Ycaza later tied Arcaro's overall record, but no jockey has equaled Arcaro's feat of winning the Oaks for three straight years.
- How was the third filly to complete the Kentucky Oaks/Coaching Club American Oaks double, a feat previously accomplished by Princess Doreen (1924) and Wistful (1949). Following How, the feat was accomplished by Real Delight (1952), Dark Mirage (1968), Davona Dale (1979), Bold 'n Determined (1980), Goodbye Halo (1988), Open Mind (1989), Lite Light (1991), Ashado (2004), Princess of Sylmar (2013), and Abel Tasman (2017).
Last updated: December 1, 2022