Iltis was far from a great runner, but her pedigree carried a rich mix of the old American bloodlines of Fair Play, Ben Brush, and Domino. Bred to Rough'n Tumble, whose bloodlines reinforced Iltis' Domino and Ben Brush strains while supplying an outcross to the Rock Sand/Fairy Gold inbreeding found in her sire (as Iltis, in her turn, provided an outcross to Rough'n Tumble's inbreeding to Spearmint), Iltis produced three important broodmare daughters, one of them a racetrack champion as well, which between them established a family of international importance.
Race record
53 starts, 5 wins, 6 seconds, 11 thirds, US$19,425
Iltis showed some decent form as a 3-year-old, beating the classy stakes winner County Delight in one allowance race, but declined afterward and scored her last victory in a US$4,000 claimer.
As an individual
A good-sized bay mare, Iltis was long-backed but fairly correct and had a pleasant disposition. She suffered a severe respiratory bleeding episode in her last race at 4 and showed little interest in racing during most of her 5-year-old season.
As a producer
Iltis produced eight named foals, of which six started and won. Her important foals were as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Iltis was bred and owned by Harry Isaacs' Brookfield Farm. She was trained by D. W. Kerns. As a 4-year-old, Iltis descended into the claiming ranks and went through several owners and trainers. Her last owner as a racer was Dan Chappell's Sunshine Stable (which claimed her for US$5,000 out of the same race she bled in), and when Iltis retired from the track, she entered the broodmare ranks at Chappell's Sunshine Farm near Ocala, Florida. In 1956, she was acquired privately by Joseph O'Farrell's Ocala Stud and spent the rest of her life there.
Pedigree notes
Iltis is inbred 5x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Commando. She is a half sister to 1952 Matron Stakes winner Is Proud (by Hampden) out of We Hail (by Balladier), a stakes-placed full sister to stakes winner Bryan Station. We Hail is also a half sister to stakes winner Bold Lover (by Black Toney) and to Blessed Again (by Blue Larkspur), also a stakes winner and the dam of juvenile stakes winner Gee Whiz (by Johnstown); the second dam of two-time American champion sprinter Decathlon, 1961 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Prince Blessed, 1956 Sheridan Stakes winner Summer Savory and 1955 Adirondack Stakes and Schuylerville Stakes winner Dark Charger; and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Ziba Blue.
This female family came to the United States with We Hail's dam Clonaslee, who was imported by William Hogan as a yearling in 1923 and became the property of Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. A hardy mare who won 16 of 73 starts, Clonaslee produced 18 foals all told, of which 16 were winners. She was sired by the Ayrshire horse Orpiment out of unraced Bullet Proof, by the Carbine horse Wax Bullet.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: December 1, 2024
Race record
53 starts, 5 wins, 6 seconds, 11 thirds, US$19,425
Iltis showed some decent form as a 3-year-old, beating the classy stakes winner County Delight in one allowance race, but declined afterward and scored her last victory in a US$4,000 claimer.
As an individual
A good-sized bay mare, Iltis was long-backed but fairly correct and had a pleasant disposition. She suffered a severe respiratory bleeding episode in her last race at 4 and showed little interest in racing during most of her 5-year-old season.
As a producer
Iltis produced eight named foals, of which six started and won. Her important foals were as follow:
- My Dear Girl (1957, by Rough'n Tumble) was voted the American champion 3-year-old filly of 1959. A remarkable blue hen, she produced seven stakes winners headed by 1967 Florida Derby and 1968 Metropolitan Handicap winner In Reality (by Intentionally), an excellent sire who begot 83 stakes winners from 563 named foals. Also the dam of 1980 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1) winner Superbity (by Groshawk) and multiple Grade 3 winner Return to Reality (by Intentionally), My Dear Girl is the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Dr. Carter and French Group 2 winner Albarahin. In addition, she is the third dam of 1996 Puerto Rican Horse of the Year Mi Vereda. Her more distant descendants include 2012 Venezuelan Horse of the Year El de Chine, two-time Peruvian champion Ritmo Criollo, 1995 Ecuadorian champion older female Criolla Bonita, 2024 Hollywood Derby (USA-G1) winner Formidable Man, Grade 2 winner Fanticola, and Grade 3 winner Datrick.
- My Old Flame (1958, by Count Flame) won the 1960 Florida Breeders' Futurity and Florida Breeders' Stakes. She died without issue.
- Me Next (by Rough'n Tumble) never raced. She produced stakes winners Lucky Ole Me (by Olden Times) and Midnight Pumpkin (by Pretense) and is the second dam of 1985 Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Tank's Prospect. She is also the third dam of Grade 2 winners Dixie Luck and Its Acedemic. Her more distant descendants include 2016 Chandelier Stakes (USA-G1) winner Noted and Quoted, Grade 2 winner Limit Out, and Grade 3 winners Eres Tu and Kays and Jays.
- Treasure Chest (1962, by Rough'n Tumble) won the 1966 Modesty Handicap, setting an Arlington Park course record for a mile on turf. She produced 1975 Margate Handicap (USA-G3) winner Diomedia (by Sea-Bird), 1984 Princess Elizabeth Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Kanz (by The Minstrel), and stakes winner Gold Treasure (by Northern Dancer). She is the second dam of Glint of Gold, a two-time champion in Germany and the Italian champion 3-year-old male of 1981, and his full brother Diamond Shoal, the champion older male of 1983 in England, France and Italy. Treasure Chest is also the second dam of 1989 Irish One Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Ensconse, English Group 2 winner I Want to Be and English Group 3 winner Media Starguest. In addition, she is the third dam of multiple Group 1 winner Al Kazeem (a divisional highweight in Europe), 2001 Oaks d'Italia (ITY-G1) winner Zanzibar, 2000 Grosser Edgas-Preis Ele Pokal (GER-G1) winner Catella (a two-time divisional highweight in Germany) and 1992 Racing Post Trophy (ENG-G1) winner Armiger. Her descendants in further generations include six-time Swiss champion Notte a Roma, 2012 Slovakian champion imported stayer Lambertus, and Grade/Group 1 winners Deusa, Law Enforcement, and Shining Energy.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Iltis was bred and owned by Harry Isaacs' Brookfield Farm. She was trained by D. W. Kerns. As a 4-year-old, Iltis descended into the claiming ranks and went through several owners and trainers. Her last owner as a racer was Dan Chappell's Sunshine Stable (which claimed her for US$5,000 out of the same race she bled in), and when Iltis retired from the track, she entered the broodmare ranks at Chappell's Sunshine Farm near Ocala, Florida. In 1956, she was acquired privately by Joseph O'Farrell's Ocala Stud and spent the rest of her life there.
Pedigree notes
Iltis is inbred 5x5 to two-time American Horse of the Year Commando. She is a half sister to 1952 Matron Stakes winner Is Proud (by Hampden) out of We Hail (by Balladier), a stakes-placed full sister to stakes winner Bryan Station. We Hail is also a half sister to stakes winner Bold Lover (by Black Toney) and to Blessed Again (by Blue Larkspur), also a stakes winner and the dam of juvenile stakes winner Gee Whiz (by Johnstown); the second dam of two-time American champion sprinter Decathlon, 1961 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Prince Blessed, 1956 Sheridan Stakes winner Summer Savory and 1955 Adirondack Stakes and Schuylerville Stakes winner Dark Charger; and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Ziba Blue.
This female family came to the United States with We Hail's dam Clonaslee, who was imported by William Hogan as a yearling in 1923 and became the property of Colonel Edward Riley Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm. A hardy mare who won 16 of 73 starts, Clonaslee produced 18 foals all told, of which 16 were winners. She was sired by the Ayrshire horse Orpiment out of unraced Bullet Proof, by the Carbine horse Wax Bullet.
Books and media
- Iltis is one of 24 important Thoroughbred mares profiled in Edward Bowen's Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century (1999, 2000, The Blood-Horse, Inc.).
- Iltis is profiled in Chapter 33 of John Sparkman's Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America's Breeding Industry (2008, Thoroughbred Times Company, Inc.).
Fun facts
- Iltis was the surname of a family of distinguished American scientists. Hugo Iltis was a biologist and a professor at Mary Washington College and was the father of entomologist Fred Iltis and botanist Hugh Iltis. The name may also come from the German “iltis,” meaning “polecat,” a small European weasel that is the ancestor of the domestic ferret.
Last updated: December 1, 2024