In Reality (USA)
March 1, 1964 – May 8, 1989
Intentionally (USA) x My Dear Girl (USA), by Rough'n Tumble (USA)
Family 21-a
March 1, 1964 – May 8, 1989
Intentionally (USA) x My Dear Girl (USA), by Rough'n Tumble (USA)
Family 21-a
A colt who was probably close to championship class in a normal year, In Reality had the misfortune to belong to the same crop as Damascus and Dr. Fager, both truly exceptional runners. When he could get away from the two titans, he won his share and then some before being stopped by a career-ending foot injury in the 1968 Suburban Handicap. He retired to his native Florida and became an excellent sire, continuing the male line of the great Man o' War.
Race record
27 starts, 14 wins, 9 seconds, 2 thirds, US$795,824
1966:
1967:
1968:
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1966, 3 pounds below divisional champion and highweight Successor and tied for fourth overall.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1967, 10 pounds below divisional highweight and champion Damascus but third overall.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1968, 12 pounds below Horse of the Year and highweight Dr. Fager but tied for third overall.
As an individual
In Reality stood 15.2-1/2 hands according to his stallion advertisements. Powerful and muscular, he was a slightly larger, masculine version of his dam My Dear Girl. Although blocky and strongly made both before and behind the saddle, he was not coarse and lacked the base-narrow conformation often seen in such types. His shoulders were heavy but not upright and his legs were correct other than for slightly upright pasterns. His action was quick and clever and he could be placed anywhere in a race as his jockey desired. Veteran racing writer Steve Haskin described In Reality as "a feisty little bulldog of a horse and equally tenacious...like a terrier that grabs hold of your pants leg and won't let go." In Reality stayed up to 10 furlongs well but a mile was probably his best trip. He had a good disposition and was indifferent to track conditions.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, In Reality sired 376 winners (66.8%) and 83 stakes winners (14.7%) from 563 foals, while Thoroughbred Times and The Blood-Horse both credit him with 81 stakes winners. His progeny were generally precocious and quick but trained on well, though 8 or 9 furlongs was as far as most of them cared to go. Many were slightly back at the knee, a trait passed on by In Reality's dam My Dear Girl. In Reality is a Brilliant/Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
Notable progeny
Basie (USA), Believe It (USA), Desert Vixen (USA), Known Fact (USA), Proper Reality (USA), Relaunch (USA), Smile (USA), Star Choice (USA), Stub (USA), Valid Appeal (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
All Will Be Well (SAF), Commendable (USA), Cutlass Reality (USA), Dance of Life (USA), Dernier Empereur (USA), For Certain Doc (USA), Lite Light (USA), Meadow Star (USA), Real Shadai (USA), Saratoga Dew (USA), Serape (USA), Tappiano (USA), Toussaud (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, In Reality was bred and owned by Frances A. Genter Stable. He was trained by Melvin “Sunshine” Calvert. He retired from racing after breaking a bone in his foot during the 1968 Surburban Handicap. He entered stud in Florida at Tartan Farms in 1969. He transferred to Gainesway Farm, Kentucky, in 1987. After undergoing surgery for a tumor in late 1988, he did not serve any mares in 1989. He was humanely destroyed May 8, 1989, after failing to respond to treatment for laminitis and was buried in the Gainesway equine cemetery.
Pedigree notes
In Reality is inbred 3x3 to War Relic and 5x5x5 to Fair Play. His dam My Dear Girl, the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1959, was a remarkable blue hen and also produced 1980 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1) winner Superbity (by Groshawk), multiple Grade 3 winner Return to Reality (by Intentionally), and stakes winners Watchfulness (by Native Charger), Really and Truly (by What a Pleasure), Gentle Touch (by Chieftain; dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Dr. Carter, by Caro), and My Dear Lady (by Mr. Prospector; dam of French Group 2 winner Albarahin, by Silver Hawk, and two other stakes winners). My Dear Girl also produced Near and Dear (by Needles), dam of stakes winner Close to Me (by What a Pleasure) and second dam of stakes winners Ocalarado, Mi Vereda, and Big Partner, and Endearing (by Count Fleet), dam of stakes winners Kettle River (by Vertex) and Cheers Marion (by Native Charger) and second dam of stakes winner Coastliner.
My Dear Girl, in turn, is out of the War Relic mare Iltis and is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Treasure Chest, dam of English Group 3 winner Kanz (by The Minstrel), Grade 3 winner Diomedia (by Sea-Bird), and stakes winner Gold Treasure (by Northern Dancer). Treasure Chest is also the dam of stakes-placed Crown Treasure (by Graustark), dam of Glint of Gold (by Mill Reef), a champion in Germany and Italy, and his full brother Diamond Shoal, the champion older male of 1983 in England, France, and Italy. Another full sister to My Dear Girl is Me Next, dam of stakes winners Lucky Ole Me (by Olden Times) and Midnight Pumpkin (by Pretense) and second dam of 1985 Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Tank's Prospect. In addition, My Dear Girl is a half sister to multiple stakes winner My Old Flame (by Count Flame).
Books and media
In Reality is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
Last updated: September 11, 2024
Race record
27 starts, 14 wins, 9 seconds, 2 thirds, US$795,824
1966:
- Won Pimlico Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Cowdin Stakes (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Sapling Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
1967:
- Won Florida Derby (USA, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Jersey Derby (USA, 9FD, Garden State; by disqualification of Dr. Fager)
- Won Choice Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Monmouth)
- Won Hibiscus Stakes (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- Won Fountain of Youth Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Rumson Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- 2nd New Hampshire Sweepstakes Classic (USA, 10FD, Rockingham Park)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd American Derby (USA, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Flamingo Stakes (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Jerome Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Florida Breeders' (Carl G. Rose Memorial) Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
1968:
- Won John B. Campbell Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Carter Handicap (USA, 7FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Seminole Handicap (USA, 9FD, Hialeah)
- 3rd Royal Palm Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1966, 3 pounds below divisional champion and highweight Successor and tied for fourth overall.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1967, 10 pounds below divisional highweight and champion Damascus but third overall.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1968, 12 pounds below Horse of the Year and highweight Dr. Fager but tied for third overall.
As an individual
In Reality stood 15.2-1/2 hands according to his stallion advertisements. Powerful and muscular, he was a slightly larger, masculine version of his dam My Dear Girl. Although blocky and strongly made both before and behind the saddle, he was not coarse and lacked the base-narrow conformation often seen in such types. His shoulders were heavy but not upright and his legs were correct other than for slightly upright pasterns. His action was quick and clever and he could be placed anywhere in a race as his jockey desired. Veteran racing writer Steve Haskin described In Reality as "a feisty little bulldog of a horse and equally tenacious...like a terrier that grabs hold of your pants leg and won't let go." In Reality stayed up to 10 furlongs well but a mile was probably his best trip. He had a good disposition and was indifferent to track conditions.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, In Reality sired 376 winners (66.8%) and 83 stakes winners (14.7%) from 563 foals, while Thoroughbred Times and The Blood-Horse both credit him with 81 stakes winners. His progeny were generally precocious and quick but trained on well, though 8 or 9 furlongs was as far as most of them cared to go. Many were slightly back at the knee, a trait passed on by In Reality's dam My Dear Girl. In Reality is a Brilliant/Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 1980; 5th in 1977; 7th in 1979; 9th in 1985.
- 2nd on the American broodmare sire list in 1990; 7th in 1986; 8th in 1993; 9th in 1991; 10th in 1989 and 1992.
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
- Led the American juvenile sire list in 1977.
Notable progeny
Basie (USA), Believe It (USA), Desert Vixen (USA), Known Fact (USA), Proper Reality (USA), Relaunch (USA), Smile (USA), Star Choice (USA), Stub (USA), Valid Appeal (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
All Will Be Well (SAF), Commendable (USA), Cutlass Reality (USA), Dance of Life (USA), Dernier Empereur (USA), For Certain Doc (USA), Lite Light (USA), Meadow Star (USA), Real Shadai (USA), Saratoga Dew (USA), Serape (USA), Tappiano (USA), Toussaud (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, In Reality was bred and owned by Frances A. Genter Stable. He was trained by Melvin “Sunshine” Calvert. He retired from racing after breaking a bone in his foot during the 1968 Surburban Handicap. He entered stud in Florida at Tartan Farms in 1969. He transferred to Gainesway Farm, Kentucky, in 1987. After undergoing surgery for a tumor in late 1988, he did not serve any mares in 1989. He was humanely destroyed May 8, 1989, after failing to respond to treatment for laminitis and was buried in the Gainesway equine cemetery.
Pedigree notes
In Reality is inbred 3x3 to War Relic and 5x5x5 to Fair Play. His dam My Dear Girl, the American champion 2-year-old filly of 1959, was a remarkable blue hen and also produced 1980 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1) winner Superbity (by Groshawk), multiple Grade 3 winner Return to Reality (by Intentionally), and stakes winners Watchfulness (by Native Charger), Really and Truly (by What a Pleasure), Gentle Touch (by Chieftain; dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Dr. Carter, by Caro), and My Dear Lady (by Mr. Prospector; dam of French Group 2 winner Albarahin, by Silver Hawk, and two other stakes winners). My Dear Girl also produced Near and Dear (by Needles), dam of stakes winner Close to Me (by What a Pleasure) and second dam of stakes winners Ocalarado, Mi Vereda, and Big Partner, and Endearing (by Count Fleet), dam of stakes winners Kettle River (by Vertex) and Cheers Marion (by Native Charger) and second dam of stakes winner Coastliner.
My Dear Girl, in turn, is out of the War Relic mare Iltis and is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Treasure Chest, dam of English Group 3 winner Kanz (by The Minstrel), Grade 3 winner Diomedia (by Sea-Bird), and stakes winner Gold Treasure (by Northern Dancer). Treasure Chest is also the dam of stakes-placed Crown Treasure (by Graustark), dam of Glint of Gold (by Mill Reef), a champion in Germany and Italy, and his full brother Diamond Shoal, the champion older male of 1983 in England, France, and Italy. Another full sister to My Dear Girl is Me Next, dam of stakes winners Lucky Ole Me (by Olden Times) and Midnight Pumpkin (by Pretense) and second dam of 1985 Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Tank's Prospect. In addition, My Dear Girl is a half sister to multiple stakes winner My Old Flame (by Count Flame).
Books and media
In Reality is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
- The In Reality Stakes is the third race in the Florida Sire Stakes series for state-bred juveniles. It is contested at 8½ furlongs on dirt at Gulfstream Park.
Last updated: September 11, 2024