It’s in the Air (USA)
February 10, 1976 – c. 1998
Mr. Prospector (USA) x A Wind Is Rising (USA), by Francis S. (USA)
Family 4-k
February 10, 1976 – c. 1998
Mr. Prospector (USA) x A Wind Is Rising (USA), by Francis S. (USA)
Family 4-k
The first champion sired by the great stallion Mr. Prospector, It’s in the Air was at the top of her class at 2 and trained on to be a Grade 1 winner at 3 and 4 before seeming to lose interest in racing as a 5-year-old. She was a good broodmare, producing three stakes winners, and her daughters have bred on successfully.
Race record
43 starts, 16 wins, 9 seconds, 6 thirds, US$892,339
1978:
1979:
1980:
1981:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American co-champion 2-year-old filly (1978)
Assessments
Co-highweighted with Candy Eclair (the other divisional champion) at 119 pounds among American juvenile fillies of 1978 on the Experimental Free Handicap, 1 pound above Terlingua.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1979, 1 pound below divisional champion Davona Dale.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1980, 10 pounds below divisional champion Glorious Song.
Rated at 113 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1981, 14 pounds below divisional champion Relaxing.
As an individual
A bay mare, It’s in the Air had good natural speed but could be placed as her jockey desired in a race. She could handle both fast and off surfaces.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, It’s in the Air produced 11 named foals, of which 10 started and nine won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Florida, It’s in the Air was bred by Happy Valley Farm (owned by brothers Stephen Wolfson and Gary Wolfson). She was owned by Jerry Frankel, who bought her privately as a weanling for US$25,000, and was initially trained by Louis Goldfine. The day before her victory in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes, It’s in the Air was purchased by Louis and Patrice Wolfson’s Harbor View Farm for US$300,000 but ran the race in Frankel’s colors with Goldfine as trainer per the terms of the sale; she was thereafter trained by Lazaro Barrera. She changed hands again after her first start at 5, becoming the property of Robert Brennan’s Due Process Stable, and was transferred to the barn of Reynaldo Nobles. In 1984, It’s in the Air, then in foal to Seattle Slew, was sold for US$4.6 million at the Keeneland November mixed sale. She produced her remaining foals for Gainsborough Stud Management (Europe) or Gainsborough Farm (USA) with the last, the Sadler’s Wells filly Cloudy Skies, arriving in Ireland in 1998.
Pedigree notes
It’s in the Air is inbred 4x3 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and 5x5x4 to Nasrullah’s sire and dam, unbeaten champion Nearco and the influential broodmare Mumtaz Begum. She is a half sister to listed stakes-placed Strictly Raised (by Raise a Native), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Rock Me Baby. She is also a half sister to Morning Has Broken (by Prince John), second dam of 1994 European champion 3-year-old filly Balanchine and multiple Irish Group 1 winner Saoirse Abu; Grade/Group 2 winners Radu Cool, Red Slippers, and Romanov; and 2010 Serbian champion older male Giant Love. Morning Has Broken is also the third dam of 2007 Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner West Wind, 2009 Golden Jubilee Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Art Connoisseur, 2014 MRC Invitation Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Trust in a Gust, Grade 2 winners Leave the Light On and Most Distinguished, and Grade 3 winner Humble Eight.
It’s in the Air and her sisters are out of A Wind Is Rising, by 1960 Wood Memorial winner Francis S. (by Royal Charger). A winner on the track, A Wind Is Rising is a full sister to Fran Nasra, dam of stakes winner Mary Jacqueline (by Verbatim) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Mindy Gayle. She is a half sister to 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap winner Native Royalty (by Raise a Native) and to Queen of Diamonds (by Alcibiades II), second dam of 1982 Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G1) winner Only Queens and Grade 3 winner Contested Bid and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tactile and 2005 Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1) winner Gun Salute. A Wind Is Rising is also a half sister to Time to Remember (by Bold Native), second dam of 1994 Puerto Rican champion imported 2-year-old male Tozudito and South African Group 3 winner Great Memories and third dam of Grade/Group 2 winners Diamond Stripes and Summer Note.
A Wind Is Rising, in turn, was produced from the Nasrullah mare Queen Nasra, whose half brother Sir Butch (by Silver Horde) won the 1950 Golden Gate Derby. The siblings are out of the winning Stimulus mare Bayborough, a half sister to claiming stakes winner North Riding (by High Time) and to Impshi (by Diavolo), dam of juvenile stakes winner Mis-Guide (by Signator)
Fun facts
Last updated: April 2, 2023
Race record
43 starts, 16 wins, 9 seconds, 6 thirds, US$892,339
1978:
- Won Oak Leaf Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Arlington-Washington Lassie S. (USA-G2, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Mademoiselle Stakes (USA, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Frizette Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD Belmont)
1979:
- Won Vanity Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- Won Alabama Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Delaware Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Delaware Park)
- Won Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Hollywood Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Maskette Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Milady Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Santa Susana Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Santa Ynez Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Santa Anita)
1980:
- Won Vanity Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- Won El Encino Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Long Look Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, The Meadowlands)
- 2nd Milady Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Beldame Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 3rd La Canada Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Ballerina Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Saratoga)
1981:
- 2nd Distaff Handicap (USA-G3, 7FD, Aqueduct)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American co-champion 2-year-old filly (1978)
Assessments
Co-highweighted with Candy Eclair (the other divisional champion) at 119 pounds among American juvenile fillies of 1978 on the Experimental Free Handicap, 1 pound above Terlingua.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1979, 1 pound below divisional champion Davona Dale.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1980, 10 pounds below divisional champion Glorious Song.
Rated at 113 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older females of 1981, 14 pounds below divisional champion Relaxing.
As an individual
A bay mare, It’s in the Air had good natural speed but could be placed as her jockey desired in a race. She could handle both fast and off surfaces.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, It’s in the Air produced 11 named foals, of which 10 started and nine won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Air Dancer (1983, by Northern Dancer) won the restricted Honeymoon Handicap at Atlantic City as a 3-year-old and placed in five other stakes races. She produced only one foal, a winner in Japan.
- Bitooh (1985, by Seattle Slew) won the 1987 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte (FR-G2) as a juvenile and took two French listed races at 3. She was a disappointing broodmare.
- Try to Catch Me (1986, by Shareef Dancer) won one of her eight starts. She is the dam of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Storming Home (by Machiavellian) and is the second dam of 2012 ATC Metropolitan Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Glencadam Gold and multiple Group 3 winner Dubai Prince.
- Sous Entendu (1987, by Shadeed) was Group 3-placed in France. She is the dam of 2000 Berlin-Brandenburg Trophy (GER-G2) winner Slip Stream (by Irish River), 2009 First Flight Handicap (USA-G2) winner Porte Bonheur (by Hennessy), and multiple French listed stakes winner Banafsajee (by Pleasant Colony). She is the second dam of 2010 Coolmore Classic Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Alverta, 2923 Osaka Hai (JPN-G1) winner Jack d'Or, and multiple Australian Group 3 winner Aerobatics.
- Monaassabaat (1991, by Zilzal) won the listed Tattersalls Virginia Stakes in England as a 3-year-old. She is the dam of English listed stakes winners Echo River (by Irish River) and Prince Alzain (by Street Sense) and is also the dam of four-time steeplechase stakes winner Spy in the Sky (by Thunder Gulch). In addition, she is the second dam of 2021 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) and W S Cox Plate (AUS-G1) winner State of Rest and of French Group 3 winner Tranquil Lady.
- Note Musicale (1995, by Sadler’s Wells) never raced but is the dam of 2003 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) and 2004 John C. Mabee Handicap (USA-G1) winner Musical Chimes (by In Excess) and of five-time Grade 1 winner Music Note (by A.P. Indy), whose victories include the 2008 Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1). She is the second dam of 2021 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner Mystic Guide and Grade 3 winner Gershwin and is the third dam of Grade 3 winner She Can't Sing.
Connections
Foaled in Florida, It’s in the Air was bred by Happy Valley Farm (owned by brothers Stephen Wolfson and Gary Wolfson). She was owned by Jerry Frankel, who bought her privately as a weanling for US$25,000, and was initially trained by Louis Goldfine. The day before her victory in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes, It’s in the Air was purchased by Louis and Patrice Wolfson’s Harbor View Farm for US$300,000 but ran the race in Frankel’s colors with Goldfine as trainer per the terms of the sale; she was thereafter trained by Lazaro Barrera. She changed hands again after her first start at 5, becoming the property of Robert Brennan’s Due Process Stable, and was transferred to the barn of Reynaldo Nobles. In 1984, It’s in the Air, then in foal to Seattle Slew, was sold for US$4.6 million at the Keeneland November mixed sale. She produced her remaining foals for Gainsborough Stud Management (Europe) or Gainsborough Farm (USA) with the last, the Sadler’s Wells filly Cloudy Skies, arriving in Ireland in 1998.
Pedigree notes
It’s in the Air is inbred 4x3 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and 5x5x4 to Nasrullah’s sire and dam, unbeaten champion Nearco and the influential broodmare Mumtaz Begum. She is a half sister to listed stakes-placed Strictly Raised (by Raise a Native), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Rock Me Baby. She is also a half sister to Morning Has Broken (by Prince John), second dam of 1994 European champion 3-year-old filly Balanchine and multiple Irish Group 1 winner Saoirse Abu; Grade/Group 2 winners Radu Cool, Red Slippers, and Romanov; and 2010 Serbian champion older male Giant Love. Morning Has Broken is also the third dam of 2007 Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner West Wind, 2009 Golden Jubilee Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Art Connoisseur, 2014 MRC Invitation Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Trust in a Gust, Grade 2 winners Leave the Light On and Most Distinguished, and Grade 3 winner Humble Eight.
It’s in the Air and her sisters are out of A Wind Is Rising, by 1960 Wood Memorial winner Francis S. (by Royal Charger). A winner on the track, A Wind Is Rising is a full sister to Fran Nasra, dam of stakes winner Mary Jacqueline (by Verbatim) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Mindy Gayle. She is a half sister to 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap winner Native Royalty (by Raise a Native) and to Queen of Diamonds (by Alcibiades II), second dam of 1982 Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G1) winner Only Queens and Grade 3 winner Contested Bid and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tactile and 2005 Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1) winner Gun Salute. A Wind Is Rising is also a half sister to Time to Remember (by Bold Native), second dam of 1994 Puerto Rican champion imported 2-year-old male Tozudito and South African Group 3 winner Great Memories and third dam of Grade/Group 2 winners Diamond Stripes and Summer Note.
A Wind Is Rising, in turn, was produced from the Nasrullah mare Queen Nasra, whose half brother Sir Butch (by Silver Horde) won the 1950 Golden Gate Derby. The siblings are out of the winning Stimulus mare Bayborough, a half sister to claiming stakes winner North Riding (by High Time) and to Impshi (by Diavolo), dam of juvenile stakes winner Mis-Guide (by Signator)
Fun facts
- Because of the tie between It’s in the Air and Candy Eclair for 1978 American champion 2-year-old filly honors, along with the tie between J. O. Tobin and Dr. Patches in the sprint division, Eclipse Award voting was revised in 1979 to ensure that only a single champion would be selected in each division.
Last updated: April 2, 2023