When Frost Point entered the starting gate for the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes (USA-G3) on April 22, she was already quite a valuable prospective broodmare with a stellar pedigree and a black-type win to her name. She exited the race as an even more valuable property, earning her first graded victory and demonstrating an excellent turn of foot during the stretch drive, and one may be sure there will be a place for her in the Darley broodmare band when she hangs up her racing plates.
A 5-year-old, Frost Point is a daughter of two Darley products in Frosted and Balletto. The former is a son of three-time American champion sire Tapit out of 2003 Cotillion Handicap (USA-G2) winner Fast Cookie, a Deputy Minister half sister to 2008 American champion 2-year-old male and successful sire Midshipman (by Unbridled’s Song). A three-time Grade 1 winner during his racing career and a half brother to 2017 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G3) winner Indulgent, Frosted was arguably the second-best colt of the 2012 North American crop behind Triple Crown winner American Pharoah but has been a rather disappointing sire so far given his own racing class, his pedigree, and the quality of mates that he has been afforded. Nonetheless, given his own credentials and his connections, there is no denying that he could come up with an excellent runner at any time.
Her sire’s sixth graded or Group winner, Frost Point was produced from 2005 Frizette Stakes (USA-G1) winner Balletto, a daughter of 1994 American champion 2-year-old male Timber Country whose other stakes winner is Grade 1-placed stakes winner Villanesca (by Distorted Humor). A half sister to 2001 Blandford Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Dearly (by Rahy; dam of listed stakes winner True Cause, by Storm Cat), Balletto is out of 1990 Sheepshead Bay Handicap (USA-G3) winner Destiny Dance, the first of four stakes winners produced from 1983 American champion 2-year-old filly Althea (by Alydar) and so a half sister to 1994 Japanese champion 2-year-old filly Yamanin Paradise (by Danzig).
Althea was, sadly, short-lived, dying in a paddock accident in 1995, but she has exercised considerable influence on Thoroughbred breeding through Yamanin Paradise’s full sister Aurora. The winner of the 1992 Aqueduct Breeders’ Cup Handicap (USA-L) and Grade 3-placed, Aurora produced 1998 Super Derby (USA-G1) winner Arch (by Kris S.), who became a good sire for Claiborne Farm and sired the similarly successful stallion Blame, the American champion older male of 2010. Aurora also produced 2010 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1) winner Acoma (by Empire Maker) and 2001 UAE Horse of the Year Festival of Light (by A.P. Indy) and is the second dam of 2019 American champion female sprinter and champion 3-year-old filly Covfefe (by Into Mischief).
Althea was produced from a still better broodmare in Courtly Dee (Never Bend x Tulle, by War Admiral), who was named the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1983 based on Althea’s championship season. By that time, Courtly Dee had also produced three other stakes winners, including 1976 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ali Oop (by Al Hattab), and she would go on to produce four more, headed by 1985 Cowdin Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ketoh. Aside from her descendants through Althea, Courtly Dee is the granddam of the excellent sire Green Desert (by Danzig) and the ancestress of an ever-increasing number of graded and Group stakes winners around the world.
Few mares have the sheer depth of family behind them that Frost Point does, and with a graded win on her résumé, she has just become doubly valuable. Barring injury, she will probably race through the end of the season, but after that, look for her to retire to the paddocks, where she will attempt to add another chapter to the already-remarkable story of her family.
A 5-year-old, Frost Point is a daughter of two Darley products in Frosted and Balletto. The former is a son of three-time American champion sire Tapit out of 2003 Cotillion Handicap (USA-G2) winner Fast Cookie, a Deputy Minister half sister to 2008 American champion 2-year-old male and successful sire Midshipman (by Unbridled’s Song). A three-time Grade 1 winner during his racing career and a half brother to 2017 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G3) winner Indulgent, Frosted was arguably the second-best colt of the 2012 North American crop behind Triple Crown winner American Pharoah but has been a rather disappointing sire so far given his own racing class, his pedigree, and the quality of mates that he has been afforded. Nonetheless, given his own credentials and his connections, there is no denying that he could come up with an excellent runner at any time.
Her sire’s sixth graded or Group winner, Frost Point was produced from 2005 Frizette Stakes (USA-G1) winner Balletto, a daughter of 1994 American champion 2-year-old male Timber Country whose other stakes winner is Grade 1-placed stakes winner Villanesca (by Distorted Humor). A half sister to 2001 Blandford Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Dearly (by Rahy; dam of listed stakes winner True Cause, by Storm Cat), Balletto is out of 1990 Sheepshead Bay Handicap (USA-G3) winner Destiny Dance, the first of four stakes winners produced from 1983 American champion 2-year-old filly Althea (by Alydar) and so a half sister to 1994 Japanese champion 2-year-old filly Yamanin Paradise (by Danzig).
Althea was, sadly, short-lived, dying in a paddock accident in 1995, but she has exercised considerable influence on Thoroughbred breeding through Yamanin Paradise’s full sister Aurora. The winner of the 1992 Aqueduct Breeders’ Cup Handicap (USA-L) and Grade 3-placed, Aurora produced 1998 Super Derby (USA-G1) winner Arch (by Kris S.), who became a good sire for Claiborne Farm and sired the similarly successful stallion Blame, the American champion older male of 2010. Aurora also produced 2010 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1) winner Acoma (by Empire Maker) and 2001 UAE Horse of the Year Festival of Light (by A.P. Indy) and is the second dam of 2019 American champion female sprinter and champion 3-year-old filly Covfefe (by Into Mischief).
Althea was produced from a still better broodmare in Courtly Dee (Never Bend x Tulle, by War Admiral), who was named the Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1983 based on Althea’s championship season. By that time, Courtly Dee had also produced three other stakes winners, including 1976 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ali Oop (by Al Hattab), and she would go on to produce four more, headed by 1985 Cowdin Stakes (USA-G1) winner Ketoh. Aside from her descendants through Althea, Courtly Dee is the granddam of the excellent sire Green Desert (by Danzig) and the ancestress of an ever-increasing number of graded and Group stakes winners around the world.
Few mares have the sheer depth of family behind them that Frost Point does, and with a graded win on her résumé, she has just become doubly valuable. Barring injury, she will probably race through the end of the season, but after that, look for her to retire to the paddocks, where she will attempt to add another chapter to the already-remarkable story of her family.
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