Going into Saturday's Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (USA-G1), State of Rest had won only once in seven tries, this in the modest maiden race at Ireland's Fairyhouse course that was his first outing. He emerged from the Saratoga Derby as a Grade 1 winner, defying his odds at 21-1. Sired by Starspangledbanner, a champion sprinter in both Europe and Australia, State of Rest is a scion of the family of Queen Nasra, which in recent years has risen to become one of the top families of the early 21st century.
A Nasrullah half sister to 1950 Golden Gate Derby winner Sir Butch (by Silver Horde), Queen Nasra won once and placed third once in four starts. As a broodmare, her only stakes winner was the Raise a Native colt Native Royalty, who took down his biggest win in the 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap before becoming a useful sire.
If that had been all there was to Queen Nasra's produce record, her broodmare career would be fairly unmemorable. But a year before Native Royalty, she had produced the filly Queen of Diamonds by the undistinguished sire Alcibiades II. Queen of Diamonds was neither a great runner or a great producer, but her 1974 filly by Marshua's Dancer was a link to better things. Named Queens Only, she produced one of the best American juvenile fillies of 1982 in Only Queens (by Transworld), who took that year's Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G1) and Tempted Stakes (USA-G2) before producing multiple Grade 1 winner Tactile (by Slew o' Gold) and becoming the second dam of Grade 2 winner Last Song and Grade 3 winner Brushing Gloom. Queens Only is also the dam of Grade 3 winner Contested Bid (by Alleged), who placed third in two European Classics, and of Hail Roberta (by Roberto), dam of 2005 Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1) winner Gun Salute (by Military).
The other Grade 1-producing branch of Queen Nasra's family comes through A Wind Is Rising, a winner by Francis S. Mated to Mr. Prospector, she produced It's in the Air, the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1978 and a multiple Grade 1 winner at 3 and 4. Not only was It's in the Air a first-class race mare, but she is proving to be a tremendous influence as a broodmare as her daughters breed on.
The first champion for her sire, It's in the Air produced three stakes winners. The best on the race course was Bitooh (by Seattle Slew), a Group 2 winner as a 2-year-old in France, but it is Zilzal's listed stakes-winning daughter Monaassabaat who has had more long-term influence. The dam of listed stakes winners Echo River (by Irish River) and Prince Alzain (by Street Sense) as well as the good steeplechaser Spy in the Sky (by Thunder Gulch), Monaassabaat is the second dam of State of Rest through her unraced Quiet American daughter Repose.
Aside from her stakes winners, It's in the Air is also the dam of Try and Catch Me (by Shareef Dancer), dam in turn of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Storming Home (by Machiavellian) and second dam of 2012 ATC Metropolitan Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Glencadam Gold and multiple Group 3 winner Dubai Prince. Another daughter of It's in the Air, stakes-placed Sous Entendu (by Shadeed) produced three stakes winners including Grade/Group 2 winners Slip Stream (by Irish River) and Porte Bonheur (by Hennessy) and is the second dam of 2010 Coolmore Classic Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Alverta and multiple Group 3 winner Aerobatics. In addition, It's in the Air is the dam of Note Musicale (by Sadler's Wells), dam of 2003 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) winner Musical Chimes (by In Excess) and multiple Grade 1 winner Music Note (by A.P. Indy) and second dam of 2021 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner Mystic Guide and Grade 3 winner Gershwin.
While a daughter like It's in the Air would be credit enough for any mare A Wind Is Rising did not stop there. Her Prince John daughter Morning Has Broken is the second dam of 1994 Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1) and Energizer Oaks Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Balanchine, multiple Irish Group 1 winner Saoirse Abu, and Grade/Group 2 winners Radu Cool, Red Slippers, and Romanov and is the third dam of 2007 Prix de Diane (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner West Wind, multiple Australian Group 1 winner Trust in a Gust, 2009 Golden Jubilee Stakes (ENG-G1) Art Connoisseur, Grade 2 winners Most Distinguished and Leave the Light On, and Grade 3 winner Humble Eight. A Wind Is Rising is also the dam of stakes-placed Strictly Raised (by Raise a Native), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Rock Me Baby.
As can be seen, State of Rest still has a way to go before he can match the very best this family has produced thus far. A Grade 1 win is nothing to sneeze at, however, and adds to the legacy of a queen whose crown has been shining ever brighter with the passing years.
A Nasrullah half sister to 1950 Golden Gate Derby winner Sir Butch (by Silver Horde), Queen Nasra won once and placed third once in four starts. As a broodmare, her only stakes winner was the Raise a Native colt Native Royalty, who took down his biggest win in the 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap before becoming a useful sire.
If that had been all there was to Queen Nasra's produce record, her broodmare career would be fairly unmemorable. But a year before Native Royalty, she had produced the filly Queen of Diamonds by the undistinguished sire Alcibiades II. Queen of Diamonds was neither a great runner or a great producer, but her 1974 filly by Marshua's Dancer was a link to better things. Named Queens Only, she produced one of the best American juvenile fillies of 1982 in Only Queens (by Transworld), who took that year's Demoiselle Stakes (USA-G1) and Tempted Stakes (USA-G2) before producing multiple Grade 1 winner Tactile (by Slew o' Gold) and becoming the second dam of Grade 2 winner Last Song and Grade 3 winner Brushing Gloom. Queens Only is also the dam of Grade 3 winner Contested Bid (by Alleged), who placed third in two European Classics, and of Hail Roberta (by Roberto), dam of 2005 Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1) winner Gun Salute (by Military).
The other Grade 1-producing branch of Queen Nasra's family comes through A Wind Is Rising, a winner by Francis S. Mated to Mr. Prospector, she produced It's in the Air, the American co-champion 2-year-old filly of 1978 and a multiple Grade 1 winner at 3 and 4. Not only was It's in the Air a first-class race mare, but she is proving to be a tremendous influence as a broodmare as her daughters breed on.
The first champion for her sire, It's in the Air produced three stakes winners. The best on the race course was Bitooh (by Seattle Slew), a Group 2 winner as a 2-year-old in France, but it is Zilzal's listed stakes-winning daughter Monaassabaat who has had more long-term influence. The dam of listed stakes winners Echo River (by Irish River) and Prince Alzain (by Street Sense) as well as the good steeplechaser Spy in the Sky (by Thunder Gulch), Monaassabaat is the second dam of State of Rest through her unraced Quiet American daughter Repose.
Aside from her stakes winners, It's in the Air is also the dam of Try and Catch Me (by Shareef Dancer), dam in turn of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Storming Home (by Machiavellian) and second dam of 2012 ATC Metropolitan Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Glencadam Gold and multiple Group 3 winner Dubai Prince. Another daughter of It's in the Air, stakes-placed Sous Entendu (by Shadeed) produced three stakes winners including Grade/Group 2 winners Slip Stream (by Irish River) and Porte Bonheur (by Hennessy) and is the second dam of 2010 Coolmore Classic Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Alverta and multiple Group 3 winner Aerobatics. In addition, It's in the Air is the dam of Note Musicale (by Sadler's Wells), dam of 2003 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) winner Musical Chimes (by In Excess) and multiple Grade 1 winner Music Note (by A.P. Indy) and second dam of 2021 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner Mystic Guide and Grade 3 winner Gershwin.
While a daughter like It's in the Air would be credit enough for any mare A Wind Is Rising did not stop there. Her Prince John daughter Morning Has Broken is the second dam of 1994 Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1) and Energizer Oaks Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Balanchine, multiple Irish Group 1 winner Saoirse Abu, and Grade/Group 2 winners Radu Cool, Red Slippers, and Romanov and is the third dam of 2007 Prix de Diane (French Oaks, FR-G1) winner West Wind, multiple Australian Group 1 winner Trust in a Gust, 2009 Golden Jubilee Stakes (ENG-G1) Art Connoisseur, Grade 2 winners Most Distinguished and Leave the Light On, and Grade 3 winner Humble Eight. A Wind Is Rising is also the dam of stakes-placed Strictly Raised (by Raise a Native), third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Rock Me Baby.
As can be seen, State of Rest still has a way to go before he can match the very best this family has produced thus far. A Grade 1 win is nothing to sneeze at, however, and adds to the legacy of a queen whose crown has been shining ever brighter with the passing years.
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