Missy Baba (USA)
May 13, 1958 – 1980
Tulyar (IRE) or My Babu (FR) x Uvira II (IRE), by Umidwar (GB)
Family 3-l
"GENETIC GEM"
May 13, 1958 – 1980
Tulyar (IRE) or My Babu (FR) x Uvira II (IRE), by Umidwar (GB)
Family 3-l
"GENETIC GEM"
A half sister to five stakes-winning colts, Missy Baba showed good speed in winning her first race but bore out in her second race after flashing early speed. Her bearing out may have indicated the development or recurrence of a mental or physical problem, for she showed nothing else besides brief early speed in five more starts. Whatever her issue was, it did not keep her from being a most successful broodmare and the foundation of a great American family.
Race record
7 starts, 1 win, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,275
Missy Baba did not race until July of her 3-year-old season and scored her only win in a maiden special weight at Monmouth.
As an individual
A bay mare, Missy Baba was on the small side and had a compact build that she tended to transmit to her foals.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Missy Baba produced 13 named foals, of which 12 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Missy Baba was bred and owned by Michael G. Phipps, who as a member of the Phipps family was able to secure access to Claiborne Farm's lineup of great stallions for his mare while she remained in his ownership. She was trained by T. J. “Tommy” Kelly. She was sold to John Schiff in 1970. Her descendants played a major role in the success of Lane's End Farm.
Pedigree notes
Missy Baba is inbred 4x3 to three-time English leading sire Blandford and 5x5x4 to Blandford's sire Swynford, winner of the 1910 St. Leger Stakes and the English leading sire of 1923. She is a half sister to the stakes-winning colts Colonel O'F (by Teddy's Comet), Noble Impulse (by Bull Dog), General Staff (by Mahmoud), Parnassus (by War Admiral) and Francis U. (by Francis S.), none of whom made any impact as sires. She is also a half sister to Obedient (by Mahmoud), dam of the good stakes winners Iron Ruler (by Never Bend; a useful sire) and Don't Alibi (by Alibhai); to Navira (by Nasrullah), dam of multiple stakes winners Royal Comedian (by Tom Fool) and Chateauvira (by Chateaugay) and second dam of multiple stakes winner Tanagra; to Purdah (by Nasrullah), dam of multiple stakes producer Scatter Plan (by Quadrangle); to Blarney Bess (by Tulyar), second dam of 1994 Dubai Champion Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Dernier Empereur and European Group 3 winners Petipa, Prattle On and Sarasota Spring; and to Oonagh (by Sword Dancer), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Hunza Dancer (by Hawaii).
Uvira II, the dam of Missy Baba and her siblings, won the 1941 Irish Oaks. A half sister to English stakes winner La Gaiete (by Gainsborough), she was produced from 1926 Irish Oaks runner-up Lady Lawless, a daughter of the noted stayer and sire of stayers Son-in-Law out of Entanglement, by 1906 Derby Stakes winner Spearmint.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: November 15, 2024
Race record
7 starts, 1 win, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,275
Missy Baba did not race until July of her 3-year-old season and scored her only win in a maiden special weight at Monmouth.
As an individual
A bay mare, Missy Baba was on the small side and had a compact build that she tended to transmit to her foals.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Missy Baba produced 13 named foals, of which 12 started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Master Bold (1965, by Bold Ruler) won the 1968 Dade Metropolitan Handicap and placed in nine other stakes races. He was exported to Argentina for stud duty but was not a major success there.
- Chokri (1966, by Herbager) won the 1968 Durazna Stakes. She produced only one foal, the non-winning Bold Ruler filly Bold Missy, who was of no significance as a producer.
- Gay Missile (1967, by Sir Gaylord) won the 1970 Ashland Stakes and placed in four other stakes races. A notable broodmare in her own right, she produced four stakes winners including 1979 French champion older male Gay Mecene and Grade 3 winner Lassie Dear, another excellent producer and the dam of 1992 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise. She is the ancestress of 1992 American Horse of the Year and two-time American champion sire A.P. Indy, 2000 American champion older male Lemon Drop Kid and 1990 Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Summer Squall.
- Raja Baba (1968, by Bold Ruler) won three stakes races. He was a better sire than racehorse, leading the American general sire list and juvenile sire list in 1980.
- Sooni (1970, by Buckpasser) was Grade 3-placed on the track. She is the dam of Canadian Grade 2 winner Black Cash (by Deposit Ticket) and restricted stakes winner My Marchesa (by Stately Don), dam of Grade 2 winner Rookie Sensation (by Unbridled's Song) and multiple Canadian Grade 3 winner Mark One (by Alphabet Soup). Sooni is also the third dam of 2017 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Holy Helena and Grade 2 winner Holy Boss. Her more distant descendants include multiple Grade 1 winner Society.
- Toll Booth (1971, by Buckpasser) produced seven stakes winners and was named the 1991 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Her best runners were 1980 American champion sprinter Plugged Nickle (by Key to the Mint) and 1992 Flower Bowl Handicap (USA-G1) winner Christiecat (by Majestic Light). Toll Booth is the second dam of five stakes winners on the flat including Grade 2 winners Token Dance and Islefaxyou and is the ancestress of 2011 American Horse of the Year Havre de Grace and 2014 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner Tonalist.
- Dromba (1974, by Droll Role) was a multiple stakes winner in Argentina but failed at stud.
- Sauce Boat (1975, by Key to the Mint) won the 1977 Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA-G1) and proved a useful sire.
- Pennyworth (1979, by Key to the Mint) produced 1991 Ladies Handicap (USA-G2) winner Wortheroatsingold (by Naskra), dam of Grade 3 winner Daylight Savings (by Sky Classic). Pennyworth is also the second dam of listed stakes winner Cohiba Miss (dam of listed stakes winner Lady Cohiba) and is the third dam of Grade 3 winner Trace Creek.
Connections
Missy Baba was bred and owned by Michael G. Phipps, who as a member of the Phipps family was able to secure access to Claiborne Farm's lineup of great stallions for his mare while she remained in his ownership. She was trained by T. J. “Tommy” Kelly. She was sold to John Schiff in 1970. Her descendants played a major role in the success of Lane's End Farm.
Pedigree notes
Missy Baba is inbred 4x3 to three-time English leading sire Blandford and 5x5x4 to Blandford's sire Swynford, winner of the 1910 St. Leger Stakes and the English leading sire of 1923. She is a half sister to the stakes-winning colts Colonel O'F (by Teddy's Comet), Noble Impulse (by Bull Dog), General Staff (by Mahmoud), Parnassus (by War Admiral) and Francis U. (by Francis S.), none of whom made any impact as sires. She is also a half sister to Obedient (by Mahmoud), dam of the good stakes winners Iron Ruler (by Never Bend; a useful sire) and Don't Alibi (by Alibhai); to Navira (by Nasrullah), dam of multiple stakes winners Royal Comedian (by Tom Fool) and Chateauvira (by Chateaugay) and second dam of multiple stakes winner Tanagra; to Purdah (by Nasrullah), dam of multiple stakes producer Scatter Plan (by Quadrangle); to Blarney Bess (by Tulyar), second dam of 1994 Dubai Champion Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Dernier Empereur and European Group 3 winners Petipa, Prattle On and Sarasota Spring; and to Oonagh (by Sword Dancer), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Hunza Dancer (by Hawaii).
Uvira II, the dam of Missy Baba and her siblings, won the 1941 Irish Oaks. A half sister to English stakes winner La Gaiete (by Gainsborough), she was produced from 1926 Irish Oaks runner-up Lady Lawless, a daughter of the noted stayer and sire of stayers Son-in-Law out of Entanglement, by 1906 Derby Stakes winner Spearmint.
Books and media
- Missy Baba is profiled in Chapter 51 of John Sparkman's Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America's Breeding Industry (2008, Thoroughbred Times Books).
- Missy Baba is one of 24 important American broodmares profiled in Edward Bowen's Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century (1999, 2000, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Uvira II was initially covered by Tulyar in 1957 but could not be returned to him when she came back into heat after service because the stallion had contracted colitis and had been withdrawn from stallion duty for the remainder of the season. Missy Baba, thus, was almost certainly sired by Uvira II's second mate of the season, My Babu (but see Alternate Sires in Pedigrees).
Last updated: November 15, 2024