A champion both on the track and in the breeding shed, Misty Morn was arguably the best of the important foals produced from the remarkable Grey Flight, a foundation mare for Wheatley Stable. A hardy, sound filly who did not begin finding her best form until May of her 3-year-old season, she was the ideal mate for the more brilliant but less sound Bold Ruler, producing two champions by him and earning Kentucky Broodmare of the Year honors in 1963.
Race record
42 starts, 11 wins, 6 seconds, 7 thirds, US$212,575
1955:
Honors
Assessments
Ranked at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1955, 2 pounds below highweighted Parlo (a 4-year-old, who split honors as champion handicap female with her) and 1 pound above her stablemate High Voltage, also a 3-year-old.
As an individual
A bay mare with high withers and a short back, Misty Morn measured 15.3 hands at the end of her 3-year-old season. She was a well-balanced animal with the rather flat musculature associated with stayers. Her shoulder was strong and well angled and she was generally correct other than for being slightly over at the knee. She had a long, low stride and was resolute when in action. She was a good doer with a hardy constitution.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Misty Morn produced 10 named foals, of which eight started and seven won. Her important foals were as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Misty Morn was bred and owned by Wheatley Stable. She was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons.
Pedigree notes
Misty Morn is inbred 5x5 to 1909 St. Leger Stakes winner Bayardo, a two-time English/Irish champion sire. She is one of nine stakes winners produced from the remarkable matron Grey Flight. Her siblings include 1967 Hopeful Stakes winner and two-time American champion sire What a Pleasure (by Bold Ruler); 1957 Remsen Stakes winner and useful sire Misty Flight (by Princequillo); 1962 Schuylerville Stakes winner Bold Princess (by Bold Ruler), who founded another notable branch of Grey Flight's family; and Clear Ceiling (by Bold Ruler), dam of 1980 One Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) winner Quick as Lightning (by Buckpasser) and ancestress of American champions Kona Gold, Inside Information and Smuggler.
Grey Flight herself was a juvenile stakes winner and is a half sister to Just-a-Minute (by Can't Wait), dam of 1950 Del Mar Futurity winner Patch (by Dogpatch), 1956 Las Flores Handicap winner On the Move (by Mafosta) and 1953 La Jolla Handicap winner Threesome (by Dogpatch). Grey Flight is also a half sister to Planetrix (by Ambiorix), dam of the minor stakes winner Son Duke (by Marcador) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Soft Victory and Grade 3 winner He's Vivacious.
Grey Flight's dam Planetoid (by Ariel) is one of four stakes winners produced from the excellent broodmare La Chica (by Sweep). A full sister to 1940 Tremont Stakes winner Chicuelo and to stakes producer La Rhumba, she is a half sister to 1938 American champion 2-year-old male El Chico (by John P. Grier) and to 1937 Autumn Day Stakes winner Miyako (by John P. Grier), dam of the good steeplechaser Columbus (by Discovery) and second dam of the great Native Dancer. Planetoid is also a half sister to Chelita (by Sir Gallahad III), dam of stakes winners Travertine (by Nordlicht) and Scansion (by Heliodorus) and second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Misty Bend, and to La Chicuela (by Blenheim II), dam of 1957 Firenze Handicap winner Gay Life (by Eight Thirty).
Fun facts
Last updated: September 24, 2024
Race record
42 starts, 11 wins, 6 seconds, 7 thirds, US$212,575
1955:
- Won Gallant Fox Handicap (USA, 13FD, Jamaica; new track record 2:42-2/5)
- Won Monmouth Oaks (USA, 9FD, Monmouth)
- Won Molly Pitcher Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Monmouth)
- Won Providence Stakes (USA, 9FD, Narragansett Park)
- Won Diana Handicap (USA, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Ladies Handicap (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Saranac Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Alabama Stakes (USA, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Also set a Belmont Park track record of 1:42 for 8.5 furlongs in the Locust Valley Handicap (an overnight race)
Honors
- American champion 3-year-old filly (1955)
- American co-champion handicap female (1955)
Assessments
Ranked at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American fillies and mares of 1955, 2 pounds below highweighted Parlo (a 4-year-old, who split honors as champion handicap female with her) and 1 pound above her stablemate High Voltage, also a 3-year-old.
As an individual
A bay mare with high withers and a short back, Misty Morn measured 15.3 hands at the end of her 3-year-old season. She was a well-balanced animal with the rather flat musculature associated with stayers. Her shoulder was strong and well angled and she was generally correct other than for being slightly over at the knee. She had a long, low stride and was resolute when in action. She was a good doer with a hardy constitution.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Misty Morn produced 10 named foals, of which eight started and seven won. Her important foals were as follow:
- In the Clouds (1958, by Double Jay) won only once in 21 starts but produced the fine broodmare Miss Betty (by Buckpasser), whose four stakes winners include 1990 Hollywood Oaks (USA-G1) winner Patches (by Majestic Light) and Grade 2 winner Red Attack (by Alydar). Miss Betty is also the second dam of Grade 2 winner La Spia (by Capote).
- Sunrise Flight (1959, by Double Jay) won the 1963 Gallant Fox Handicap and two runnings of the Tropical Park Handicap. He had only a short stud career but sired eight stakes winners from his 73 named foals including Sun Colony, dam of 1981 American champion 3-year-old male Pleasant Colony.
- Bold Consort (1960, by Bold Ruler) won a division of the 1963 Test Stakes. She is the dam of Grade 2-placed stakes winner Quick Turnover (by Buckpasser) and the second dam of French Group 3 winner La Dorga.
- Beautiful Day (1961, by Bold Ruler) won the 1963 National Stallion Stakes (Fillies) and the 1965 New Castle Stakes. She is the dam of 1969 Schuylerville Stakes winner Bright Sun (by Tatan) and is the third dam of multiple European Group 3 winner Dictator's Song.
- Bold Lad (1962, by Bold Ruler) was the American champion 2-year-old male of 1964. He was not a very sound horse and often passed his unsoundness to his progeny but nonetheless begot at least 30 stakes winners, headed by 1977 Italian Horse of the Year Sirlad, 1973 English and Irish champion 2-year-old filly Gentle Thoughts and 1970 French champion 2-year-old filly Bold Fascinator, who won the classic Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) as a 3-year-old.
- Successor (1964, by Bold Ruler) was the American champion 2-year-old male of 1966. He sired only 62 named foals, including two stakes winners.
- Lovely Morning (1965, by Swaps) produced Grade 1-placed stakes winner Resolver (by Reviewer), dam of multiple Grade 1 winners Adjudicating and Dispute (both by Danzig), 1984 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1) winner Time for a Change (by Damascus) and stakes winner Tax Collection (by Private Account). Lovely Morning also produced Grade 3-placed Settlement Day (by Buckpasser), a sire of some importance in Chile, and is the third dam of 1997 Doncaster Handicap (AUS-G1) winner Secret Savings.
- Queen of the Sky (1967, by Bold Ruler) produced French stakes winner Rodwell (by Roberto). She is the second dam of Grade/Group 3 winners Heron Bay and Squan Song and the third dam of 1999 Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1) winner On a Soapbox.
- In Succession (1969, by Bold Ruler) is the third dam of Argentine Group 3 winner Forli's Talk.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Misty Morn was bred and owned by Wheatley Stable. She was trained by James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons.
Pedigree notes
Misty Morn is inbred 5x5 to 1909 St. Leger Stakes winner Bayardo, a two-time English/Irish champion sire. She is one of nine stakes winners produced from the remarkable matron Grey Flight. Her siblings include 1967 Hopeful Stakes winner and two-time American champion sire What a Pleasure (by Bold Ruler); 1957 Remsen Stakes winner and useful sire Misty Flight (by Princequillo); 1962 Schuylerville Stakes winner Bold Princess (by Bold Ruler), who founded another notable branch of Grey Flight's family; and Clear Ceiling (by Bold Ruler), dam of 1980 One Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) winner Quick as Lightning (by Buckpasser) and ancestress of American champions Kona Gold, Inside Information and Smuggler.
Grey Flight herself was a juvenile stakes winner and is a half sister to Just-a-Minute (by Can't Wait), dam of 1950 Del Mar Futurity winner Patch (by Dogpatch), 1956 Las Flores Handicap winner On the Move (by Mafosta) and 1953 La Jolla Handicap winner Threesome (by Dogpatch). Grey Flight is also a half sister to Planetrix (by Ambiorix), dam of the minor stakes winner Son Duke (by Marcador) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Soft Victory and Grade 3 winner He's Vivacious.
Grey Flight's dam Planetoid (by Ariel) is one of four stakes winners produced from the excellent broodmare La Chica (by Sweep). A full sister to 1940 Tremont Stakes winner Chicuelo and to stakes producer La Rhumba, she is a half sister to 1938 American champion 2-year-old male El Chico (by John P. Grier) and to 1937 Autumn Day Stakes winner Miyako (by John P. Grier), dam of the good steeplechaser Columbus (by Discovery) and second dam of the great Native Dancer. Planetoid is also a half sister to Chelita (by Sir Gallahad III), dam of stakes winners Travertine (by Nordlicht) and Scansion (by Heliodorus) and second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Misty Bend, and to La Chicuela (by Blenheim II), dam of 1957 Firenze Handicap winner Gay Life (by Eight Thirty).
Fun facts
- Misty Morn was actually awarded Kentucky Broodmare of the Year honors before either of her champion sons came to the races. While she had produced three good stakes winners from four foals of racing age by that point, her own dam had already produced six stakes winners including Misty Morn herself through 1963, so why the daughter was chosen instead of the mother is a mystery.
- In 1980, the Jockey Club permitted the reuse of Misty Morn's name for a filly by Low Son out of Bazaar Rose. Fortunately for everyone but the owners of this second filly, she achieved no distinction as a racehorse or a broodmare.
Last updated: September 24, 2024