Moccasin (USA)
April 16, 1963 – July 1, 1986
Nantallah (USA) x Rough Shod II (GB), by Gold Bridge (FR)
Family 5-h
April 16, 1963 – July 1, 1986
Nantallah (USA) x Rough Shod II (GB), by Gold Bridge (FR)
Family 5-h
The only juvenile filly to ever earn American Horse of the Year honors in official voting, Moccasin was the third and best of four full siblings produced by mating Nantallah to Rough Shod II. She failed to train on as hoped at age 3 but more than made up for this with a remarkable broodmare career during which she produced two champions and seven stakes winners.
Race record
21 starts, 11 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$388,075
1965:
1966:
1967:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted among 2-year-old fillies at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1965, 1 pound above second-rated Priceless Gem.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1966, 6 pounds below co-highweights Lady Pitt (the official champion), Destro and Natashka but fourth overall.
Rated at 112 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1967, 16 pounds below co-highweights Flag Raiser and R. Thomas.
As an individual
A lanky chestnut with a deep girth and a long pelvis, Moccasin had sickle hocks and less than ideal ankles. She managed to come back from fractured sesamoids suffered during the 1966 Saratoga meeting but was never the same horse at 3 or 4 that she had been as a juvenile. She had an excellent disposition and could be placed as her jockey desired.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Moccasin produced nine named foals, of which eight started and seven were winners. Her important foals were as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Moccasin was bred and owned by Claiborne Farm. She was trained by Harry Trotsek. She was humanely destroyed in 1986 at Claiborne's Marchmont division and was buried in the farm's broodmare cemetery.
Pedigree notes
Moccasin is inbred 5x3 to three-time English leading sire Blandford. She is a full sister to 1961 American co-champion 2-year-old colt Ridan and to the good stakes winner Lt. Stevens, both good sires. She is also a full sister to stakes-placed Thong, dam of 1972 Irish champion juvenile and 1973 English champion miler Thatch (by Forli), multiple Grade 1 winner King Pellinore (by Round Table), 1974 Coronation Stakes (ENG-G2) winner Lisadell (by Forli) and stakes winner Espadrille (by Damascus). Through her daughter Special (by Forli), Thong is the second dam of 1980 French champion miler Nureyev, a first-rate sire, and third dam of one of the greatest sires of all time, Sadler's Wells, whose full brother Fairy King was the French champion sire of 1996. Thong is also the second dam of 1985 BBA Ireland-Goffs National Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Tate Gallery, 1989 CIGA Grand Criterium (FR-G1) winner Jade Robbery, 1992 Smurfit National Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Fatherland and 2008 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) winner Archipenko and the third dam of 2010 American champion older male Blame.
Moccasin is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Gambetta (by My Babu), dam of three-time American champion Gamely (by Bold Ruler) and stakes winner Staretta (by Dark Star). Gambetta is the second dam of 1971 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini, 1973 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place and the top-flight turf mare Drumtop.
Produced from 1934 Yorkshire Oaks winner Dalmary (by Blandford), Moccasin's dam Rough Shod II is a half sister to 1948 Leicestershire Oaks winner Corinacy (by Mieuxcé) and to Gold Mary (by Solario), dam of the stakes-winning Nearco fillies Flying Slipper and Nectarine and their multiple stakes-producing full sister Sarie. Gold Mary is also the dam of Spring Light (by Signal Light), dam of 1961 Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Light Year (by Chamier). Rough Shod II is also a half sister to stakes-placed Jennydang (by Colombo), whose stakes-winning son Pewter Platter (by Owen Tudor) became a good sire in Brazil, and to Miss Know All (by Rhodes Scholar), sire of the good stakes winner Le Sage (by Chamossaire).
Books and media
“Moccasin” is the seventh chapter in Women of the Year: Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor, a Blood-Horse compilation published in 2004 by Eclipse Press. The book was later updated and re-issued in 2011 as Horse Racing Divas: From Azeri to Zenyatta, Twelve Fillies and Mares Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 11, 2023
Race record
21 starts, 11 wins, 2 seconds, 4 thirds, US$388,075
1965:
- Won Gardenia Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- Won Alcibiades Stakes (USA, about 7FD, Keeneland)
- Won Spinaway Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Selima Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Laurel)
- Won Matron Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
1966:
- Won Test Stakes (second division) (USA, 7FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Acorn Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
1967:
- Won Phoenix Handicap (USA, 6FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Columbiana Handicap (USA, 7FD, Hialeah)
- 2nd Barbara Fritchie Handicap (USA, 7FD, Bowie)
- 3rd Four Winds Handicap (USA, 7FD, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Ben Ali Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
Honors
- American co-Horse of the Year (1965; shared with Roman Brother)
- American champion 2-year-old filly (1965)
Assessments
Highweighted among 2-year-old fillies at 120 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1965, 1 pound above second-rated Priceless Gem.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1966, 6 pounds below co-highweights Lady Pitt (the official champion), Destro and Natashka but fourth overall.
Rated at 112 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1967, 16 pounds below co-highweights Flag Raiser and R. Thomas.
As an individual
A lanky chestnut with a deep girth and a long pelvis, Moccasin had sickle hocks and less than ideal ankles. She managed to come back from fractured sesamoids suffered during the 1966 Saratoga meeting but was never the same horse at 3 or 4 that she had been as a juvenile. She had an excellent disposition and could be placed as her jockey desired.
As a producer
Designated as a Reine-de-Course by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Moccasin produced nine named foals, of which eight started and seven were winners. Her important foals were as follow:
- Indian (1969, by Round Table) won a minor stakes race at age 6. He was of no importance as a sire.
- Apalachee (1971, by Round Table) was the English and Irish champion 2-year-old male of 1971. He was a good sire, getting 56 stakes winners including Canadian champions Dance for Donna and Lubicon.
- Aztec (1972, by Tom Rolfe) produced French stakes winner Toltec (by L'emigrant).
- Nantequos (1973, by Tom Rolfe) won the 1976 Whitehall Stakes (IRE-G3). He was a moderate sire at best.
- Brahms (1974, by Round Table) won the 1976 Railway Stakes (IRE-G3).
- Belted Earl (1978, by Damascus) was the Irish champion older male and champion sprinter of 1982. He was an indifferent sire.
- Scuff (1979, by Forli) won three stakes races as a 4-year-old. She is the dam of Grade 2 winner Ebros (by Mr. Prospector), the second dam of 2008 Ascot Vale Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Northern Meteor and Australian Group 3 winner Queen of the Hill, and the third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Smart Missile.
- Flippers (1981, by Coastal) won three stakes races and was Grade 2-placed. She is the dam of 1990 Santa Anita Oaks (USA-G1) winner Hail Atlantis (by Seattle Slew), dam of the good sire Stormy Atlantic (by Storm Cat). Flippers is also the third dam of Puerto Rican champion Dr. Arbatach, 2005 Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Bandini, French Group 2 winner Incanto Dream, Australian Group 2 winner Gold Water, Grade 2 winner Atlando and English Group 3 winner Discourse.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Moccasin was bred and owned by Claiborne Farm. She was trained by Harry Trotsek. She was humanely destroyed in 1986 at Claiborne's Marchmont division and was buried in the farm's broodmare cemetery.
Pedigree notes
Moccasin is inbred 5x3 to three-time English leading sire Blandford. She is a full sister to 1961 American co-champion 2-year-old colt Ridan and to the good stakes winner Lt. Stevens, both good sires. She is also a full sister to stakes-placed Thong, dam of 1972 Irish champion juvenile and 1973 English champion miler Thatch (by Forli), multiple Grade 1 winner King Pellinore (by Round Table), 1974 Coronation Stakes (ENG-G2) winner Lisadell (by Forli) and stakes winner Espadrille (by Damascus). Through her daughter Special (by Forli), Thong is the second dam of 1980 French champion miler Nureyev, a first-rate sire, and third dam of one of the greatest sires of all time, Sadler's Wells, whose full brother Fairy King was the French champion sire of 1996. Thong is also the second dam of 1985 BBA Ireland-Goffs National Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Tate Gallery, 1989 CIGA Grand Criterium (FR-G1) winner Jade Robbery, 1992 Smurfit National Stakes (IRE-G1) winner Fatherland and 2008 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) winner Archipenko and the third dam of 2010 American champion older male Blame.
Moccasin is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Gambetta (by My Babu), dam of three-time American champion Gamely (by Bold Ruler) and stakes winner Staretta (by Dark Star). Gambetta is the second dam of 1971 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Cellini, 1973 Observer Gold Cup (ENG-G1) winner Take Your Place and the top-flight turf mare Drumtop.
Produced from 1934 Yorkshire Oaks winner Dalmary (by Blandford), Moccasin's dam Rough Shod II is a half sister to 1948 Leicestershire Oaks winner Corinacy (by Mieuxcé) and to Gold Mary (by Solario), dam of the stakes-winning Nearco fillies Flying Slipper and Nectarine and their multiple stakes-producing full sister Sarie. Gold Mary is also the dam of Spring Light (by Signal Light), dam of 1961 Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Light Year (by Chamier). Rough Shod II is also a half sister to stakes-placed Jennydang (by Colombo), whose stakes-winning son Pewter Platter (by Owen Tudor) became a good sire in Brazil, and to Miss Know All (by Rhodes Scholar), sire of the good stakes winner Le Sage (by Chamossaire).
Books and media
“Moccasin” is the seventh chapter in Women of the Year: Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor, a Blood-Horse compilation published in 2004 by Eclipse Press. The book was later updated and re-issued in 2011 as Horse Racing Divas: From Azeri to Zenyatta, Twelve Fillies and Mares Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor.
Fun facts
- Moccasin's stature was such as a 2-year-old that she was featured in the November 5, 1965, issue of Time magazine.
- The Moccasin Stakes was run at Hollywood Park in 1983-2013 as a sprint race for 2-year-old fillies. It was last carded at 7 furlongs over the Cushion Ride main surface.
Photo credit
Photographer unknown. From the private collection of Dale Wyatt; used by permission.
Last updated: August 11, 2023