Par Excellance (CAN)
March 22, 1977 – 1999
L’Enjoleur (CAN) x Cam Shaft (USA), by Fleet Path (USA)
Family 52
March 22, 1977 – 1999
L’Enjoleur (CAN) x Cam Shaft (USA), by Fleet Path (USA)
Family 52
Clearly the best filly of her crop in Canada as a juvenile, Par Excellance won only one race at 3, the Canadian Oaks. The victory was enough to gain her a championship in a subpar year in the 3-year-old filly division, but Par Excellance did not win again. As a broodmare, Par Excellance became a stakes producer and had several daughters who enjoyed some measure of success in the paddocks.
Race record
17 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$200,951 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1979:
1980:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1979, 3 pounds above second-rated Solartic.
Rated at 114 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American-raced juveniles of 1979, 6 pounds below American champion juvenile filly Smart Angle.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies of 1980, 6 pounds below highweighted Street Ballet.
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Par Excellance produced 10 named foals, of which six started and four won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Par Excellance was bred by Roy A. Kennedy and George Onett. She was owned by Knightbridge Stable, which sold an interest in the filly to Big Boy Stable following her juvenile season. She was trained by Jacques Dumas. During her juvenile season, she was ridden by Lloyd Duffy; she was ridden to her Canadian Oaks win by Gary Stahlbaum. After producing her first foal for M. H. W. Partnership and Spendthrift, she was acquired by Gainsborough Stud Management. After being sent to England for a mating to Mill Reef, she returned to the United States and was a broodmare for Gainsborough Farm in Kentucky. She was exported to Australia in 1996 and died there in 1999.
Pedigree notes
Par Excellance is inbred 5x5 to 1943 American champion sire and three-time American champion broodmare sire Bull Dog. She is a half sister to multiple Canadian stakes winners Regal Path (by Viceregal) and Lady Cornwall (by Cornish Prince). The last-named mare is the third dam of 1995 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly and champion sprinter Scotzanna, 1996 Flower Bowl Handicap (USA-G1) winner Chelsey Flower, and 2012 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (USA-G1) winner Pure Fun. Par Excellance is also a half sister to Pollcam (by Pollux), dam of Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Polly Daniels (by Clever Trick). In addition, Par Excellance is a half sister to Dream Appeal (by Valid Appeal), dam of 1994 Allan Robertson Fillies Futurity (SAF-G1) winner Sydney’s Dream (by Bletchingly), Australian Group 3 winner Marskin (by Marscay), and Australian listed stakes winner Settlers Cove (by Luskin Star); second dam of 2005 The Galaxy Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Charge Forward and multiple Australian Group 2 winner Kidman’s Cove; and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Pepperwood.
Par Excellance and her siblings are out of Cam Shaft (by multiple Canadian stakes winner Fleet Path, by Count Fleet), whose half sister Irish Molly (by George Royal) is the second dam of 1998 American champion turf male Buck’s Boy. Cam Shaft is also a half sister to English stakes winners High Camber (by His Highness), Sans Souci (by His Highness), and Beau Ideal II (by Beau Sabreur).
Cam Shaft is out of the Irish import Cambalee, a stakes-placed daughter of multiple English stakes winner Cambyses and the Ballyogan mare Ballymaginathy. Cambalee is a half sister to English sprint stakes winner Harmon (by Whistler) and to In Orbit (by The Phoenix), dam of Irish stakes winner Smooth Jet II (by Polly's Jet). She is also a half sister to Indian Error (by Seminole II), dam of German hurdle stakes winner Indian Brave (by Warpath), and to Egualita (by Democratic), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Jay Bird (by Hot Spark).
Fun facts
Last updated: January 31, 2022
Race record
17 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$200,951 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
1979:
- Won Natalma Stakes (CAN, 8.5FT, Woodbine)
- Won Princess Elizabeth Stakes (CAN-R, 8,5FD, Woodbine)
- Won Ontario Debutante Stakes (second division) (CAN, 7FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Selima Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Laurel)
1980:
- Won Canadian Oaks (CAN-R, 9FD, Woodbine)
- 2nd Selene Stakes (CAN, 8.5FD, Woodbine)
- 3rd Fury Stakes (first division) (CAN-R, 7FD, Woodbine)
Honors
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 2-year-old filly (1979)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old filly (1980)
Assessments
Highweighted at 123 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for juvenile fillies of 1979, 3 pounds above second-rated Solartic.
Rated at 114 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American-raced juveniles of 1979, 6 pounds below American champion juvenile filly Smart Angle.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies of 1980, 6 pounds below highweighted Street Ballet.
As an individual
A bay mare; no further information available.
As a producer
Par Excellance produced 10 named foals, of which six started and four won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Khozaam (1982, by Seattle Slew) won the listed Washington Singer Stakes in England as a juvenile and was Group 2-placed. Sent to New Zealand for stallion duty (he was later exported from there to the Philippines), he sired nine stakes winners from 201 named foals.
- Queen’s Visit (by Top Command) was unplaced in six starts. She is the second dam of 2007 Czech champion stayer Oligarch and Irish Group 3 winner Barbajuan.
- Canadian Mill (1984, by Mill Reef) was the runner-up in the 1986 Tattersalls Cheveley Park Stakes (ENG-G1). She is the dam of 1994 Vodafone Nassau Stakes (ENG-G2) winner Hawajiss, who also won two Group 3 events and placed in both the Kildangan Irish Oaks (IRE-G1) and the Energizer Oaks (ENG-G1). She is also the second dam of English Group 3 winner Fast Company and the third dam of 2014 Otaki-Maori W.F.A. Stakes (NZ-G1) winner Nashville.
- Excellent Prospect (1987, by Mr. Prospector) never raced but is the dam of multiple Australian Group 3 winner Faiza (by Danehill).
- Dome Lawel (1988, by Blushing Groom) won one of her five starts. She is the third dam of 2006/2007 Peruvian champion grass female Shuaily, 2008/2009 Peruvian champion 2-year-old male Precursor, and 2013/2014 Peruvian champion 2-year-old male Fiebre Cule.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Par Excellance was bred by Roy A. Kennedy and George Onett. She was owned by Knightbridge Stable, which sold an interest in the filly to Big Boy Stable following her juvenile season. She was trained by Jacques Dumas. During her juvenile season, she was ridden by Lloyd Duffy; she was ridden to her Canadian Oaks win by Gary Stahlbaum. After producing her first foal for M. H. W. Partnership and Spendthrift, she was acquired by Gainsborough Stud Management. After being sent to England for a mating to Mill Reef, she returned to the United States and was a broodmare for Gainsborough Farm in Kentucky. She was exported to Australia in 1996 and died there in 1999.
Pedigree notes
Par Excellance is inbred 5x5 to 1943 American champion sire and three-time American champion broodmare sire Bull Dog. She is a half sister to multiple Canadian stakes winners Regal Path (by Viceregal) and Lady Cornwall (by Cornish Prince). The last-named mare is the third dam of 1995 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly and champion sprinter Scotzanna, 1996 Flower Bowl Handicap (USA-G1) winner Chelsey Flower, and 2012 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (USA-G1) winner Pure Fun. Par Excellance is also a half sister to Pollcam (by Pollux), dam of Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Polly Daniels (by Clever Trick). In addition, Par Excellance is a half sister to Dream Appeal (by Valid Appeal), dam of 1994 Allan Robertson Fillies Futurity (SAF-G1) winner Sydney’s Dream (by Bletchingly), Australian Group 3 winner Marskin (by Marscay), and Australian listed stakes winner Settlers Cove (by Luskin Star); second dam of 2005 The Galaxy Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Charge Forward and multiple Australian Group 2 winner Kidman’s Cove; and third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Pepperwood.
Par Excellance and her siblings are out of Cam Shaft (by multiple Canadian stakes winner Fleet Path, by Count Fleet), whose half sister Irish Molly (by George Royal) is the second dam of 1998 American champion turf male Buck’s Boy. Cam Shaft is also a half sister to English stakes winners High Camber (by His Highness), Sans Souci (by His Highness), and Beau Ideal II (by Beau Sabreur).
Cam Shaft is out of the Irish import Cambalee, a stakes-placed daughter of multiple English stakes winner Cambyses and the Ballyogan mare Ballymaginathy. Cambalee is a half sister to English sprint stakes winner Harmon (by Whistler) and to In Orbit (by The Phoenix), dam of Irish stakes winner Smooth Jet II (by Polly's Jet). She is also a half sister to Indian Error (by Seminole II), dam of German hurdle stakes winner Indian Brave (by Warpath), and to Egualita (by Democratic), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Jay Bird (by Hot Spark).
Fun facts
- “Par excellance” is a misspelled version of the French phrase par excellence, meaning “the finest or most exemplary of its kind.”
- Par Excellance was rated only third on the 1981 Canadian Free Handicap for 3-year-old fillies below Street Ballet and Lady Roberta, but neither had made the requisite three starts in Canada to be eligible for a Sovereign Award as champion of the division.
- Sadly, Par Excellance’s victory in the 1980 Canadian Oaks was marred by a three-horse spill which took the life of five-time Canadian champion jockey Avellino Gomez. The Cuban-born rider had been contending for the lead aboard Swisskin when his mount snapped a hind leg and went down, causing a chain reaction. Swisskin had to be euthanized; the other riders and their mounts were not seriously injured.
Last updated: January 31, 2022