Paradise Creek (USA)
February 4, 1989 – April 4, 2011
Irish River (FR) x North of Eden (IRE), by Northfields (USA)
Family 3-h
February 4, 1989 – April 4, 2011
Irish River (FR) x North of Eden (IRE), by Northfields (USA)
Family 3-h
By a European champion and out of a half sister to 1987 American champion turf male Theatrical, Paradise Creek was born for grass racing. He proved adept at it, enough so to earn an American championship in the division, but failed to emulate his “uncle” Theatrical or his half-brother Wild Event as a sire while standing in Japan.
Race record
25 starts, 14 wins, 7 seconds, 1 third, US$3,401,416 (including Japanese earnings)
1992:
1993:
1994:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1994)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1992, 7 pounds below divisional champion Sky Classic.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1993, 11 pounds below highweighted Lure and 10 pounds below the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year, Kotashaan.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1994, 1 pound above second-rated Lure.
Rated at 127 pounds on the 1994 International Classification, 3 pounds below co-highweights Holy Bull and Balanchine but topping the 9.5-10.5F division on turf.
As an individual
A big, lengthy, powerful, sickle-hocked dark bay or brown horse with prominent withers, Paradise Creek had short cannons and good bone but was slightly lighter behind the saddle than before it. He was a long-striding horse who typically stalked the pace before coming on to win. Overly aggressive and anxious as a 3-year-old, he became a sensible, professional racehorse as he matured and could be settled where his jockey desired. He was tried only once on the dirt (in the 1991 Hopeful Stakes, USA-G1), and showed none of the brilliance he had on turf. He was operated on for ankle chips as a 3-year-old and for soft tissue calcification as a 4-year-old; the latter issue caused him to miss much of his 4-year-old season.
As a stallion
According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Paradise Creek sired 391 winners (58.9%) and 10 stakes winners (1.5%) from 664 named foals. His best runner was 2005 Japanese champion 2-year-old filly T M Precure.
Notable progeny
T M Precure (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Paradise Creek was bred and owned by Bertram and Diana Firestone. He raced in Mr. Firestone’s colors. He was trained by Bill Mott and was most frequently ridden by Pat Day. In February 1994, the Firestones sold Paradise Creek to Japanese businessman Masayuki Nishiyama. Following the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Nishiyama took the horse to Japan for the Japan Cup and afterwards syndicated him for stallion duty. Paradise Creek stood his first stud season at Arrow Stud in 1995 and died there in 2011.
Pedigree notes
Paradise Creek is inbred 5x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a full brother to Paradise River, dam of multiple Group 1 winner David Junior (by Pleasant Tap). He is a half brother to 1999 Early Times Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Wild Event (by Wild Again; a five-time champion sire in Brazil), to 2001 Manhattan Handicap (USA-G1) winner Forbidden Apple (by Pleasant Colony), and to Grade 3-placed stakes winner I’m Very Irish (by Pleasant Colony). He is also a half brother to Eden’s Causeway (by Giant’s Causeway), dam of 2012 Las Virgenes Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eden’s Moon (by Malibu Moon), and to Celestial Bliss (by Relaunch), second dam of six stakes winners including multiple Argentine champion Sixties Song, 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (USA-G1) winner Bobby’s Kitten, multiple Grade 2 winner Celestial Kitten, and Argentine Group 2 winner Celestial Candy.
Paradise Creek and his siblings are out of North of Eden, a half sister to 1987 American champion turf male Theatrical (by Nureyev) and to multiple Japanese stakes winner Taiki Blizzard (by Seattle Slew). North of Eden is also a half sister to Blue Sage (by Cure the Blues), dam of stakes winner Long Gone Blues (by Sovereign Dancer), second dam of Australian Group 2 winner So Pristine, and third dam of New Zealand Group 2 winner Dijon Bleu.
North of Eden, in turn, is out of stakes-placed Tree of Knowledge (by 1970 French Horse of the Year Sassafras out of the Hail to Reason mare Sensibility), who is a half sister to Irish Group 3 winner Beyond the Lake (by Kings Lake) and to multiple listed stakes winner Lake Champlain (by Kings Lake). The last-named mare is the dam of Irish Group 3 winner Saranac Lake (by Smart Strike) and Peruvian listed stakes winner Alashir (by Alysheba) and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Charming Kitten. Tree of Knowledge is also a half sister to Sense of Rhythm (by Cure the Blues), third dam of 2010 Takarazuka Kinen (JPN-G1) winner Nakayama Festa.
Books and media
Arlington Park’s footage of Paradise Creek’s win in the 1994 Arlington Million can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8CetKsnaWQ.
Fun facts
Last updated: May 9, 2024
Race record
25 starts, 14 wins, 7 seconds, 1 third, US$3,401,416 (including Japanese earnings)
1992:
- Won Hollywood Derby (USA-G1, 9FT, Hollywood)
- Won National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Palisades Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FT, The Meadowlands)
1993:
- 2nd Citation Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hollywood)
- 2nd Kelso Handicap (USA-G3, 8FT, Belmont)
1994:
- Won Early Times Manhattan Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Belmont; new course record 1:57.79)
- Won Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Washington D.C. International Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Laurel)
- Won Canadian Turf Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Early Times Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G2, 9FT, Churchill Downs)
- Won Early Times Dixie Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Pimlico)
- Won Appleton Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FT, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Ft. Lauderdale Handicap (USA-L, 8.5FT, Gulfstream Park; equaled course record 1:39.30)
- 2nd Japan Cup (JPN-G1, 2400mT, Tokyo)
- 2nd Bernard Baruch Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Saratoga)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Turf Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Churchill Downs)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (1994)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1992, 7 pounds below divisional champion Sky Classic.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1993, 11 pounds below highweighted Lure and 10 pounds below the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year, Kotashaan.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf males of 1994, 1 pound above second-rated Lure.
Rated at 127 pounds on the 1994 International Classification, 3 pounds below co-highweights Holy Bull and Balanchine but topping the 9.5-10.5F division on turf.
As an individual
A big, lengthy, powerful, sickle-hocked dark bay or brown horse with prominent withers, Paradise Creek had short cannons and good bone but was slightly lighter behind the saddle than before it. He was a long-striding horse who typically stalked the pace before coming on to win. Overly aggressive and anxious as a 3-year-old, he became a sensible, professional racehorse as he matured and could be settled where his jockey desired. He was tried only once on the dirt (in the 1991 Hopeful Stakes, USA-G1), and showed none of the brilliance he had on turf. He was operated on for ankle chips as a 3-year-old and for soft tissue calcification as a 4-year-old; the latter issue caused him to miss much of his 4-year-old season.
As a stallion
According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Paradise Creek sired 391 winners (58.9%) and 10 stakes winners (1.5%) from 664 named foals. His best runner was 2005 Japanese champion 2-year-old filly T M Precure.
Notable progeny
T M Precure (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Paradise Creek was bred and owned by Bertram and Diana Firestone. He raced in Mr. Firestone’s colors. He was trained by Bill Mott and was most frequently ridden by Pat Day. In February 1994, the Firestones sold Paradise Creek to Japanese businessman Masayuki Nishiyama. Following the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Nishiyama took the horse to Japan for the Japan Cup and afterwards syndicated him for stallion duty. Paradise Creek stood his first stud season at Arrow Stud in 1995 and died there in 2011.
Pedigree notes
Paradise Creek is inbred 5x5 to two-time English/Irish champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a full brother to Paradise River, dam of multiple Group 1 winner David Junior (by Pleasant Tap). He is a half brother to 1999 Early Times Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Wild Event (by Wild Again; a five-time champion sire in Brazil), to 2001 Manhattan Handicap (USA-G1) winner Forbidden Apple (by Pleasant Colony), and to Grade 3-placed stakes winner I’m Very Irish (by Pleasant Colony). He is also a half brother to Eden’s Causeway (by Giant’s Causeway), dam of 2012 Las Virgenes Stakes (USA-G1) winner Eden’s Moon (by Malibu Moon), and to Celestial Bliss (by Relaunch), second dam of six stakes winners including multiple Argentine champion Sixties Song, 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (USA-G1) winner Bobby’s Kitten, multiple Grade 2 winner Celestial Kitten, and Argentine Group 2 winner Celestial Candy.
Paradise Creek and his siblings are out of North of Eden, a half sister to 1987 American champion turf male Theatrical (by Nureyev) and to multiple Japanese stakes winner Taiki Blizzard (by Seattle Slew). North of Eden is also a half sister to Blue Sage (by Cure the Blues), dam of stakes winner Long Gone Blues (by Sovereign Dancer), second dam of Australian Group 2 winner So Pristine, and third dam of New Zealand Group 2 winner Dijon Bleu.
North of Eden, in turn, is out of stakes-placed Tree of Knowledge (by 1970 French Horse of the Year Sassafras out of the Hail to Reason mare Sensibility), who is a half sister to Irish Group 3 winner Beyond the Lake (by Kings Lake) and to multiple listed stakes winner Lake Champlain (by Kings Lake). The last-named mare is the dam of Irish Group 3 winner Saranac Lake (by Smart Strike) and Peruvian listed stakes winner Alashir (by Alysheba) and the third dam of Grade 3 winner Charming Kitten. Tree of Knowledge is also a half sister to Sense of Rhythm (by Cure the Blues), third dam of 2010 Takarazuka Kinen (JPN-G1) winner Nakayama Festa.
Books and media
Arlington Park’s footage of Paradise Creek’s win in the 1994 Arlington Million can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8CetKsnaWQ.
Fun facts
- Paradise Creek became the namesake for a stakes race at Belmont Park.
Last updated: May 9, 2024