Peaks and Valleys (USA)
May 1, 1992 – July 2012
Mt. Livermore (USA) x Strike a Balance (USA), by Green Dancer (USA)
American Family 29
May 1, 1992 – July 2012
Mt. Livermore (USA) x Strike a Balance (USA), by Green Dancer (USA)
American Family 29
After showing promise at 2, Peaks and Valleys became one of the most consistent 3-year-old males in North America in 1995. His overall form was just a touch below the very best American colts of his year but was good enough at Woodbine to earn honors as the Canadian Horse of the Year. He was not the same horse as a 4-year-old and was only modestly successful as a sire.
Race record
16 starts, 9 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$2,957,639
1994:
1995:
1996:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1994, 11 pounds below champion Timber Country.
As an individual
A smoothly-made, well-balanced, masculine dark bay or brown horse, Peaks and Valleys had a long, smooth stride.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Peaks and Valleys sired 378 winners (65.5%) and 30 stakes winners (5.2%) from 577 named foals of racing age. His best runner was 2003 Indian Horse of the Year Zurbaran.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
El Inspirado (PR), Kylemore Abbey (USA), Zurbaran (IND)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Peaks and Valleys was bred and owned by Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stud and Pin Oak Stable, respectively. He was trained by James Day. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1997 at Pin Oak Stud. In 2006, he moved to Gardiner Farms, Ontario, Canada, where he died due to the infirmities of old age in July 2012. His body was returned to Pin Oak Stud for burial.
Pedigree notes
Peaks and Valleys is inbred 4x5 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, also the English/Irish champion sire of 1951, and to 1945 Arlington Futurity winner Spy Song. In addition, he is inbred 5x5 to Nasrullah’s sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course and a two-time leader of the English/Irish general sire list. He is a full brother to Hopes and Fears, dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Cryptograph (by Cryptoclearance). He is a half brother to multiple listed stakes winner Alternate (by Seattle Slew), dam of 2019 $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Higher Power (by Medaglia d’Oro), multiple Grade 2 winner Alternation (by Distorted Humor), and multiple listed stakes winner Interruption (by Broken Vow). He is also a half brother to Balancing Act (by Spectacular Bid), dam of 2004 Long Island Handicap (USA-G2) winner Eleusis (by Diesis) and stakes winner Tip the Scale (by Valiant Nature) and third dam of French Group 3 winner American Sonja and Peruvian Group 3 winners Fatima and Hublot. In addition, Peaks and Valleys is a half brother to Equilibrate (by Gone West), dam of 2002 Tampa Bay Derby (USA-G3) winner Equality (by Mt. Livermore) and stakes winner Equal Opportunity (by Rahy); to Counterpoise (by Storm Cat), dam of listed stakes winner Tip Tap Tapizar (by Tapizar); and to Countervail (by Seeking the Gold), second dam of 2020 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mucho Gusto.
Peaks and Valleys and his siblings are out of Strike a Balance, whose listed stakes-winning half sister Wedding Picture (by Blushing Groom) is the dam of 1996 Fort Lauderdale Handicap (USA-G3) winner Winged Victory (by Nijinsky II) and stakes winners Service Stripe (by Deputy Minister), Where’s the Ring (by Seeking the Gold), and Puzzled Look (by Gulch); the second dam of 2008 American champion turf female Forever Together and Grade 2 winners Broken Vow and I Thee Wed, and the third dam of 2020 Robert Sangster Classic Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Bella Vella. Strike a Balance is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Tonka Wakhan (by Big Spruce) and to Vogueing (by Rare Brick), dam of 2000 What a Pleasure Stakes (USA-G3) winner Radical Riley (by Wheaton).
Strike a Balance and her siblings are out of Strike a Pose (by Iron Ruler x Take a Stand, by Amerigo), a stakes-placed half sister to 1975 Prix de Conde (FR-G3) winner French Friend (by Herbager) and multiple stakes winner Stage Luck (by Stage Door Johnny). The last-named mare is the dam of two-time American champion Open Mind (by Deputy Minister) and listed stakes winners Stage Door Avie (by Lord Avie) and Shaiba (by Alysheba) and is also the second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Caseal Ros.
Books and media
Footage of Peaks and Valleys’s win in the 1995 Molson Export Million can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=xdzMk2As3OA.
Last updated: October 26, 2024
Race record
16 starts, 9 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, US$2,957,639
1994:
- Won Cradle Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FD, River Downs)
- 3rd Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
1995:
- Won Molson Export Million Stakes (CAN-G1, 9FD, Woodbine)
- Won Meadowlands Cup Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, The Meadowlands)
- Won Illinois Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Sportsman’s Park)
- Won Derby Trial Stakes (USA-G3, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Lafayette Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Col. R. S. McLaughlin Stakes (CAN-L, 9FD, Woodbine)
1996:
- 2nd Saratoga Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Whitney Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
Honors
- Sovereign Award, Canadian Horse of the Year (1995)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old male (1995)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1994, 11 pounds below champion Timber Country.
As an individual
A smoothly-made, well-balanced, masculine dark bay or brown horse, Peaks and Valleys had a long, smooth stride.
As a stallion
According to records compiled by The Jockey Club, Peaks and Valleys sired 378 winners (65.5%) and 30 stakes winners (5.2%) from 577 named foals of racing age. His best runner was 2003 Indian Horse of the Year Zurbaran.
Sire rankings
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the Canadian general sire list in 2006; 3rd in 2007; 5th in 2010; 7th in 2008; 9th in 2011 and 2012.
Notable progeny
El Inspirado (PR), Kylemore Abbey (USA), Zurbaran (IND)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Peaks and Valleys was bred and owned by Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Stud and Pin Oak Stable, respectively. He was trained by James Day. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1997 at Pin Oak Stud. In 2006, he moved to Gardiner Farms, Ontario, Canada, where he died due to the infirmities of old age in July 2012. His body was returned to Pin Oak Stud for burial.
Pedigree notes
Peaks and Valleys is inbred 4x5 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah, also the English/Irish champion sire of 1951, and to 1945 Arlington Futurity winner Spy Song. In addition, he is inbred 5x5 to Nasrullah’s sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course and a two-time leader of the English/Irish general sire list. He is a full brother to Hopes and Fears, dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Cryptograph (by Cryptoclearance). He is a half brother to multiple listed stakes winner Alternate (by Seattle Slew), dam of 2019 $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Higher Power (by Medaglia d’Oro), multiple Grade 2 winner Alternation (by Distorted Humor), and multiple listed stakes winner Interruption (by Broken Vow). He is also a half brother to Balancing Act (by Spectacular Bid), dam of 2004 Long Island Handicap (USA-G2) winner Eleusis (by Diesis) and stakes winner Tip the Scale (by Valiant Nature) and third dam of French Group 3 winner American Sonja and Peruvian Group 3 winners Fatima and Hublot. In addition, Peaks and Valleys is a half brother to Equilibrate (by Gone West), dam of 2002 Tampa Bay Derby (USA-G3) winner Equality (by Mt. Livermore) and stakes winner Equal Opportunity (by Rahy); to Counterpoise (by Storm Cat), dam of listed stakes winner Tip Tap Tapizar (by Tapizar); and to Countervail (by Seeking the Gold), second dam of 2020 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mucho Gusto.
Peaks and Valleys and his siblings are out of Strike a Balance, whose listed stakes-winning half sister Wedding Picture (by Blushing Groom) is the dam of 1996 Fort Lauderdale Handicap (USA-G3) winner Winged Victory (by Nijinsky II) and stakes winners Service Stripe (by Deputy Minister), Where’s the Ring (by Seeking the Gold), and Puzzled Look (by Gulch); the second dam of 2008 American champion turf female Forever Together and Grade 2 winners Broken Vow and I Thee Wed, and the third dam of 2020 Robert Sangster Classic Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Bella Vella. Strike a Balance is also a half sister to multiple stakes winner Tonka Wakhan (by Big Spruce) and to Vogueing (by Rare Brick), dam of 2000 What a Pleasure Stakes (USA-G3) winner Radical Riley (by Wheaton).
Strike a Balance and her siblings are out of Strike a Pose (by Iron Ruler x Take a Stand, by Amerigo), a stakes-placed half sister to 1975 Prix de Conde (FR-G3) winner French Friend (by Herbager) and multiple stakes winner Stage Luck (by Stage Door Johnny). The last-named mare is the dam of two-time American champion Open Mind (by Deputy Minister) and listed stakes winners Stage Door Avie (by Lord Avie) and Shaiba (by Alysheba) and is also the second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Caseal Ros.
Books and media
Footage of Peaks and Valleys’s win in the 1995 Molson Export Million can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=xdzMk2As3OA.
Last updated: October 26, 2024