Perfect Sting (USA)
April 27, 1996 – ?
Red Ransom (USA) x Valid Victress (USA), by Valid Appeal (USA)
Family 20-a
April 27, 1996 – ?
Red Ransom (USA) x Valid Victress (USA), by Valid Appeal (USA)
Family 20-a
Perfect Sting may not have been the most brilliant turf mare in American racing history, but she was talented, consistent, honest, and game. She followed up her championship racing career with a solid if unspectacular broodmare career.
Race record
21 starts, 14 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,202,042
1998:
1999:
2000:
2001:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf female (2000)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females, 4 pounds below divisional champion Soaring Softly (a 4-year-old).
Rated at 122 pounds in the Long category on the 2000 International Classification, 12 pounds below overall highweight Dubai Millennium and 8 pounds below the highweight in the Long category, Montjeu.
As an individual
A lengthy bay mare with a well-laid shoulder, Perfect Sting had a calm, even temperament but was a strong disciplinarian when it came to her foals. She preferred coming from off the pace in her races. She was retired after suffering a tendon injury while running in the 2001 Manhattan Handicap (USA-G1).
As a producer
Perfect Sting produced 13 named foals, of which 10 started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Perfect Sting was bred by Frank Stronach in the name of his Adena Springs breeding operation and raced for his Stronach Stables. She was trained by Patrick Byrne at 2 and was moved to the barn of Joe Orseno during the spring of her 3-year-old season. She was ridden to her win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf by Jerry Bailey. Retired to Adena Springs as a broodmare, she produced her last foal, the Awesome Again filly Super Sting, in 2019 and was pensioned in 2000.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the good Roberto horse Red Ransom, Perfect Sting is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to Reggae Queen (by Dynaformer), dam of 2011 Del Mar Handicap (USA-G2) winner Celtic New Year (by North Light) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Whatmakessammyrun and multiple Grade 3 winner Shakhimat.
Perfect Sting is out of restricted stakes winner Valid Victress, a half sister to juvenile stakes winner The Count (by Halo). The siblings are out of multiple stakes winner Grecian Victory (by Dr. Fager), a stakes-placed half sister to 1974 Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA-G1) winner Greek Answer (by Northern Answer), 1980 Railway Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Lawmaker (by Round Table), and listed stakes winner Greek Sky (by Nijinsky II). Grecian Victory is also a half sister to stakes-placed Grecian Victory (by Nearctic), second dam of Grade 3 winner Grecian Pass, and to Midi Skirt (by Canebora), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Futurette (by Sevastopol). In addition, Grecian Victory is a half sister to Sweet Legacy (by Secretariat), dam of multiple stakes winner Sweet Diva (by Affirmed).
Grecian Victory and her siblings are out of the winning Victoria Park mare Greek Victress, whose dam Heliostrings (by Heliopolis) is a full sister to 1961 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Globemaster and a half sister to 1955 American co-champion 2-year-old male Nail (by Nirgal). Produced from 1949 Modesty Stakes winner No Strings (by Occupation), Heliostrings is also a half sister to stakes-placed Featheredge II (by Nashua), dam of Irish stakes winner Greek Waters (by Summer Tan) and second dam of Grade 2 winner She Can and Spanish Group 3 winner Temblor. In addition, Heliostrings is a half sister to stakes-placed Ashling (by Nashua), dam of 1971 Jersey Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Ashleigh II (by Ragusa).
Books and media
A video review of Perfect Sting’s career as a broodmare at Adena Springs can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNUoGvhv87A.
Fun facts
Last updated: November 25, 2024
Race record
21 starts, 14 wins, 3 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,202,042
1998:
- Won Green River Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FT, Keeneland)
1999:
- Won Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 9FT, Keeneland)
- Won Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G1, 9FT, Belmont)
- Won Sands Point Stakes (USA-G3, 9FT, Belmont)
- Won Captive Miss Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FT, Monmouth)
- 2nd Lake George Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FT, Saratoga)
- 2nd Appalachian Stakes (USA-L, 8FT, Keeneland)
2000:
- Won Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (USA-G1, 11FT, Churchill Downs)
- Won Diana Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Saratoga)
- Won New York Handicap (USA-G2, 10FT, Belmont)
- Won Just a Game Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 8FT, Belmont)
- Won Beaugay Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FT, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Winstar Galaxy Stakes (USA-G3, 9.5FT, Keeneland)
2001:
- Won Black Helen Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hialeah)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion turf female (2000)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf females, 4 pounds below divisional champion Soaring Softly (a 4-year-old).
Rated at 122 pounds in the Long category on the 2000 International Classification, 12 pounds below overall highweight Dubai Millennium and 8 pounds below the highweight in the Long category, Montjeu.
As an individual
A lengthy bay mare with a well-laid shoulder, Perfect Sting had a calm, even temperament but was a strong disciplinarian when it came to her foals. She preferred coming from off the pace in her races. She was retired after suffering a tendon injury while running in the 2001 Manhattan Handicap (USA-G1).
As a producer
Perfect Sting produced 13 named foals, of which 10 started and seven won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Smart Sting (2008, by Smart Strike) won the 2011 Selene Stakes (CAN-G3). She is the second dam of Vitality, who won the Prince of Wales Stakes (CAN-R), the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, in 2024.
- Peggy May (2011, by Lemon Drop Kid) never raced but is the dam of listed stakes winner Doc Boy (by Into Mischief).
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Perfect Sting was bred by Frank Stronach in the name of his Adena Springs breeding operation and raced for his Stronach Stables. She was trained by Patrick Byrne at 2 and was moved to the barn of Joe Orseno during the spring of her 3-year-old season. She was ridden to her win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf by Jerry Bailey. Retired to Adena Springs as a broodmare, she produced her last foal, the Awesome Again filly Super Sting, in 2019 and was pensioned in 2000.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the good Roberto horse Red Ransom, Perfect Sting is outcrossed through five generations. She is a half sister to Reggae Queen (by Dynaformer), dam of 2011 Del Mar Handicap (USA-G2) winner Celtic New Year (by North Light) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Whatmakessammyrun and multiple Grade 3 winner Shakhimat.
Perfect Sting is out of restricted stakes winner Valid Victress, a half sister to juvenile stakes winner The Count (by Halo). The siblings are out of multiple stakes winner Grecian Victory (by Dr. Fager), a stakes-placed half sister to 1974 Arlington-Washington Futurity (USA-G1) winner Greek Answer (by Northern Answer), 1980 Railway Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Lawmaker (by Round Table), and listed stakes winner Greek Sky (by Nijinsky II). Grecian Victory is also a half sister to stakes-placed Grecian Victory (by Nearctic), second dam of Grade 3 winner Grecian Pass, and to Midi Skirt (by Canebora), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Futurette (by Sevastopol). In addition, Grecian Victory is a half sister to Sweet Legacy (by Secretariat), dam of multiple stakes winner Sweet Diva (by Affirmed).
Grecian Victory and her siblings are out of the winning Victoria Park mare Greek Victress, whose dam Heliostrings (by Heliopolis) is a full sister to 1961 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Globemaster and a half sister to 1955 American co-champion 2-year-old male Nail (by Nirgal). Produced from 1949 Modesty Stakes winner No Strings (by Occupation), Heliostrings is also a half sister to stakes-placed Featheredge II (by Nashua), dam of Irish stakes winner Greek Waters (by Summer Tan) and second dam of Grade 2 winner She Can and Spanish Group 3 winner Temblor. In addition, Heliostrings is a half sister to stakes-placed Ashling (by Nashua), dam of 1971 Jersey Stakes (ENG-G3) winner Ashleigh II (by Ragusa).
Books and media
A video review of Perfect Sting’s career as a broodmare at Adena Springs can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNUoGvhv87A.
Fun facts
- Perfect Sting became the namesake for a turf stakes for fillies and mares at Belmont Park.
- Perfect Sting shares her name.with a top Standardbred pacer. A two-time winner of the Dan Patch Award as champion pacing colt at 2 and 3, this Perfect Sting is a stallion with a lifetime mile mark of 1:48.1. (The current world record mile for a pacer is 1:45.4, set by Bulldog Hanover in 2022.)
Last updated: November 25, 2024