Safely Kept (USA)
April 7, 1986 – April 22, 2014
Horatius (USA) x Safely Home (USA), by Winning Hit (USA)
Family 4-m
April 7, 1986 – April 22, 2014
Horatius (USA) x Safely Home (USA), by Winning Hit (USA)
Family 4-m
One of the great sprint mares of American racing history, Safely Kept was durable, consistent, and (of course) blazing fast. Although her victory in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (USA-G1) was slightly tarnished by Dayjur’s having lost the lead after jumping a shadow on the track, the daughter of Maryland stalwart Horatius was a deserving and popular champion in her division. She was fairly successful as a broodmare but not at the level of her racing career.
Race record
31 starts, 24 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,194,206
1988:
1989:
1990:
1991:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds among juvenile fillies on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1988, 9 pounds below champion Open Mind.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1989, 2 pounds above second-rated Grecian Flight.
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1990, 10 pounds above a three-way tie for second between Diva's Debut, Love's Exchange, and Stormy But Valid.
As an individual
A lengthy, strong-bodied, muscular bay mare standing 17 hands, Safely Kept was at her best over 6 furlongs and was only once tried beyond 7 furlongs. Sweet-natured around the barn, she was an extremely quick starter and was game and determined in a drive. She was retired after injuring her right front ankle while winning the 1991 Meadowlands Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap.
As a producer
Safely Kept produced 10 named foals, of which eight started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Safely Kept was bred by Mr. & Mrs. David Hayden and raced for their Dark Hollow Stable at 2 before being sold privately for a reported US$300,000 to Barry Weisbord and Jayeff B Stables (Richard Santulli). She was trained by Carlos Garcia at 2; after her sale, she was trained by Alan Goldberg. She was ridden to her triumph in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint by Craig Perret. Following the birth of Safely Kept’s first foal, Weisborn sold his interest in the mare to Santulli. Pensioned from broodmare duty in June 2010, she was euthanized in October 2014 due to the infirmities of old age. She was buried at Burleson Farm near Midway, Kentucky, where she had been boarded since 1999.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1973 Riggs Handicap (USA-G3) winner Horatius (by Proudest Roman, by Never Bend), Safely Kept is inbred 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah (also the champion English/Irish sire of 1951) and 5x5x5 to Nasrullah’s sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course and twice the leader of the English/Irish combined general sire list. She is a half sister to 1997 Kentucky Cup Sprint Stakes (USA-G2) winner Partner’s Hero (by Danzig) and to multiple stakes-placed Safe at the Plate (by Double Zeus), second dam of Grade 3 winner Vinceremos. Safely Kept is also a half sister to Slide (by Smarten), dam of Grade 2 winner Santiva (by Giant’s Causeway), and to Safe Salute (by Hail Emperor), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Sea Dub (by Sea Hero).
Safely Kept was produced from Safely Home, a mare claimed by the Haydens for US$11,500 at Bowie in 1980. Sired by Winning Hit (a winning son of Bold Ruler x Bases Full, by Ambiorix), she is out of Arc Lamp (by multiple Irish stakes winner Stella Aurata), a mare whose best racetrack performances in 19 starts were two placings. The next dam in Safely Kept’s tail-female line, Flying Polly (by the stakes-winning Bull Dog horse War Dog) is a half sister to 1955 Tropical Handicap winner Scimitar (by The Sultan) and is out of the winner Polly Hastings (by the Peter Pan horse Peter Hastings), a half sister to stakes winners Erin Torch (by Torchilla) and Irish Sun (by Sun Again).
Books and media
A video of Safely Kept’s victory in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xgZV9ADl9s.
Fun facts
Last updated: November 22, 2024
Race record
31 starts, 24 wins, 2 seconds, 3 thirds, US$2,194,206
1988:
- Won Playpen Stakes (USA-L, 5.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Smart Angle Stakes (USA-R, 6FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd USF & G Maryland Lassie Stakes (USA-R, 7FD, Laurel)
1989:
- Won Test Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Saratoga)
- Won Prioress Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Genuine Risk Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Garden State Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, Garden State)
- Won Columbia Stakes (USA-L, 6FD, Pimlico)
- Won Regret Stakes (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won State of Maryland Distaff Handicap (USA-R, 6FD, Pimlico)
- Won Politely Stakes (USA-R, 6FD, Laurel)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Gulfstream Park)
1990:
- Won Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Genuine Risk Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Keeneland)
- Won Meadowlands Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, The Meadowlands)
- Won Garden State Budweiser Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Garden State)
- Won Finger Lakes Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-L, 6FD, Finger Lakes)
- Won State of Maryland Distaff Handicap (USA-R, 6FD, Pimlico)
1991:
- Won Genuine Risk Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Belmont)
- Won Garden State Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, Garden State; equaled track record 1:08-2/5)
- Won Meadowlands Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, The Meadowlands)
- Won Chicago Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-L, 6FD, Arlington Park)
- Won State of Maryland Distaff Handicap (USA-R, 6FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Stakes (USA-L, 6FD, Laurel)
- 3rd Monmouth Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-L, 6FD, Monmouth)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2011)
- Maryland Thoroughbred Hall of Fame (inducted in the inaugural class in 2013)
- Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (1989)
- Maryland-bred Horse of the Year (1989, 1990)
- Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old filly (1988)
- Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old filly (1989)
- Maryland-bred champion older female (1990)
Assessments
Rated at 114 pounds among juvenile fillies on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1988, 9 pounds below champion Open Mind.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1989, 2 pounds above second-rated Grecian Flight.
Highweighted at 130 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American female sprinters of 1990, 10 pounds above a three-way tie for second between Diva's Debut, Love's Exchange, and Stormy But Valid.
As an individual
A lengthy, strong-bodied, muscular bay mare standing 17 hands, Safely Kept was at her best over 6 furlongs and was only once tried beyond 7 furlongs. Sweet-natured around the barn, she was an extremely quick starter and was game and determined in a drive. She was retired after injuring her right front ankle while winning the 1991 Meadowlands Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap.
As a producer
Safely Kept produced 10 named foals, of which eight started and won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Safe Return (1995, by Mr. Prospector) won two of her 12 starts. She is the dam of stakes winner Welcome Home (by Dixieland Band; dam of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Pool Winner, by Broken Vow). She is also the third dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Venetian Harbor.
- Contrast (2002, by Unbridled) won two minor stakes races as a 4-year-old and was Grade 3-placed. She has yet to make any impact as a broodmare.
- Peace Chant (2003, by War Chant) won the listed Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap as a 6-year-old and was Grade 2-placed. He was exported to Venezuela for stallion duty in 2011.
Connections
Foaled in Maryland, Safely Kept was bred by Mr. & Mrs. David Hayden and raced for their Dark Hollow Stable at 2 before being sold privately for a reported US$300,000 to Barry Weisbord and Jayeff B Stables (Richard Santulli). She was trained by Carlos Garcia at 2; after her sale, she was trained by Alan Goldberg. She was ridden to her triumph in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint by Craig Perret. Following the birth of Safely Kept’s first foal, Weisborn sold his interest in the mare to Santulli. Pensioned from broodmare duty in June 2010, she was euthanized in October 2014 due to the infirmities of old age. She was buried at Burleson Farm near Midway, Kentucky, where she had been boarded since 1999.
Pedigree notes
Sired by 1973 Riggs Handicap (USA-G3) winner Horatius (by Proudest Roman, by Never Bend), Safely Kept is inbred 4x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah (also the champion English/Irish sire of 1951) and 5x5x5 to Nasrullah’s sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course and twice the leader of the English/Irish combined general sire list. She is a half sister to 1997 Kentucky Cup Sprint Stakes (USA-G2) winner Partner’s Hero (by Danzig) and to multiple stakes-placed Safe at the Plate (by Double Zeus), second dam of Grade 3 winner Vinceremos. Safely Kept is also a half sister to Slide (by Smarten), dam of Grade 2 winner Santiva (by Giant’s Causeway), and to Safe Salute (by Hail Emperor), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Sea Dub (by Sea Hero).
Safely Kept was produced from Safely Home, a mare claimed by the Haydens for US$11,500 at Bowie in 1980. Sired by Winning Hit (a winning son of Bold Ruler x Bases Full, by Ambiorix), she is out of Arc Lamp (by multiple Irish stakes winner Stella Aurata), a mare whose best racetrack performances in 19 starts were two placings. The next dam in Safely Kept’s tail-female line, Flying Polly (by the stakes-winning Bull Dog horse War Dog) is a half sister to 1955 Tropical Handicap winner Scimitar (by The Sultan) and is out of the winner Polly Hastings (by the Peter Pan horse Peter Hastings), a half sister to stakes winners Erin Torch (by Torchilla) and Irish Sun (by Sun Again).
Books and media
A video of Safely Kept’s victory in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xgZV9ADl9s.
Fun facts
- Safely Kept had an episode of colic on the day before the 1989 Test Stakes and won anyway, even though the distance was a furlong further than she normally preferred.
- The 12.90-1 odds on Safely Kept in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Sprint were the longest on her during her career, and the Sprint was one of only four of her starts in which she was not the favorite.
- One of the more bizarre editions of the Breeders' Cup Sprint on record, the 1990 race was also marred by the deaths of Mr. Nickerson, who died of an apparent heart attack during the first quarter of the race, and Shaker Knit, who fell over Mr. Nickerson when he collapsed and sustained fatal injuries from the fall.
- Safely Kept retired as the leading money-winner among female Thoroughbreds foaled in Maryland and as the runner-up to Lady’s Secret among all North American-raced female Thoroughbreds foaled outside Kentucky.
- Safely Kept became the namesake for stakes races run at Arlington Park and Laurel. The Safely Kept Stakes at Laurel continues to be contested on the fall calendar and as of 2024 is a 7-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies on dirt.
Last updated: November 22, 2024