Saint Ballado (CAN)
May 14, 1989 – October 20, 2002
Halo (USA) x Ballade (USA), by Herbager (FR)
Family 12-c
May 14, 1989 – October 20, 2002
Halo (USA) x Ballade (USA), by Herbager (FR)
Family 12-c
Although he was a talented colt, Saint Ballado did not have the ability to match his champion full siblings Glorious Song and Devil's Bag. His stud prospects were further hampered by Devil's Bag's disappointing early results at stud and by his own poor foreleg conformation, and he went to stud for a modest fee of US$2,500 in Florida. At the time of his death at the early age of 13, Saint Ballado had become one of the hottest sires in Kentucky and commanded US$150,000 for his services. His sire line was plagued by bad luck as his best son, 2005 American Horse of the Year Saint Liam, suffered a fatal accident after siring one crop; another top son, 2007 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sunriver, died of a heart attack after two seasons at stud.
Race record
9 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$302,820
1992:
- Won Arlingon Classic Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Sheridan Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Arlington Park)
Assessments
Rated at 111 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1992, 16 pounds below divisional champion and American Horse of the Year A.P. Indy.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown, Saint Ballado stood 16.2 hands. He was strongly made and good-bodied with powerful hindquarters but was back at the knees and upright in his pasterns.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Saint Ballado sired 393 winners (54.8%) and 68 stakes winners (9.5%) from 717 named foals. The Blood-Horse credited Saint Ballado with 70 stakes winners (9.8%). He typically stamped his progeny with his own strong build, but his foals usually had better legs than he himself did.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- 8th on the North American broodmare sire list in 2011.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- Led the American general sire list in 2005; 5th in 2004; 7th in 2003.
Notable progeny
Ashado (USA), Captain Bodgit (USA), Domingo (USA), Saint Liam (USA), Sister Act (USA), Sunriver (USA), Yankee Victor (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Ballado's Beach (ARG), Glorious Moment (ARG), Roxy Gap (CAN)
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Saint Ballado was bred by Windfields Farm. He was purchased by Clint Goodrich on behalf of Tartan Farms for US$90,000 at the 1990 Keeneland September sale. When Tartan reduced its stock in 1991, Goodrich put together a partnership with Robert Lothenbach and Steve Herold to purchase Saint Ballado for US$150,000. The colt was trained by Clint Goodrich.
Saint Ballado entered stud in Florida in 1993 at Ocala Stud and moved to Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky in 1998, standing there as the property of Taylor Made Farm and Aaron and Marie Jones. He was humanely destroyed in October 2002 due to complications of surgery to relieve compressive cervical myelopathy.
Pedigree notes
Saint Ballado is inbred 4x4 to Mahmoud and 5x5x5 to Blue Larkspur. He is a full brother to 1983 American champion 2-year-old male Devil's Bag and to 1980 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion older female Glorious Song, dam of the important sire Rahy (by Blushing Groom) and of Morn of Song (by Blushing Groom), who was the dam of 2003 Prix Vermeille (FR-G1) winner Mezzo Soprano (by Darshaan) and listed stakes winner Emirates to Dubai (by Storm Cat) and the second dam of Japanese Group 3 winners Frere Jacques and Martinborough and French Group 3 winner Claremont. Glorious Song also produced 1996 American champion turf male Singspiel (by In the Wings), a successful sire in Europe; South African Group 2 winner Rakeen (by Northern Dancer); Ring of Music (by Sadler's Wells), dam of multiple Group 1 winner Campanologist (by Kingmambo) and second dam of Australian Group 2 winner Well Rounded and South African Group 3 winner One Fine Day; and Chansonette (by Mark of Esteem), dam of 2010 N.H.K. Mile Cup (JPN-G1) winner Danon Chantilly (by Fuji Kiseki).
Saint Ballado is also a full brother to Angelic Song, dam of 2002 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (USA-G1) winner Sligo Bay (by Sadler's Wells), Japanese stakes winners Lady Ballade (by Unbridled) and Millennium Wing (by Sadler's Wells), and Group 3-placed English stakes winner Wolfe Tone (by Sadler's Wells); second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Danon Ballade and French Group 2 winner Seachange; and third dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Air Almas and Grade 2 winner Yuugiri. In addition, Saint Ballado is a half brother to stakes winner Thaidah (by Vice Regent), second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Shakis and third dam of 2010 Indian Two Thousand Guineas winner Ocean and Beyond.
Saint Ballado is out of 1992 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Ballade, a half sister to listed stakes winner Secreto's Glory (by Secreto; dam of the Red Bullet colt Forty Zip, a multiple champion in the Dominican Republic) and multiple stakes winner Vite View (by Reviewer; dam of listed stakes winner Glorious View, by Naskra). Also a half sister to Grade 1-placed Sweeping View (by Reviewer), dam of Grade 3 winner Worth Avenue (by Spend a Buck); to Heathers Surprise (by Best Turn), dam of stakes winner Lady Carson (by Carson City); and to Devil's Sister (by Alleged), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Blacksburg (by Seattle Slew) and multiple Japanese stakes winner Hishi Natalie (by Seattle Slew), Ballade was produced from multiple stakes winner Miss Swapsco (by Cohoes), a half sister to 1982 Monmouth Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mehmet (by His Majesty).
Fun facts
- Following the success of his first Florida-sired crop, Saint Ballado was nearly exported to Japan but was turned back when he tested positive for equine viral arteritis. The EVA positive was the result of a recent vaccination, but Japanese regulations forbade the importation of any horse with a positive EVA titer and the horse ended up being sold to the partnership of Taylor Made Farm and Aaron and Marie Jones instead.
Last updated: April 7, 2023