Saint Liam (USA)
April 13, 2000 – August 22, 2006
Saint Ballado (CAN) x Quiet Dance (USA), by Quiet American (USA)
Family 17-b
April 13, 2000 – August 22, 2006
Saint Ballado (CAN) x Quiet Dance (USA), by Quiet American (USA)
Family 17-b
A slow-maturing horse with bad feet, Saint Liam did not become a stakes winner until age 4 but progressed sufficiently that year that he ran 2004 American Horse of the Year Ghostzapper to a neck in the Woodward Stakes (USA-G1) under level weights. The following year he was better still, and with Ghostzapper having retired due to injury following a brilliant win in the Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1), there was nothing else left in training capable of seriously challenging Saint Liam for American Horse of the Year honors. Unfortunately, he did not have long to rest on his laurels as he suffered a fatal injury after standing only one season at stud, leaving behind a single crop that suggested that he might have made a very good stallion had he lived longer.
Race record
20 starts, 9 wins, 6 seconds, 1 third, US$4,456,995
2003:
2004:
2005:
Honors
Assessments
Earned a rating of 125 pounds in three of his four Grade 1 wins on the 2005 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, 5 pounds below overall highweight Hurricane Run (the European Horse of the Year) and 3 pounds below top-rated dirt horse Ghostzapper (who earned his 128-pound rating in the 2005 Metropolitan Handicap, USA-G1).
As an individual
A good-sized bay horse, Saint Liam had an excellent shoulder, a good hip and a straight, strong hind leg but had small feet with thin hoof walls and soles. He was game and determined as a racehorse but had a tendency to bear out on the turn for home. He generally preferred to stalk the pace when racing. He was a poor eater in the barn. He had a strong-willed disposition as a youngster but was quiet and businesslike as a mature horse.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Saint Liam sired 98 named foals in his single crop. From those foals, he sired 68 winners (69.4%) and 9 stakes winners (9.2%).
Notable progeny
Cocolo (MEX), Havre de Grace (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Saint Liam was bred by Edward P. Evans. He was owned by William K. Warren, Jr., and his wife Suzanne, who purchased Saint Liam for US$130,000 from the 2001 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. He was trained by Anthony Reinstedler at age 3 and by Richard E. Dutrow, Jr., at ages 4 and 5. Prior to the 2005 Breeders' Cup Classic, the Warrens sold Saint Liam's breeding rights to Lane's End Farm for a reported US$12 million with provisos for the price to increase to US$14 million if the horse won the Classic and US$15 million if Saint Liam became Horse of the Year.
Saint Liam entered stud in 2006 in Kentucky at Lane's End Farm. Unfortunately, he accidentally fractured a tibia when he fell while being walked to his paddock in August of that year and had to be humanely destroyed.
Pedigree notes
Saint Liam is outcrossed through five generations but is the produce of two inbred parents, as his sire Saint Ballado is inbred 4x4 to Mahmoud and his dam Quiet Dance is inbred 4x4 to Nearctic. He is a half brother to 2018 United Nations Handicap (USA-G1) winner Funtastic (by More Than Ready), 2011 Hill 'n' Dale Molly Pitcher Stakes (USA-G2) winner Quiet Giant (by Giant's Causeway; dam of 2017 American Horse of the Year Gun Runner, by Candy Ride), 2004 Bay Meadows Derby (USA-G3) winner Congressionalhonor (by Forestry) and stakes winner Dance Quietly (by A.P. Indy; dam of listed stakes winner Dance d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro). He is also a half brother to Beatem Buster (by Honour and Glory), dam of 2011 Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1) winner Buster's Ready (by More Than Ready), and to Quiet Now (by Tiznow), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Lull (by War Front).
Saint Liam's dam Quiet Dance won the restricted Gala Lil Stakes at 4 and was Grade 2-placed as a juvenile. She is a full sister to Quiet Flight, dam of Grade 2 winner Fly So High (by Malibu Moon), and a half sister to Fog Dance (by Unbridled's Song), dam of 2012 Del Mar Futurity (USA-G1) winner Rolling Fog (by Posse).
Quiet Dance, in turn, is out of Misty Dancer (by Lyphard), a half sister to 1986 Irish champion 2-year-old filly Minstrella (by The Minstrel). Minstrella, a successful broodmare, produced Grade 3 winners Minidar (by Alydar; dam of Grade 2 winner A Little Warm, by Stormin Fever) and Colonial Minstrel (by Pleasant Colony; dam of stakes winners Storm Minstrel, by Storm Cat, and Grand Minstrel, by Grand Slam) as well as multiple listed stakes winner Unrestrained (by Unbridled). In addition, Minstrella produced Minicolony (by Pleasant Colony), dam of Grade 3 winner Almasty (by Scat Daddy), and Colonella (by Pleasant Colony), dam of Grade 3 winner Pleasant Strike (by Smart Strike).
Misty Dancer and Minstrella are out of stakes-placed Flight Dancer, also the dam of Grade 2 winner Misty Gallore (by Halo; dam of the good sire Silver Ghost, by Mr. Prospector) and a half sister to 1973 Argentine champion sire Dancing Moss (by Ballymoss). The next dam in Saint Liam's tail-female line is stakes winner Courbette (by Native Dancer), a half sister to stakes winner Mlle. Lorette (by Lovely Night) and a daughter of the great Gallorette.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Lane's End Farm in 2005. Used by permission.
Last updated: September 29, 2023
Race record
20 starts, 9 wins, 6 seconds, 1 third, US$4,456,995
2003:
- 2nd Iowa Derby (USA-L, 8.5FD, Prairie Meadows)
2004:
- Won Clark Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd New Orleans Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Fair Grounds)
- 3rd Oaklawn Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Oaklawn Park)
2005:
- Won Donn Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park; new track record 1:48.43)
- Won Stephen Foster Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic—Powered by Dodge (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Whitney Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
Honors
- American Horse of the Year (2005)
- American champion older male (2005)
Assessments
Earned a rating of 125 pounds in three of his four Grade 1 wins on the 2005 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, 5 pounds below overall highweight Hurricane Run (the European Horse of the Year) and 3 pounds below top-rated dirt horse Ghostzapper (who earned his 128-pound rating in the 2005 Metropolitan Handicap, USA-G1).
As an individual
A good-sized bay horse, Saint Liam had an excellent shoulder, a good hip and a straight, strong hind leg but had small feet with thin hoof walls and soles. He was game and determined as a racehorse but had a tendency to bear out on the turn for home. He generally preferred to stalk the pace when racing. He was a poor eater in the barn. He had a strong-willed disposition as a youngster but was quiet and businesslike as a mature horse.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Saint Liam sired 98 named foals in his single crop. From those foals, he sired 68 winners (69.4%) and 9 stakes winners (9.2%).
Notable progeny
Cocolo (MEX), Havre de Grace (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Saint Liam was bred by Edward P. Evans. He was owned by William K. Warren, Jr., and his wife Suzanne, who purchased Saint Liam for US$130,000 from the 2001 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. He was trained by Anthony Reinstedler at age 3 and by Richard E. Dutrow, Jr., at ages 4 and 5. Prior to the 2005 Breeders' Cup Classic, the Warrens sold Saint Liam's breeding rights to Lane's End Farm for a reported US$12 million with provisos for the price to increase to US$14 million if the horse won the Classic and US$15 million if Saint Liam became Horse of the Year.
Saint Liam entered stud in 2006 in Kentucky at Lane's End Farm. Unfortunately, he accidentally fractured a tibia when he fell while being walked to his paddock in August of that year and had to be humanely destroyed.
Pedigree notes
Saint Liam is outcrossed through five generations but is the produce of two inbred parents, as his sire Saint Ballado is inbred 4x4 to Mahmoud and his dam Quiet Dance is inbred 4x4 to Nearctic. He is a half brother to 2018 United Nations Handicap (USA-G1) winner Funtastic (by More Than Ready), 2011 Hill 'n' Dale Molly Pitcher Stakes (USA-G2) winner Quiet Giant (by Giant's Causeway; dam of 2017 American Horse of the Year Gun Runner, by Candy Ride), 2004 Bay Meadows Derby (USA-G3) winner Congressionalhonor (by Forestry) and stakes winner Dance Quietly (by A.P. Indy; dam of listed stakes winner Dance d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro). He is also a half brother to Beatem Buster (by Honour and Glory), dam of 2011 Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1) winner Buster's Ready (by More Than Ready), and to Quiet Now (by Tiznow), dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Lull (by War Front).
Saint Liam's dam Quiet Dance won the restricted Gala Lil Stakes at 4 and was Grade 2-placed as a juvenile. She is a full sister to Quiet Flight, dam of Grade 2 winner Fly So High (by Malibu Moon), and a half sister to Fog Dance (by Unbridled's Song), dam of 2012 Del Mar Futurity (USA-G1) winner Rolling Fog (by Posse).
Quiet Dance, in turn, is out of Misty Dancer (by Lyphard), a half sister to 1986 Irish champion 2-year-old filly Minstrella (by The Minstrel). Minstrella, a successful broodmare, produced Grade 3 winners Minidar (by Alydar; dam of Grade 2 winner A Little Warm, by Stormin Fever) and Colonial Minstrel (by Pleasant Colony; dam of stakes winners Storm Minstrel, by Storm Cat, and Grand Minstrel, by Grand Slam) as well as multiple listed stakes winner Unrestrained (by Unbridled). In addition, Minstrella produced Minicolony (by Pleasant Colony), dam of Grade 3 winner Almasty (by Scat Daddy), and Colonella (by Pleasant Colony), dam of Grade 3 winner Pleasant Strike (by Smart Strike).
Misty Dancer and Minstrella are out of stakes-placed Flight Dancer, also the dam of Grade 2 winner Misty Gallore (by Halo; dam of the good sire Silver Ghost, by Mr. Prospector) and a half sister to 1973 Argentine champion sire Dancing Moss (by Ballymoss). The next dam in Saint Liam's tail-female line is stakes winner Courbette (by Native Dancer), a half sister to stakes winner Mlle. Lorette (by Lovely Night) and a daughter of the great Gallorette.
Fun facts
- According to William K. Warren, Jr., Saint Liam was named in honor of his father, the senior William K. Warren. “Liam” is the Irish form of “William.”
- Saint Liam earned the highest Beyer Speed Figure of 2005 with a 123 in the Whitney Stakes--ironically, a race he lost by a neck.
- Saint Liam was the fifth Breeders' Cup Classic winner ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey. The others were Black Tie Affair (1991), Arcangues (1993), Concern (1994) and Cigar (1995).
- Saint Liam was honored with the 2005 New York Turf Writers Association's Secretariat Award for the horse with the most notable racing performances in New York in that year.
- Following the 2005 Breeders' Cup Classic, William Warren pledged to donate half of Saint Ballado's breeding rights to the Saint Francis Health System in Oklahoma, a pledge worth US$7.5 million if the figures regarding the sale of Saint Liam's breeding rights to Lane's End are accurate.
- In 2007, the Warrens donated US$8 million to Notre Dame University to refurbish the health center, now known as “Saint Liam's.”
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Lane's End Farm in 2005. Used by permission.
Last updated: September 29, 2023