Descended from a family that had its original flowering in the stud of Harry Payne Whitney, Shy Dancer was better than an empty stall on the track but found her true calling as a broodmare. The foundation mare for the breeding program of Jacques D. Wimpfheimer, she was the dam of four stakes winners who won Graded or equivalent races, and five of her daughters were of some significance as producers.
Race record
46 starts, 5 wins, 5 seconds, 9 thirds, US$24,337
1958:
As an individual
A gray mare, Shy Dancer was officially registered as a roan. She was hardy enough to make 19 starts as a juvenile and 23 as a 3-year-old before wear and tear caught up with her.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Shy Dancer produced 16 named foals. All 16 started and 13 won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Shy Dancer was bred by Mrs. Marie A. Moore. She bred her first 13 foals as the property of Jacques Wimpfheimer and afterward passed to the ownership of Cecil J. Horne, who bred her last three foals. He last production report was filed in 1982, when she was noted as having slipped.
Pedigree notes
Shy Dancer is inbred 5x3 to the immortal Man o' War, 5x5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand and 5x5 to the notable foundation mare Fairy Gold. She is a half sister to stakes winner Great Depths (by King of the Tudors).
Shy Dancer is out of stakes-placed Shy Bim, whose dam Bashful (by Man o' War) is a full sister to War Sky, second dam of 1956 Mexican champion handicap horse Free Country. Bashful's dam Mock Modesty (by Royal Minstrel) is a full sister to Sourdine, dam of multiple stakes winner Beldine (by Bel Aethel), and is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Comstockery (by Chicle) and to False Modesty (by Whisk Broom II), dam of 1941 Dixie Handicap winner Haltal (by The Porter).
Mock Modesty and her siblings are out of 1922 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Prudish (by Peter Pan), whose full sister Prudery was a two-time American champion and produced 1927 Kentucky Derby winner Whiskery (by Whisk Broom II), 1928 Preakness Stakes winner Victorian (by Whisk Broom II), and 1930 Hopeful Stakes winner Halcyon (by Broomstick). Prudish is also a full sister to the good stakes winner Macaw, whose victories included the 1926 Carter Handicap.
Last updated: March 27, 2024
Race record
46 starts, 5 wins, 5 seconds, 9 thirds, US$24,337
1958:
- 3rd Prioress Stakes (USA, 6FD, Jamaica)
As an individual
A gray mare, Shy Dancer was officially registered as a roan. She was hardy enough to make 19 starts as a juvenile and 23 as a 3-year-old before wear and tear caught up with her.
As a producer
A Reine-de-Course as designated by pedigree analyst Ellen Parker, Shy Dancer produced 16 named foals. All 16 started and 13 won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Petite Rouge (1961, by Ballydam) won the 1963 Spinaway Stakes and two other stakes events as a juvenile. She is the dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Princess Arjumand (by Prince Taj) and the second dam of Grade 2 winners Smarten Up and Purple Mountain and Grade 3 winner French Cut. She is also the third dam of Grade 3 winner Dawn Quixote.
- Lady Dulcinea (1963, by Nantallah) won the 1965 Adirondack Stakes. She is the dam of 1980 American champion 2-year-old filly Heavenly Cause (by Grey Dawn II), 1983 Monmouth Oaks (USA-G2) winner Quixotic Lady (by Quadratic), and stakes winner Jacques Who (by Grey Dawn II). She is the second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Bounding Basque, Grade 2 winner El Basco, and three-time Maryland champion sire Two Punch. Lady Dulcinea is also the third dam of 2006 Mexican champion imported 2-year-old male Winning Limit and Grade 2 winner Confide.
- Prima Ballerina (1964, by Royal Vale) is the dam of stakes winner Cordial Prince (by Cornish Prince) and the third dam of Grade 2 winners Sir Cherokee and Miss Isella.
- Champagne Charlie (1970, by Northern Dancer) won the 1973 Flintlock Stakes (USA-G3) and Swift Stakes (USA-G3). He was one of Northern Dancer's less successful sons at stud, siring six stakes winners from 161 named foals, and was exported to Japan in 1979.
- Shy Dawn (1971, by Grey Dawn II) won six Grade 3 races at ages 4 through 6. She is the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Opening Verse (by The Minstrel), Grade 3 winner So She Sleeps (by Seattle Slew) and multiple stakes winner Dangerous Dawn (by Cox's Ridge). She is also the second dam of English Group 2 winner Diffident and the third dam of 2003 St. James’s Palace Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Zafeen, 2020 American Pharoah Stakes (USA-G1) winner Get Her Number, and Group 3 winners Victory Laurel and Ya Hajar.
- Shy Vita (1979, by Hail the Pirates) is the third dam of 2010 E. P. Taylor Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Reggane.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Shy Dancer was bred by Mrs. Marie A. Moore. She bred her first 13 foals as the property of Jacques Wimpfheimer and afterward passed to the ownership of Cecil J. Horne, who bred her last three foals. He last production report was filed in 1982, when she was noted as having slipped.
Pedigree notes
Shy Dancer is inbred 5x3 to the immortal Man o' War, 5x5x5 to 1903 English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand and 5x5 to the notable foundation mare Fairy Gold. She is a half sister to stakes winner Great Depths (by King of the Tudors).
Shy Dancer is out of stakes-placed Shy Bim, whose dam Bashful (by Man o' War) is a full sister to War Sky, second dam of 1956 Mexican champion handicap horse Free Country. Bashful's dam Mock Modesty (by Royal Minstrel) is a full sister to Sourdine, dam of multiple stakes winner Beldine (by Bel Aethel), and is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Comstockery (by Chicle) and to False Modesty (by Whisk Broom II), dam of 1941 Dixie Handicap winner Haltal (by The Porter).
Mock Modesty and her siblings are out of 1922 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Prudish (by Peter Pan), whose full sister Prudery was a two-time American champion and produced 1927 Kentucky Derby winner Whiskery (by Whisk Broom II), 1928 Preakness Stakes winner Victorian (by Whisk Broom II), and 1930 Hopeful Stakes winner Halcyon (by Broomstick). Prudish is also a full sister to the good stakes winner Macaw, whose victories included the 1926 Carter Handicap.
Last updated: March 27, 2024