Silver Hawk (USA)
April 20, 1979 – June 5, 2008
Roberto (USA) x Gris Vitesse (USA), by Amerigo (GB)
Family 21-a
April 20, 1979 – June 5, 2008
Roberto (USA) x Gris Vitesse (USA), by Amerigo (GB)
Family 21-a
Silver Hawk may have been a somewhat better racehorse than his status as a Group 3 winner indicated, as he placed in two European Classics and was not the luckiest of runners on the race course. Nonetheless, he was definitely a better sire than he was a racehorse. He became one of the better international sires of his era, getting top runners around the globe.
Race record
8 starts, 3 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$163,885 (in converted foreign earnings)
1981:
1982:
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 123 pounds as a 3-year-old.
As an individual
A plain, long-bodied bay horse with a straight hind leg, Silver Hawk stood 15.3 hands. At his best, he possessed a sharp turn of foot. He was retired after fracturing a cannon bone while in training in July 1982.
As a stallion
Silver Hawk was primarily a sire of staying grass runners. According to records kept by The Jockey Club, he sired 440 winners (51.0%) and 71 stakes winners (8.2%) from 863 named foals. The Blood-Horse credits Silver Hawk with 77 stakes winners (8.9%).
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Benny the Dip (USA), Dansil (USA), Devil River Peek (USA), Germance (USA), Grass Wonder (USA), Hawk Attack (USA), Hawkster (USA), Lady in Silver (USA), Magnificent Star (USA), Magnificient Style (USA), Memories of Silver (USA), Mutafaweq (USA), Nashoba's Key (USA), Percentile (USA), Red Bishop (USA), Silver Ending (USA), Wonder Again (USA), Zoonaqua (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Castledale (IRE), Great Heavens (GB), Nathaniel (IRE), Playful Act (IRE), Seville (GER), Ticker Tape (GB)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Silver Hawk was bred by Robin Scully's Clovelly Farms. He was owned by Mahmoud Fustok, who purchased him for US$77,000 from the 1980 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale and raced him in the name of his Buckram Oak Farm. He was trained by Michael Albina. Silver Hawk entered stud in 1983 in Kentucky at Airdrie Stud, standing as the property of a partnership between Airdrie owner Brereton Jones and Fustok. He was pensioned in fall 2003 and was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age in 2008. He was buried next to the stallion barn at Airdrie.
Pedigree notes
Silver Hawk is inbred 5x5x3 to two-time English champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a half brother to French stakes winner Blast Off (by Graustark) and to Papal Decree (by Noble Decree), dam of 1985 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Papal Power (by Miswaki), second dam of Grade 2 winner Aggie Engineer, and third dam of Grade 3 winners Betty's Wish and Wishful Tomcat. Silver Hawk is also a half brother to Beautiful Bedouin (by His Majesty), dam of Grade 2 winner Wandering Star (by Red Ransom) and restricted stakes winner Major Hero (by Major Impact); second dam of 2013 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner War Command, 2012 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) winner Rollout the Carpet, and French Group 3 winner Naval Officer; and third dam of 2021 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (USA-G1) winner Hit the Road and South African Group 2 winner Demanding Lady.
Gris Vitesse, the dam of Silver Hawk, won the 1970 Prix Jacques le Marois and is a half sister to French stakes winner Clems Match (by Clem). She is also a half sister to Matamata (by Nashua), dam of stakes winner Swallow (by Gregorian). She is out of 1959 Prix de la Nonette winner Matchiche II (by the high-class French racer Mât de Cocagne), herself a half sister to 1962 San Luis Rey Handicap winner Vinci (by Ribot); to French stakes winner Le Courtillet (by L'epinay); and to Chimmy (by Majestic Prince), dam of Peruvian stakes winner Bush Princess (by Bushido). The next dam in Silver Hawk's tail-female line, Chimere Fabuleuse (by 1945 Prix du Jockey Club winner Coaraze), won the 1954 Prix de la Nonette and is a half sister to 1951 Grand Steeplechase de Paris winner Nagara (by Astrophel) and to stakes winner Nichilodas (by Bois Josselyn).
Books and media
Silver Hawk is one of 75 stallions profiled in Tony Morris' Thoroughbred Stallions (1990, The Crowood Press).
Last updated: July 14, 2021
Race record
8 starts, 3 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$163,885 (in converted foreign earnings)
1981:
- Won Intercraft Solario Stakes (ENG, about 7FT, Kempton)
- 2nd Royal Lodge Stakes (ENG-G2, 8FT, Ascot)
1982:
- Won Ladbroke Craven Stakes (ENG-G3, 8FT, Newmarket)
- 2nd Irish Sweeps Derby (IRE-G1, 12FT, The Curragh)
- 3rd Derby Stakes (ENG-G1, 12FT, Epsom)
Assessments
Earned a Timeform rating of 123 pounds as a 3-year-old.
As an individual
A plain, long-bodied bay horse with a straight hind leg, Silver Hawk stood 15.3 hands. At his best, he possessed a sharp turn of foot. He was retired after fracturing a cannon bone while in training in July 1982.
As a stallion
Silver Hawk was primarily a sire of staying grass runners. According to records kept by The Jockey Club, he sired 440 winners (51.0%) and 71 stakes winners (8.2%) from 863 named foals. The Blood-Horse credits Silver Hawk with 77 stakes winners (8.9%).
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- 6th on the English broodmare sire list in 2011; 10th in 2012.
- 8th on the Irish broodmare sire list in 2012.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 3rd on the combined English/Irish general sire list in 1997.
- 3rd on the French broodmare sire list in 1989.
Notable progeny
Benny the Dip (USA), Dansil (USA), Devil River Peek (USA), Germance (USA), Grass Wonder (USA), Hawk Attack (USA), Hawkster (USA), Lady in Silver (USA), Magnificent Star (USA), Magnificient Style (USA), Memories of Silver (USA), Mutafaweq (USA), Nashoba's Key (USA), Percentile (USA), Red Bishop (USA), Silver Ending (USA), Wonder Again (USA), Zoonaqua (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Castledale (IRE), Great Heavens (GB), Nathaniel (IRE), Playful Act (IRE), Seville (GER), Ticker Tape (GB)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Silver Hawk was bred by Robin Scully's Clovelly Farms. He was owned by Mahmoud Fustok, who purchased him for US$77,000 from the 1980 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale and raced him in the name of his Buckram Oak Farm. He was trained by Michael Albina. Silver Hawk entered stud in 1983 in Kentucky at Airdrie Stud, standing as the property of a partnership between Airdrie owner Brereton Jones and Fustok. He was pensioned in fall 2003 and was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age in 2008. He was buried next to the stallion barn at Airdrie.
Pedigree notes
Silver Hawk is inbred 5x5x3 to two-time English champion sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a half brother to French stakes winner Blast Off (by Graustark) and to Papal Decree (by Noble Decree), dam of 1985 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Papal Power (by Miswaki), second dam of Grade 2 winner Aggie Engineer, and third dam of Grade 3 winners Betty's Wish and Wishful Tomcat. Silver Hawk is also a half brother to Beautiful Bedouin (by His Majesty), dam of Grade 2 winner Wandering Star (by Red Ransom) and restricted stakes winner Major Hero (by Major Impact); second dam of 2013 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner War Command, 2012 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) winner Rollout the Carpet, and French Group 3 winner Naval Officer; and third dam of 2021 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (USA-G1) winner Hit the Road and South African Group 2 winner Demanding Lady.
Gris Vitesse, the dam of Silver Hawk, won the 1970 Prix Jacques le Marois and is a half sister to French stakes winner Clems Match (by Clem). She is also a half sister to Matamata (by Nashua), dam of stakes winner Swallow (by Gregorian). She is out of 1959 Prix de la Nonette winner Matchiche II (by the high-class French racer Mât de Cocagne), herself a half sister to 1962 San Luis Rey Handicap winner Vinci (by Ribot); to French stakes winner Le Courtillet (by L'epinay); and to Chimmy (by Majestic Prince), dam of Peruvian stakes winner Bush Princess (by Bushido). The next dam in Silver Hawk's tail-female line, Chimere Fabuleuse (by 1945 Prix du Jockey Club winner Coaraze), won the 1954 Prix de la Nonette and is a half sister to 1951 Grand Steeplechase de Paris winner Nagara (by Astrophel) and to stakes winner Nichilodas (by Bois Josselyn).
Books and media
Silver Hawk is one of 75 stallions profiled in Tony Morris' Thoroughbred Stallions (1990, The Crowood Press).
Last updated: July 14, 2021