Sky Beauty (USA)
February 9, 1990 – July 2, 2004
Blushing Groom (FR) x Maplejinsky (USA), by Nijinsky II (CAN)
Family 1-g
February 9, 1990 – July 2, 2004
Blushing Groom (FR) x Maplejinsky (USA), by Nijinsky II (CAN)
Family 1-g
A high-class filly at 2, 3, and 4, Sky Beauty was handicapped in her quest for a championship by her inability to carry her form away from her home base in New York. A bad defeat in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1) cost her an Eclipse Award at 3 in spite of her having won the New York Triple Tiara plus the Alabama Stakes, but she finally came through with a title in 1994 even though she failed badly once more in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1). She did well as a producer in a relatively short broodmare career.
Race record
21 starts, 15 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,336,000
1992:
1993:
1994:
1995:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 122 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American 2-year-old fillies of 1992, 1 pound below champion Eliza.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old females of 1993, 3 pounds below champion Hollywood Wildcat.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1994, 2 pounds above second-rated Hollywood Wildcat.
Rated at 127 pounds on the 1994 International Classification, 3 pounds below co-highweights Holy Bull and Balanchine but tops among older dirt runners of either sex.
As an individual
An attractive bay mare with plenty of size and power, Sky Beauty was taller and rangier than most of Blushing Groom's progeny. She was high-strung and difficult to handle although she seemed to bond well with her regular pilot, Mike Smith. She did not ship well and was easily unsettled by changes in her environment, although her behavior as an individual was inconsistent from one day to the next.
As a producer
Sky Beauty produced seven named foals, of which six started and five won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sky Beauty was bred by Howard and Susan Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm. She was owned by Georgia Hofmann, who purchased the filly for US$355,000 from the 1991 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. She was trained by Allen Jerkens. In 1999, she was sold to Coolmore for US$2.85 million via the 1999 Keeneland November mixed sale. She was euthanized in July 2004 due to complications of laminitis.
Pedigree notes
Sky Beauty is inbred 4x5 to unbeaten Italian champion and two-time English champion sire Nearco. She is also inbred 4x5 to 1937 American champion 2-year-old male Menow. She is a half sister to Our Country Place (by Pleasant Colony), dam of 2005 Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1) winner Pleasant Home and two-time First Flight Handicap (USA-G2) winner Country Hideaway (both by Seeking the Gold); second dam of multiple Grade 1 winners Pine Island and Point of Entry, Grade 2 winner Boca Grande, Grade 3 winner Vacation and Japanese Group 3 winner Birdie Birdie; and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Guarana and Grade 3 winners Great Island and Beatbox. Sky Beauty is also a half sister to Silence Beauty (by Sunday Silence), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati and 2017 Westchester Stakes (USA-G3) winner Tale of Silence (both by Tale of the Cat), and to Million Gift (by Sunday Silence), dam of stakes winner Million Seller (by A.P. Indy) and second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Yorkton and Grade 3 winner Weyburn. Finally, Sky Beauty is a half sister to Crimson Maple (by Rahy), dam of multiple stakes winner Goldwood (by Medaglia d'Oro) and second dam of 2024 Premio Mil Guineas Maria Luisa Solari (CHI-G1) winner Ando Soltera and Chilean Group 2 winner Toy Soltero.
Maplejinsky, the dam of Sky Beauty, won the 1988 Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) and Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1). She is a half sister to 1990 English Horse of the Year Dayjur (by Danzig) and to Elhasna (by Danzig), dam of multiple stakes winners Karis Makaw (by Charismatic) and Nationhood (by Cherokee Run). She is also a half sister to Grade 1 sire Gold Legend (by Seattle Slew).
Maplejinsky and her siblings were produced from 1982 American champion sprinter Gold Beauty (by Mr. Prospector), whose stakes-winning dam Stick to Beauty (by Illustrious) also produced Grade 2 winner The Prime Minister (by Deputy Minister), Grade 2-placed stakes winner Majestic Venture (by Majestic Prince), listed stakes winner Miraloma (by Deputy Minister), and listed stakes winner Storm Beauty (by Storm Cat), dam of Grade 3 winner Buffum (by Bernardini) and multiple stakes winner Stormy West (by Gone West) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Oxy Lady. Stick to Beauty is also the dam of Poster Beauty (by Codex), dam of multiple Irish listed stakes winner Ailleacht (by Chief's Crown), and of Sticky Prospect (by Mr. Prospector), second dam of 2003 Gran Premio San Isidro (ARG-G1) winner Question. In addition, she is the dam of Misconduct (by Criminal Type), dam of Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Cat Charmer (by Storm Cat), second dam of Grade 2 winner Strike Charmer, and third dam of Grade 2 winner Subconscious. Finally, Stick to Beauty is the dam of to Raise a Beauty (by Alydar), dam of Grade 3 winner Iron Mask (by Danzig) and third dam of French Group 3 winners Ameenah and Sofast.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: Sseptember 1, 2024
Race record
21 starts, 15 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, US$1,336,000
1992:
- Won Matron Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Belmont)
- Won Adirondack Stakes (USA-G2, 6FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Saratoga; disqualified from first)
1993:
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Alabama Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- Won Rare Perfume Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Bonnie Miss Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
1994:
- Won Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Shuvee Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
- Won Go for Wand Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Hempstead Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Vagrancy Handicap (USA-G3, 7FD, Belmont)
1995:
- Won Vagrancy Handicap (USA-G3, 7FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Shuvee Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Hempstead Handicap (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Belmont)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2011)
- Eclipse Award, American champion older female (1994)
Assessments
Rated at 122 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American 2-year-old fillies of 1992, 1 pound below champion Eliza.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old females of 1993, 3 pounds below champion Hollywood Wildcat.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1994, 2 pounds above second-rated Hollywood Wildcat.
Rated at 127 pounds on the 1994 International Classification, 3 pounds below co-highweights Holy Bull and Balanchine but tops among older dirt runners of either sex.
As an individual
An attractive bay mare with plenty of size and power, Sky Beauty was taller and rangier than most of Blushing Groom's progeny. She was high-strung and difficult to handle although she seemed to bond well with her regular pilot, Mike Smith. She did not ship well and was easily unsettled by changes in her environment, although her behavior as an individual was inconsistent from one day to the next.
As a producer
Sky Beauty produced seven named foals, of which six started and five won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Storming Beauty (1998, by Storm Cat) won one of her seven starts. She is the second dam of 2012 CashCall Futurity (USA-G1) winner Violence.
- Sky Legend (1999, by Deputy Minister) never raced but is the second dam of 2015 Indian Horse of the Year Quasar.
- Desert Tigress (2002, by Storm Cat) won one of six starts. She is the dam of Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Growl (by Oasis Dream).
- Hurricane Cat (2003, by Storm Cat) won the 2005 Horris Hill Stakes (ENG-G3). He was exported to Argentina for stud duty and earned a Pellegrini Award as “Stallion of the Year” in 2017.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Sky Beauty was bred by Howard and Susan Kaskel's Sugar Maple Farm. She was owned by Georgia Hofmann, who purchased the filly for US$355,000 from the 1991 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. She was trained by Allen Jerkens. In 1999, she was sold to Coolmore for US$2.85 million via the 1999 Keeneland November mixed sale. She was euthanized in July 2004 due to complications of laminitis.
Pedigree notes
Sky Beauty is inbred 4x5 to unbeaten Italian champion and two-time English champion sire Nearco. She is also inbred 4x5 to 1937 American champion 2-year-old male Menow. She is a half sister to Our Country Place (by Pleasant Colony), dam of 2005 Breeders' Cup Distaff (USA-G1) winner Pleasant Home and two-time First Flight Handicap (USA-G2) winner Country Hideaway (both by Seeking the Gold); second dam of multiple Grade 1 winners Pine Island and Point of Entry, Grade 2 winner Boca Grande, Grade 3 winner Vacation and Japanese Group 3 winner Birdie Birdie; and third dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Guarana and Grade 3 winners Great Island and Beatbox. Sky Beauty is also a half sister to Silence Beauty (by Sunday Silence), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati and 2017 Westchester Stakes (USA-G3) winner Tale of Silence (both by Tale of the Cat), and to Million Gift (by Sunday Silence), dam of stakes winner Million Seller (by A.P. Indy) and second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Yorkton and Grade 3 winner Weyburn. Finally, Sky Beauty is a half sister to Crimson Maple (by Rahy), dam of multiple stakes winner Goldwood (by Medaglia d'Oro) and second dam of 2024 Premio Mil Guineas Maria Luisa Solari (CHI-G1) winner Ando Soltera and Chilean Group 2 winner Toy Soltero.
Maplejinsky, the dam of Sky Beauty, won the 1988 Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) and Monmouth Oaks (USA-G1). She is a half sister to 1990 English Horse of the Year Dayjur (by Danzig) and to Elhasna (by Danzig), dam of multiple stakes winners Karis Makaw (by Charismatic) and Nationhood (by Cherokee Run). She is also a half sister to Grade 1 sire Gold Legend (by Seattle Slew).
Maplejinsky and her siblings were produced from 1982 American champion sprinter Gold Beauty (by Mr. Prospector), whose stakes-winning dam Stick to Beauty (by Illustrious) also produced Grade 2 winner The Prime Minister (by Deputy Minister), Grade 2-placed stakes winner Majestic Venture (by Majestic Prince), listed stakes winner Miraloma (by Deputy Minister), and listed stakes winner Storm Beauty (by Storm Cat), dam of Grade 3 winner Buffum (by Bernardini) and multiple stakes winner Stormy West (by Gone West) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Oxy Lady. Stick to Beauty is also the dam of Poster Beauty (by Codex), dam of multiple Irish listed stakes winner Ailleacht (by Chief's Crown), and of Sticky Prospect (by Mr. Prospector), second dam of 2003 Gran Premio San Isidro (ARG-G1) winner Question. In addition, she is the dam of Misconduct (by Criminal Type), dam of Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Cat Charmer (by Storm Cat), second dam of Grade 2 winner Strike Charmer, and third dam of Grade 2 winner Subconscious. Finally, Stick to Beauty is the dam of to Raise a Beauty (by Alydar), dam of Grade 3 winner Iron Mask (by Danzig) and third dam of French Group 3 winners Ameenah and Sofast.
Books and media
- Sky Beauty is profiled in Chapter 12 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
- The New York Racing Association's footage of Sky Beauty's win in the 1993 Alabama Stakes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_whdM7QFAJ4.
Fun facts
- The 130 pounds packed by Sky Beauty in the 1994 Ruffian Handicap was the heaviest weight carried to victory by any North American runner in a Grade 1 race that year.
- Together with her husband, Phillip Hoffman, Georgia Hoffman had bred both Sky Beauty's granddam, Gold Beauty, and her dam, Maplejinsky, before selling Maplejinsky as a yearling.
- Sky Beauty was the last filly to sweep the original New York Triple Tiara series of the Acorn Stakes, the Mother Goose Stakes, and the Coaching Club American Oaks. Her predecessors were Dark Mirage (1968), Shuvee (1969), Chris Evert (1974), Ruffian (1975), Davona Dale (1979), Mom’s Command (1985), and Open Mind (1989).
- Sky Beauty was the namesake for a stakes race at Aqueduct—ironically, the only one of the major New York tracks that she did not race on.
Last updated: Sseptember 1, 2024