Stop the Music (USA)
March 23, 1970 – July 8, 2005
Hail to Reason (USA) x Bebopper (USA), by Tom Fool (USA)
Family 11-g
March 23, 1970 – July 8, 2005
Hail to Reason (USA) x Bebopper (USA), by Tom Fool (USA)
Family 11-g
One of the few horses to register a win over the great Secretariat, Stop the Music did so by way of the stewards' room rather than the track. He was a nice performer in his own right when he could get away from the champion, however, and would probably have had a better record at 4 and 5 had it not been for another racing immortal, Forego. At stud, Stop the Music enjoyed a long and honorable career without breaking into the top rank.
Race record
30 starts, 11 wins, 10 seconds, 4 thirds, US$448,922
1972:
1973:
1974:
1975:
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1972, 4 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Secretariat.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1973, 16 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Secretariat.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1974, 12 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Forego.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1975, 15 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Forego.
As an individual
A smoothly made bay horse with good rein length, Stop the Music had a beautifully laid shoulder, strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Stop the Music sired 409 winners (59.7%) and 44 stakes winners (6.4%) from 685 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2996, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
Notable progeny
Cure the Blues (USA), Dontstop Themusic (USA), Missy's Mirage (USA), Music Merci (CAN), Squill (USA), Temperence Hill (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Include (USA), Jovial (GB), Mr Purple (USA), Queens Court Queen (USA), Timely Warning (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Stop the Music was bred by Greentree Stud and raced in the colors of Greentree Stable. He was trained by John M. Gaver, Sr. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1976 at Gainesway Farm, where he was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age in 2005.
Pedigree notes
Stop the Music is inbred 5x5 to Teddy and Plucky Liege through the full brothers Sir Gallahad III and Bull Dog, with an additional cross of Plucky Liege at the fifth remove through her son Admiral Drake, winner of the 1934 Grand Prix de Paris and a champion sire and broodmare sire in France. He is a full brother to Crazy Music, dam of 1985 Laurel Turf Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Crazy Moon (by Stage Door Johnny). Stop the Music is also a half brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Hatchet Man (by The Axe II) and to listed stakes winner Flag Waver (by Hoist the Flag), dam of stakes winner Abidjan (by Sir Ivor), second dam of 1999 Illinois Derby (USA-G2) winner Vision and Verse, and third dam of 2012/13 Ecuadorean Horse of the Year Shamui, 2008 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Ginger Brew, 2018 Grande Prêmio São Paulo (BRZ-G1) winner Euquemando, 2021 Woodward Stakes (USA-G1) winner Art Collector, Grade 2 winner Bourbon Bay, and Brazilian Group 3 winner First Fighter. In addition, Stop the Music is a half brother to Boasting (by Bold Lad), second dam of 1996 American champion 3-year-old filly Yanks Music.
Stop the Music's dam Bebopper is a winning half sister to stakes-placed Stepping High (by No Robbery), dam of 1978 Saranac Stakes (USA-G2) winner and 1985 American champion sire Buckaroo (by Buckpasser) and listed stakes winner Parade Marshal (by Caro), a successful sire in Argentina. She is also a half sister to Clasbio (by Outing Class), dam of restricted stakes winner Genista (by Good Counsel), and to Larceny Gal (by No Robbery), dam of stakes winner Smuggled (by Sham) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Astudillo. The sisters' dam, Bebop II (by 1951 French champion sire Prince Bio) is a stakes-placed half sister to 1954 Oaks Stakes winner Sun Cap (by Sunny Boy) and 1952 Prix Jean Prat winner La Varende (by Blue Moon) and is out of Capellina, by 1923 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Le Capucin.
Last updated: November 17, 2023
Race record
30 starts, 11 wins, 10 seconds, 4 thirds, US$448,922
1972:
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont, by disqualification of Secretariat)
- Won Saratoga Special Stakes (USA, 6FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Futurity Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Cowdin Stakes (USA, 7FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Laurel Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Laurel)
- 3rd Hopeful Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Youthful Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Belmont)
- Also set a Belmont track record of 1:03-1/5 for 5.5 furlongs
1973:
- Won Dwyer Handicap (USA-G2, 10FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Withers Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Belmont)
- Also set a Belmont track record of 1:33-3/5 for a mile in an allowance race
1974:
- 2nd Stuyvesant Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Vosburgh Handicap (USA-G2, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Whitney Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
1975:
- 2nd Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Carter Handicap (USA-G2, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
Assessments
Rated at 125 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1972, 4 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Secretariat.
Rated at 120 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1973, 16 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Secretariat.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1974, 12 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Forego.
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1975, 15 pounds below divisional champion and Horse of the Year Forego.
As an individual
A smoothly made bay horse with good rein length, Stop the Music had a beautifully laid shoulder, strong hindquarters and a straight hind leg.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Stop the Music sired 409 winners (59.7%) and 44 stakes winners (6.4%) from 685 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1980.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2996, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1980.
Per Thoroughbred Times (previously Thoroughbred Record):
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1980.
Notable progeny
Cure the Blues (USA), Dontstop Themusic (USA), Missy's Mirage (USA), Music Merci (CAN), Squill (USA), Temperence Hill (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Include (USA), Jovial (GB), Mr Purple (USA), Queens Court Queen (USA), Timely Warning (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Stop the Music was bred by Greentree Stud and raced in the colors of Greentree Stable. He was trained by John M. Gaver, Sr. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1976 at Gainesway Farm, where he was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age in 2005.
Pedigree notes
Stop the Music is inbred 5x5 to Teddy and Plucky Liege through the full brothers Sir Gallahad III and Bull Dog, with an additional cross of Plucky Liege at the fifth remove through her son Admiral Drake, winner of the 1934 Grand Prix de Paris and a champion sire and broodmare sire in France. He is a full brother to Crazy Music, dam of 1985 Laurel Turf Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Crazy Moon (by Stage Door Johnny). Stop the Music is also a half brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Hatchet Man (by The Axe II) and to listed stakes winner Flag Waver (by Hoist the Flag), dam of stakes winner Abidjan (by Sir Ivor), second dam of 1999 Illinois Derby (USA-G2) winner Vision and Verse, and third dam of 2012/13 Ecuadorean Horse of the Year Shamui, 2008 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Ginger Brew, 2018 Grande Prêmio São Paulo (BRZ-G1) winner Euquemando, 2021 Woodward Stakes (USA-G1) winner Art Collector, Grade 2 winner Bourbon Bay, and Brazilian Group 3 winner First Fighter. In addition, Stop the Music is a half brother to Boasting (by Bold Lad), second dam of 1996 American champion 3-year-old filly Yanks Music.
Stop the Music's dam Bebopper is a winning half sister to stakes-placed Stepping High (by No Robbery), dam of 1978 Saranac Stakes (USA-G2) winner and 1985 American champion sire Buckaroo (by Buckpasser) and listed stakes winner Parade Marshal (by Caro), a successful sire in Argentina. She is also a half sister to Clasbio (by Outing Class), dam of restricted stakes winner Genista (by Good Counsel), and to Larceny Gal (by No Robbery), dam of stakes winner Smuggled (by Sham) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Astudillo. The sisters' dam, Bebop II (by 1951 French champion sire Prince Bio) is a stakes-placed half sister to 1954 Oaks Stakes winner Sun Cap (by Sunny Boy) and 1952 Prix Jean Prat winner La Varende (by Blue Moon) and is out of Capellina, by 1923 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Le Capucin.
Last updated: November 17, 2023