Summer Squall (USA)
March 12, 1987 – September 22, 2009
Storm Bird (CAN) x Weekend Surprise (USA), by Secretariat (USA)
Family 3-l
March 12, 1987 – September 22, 2009
Storm Bird (CAN) x Weekend Surprise (USA), by Secretariat (USA)
Family 3-l
Generally considered the second-best American colt of his crop at both 2 and 3, Summer Squall was a talented and consistent racehorse and might have achieved still more had he not been prone to episodes of respiratory bleeding. He was a good but not spectacular sire whose stud career ended relatively early due to fertility issues.
Race record
20 starts, 13 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,844,282
1989:
1990:
1991:
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1989, 2 pounds below champion Rhythm.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1990, 1 pound below champion Unbridled.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1991, 4 pounds below co-highweights Black Tie Affair (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year), Farma Way, and In Excess.
As an individual
A bay ridgling, Summer Squall stood 16.0-1/4 hands. He was a handsome, well-balanced, rather light-boned individual who was troubled by respiratory bleeding throughout his racing career and was slightly pigeon-toed in front. He also had a slightly offset knee. He was a game competitor on the track. His 2-year-old season was cut short by a hairline fracture to a cannon bone, and he was troubled by quarter cracks as a 4-year-old.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Summer Squall sired 245 winners (69.2%) and 35 stakes winners (9.9%) from 354 foals of racing age. The Blood-Horse credits him with 37 stakes winners (10.5%). Summer Squall tended to transmit his own light bone, especially to his fillies.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Charismatic (USA), Storm Song (USA), Summer Colony (USA), Summerly (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Stevie Wonderboy (USA), Street Hero (USA), Summer Bird (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Summer Squall was bred by William S. Farish III and William S. Kilroy. He was owned by Dogwood Stable, which purchased him for US$300,000 from the 1988 Keeneland July yearling sale. He was trained by Neil Howard. Summer Squall entered stud in 1992 in Kentucky at Lane's End Farm and stood there throughout his stud career. He was pensioned in 2004 due to declining fertility and was humanely destroyed September 22, 2009, due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Summer Squall is inbred 4x5 to two-time English leading sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a full brother to Weekend Storm, dam of four stakes winners including multiple Grade 1 winner Court Vision (by Gulch) and Canadian Grade 3 winner Smart Surprise (by Smart Strike; dam of 2018 Canadian champion female sprinter Moonlit Promise, by Malibu Moon). He is a half brother to 1992 American Horse of the Year and two-time American leading sire A.P. Indy (by Seattle Slew), Grade 3 winner Welcome Surprise (by Seeking the Gold; second dam of 2024 Personal Ensign Stakes (USA-G1) winner Raging Sea and Grade 3 winner Guest Suite), listed stakes winner Eavesdropper (by Kingmambo), and Grade 3-placed Honor Grades (by Danzig), a useful sire. Summer Squall's Storm Cat half brother Tiger Ridge also had some success at stud, and his Grade 1-placed Seattle Slew half sister Weekend in Seattle is the dam of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Mambo in Seattle (by Kingmambo) and the second dam of Grade 3 winner Sky Kingdom and Japanese Group 3 winner Stay in Seattle. Another half sister to Summer Squall, Amirati (by Danzig), is the second dam of Grade 1-winning steeplechaser Surprising Soul, who took his top-level brackets in the 2019 Lonesome Glory Handicap, and the third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Honesty Prevails. Finally, Summer Squall is a half brother to Lassie's Legacy (by Deputy Minister), second dam of 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1) winner Happy Saver, and to Mystery Trip, second dam of English Group 3 winner Chemical Charge.
Summer Squall's dam Weekend Surprise is the 1992 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year and is a Grade 3-winning half sister to English highweight sprinter Wolfhound (by Nureyev) and two other stakes winners. She is also a half sister to Al Mufti (by Roberto), a champion sire in South Africa, and to Charming Lassie (by Seattle Slew), dam of 2000 American champion older male Lemon Drop Kid (by Kingmambo), Grade 2 winner Brulay (by Rubiano; dam of Grade 2 winner Neko Bay, by Giant's Causeway) and English Group 3 winner Statue of Liberty (by Storm Cat). Weekend Surprise is out of Grade 3 winner Lassie Dear (by Buckpasser), a half sister to 1979 French champion older male Gay Mecene and two other stakes winners. The female line is one of the best in the American Stud Book and entered the United States via 1941 Irish Oaks winner Uvira II.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: August 23, 2024
Race record
20 starts, 13 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$1,844,282
1989:
- Won Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1, 6.5FD, Saratoga)
- Won Saratoga Special (USA-G2, 6FD, Saratoga)
- Won Bashford Manor Stakes (USA-L, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Kentucky Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA, 5.5FD, Churchill Downs)
1990:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Jim Beam Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Turfway Park)
- Won Pennsylvania Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Philadelphia Park)
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Swale Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Gulfstream Park)
1991:
- Won Fayette Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Pimlico Special Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Washington Park Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Arlington Park)
Assessments
Rated at 124 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1989, 2 pounds below champion Rhythm.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1990, 1 pound below champion Unbridled.
Rated at 122 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1991, 4 pounds below co-highweights Black Tie Affair (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year), Farma Way, and In Excess.
As an individual
A bay ridgling, Summer Squall stood 16.0-1/4 hands. He was a handsome, well-balanced, rather light-boned individual who was troubled by respiratory bleeding throughout his racing career and was slightly pigeon-toed in front. He also had a slightly offset knee. He was a game competitor on the track. His 2-year-old season was cut short by a hairline fracture to a cannon bone, and he was troubled by quarter cracks as a 4-year-old.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Summer Squall sired 245 winners (69.2%) and 35 stakes winners (9.9%) from 354 foals of racing age. The Blood-Horse credits him with 37 stakes winners (10.5%). Summer Squall tended to transmit his own light bone, especially to his fillies.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 8th on the American general sire list in 1999
Notable progeny
Charismatic (USA), Storm Song (USA), Summer Colony (USA), Summerly (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Stevie Wonderboy (USA), Street Hero (USA), Summer Bird (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Summer Squall was bred by William S. Farish III and William S. Kilroy. He was owned by Dogwood Stable, which purchased him for US$300,000 from the 1988 Keeneland July yearling sale. He was trained by Neil Howard. Summer Squall entered stud in 1992 in Kentucky at Lane's End Farm and stood there throughout his stud career. He was pensioned in 2004 due to declining fertility and was humanely destroyed September 22, 2009, due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Summer Squall is inbred 4x5 to two-time English leading sire Nearco, an unbeaten champion on the race course. He is a full brother to Weekend Storm, dam of four stakes winners including multiple Grade 1 winner Court Vision (by Gulch) and Canadian Grade 3 winner Smart Surprise (by Smart Strike; dam of 2018 Canadian champion female sprinter Moonlit Promise, by Malibu Moon). He is a half brother to 1992 American Horse of the Year and two-time American leading sire A.P. Indy (by Seattle Slew), Grade 3 winner Welcome Surprise (by Seeking the Gold; second dam of 2024 Personal Ensign Stakes (USA-G1) winner Raging Sea and Grade 3 winner Guest Suite), listed stakes winner Eavesdropper (by Kingmambo), and Grade 3-placed Honor Grades (by Danzig), a useful sire. Summer Squall's Storm Cat half brother Tiger Ridge also had some success at stud, and his Grade 1-placed Seattle Slew half sister Weekend in Seattle is the dam of Grade 1-placed stakes winner Mambo in Seattle (by Kingmambo) and the second dam of Grade 3 winner Sky Kingdom and Japanese Group 3 winner Stay in Seattle. Another half sister to Summer Squall, Amirati (by Danzig), is the second dam of Grade 1-winning steeplechaser Surprising Soul, who took his top-level brackets in the 2019 Lonesome Glory Handicap, and the third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Honesty Prevails. Finally, Summer Squall is a half brother to Lassie's Legacy (by Deputy Minister), second dam of 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1) winner Happy Saver, and to Mystery Trip, second dam of English Group 3 winner Chemical Charge.
Summer Squall's dam Weekend Surprise is the 1992 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year and is a Grade 3-winning half sister to English highweight sprinter Wolfhound (by Nureyev) and two other stakes winners. She is also a half sister to Al Mufti (by Roberto), a champion sire in South Africa, and to Charming Lassie (by Seattle Slew), dam of 2000 American champion older male Lemon Drop Kid (by Kingmambo), Grade 2 winner Brulay (by Rubiano; dam of Grade 2 winner Neko Bay, by Giant's Causeway) and English Group 3 winner Statue of Liberty (by Storm Cat). Weekend Surprise is out of Grade 3 winner Lassie Dear (by Buckpasser), a half sister to 1979 French champion older male Gay Mecene and two other stakes winners. The female line is one of the best in the American Stud Book and entered the United States via 1941 Irish Oaks winner Uvira II.
Books and media
- Summer Squall is profiled in Chapter 12 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
- Footage of Summer Squall's Preakness victory can be accessed as part of The Racing Biz's multimedia article, "Preakness Memories: The Courageous Summer Squall" (https://www.theracingbiz.com/2020/09/24/preakness-memories-summer-squall/).
Fun facts
- Summer Squall met 1990 American champion 3-year-old male Unbridled six times during his career, winning three of those races and outfinishing Unbridled in the 1991 Pimlico Special.
- Like his half brother A.P. Indy, Summer Squall had only one normal testicle. The other failed to descend to his scrotum.
- Summer Squall loved peppermints and, according to Dogwood Stable organizer Cot Campbell, would cock his right foreleg to his chest as a signal that he wanted his treats.
Last updated: August 23, 2024