Susan's Girl (USA)
March 23, 1969 – October 18, 1988
Quadrangle (USA) x Quaze (USA), by Quibu (ARG)
Family 7
March 23, 1969 – October 18, 1988
Quadrangle (USA) x Quaze (USA), by Quibu (ARG)
Family 7
A tough and consistent mare, Susan's Girl won championships in three of the five seasons she raced. Her final championship at age 6 was one of American racing's great comeback stories as she had been knocked out of racing by injury after three starts at 5. While she was never able to handle male rivals, she was sublimely indifferent to tracks, surfaces, trainers, and jockeys, winning from coast to coast and under all conditions. She was also a successful broodmare.
Race record
63 starts, 29 wins, 14 seconds, 11 thirds, US$1,251,667
1971:
1972:
1973:
1974:
1975:
Honors
Assessments
Susan's Girl was rated #51 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005). She was sixth among the 26 fillies and mares on the list.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1971, 3 pounds below champion juvenile filly Numbered Account.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1972, 1 pound above Coaching Club American Oaks winner Summer Guest.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1973, 4 pounds above second-rated Light Hearted.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1974, 5 pounds below champion Desert Vixen.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1975, 1 pound above Dulcia and Tizna.
As an individual
A strapping bay mare, Susan's Girl stood 16.1 hands. She had a deep girth and broad hindquarters and was exceptionally long from hip to hock, giving her great leverage behind. Her knees were coarse and open but never seemed to give her trouble. She showed a calm, sensible disposition while racing and was a good shipper and good doer. She had a long, low stride.
As a producer
Susan's Girl produced 11 named foals. Nine started and five were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Susan's Girl was bred by Fred Hooper Jr. and was owned by his father, Fred W. Hooper, who bought her from his son for US$25,000 plus half her juvenile earnings of US$150,484. She was trained at various points in her career by Charlie Parke, James E. "Jimmy" Picou, John W. Russell, Thomas W. "Tom" Kelley, Robert L. Smith, J. L. Newman and J. R. Fenstermaker, winning stakes races for all of them. She was ridden by Victor Tejada when she won the Kentucky Oaks.
Pedigree notes
Susan's Girl is inbred 5x5 to Stimulus. She is a half sister to 1974 Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) and Kentucky Oaks (USA-G2) winner Quaze Quilt (by Specialmante) and to stakes winner Steel Pike (by Nadir). Her dam Quaze was the runner-up in the 1960 Kentucky Oaks and is a half sister to stakes winner Pryson (by Pry). Quaze, in turn, is by the major Argentine and Uruguayan stakes winner Quibu out of unraced Heavenly Sun, a daughter of Hooper's foundation sire Olympia and the winning mare Daffy (by The Porter).
Books and media:
Susan's Girl is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Susan's Girl, Braulio Baeza up, being led in following the 1973 Spinster Stakes. Keeneland Association photo; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2024
Race record
63 starts, 29 wins, 14 seconds, 11 thirds, US$1,251,667
1971:
- Won Signature Stakes (USA, 6FD, Liberty Bell)
- Won Villager Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Liberty Bell)
- 2nd Frizette Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Gardenia Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- 2nd Demoiselle Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
1972:
- Won Pasadena Stakes (USA, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Santa Ynez Stakes (USA, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Santa Susana Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won La Troienne Stakes (USA, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Cotillion Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Liberty Bell)
- Won Gazelle Handicap (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Beldame Stakes (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Mother Goose Stakes (USA, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Princess Stakes (USA, 8.5FT, Hollywood)
- 3rd Coaching Club American Oaks (USA, 12FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Hollywood Oaks (USA, 9FD, Hollywood)
1973:
- Won Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Santa Barbara Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Delaware Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Delaware)
- Won Spinster Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Santa Maria Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Susquehanna Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Liberty Bell)
- 2nd Long Beach Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hollywood)
- 2nd Milady Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Vanity Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 3rd Beldame Stakes (USA-G1 9FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Matchmaker Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Atlantic City)
1974:
- Won Falls City Handicap (USA-G3, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Santa Monica Handicap (USA-G2, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd San Pasqual Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
1975:
- Won Matchmaker Handicap (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Atlantic City)
- Won Delaware Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Delaware)
- Won Beldame Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Spinster Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Long Beach Handicap (USA-G2, 9FT, Hollywood)
- Won Apple Blossom Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Oaklawn Park)
- 2nd Vanity Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Santa Margarita Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Santa Monica Handicap (USA-G2, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Wilshire Handicap (USA-G3, 9FT, Hollywood)
- 3rd Ladies Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Santa Maria Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Maskette Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Berlo Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1976)
- Arcadia Historical Society's Racing Walk of Champions (inducted as part of the inaugural class in 2014)
- American champion 3-year-old filly (1972)
- American champion older female (1973, 1975)
Assessments
Susan's Girl was rated #51 among the top 100 American racehorses of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by The Blood-Horse (Thoroughbred Champions, Eclipse Press, 7th printing, 2005). She was sixth among the 26 fillies and mares on the list.
Rated at 116 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1971, 3 pounds below champion juvenile filly Numbered Account.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1972, 1 pound above Coaching Club American Oaks winner Summer Guest.
Highweighted at 127 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1973, 4 pounds above second-rated Light Hearted.
Rated at 123 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1974, 5 pounds below champion Desert Vixen.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older females of 1975, 1 pound above Dulcia and Tizna.
As an individual
A strapping bay mare, Susan's Girl stood 16.1 hands. She had a deep girth and broad hindquarters and was exceptionally long from hip to hock, giving her great leverage behind. Her knees were coarse and open but never seemed to give her trouble. She showed a calm, sensible disposition while racing and was a good shipper and good doer. She had a long, low stride.
As a producer
Susan's Girl produced 11 named foals. Nine started and five were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- Copelan (1980, by Tri Jet) won the 1982 Champagne Stakes (USA-G1), Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) and Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) and was the second-ranked American juvenile male of his year. He sired 35 stakes winners from 382 named foals.
- Joyous Susan (1983, by If This Be So) produced multiple stakes winner Outstander (by Outflanker) and is the second dam of multiple Grade 2 winner St. Joe Bay.
- Paramount Jet (1985, by Tri Jet) won the listed Dr. Fager Handicap at Arlington Park as a 5-year-old. He sired 99 named foals but failed to get any stakes winners.
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Susan's Girl was bred by Fred Hooper Jr. and was owned by his father, Fred W. Hooper, who bought her from his son for US$25,000 plus half her juvenile earnings of US$150,484. She was trained at various points in her career by Charlie Parke, James E. "Jimmy" Picou, John W. Russell, Thomas W. "Tom" Kelley, Robert L. Smith, J. L. Newman and J. R. Fenstermaker, winning stakes races for all of them. She was ridden by Victor Tejada when she won the Kentucky Oaks.
Pedigree notes
Susan's Girl is inbred 5x5 to Stimulus. She is a half sister to 1974 Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) and Kentucky Oaks (USA-G2) winner Quaze Quilt (by Specialmante) and to stakes winner Steel Pike (by Nadir). Her dam Quaze was the runner-up in the 1960 Kentucky Oaks and is a half sister to stakes winner Pryson (by Pry). Quaze, in turn, is by the major Argentine and Uruguayan stakes winner Quibu out of unraced Heavenly Sun, a daughter of Hooper's foundation sire Olympia and the winning mare Daffy (by The Porter).
Books and media:
Susan's Girl is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- After Susan's Girl underwent surgery for a fractured sesamoid as a 5-year-old, part of her rehabilitation was a daily swim in Lake Weir near Hooper's farm. Her best foal, Copelan, was named for Dr. Robert Copelan, the veterinarian who performed her surgery.
- The Susan's Girl Stakes is the second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies. It is contested over 7 furlongs on dirt at Gulfstream Park. For a time, Delaware Park also hosted a stakes named after Susan's Girl.
- Susan's Girl was the first female Thoroughbred to amass more than US$1 million in earnings while racing solely in North America.
Photo credit
Susan's Girl, Braulio Baeza up, being led in following the 1973 Spinster Stakes. Keeneland Association photo; used by permission. Please contact the Keeneland Library with any questions regarding use or licensure of this photo.
Last updated: May 9, 2024