Sweet Alliance (USA)
May 14, 1974 – May 20, 1996
Sir Ivor (USA) x Mrs. Peterkin (USA), by Tom Fool (USA)
Family 4-r
May 14, 1974 – May 20, 1996
Sir Ivor (USA) x Mrs. Peterkin (USA), by Tom Fool (USA)
Family 4-r
Sweet Alliance was the second consecutive daughter of Sir Ivor to win the Kentucky Oaks but was not in the class of six-time Grade 1 winner Optimistic Gal, who had taken the race the year before. Nonetheless, she was a nice, consistent filly who won four stakes races and was out of the money only twice in her 15-race career. She distinguished herself as a broodmare by producing a Classic winner as well as two other stakes winners. Unfortunately, her only daughter failed to breed on.
Race record
15 starts, 6 win, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$179,219
1976:
1977:
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1977, 5 pounds below champion Our Mims.
As an individual
A bay mare, Sweet Alliance tended to be a handful in the saddling area but was courageous on the track. She was a good doer who held her weight and energy well even when racing hard.
As a producer
Sweet Alliance produced six named foals. All six started and four were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Sweet Alliance was bred by Newstead Farm. She was owned by E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm, which purchased the filly for US$65,000 from the 1975 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. She was trained by Grover “Bud” Delp. All of Sweet Alliance's foals were listed as bred by either E. P. Taylor or Windfields Farm. She was euthanized in May 1996 at Brookdale Farm, Kentucky, due to complications of foaling; her colt by Hansel did not survive to be named.
Pedigree notes
Sweet Alliance is inbred 4x4 to the important sire Pharamond II and 5x4 to two-time American champion filly Alcibiades. She is a half sister to 1976 Massachusetts Handicap (USA-G2) winner Dancing Champ (by Nijinsky II) and to 1979 California Oaks winner Whydidju (by Tom Rolfe), second dam of 1996/1997 Argentine champion 2-year-old filly Slew of Reality, 2002 Gran Premio Gilberto Lerena (ARG-G1) winner Slew the Moon, Argentine Group 2 winners Arriba Baby and Spice Girl, and South African Group 3 winner Aluminium. Whydidju is also the third dam of Argentine multiple Group 3 winner Shampain.
Returning to Sweet Alliance, she is also a half sister to Grade 3-placed Farouche (by Northern Dancer), whose four stakes winners include Grade/Group 3 winners Lady Roberta and Tursanah (both by Roberto), and to In the Offing (by Hoist the Flag), dam of Grade 3 winner Helenska (by Nijinsky II), second dam of Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Vertigineux, and third dam of 2010 American Horse of the Year Zenyatta, multiple Grade 1 winner Balance, Grade 2 winner War Kill, and multiple Grade 3 winner Sweetest Thing. In addition, Sweet Alliance is a half sister to Banderole (by Hoist the Flag), second dam of 1994/1995 South African champion 3-year-old male Teal and English Group 2 winner Bold Russian and third dam of multiple Japanese Group 3 winner Silent Pride, and to Minstrelsy (by The Minstrel), dam of Grade 2 winner Star Standing (by Assert) and English Group 3 winner Tamayaz (by Gone West). Finally, Sweet Alliance is a half sister to Kinema (by Graustark), dam of 2001 Malibu Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mizzen Mast (by Cozzene), and to Miss Pete (by Raise a Native), dam of listed stakes winner Bristol Pistol (by Regal Classic) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Ice Bear.
Sweet Alliance and her siblings are out of 1968 Chrysanthemum Handicap winner Mrs. Peterkin, a half sister to 1957 Princess Pat Stakes winner Hasty Doll (by Roman; dam of stakes winner Hasty Hitter, by Hitting Away), 1958 Selima Stakes and Spinaway Stakes winner Rich Tradition (by Rosemont), and 1959 Sapling Stakes winner Sky Clipper (by Citation). Also a half sister to stakes producers Lyford Cottage (by Battlefield) and Slapton Sands (by First Landing), Mrs. Peterkin is out of the stakes-placed Challenger II mare Legendra, a full sister to nine-time stakes winner Pictor.
Books and media
Sweet Alliance is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Last updated: September 14, 2024
Race record
15 starts, 6 win, 3 seconds, 4 thirds, US$179,219
1976:
- Won Pocahontas Stakes (first division) (USA, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
1977:
- Won Kentucky Oaks (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Jersey Belle Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Garden State)
- Won La Troienne Stakes (USA, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Oaklawn)
- 2nd Ruthless Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Delaware Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Delaware Park)
- 3rd Smart Deb Handicap (first division) (USA, 8.5FT, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Magnolia Stakes (second division) (USA, 6FD, OP)
- 3rd Rosetown Stakes (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old fillies of 1977, 5 pounds below champion Our Mims.
As an individual
A bay mare, Sweet Alliance tended to be a handful in the saddling area but was courageous on the track. She was a good doer who held her weight and energy well even when racing hard.
As a producer
Sweet Alliance produced six named foals. All six started and four were winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- Shareef Dancer (1980, by Northern Dancer) won the 1983 Irish Sweeps Derby (IRE-G1) and was the English and Irish champion 3-year-old male of that year. According to records kept by The Jockey Club, he sired 31 stakes winners headed by 1991 Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks (IRE-G1) and Oaks d'Italia (ITY-G1) winner Possessive Dancer.
- Zaffaran (1985, by Assert) won the listed March Stakes in England and was Group 2-placed. He had some success as a National Hunt sire before breaking a leg and being euthanized in June 2001.
- War Deputy (1991, by Deputy Minister) won the 1993 Brown & Williamson Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (USA-G3). He was an unsuccessful sire who was exported to Greece in 2004.
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Sweet Alliance was bred by Newstead Farm. She was owned by E. P. Taylor's Windfields Farm, which purchased the filly for US$65,000 from the 1975 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. She was trained by Grover “Bud” Delp. All of Sweet Alliance's foals were listed as bred by either E. P. Taylor or Windfields Farm. She was euthanized in May 1996 at Brookdale Farm, Kentucky, due to complications of foaling; her colt by Hansel did not survive to be named.
Pedigree notes
Sweet Alliance is inbred 4x4 to the important sire Pharamond II and 5x4 to two-time American champion filly Alcibiades. She is a half sister to 1976 Massachusetts Handicap (USA-G2) winner Dancing Champ (by Nijinsky II) and to 1979 California Oaks winner Whydidju (by Tom Rolfe), second dam of 1996/1997 Argentine champion 2-year-old filly Slew of Reality, 2002 Gran Premio Gilberto Lerena (ARG-G1) winner Slew the Moon, Argentine Group 2 winners Arriba Baby and Spice Girl, and South African Group 3 winner Aluminium. Whydidju is also the third dam of Argentine multiple Group 3 winner Shampain.
Returning to Sweet Alliance, she is also a half sister to Grade 3-placed Farouche (by Northern Dancer), whose four stakes winners include Grade/Group 3 winners Lady Roberta and Tursanah (both by Roberto), and to In the Offing (by Hoist the Flag), dam of Grade 3 winner Helenska (by Nijinsky II), second dam of Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Vertigineux, and third dam of 2010 American Horse of the Year Zenyatta, multiple Grade 1 winner Balance, Grade 2 winner War Kill, and multiple Grade 3 winner Sweetest Thing. In addition, Sweet Alliance is a half sister to Banderole (by Hoist the Flag), second dam of 1994/1995 South African champion 3-year-old male Teal and English Group 2 winner Bold Russian and third dam of multiple Japanese Group 3 winner Silent Pride, and to Minstrelsy (by The Minstrel), dam of Grade 2 winner Star Standing (by Assert) and English Group 3 winner Tamayaz (by Gone West). Finally, Sweet Alliance is a half sister to Kinema (by Graustark), dam of 2001 Malibu Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mizzen Mast (by Cozzene), and to Miss Pete (by Raise a Native), dam of listed stakes winner Bristol Pistol (by Regal Classic) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Ice Bear.
Sweet Alliance and her siblings are out of 1968 Chrysanthemum Handicap winner Mrs. Peterkin, a half sister to 1957 Princess Pat Stakes winner Hasty Doll (by Roman; dam of stakes winner Hasty Hitter, by Hitting Away), 1958 Selima Stakes and Spinaway Stakes winner Rich Tradition (by Rosemont), and 1959 Sapling Stakes winner Sky Clipper (by Citation). Also a half sister to stakes producers Lyford Cottage (by Battlefield) and Slapton Sands (by First Landing), Mrs. Peterkin is out of the stakes-placed Challenger II mare Legendra, a full sister to nine-time stakes winner Pictor.
Books and media
Sweet Alliance is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Last updated: September 14, 2024