Real Delight | Horse Racing Free Tips

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is the GI Kentucky Oaks, second only in stature at Churchill Downs to the GI Kentucky Derby.

The Derby isn't alone as the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the U.S. The Oaks is right there with it, having been held every year, without interruption for wars or pandemics, since racing first began at Churchill in 1875 when the Louisville oval was known as the Louisville Jockey Club. Although the 'Lilies for the Fillies' is somewhat of a prelude to the big event in the public consciousness, it's also a special Classic all on its own. Whether it was Silverbulletday's popular win as the shortest-priced favorite in Oaks history or Rachel Alexandra's 20 1/4-length tour de force or D. Wayne Lukas's record-tying fifth Oaks score last year with Secret Oath, the race has provided so many wonderful moments.

With 149 Kentucky Oaks winners (including two victresses from a 1959 split division), following are highlights of some of the most important by what impact they've had on the sport through their sons and daughters.

Lemons Forever (2003, Lemon Drop Kid–Critikola {Arg}, by Tough Critic), bred by Farfellow Farms Ltd.: The only Kentucky Oaks winner to be officially honored as Broodmare of the Year, she produced champion Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) and additional GISW Unbridled Forever (Unbridled's Song). Her daughters are young and she still has a few more in the pipeline herself, so more could be in her future.

2006 winner Lemons Forever is the only Oaks winner
to be named a Broodmare of the Year | Horsephotos

Seaside Attraction (1987, Seattle Slew–Kamar, by Key to the Mint), bred by Hermitage Farm, Inc., A. G. Clay, and Robert N. Clay: She only had five foals, but four of them were graded winners, including champion Golden Attraction (Mr. Prospector) and GISW Cape Town (Seeking the Gold). Both of her daughters are dams of two or more stakes winners apiece, with French champion Desert Lord (GB) (Green Desert) among their offspring.

Blush With Pride (1979, Blushing Groom {Fr}–Best in Show, by Traffic Judge), bred by Mr. & Mrs. Darrell Brown: Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister), dam of GI Belmont S. winners Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) (also a champion and Kentucky Oaks winner) and Jazil (Seeking the Gold), is one of her daughters. Other top runners tracing to her to date are European champion Peeping Fawn (Danehill) and GISWs Thewayyouare (Kingmambo), Streaming (Smart Strike), and Paris Lights (Curlin).

Hidden Talent (1956, Dark Star–Dangerous Dame {GB}, by Nasrullah {GB}), bred by Harry F. Guggenheim: Dam of Broodmare of the Year Too Bald (Bald Eagle), her descendants include U.S. champion Capote (Seattle Slew), Canadian champion Lake Country (Caucasus), plus MGISWs Exceller (Vaguely Noble {Ire}) and Broad Brush (Ack Ack).

Lalun (1952, Djeddah {Fr}–Be Faithful, by Bimelech), bred by H. F. Guggenheim: Her two top sons were champion Never Bend (Nasrullah {GB}) and Travers winner Bold Reason (Hail to Reason). Both hit the board in the Kentucky Derby and both had significant influence on the breed.

Real Delight (1949, Bull Lea–Blue Delight, by Blue Larkspur), bred by Calumet Farm: This mare produced three black-type winners, but it's the next generations through her daughters that will keep her in pedigrees. Among the legions of top-class horses descending from her are Hall of Famer and leading sire Alydar (Raise a Native), Broodmare of the Year Sweet Tooth (On-and-On), champions Our Mims (Herbager {Fr}) and Christmas Past (Grey Dawn II {Fr}), and GISWs Sugar and Spice (Key to the Mint), Codex (Arts and Letters), and Grand Slam (Gone West).

How (1948, Princequillo {GB}–The Squaw II {Fr}, by Sickle {GB}), bred by D. Djordjadze: She is the dam of Broodmare of the Year Pocahontas (Roman), whose five stakes winners included champion and excellent sire Tom Rolfe (Ribot {GB}), as well as good sire Chieftain (Bold Ruler) and the dam of outstanding European sire Alzao (Lyphard).

Nellie L. (1940, Blenheim II {GB}–Nellie Flag, by American Flag), bred by Calumet Farm: Among the Grade I winners of the last 50 years tracing to this 1943 Oaks winner are champion and Kentucky Derby winner Bold Forbes (Irish Castle), who was her grandson, and Life At the Top (Seattle Slew), Saratoga Six (Alydar), Lakeway (Seattle Slew), Jilbab (A.P. Indy), and England's Dunbeath (Grey Dawn II {Fr}).

Miss Dogwood (1939, Bull Dog {Fr}–Myrtlewood, by Blue Larkspur), bred by Brownell Combs: Breed-shaping sire Mr. Prospector (Raise a Native) is a grandson of her daughter Sequence (Count Fleet), who is also the ancestress of GISWs Sewickley (Star de Naskra), Shared Interest (Pleasant Colony), Forestry (Storm Cat), and Cash Run (Seeking the Gold), as well as Canadian Broodmare of the Year Amelia Bearhart (Bold Hour) and her dual Canadian Horse of the Year son Chief Bearhart (Chief's Crown), who was also a U.S. champion.

Breed-shaping sire Mr. Prospector traced to 1942 Oaks winner
Miss Dogwood | Dell Hancock

Two Bob (1933, The Porter–Blessings, by Chicle {Fr}), bred by C. V. Whitney: What a mare. Her Hall of Fame daughter Two Lea (Bull Lea) produced Hall of Famer and 1958 Kentucky Derby winner Tim Tam (Tom Fool), as well as seven-time black-type winner and sire On-and-On. Another daughter founded the Chris Evert (Swoon's Son) line, the latter being a Hall of Famer whose descendants include champion Chief's Crown (Danzig), MGISWs Sightseek (Distant View) and Tates Creek (Rahy), and so many more top horses. Derby winning filly Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}) also is a direct descendant of Two Bob, as is solid sire Best Turn (Turn-to {Ire}), and a slew of other high-caliber horses.

Fiji (1931, Bostonian–O Girl, by Ormondale), bred by Jack S. Young and Tom B. Young: A daughter produced 1953 Kentucky Derby winner Dark Star, the only horse to defeat Native Dancer, and a granddaughter produced 1964 Kentucky Oaks winner Blue Norther.

Alcibiades (1927, Supremus–Regal Roman {GB}, by Roi Herode {Fr}), bred by Hal Price Headley: Four of her eight foals were black-type winners, including champion and influential sire Menow (Pharamond II {GB}). European champion and another influential sire in Sir Ivor (Sir Gaylord) descended from an Alabama-winning daughter, while a slew of other high-class stakes winners trace to her.

Black Maria (1923, Black Toney–Bird Loose {Fr}, by Sardanapale {Fr}), bred by Himyar Stud or Colonel E. R. Bradley (conflicting accounts): She had only one foal, but one was all she needed. Her descendants include Preakness winner and excellent sire Polynesian, of course responsible for Native Dancer.

Audience (1901, Sir Dixon–Sallie McClelland, by Hindoo), bred by Mrs. Byron McClelland): Among her foals were Whisk Broom II (Broomstick), an eventual Hall of Famer who won major races in both the U.S. and England before becoming a top sire, and Matinee, a blue hen for the Whitneys whose descendants include Hall of Famer Top Flight (Dis Donc {Fr}).

Modesty (1881, War Dance–Ballet, by Planet), bred by George H. Clay: A number of stakes winners trace to this grand chestnut, most notably Regret (Broomstick), the first female winner of the Kentucky Derby in 1915. The GIII Modesty S., to be run on the Oaks undercard after moving to Churchill from Arlington, is named after her.

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In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S., the first Grade I of the year for 3-year-old fillies.

First run in 1936–also Keeneland's first year–for 3-year-olds and up, the Ashland was named for the plantation home of Kentucky statesman Henry Clay. It had a predecessor, the Ashland Oaks, which was inaugurated in 1879 at the old Kentucky Association Racetrack and was a very different race.

Perhaps it's the magic of the Ashland running in front of the home crowd, but it has left a truly extraordinary endowment on the breed. Yes, it is the major Kentucky prep for the GI Kentucky Oaks–now just four weeks away–and it counts no fewer than 14 winners who have also taken the Oaks, but it's much more than that. The Ashland has been so rife with extreme quality that it's harder to find winners who haven't become stakes producers than it is to name those who have.

Counting split divisions and a dead heat, 90 fillies have worn the Ashland crown. If we eliminate the past 10 years of winners as young mares haven't necessarily had a chance to prove themselves as broodmares yet and focus on the first 80 winners, a full 56 (70%) became stakes producers. Some of the foals were obviously higher quality than others: a few of the mares may have had one or two black-type performers instead of stakes winners among their foals, while others had champions.

Even those who don't enjoy statistics should be staggered by these numbers; 70% stakes producers on any list–whether a race's winners, a broodmare band, or a top stallion's book of mares–is simply preposterous. When including what their daughters and granddaughters produced, the number jumps up to 67, or 83.75%, of those 80 winners who threw black-type quality. Of the remaining 16.25%, five (6.25%) died before ever producing a foal and only eight (10%) were not responsible for any black-type among their descendants.

So heavily laden with quality are the Ashland winners as producers that we'll only list the particularly phenomenal here. No fewer than 30 would be included here otherwise.

Following are a fraction of the most important Ashland winners by what impact they've had on the sport through their sons and daughters. Unbelievably, producing a champion or even a Grade I winner or two isn't enough to make this list.

Take Charge Lady (1999, Dehere–Felicita, by Rubiano), bred by William Schettine: Named the 2013 Broodmare of the Year, she produced three Grade I winners and is granddam to a champion. She's also probably not done adding to her legacy, as a number of promising prospects are in the pipeline through her daughters as is MGISW and 2023 first-crop sire Omaha Beach.

Prospectors Delite (1989, Mr. Prospector–Up the Flagpole, by Hoist the Flag), bred by W. S. Farish: Broodmare of the Year in 2003, her first foal was MGISW and Grade I producer Tomisue's Delight, while her last was Horse of the Year Mineshaft. All five of her foals were stakes winners.

New to the sire ranks for 2023, Olympiad descends from the 1987 Ashland winner | Sarah Andrew

Chic Shirine (1984, Mr. Prospector–Too Chic, by Blushing Groom {Fr}), bred by Emory Alexander: No fewer than 20 graded winners already trace to her, including GISWs Keen Ice, Somali Lemonade, Harmonize, Preservationist, Verrazano, and Olympiad in the last decade alone.

Blush With Pride (1979, Blushing Groom {Fr}–Best in Show, by Traffic Judge), bred by Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Brown: Among her best was her Broodmare of the Year daughter Better Than Honour, who hammered for $14 million at Fasig-Tipton's November sale in 2008, and that one's champion daughter Rags to Riches. The family remains extremely active and continues to rack up graded victories.

Gay Missile (1967, Sir Gaylord–Missy Baba, by My Babu {Fr}), bred by Michael G. Phipps: She produced French champion Gay Mecene among her four stakes winners, but it was Gay Missile's daughter Lassie Dear who cemented her legacy with a number of champions tracing straight to her. Among the extensive list of Gay Missile's breed-shaping descendants are Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise and her Horse of the Year and leading sire son A.P. Indy, as well as champion and sire Lemon Drop Kid.

Miss Swapsco (1965, Cohoes–Soaring, by Swaps), bred by Mr. and Mrs. John W. Galbreath: Her first foal, Ballade, produced Canadian Horse of the Year and U.S. champion Glorious Song (who in turn produced champion and multiple-continent Grade I/Group 1 winner Singspiel {Ire}, as well as stellar sire Rahy), champion Devil's Bag, and excellent sire Saint Ballado.

Hidden Talent (1956, Dark Star–Dangerous Dame {GB}, by Nasrullah {GB}), bred by Harry F. Guggenheim: Among her descendants are Broodmare of the Year Too Bald, champion Capote, 11-time Grade I/Group 1 winner Exceller, and MGISW Broad Brush.

Real Delight (1949, Bull Lea–Blue Delight, by Blue Larkspur), bred by Calumet Farm: Her Broodmare of the Year granddaughter Sweet Tooth produced champion Our Mims and six-time GISW and leading sire Alydar. Others tracing to Real Delight include champion Christmas Past and Classic winner Codex.

Myrtlewood (1932, Blue Larkspur–Frizeur {Fr}, by Sweeper {Fr}), bred by Brownell Combs: As the first winner of the Ashland, Myrtlewood set a stunning precedent in her second career as a broodmare. Among her foals were a champion as well as a Kentucky Oaks winner, with several more champions and another Oaks winner among her descendants. Her biggest legacy? Tracing to her through her daughters are breed-modeling sires Mr. Prospector and Seattle Slew.

The post Background Check: Ashland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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