Blue Hen Mares In the Thoroughbred - Part 3: The 50s
by Julia Lord

Welcome to the third installment of our series looking at some of the greatest "Blue Hen" mares in the Thoroughbred. This time we have some wonderful mares from the '50s. Their descendants include such names as Graustark, His Majesty, Dr. Fager, Unbridled, Tom Rolfe, Alzao, Zilzal, Wavering Monarch, In Reality, Dr. Carter, Key To The Mint, and Silver Patriarch.

Flower Bowl
1952, *Alibhai x Flower Bed, by *Beau Pere

Flower Bowl was a good stakes winner herself, and a full sister to another stakes winner as well as a half-sister to two more stakes horses. She had only five foals, but has become a tremendous influence on the breed, most notably through two of her foals, the full brothers Graustark and His Majesty (by *Ribot), who were excellent stakes winners and sires. Both have been particularly good as broodmare sires. Her third stakes winner was Bowl Of Flowers, by Sailor, a wonderful racehorse and dam of one stakes winner and one stakes-placed winner.

Flower Bowl also produced Cup Race, full brother to Bowl Of Flowers, who was a winner in half of his 8 starts, and Yetive, an unraced mare by *Ribot who produced 13 foals. Interestingly, only one of her foals amounted to much, but that one won 28-of-154 starts (although no stakes) and set a new track record. All of Yetive's daughters are producers, with 6 stakes horses among them.

.......... Gainsborough (1915, b.)
.......Hyperion (1930, chest.)
..........Selene (1919, b.)
...*Alibhai (1938, chest.)
..........Tracery (1909, br.)
.......Teresina (1920, chest.)
..........Blue Tit (1908, ch.)
Flower Bowl (1952, bay)
..........Son-In-Law (1911, br.)
.......*Beau Pere (1927, br.)
.......... Cinna (1917, b.)
...Flower Bed (1946, bay)
.......... *Mahmoud (1933, gr.)
.......*Boudoir II (1938, ch.)
..........Kampala (1933, b.)

Aspidistra
1954, Better Self x Tilly Rose, by Bull Brier

Aspidistra was only a minor winner on the track, and was the only registered foal from her dam. But she produced 10 winners, including stakes winners A. Deck, Chinatowner, Ta Wee, and the great Dr. Fager (four-time champion and Horse of the Year), as well as stakes-placed Highbinder.

Ta Wee was a two-time champion who produced 5 winners from 5 named foals, including 4 stakes winners: Great Above (a successful sire), Entropy, Tweak, and Tax Holiday. She's also the grand-dam of one stakes winner so far.

Another of Aspidistra's daughters, Magic, is the dam of 3 stakes horses and grand-dam of 4 more. One of Magic's daughters is the grand-dam of Cavonnier, who came within a nose of winning the Kentucky Derby, and another daughter, Charedi, is the dam of SW Pentelicus as well as Magic Blue, dam of one SW, and Gana Facil, the dam of Unbridled (won KY Derby, Preakness, Breeders' Cup Classic, etc. and has already sired a Derby winner) and Cahill Road (full brother to Unbridled, and also a SW).

A couple more daughters of Aspidistra that deserve mention are Perplexing, dam of 2 stakes horses and grand-dam of one more, and Quit Me Not, grand-dam of two stakes horses including Judge T C, who was a stakes winner every year from age 2 through 5.

..........Black Toney (1911, b.)
.......Bimelech (1937, ch.)
..........*La Troienne (1926, ch.)
...Better Self (1945, bay)
..........War Admiral (1934, br.)
.......Bee Mac (1941, ch.)
..........Baba Kenny (1928, br.)
Aspidistra (1954, bay)
.......... *Bull Dog (1927, b/br.)
.......Bull Brier (1938, chest.)
..........Rose Eternal (1925)
...Tilly Rose (1948, chest.)
..........Draymont (1925)
.......Tilly Kate (1935, bay)
..........Teak (1923, bay)

Pocahontas
1955, Roman x How, by *Princequillo

Pocahontas was a stakes winner at 2, and is the dam of 5 stakes winners: Chieftan, by Bold Ruler, won 7 stakes at ages 2-4 and set a new track record; Tom Rolfe, by *Ribot, won 9 stakes at ages 2-4, set one track record and equalled another, and was a very good sire; Ahdeek, a SW in England; *Wenona, dam of one SW and grand-dam of 6 stakes horses; and *Lady Rebecca, a graded SW in France and dam of two stakes horses including Alzao (an excellent racehorse and sire in Europe), as well as the grand-dam of 2 more stakes horses.

Three more of Pocahontas's daughters, although unraced, were good producers. Celia, by Swaps, produced 4 stakes horses, is the grand-dam of 7 stakes horses, and one of her granddaughters, Absentia, produced the good SW Dancing Dissident as well as two more stakes-placed winners. Wampum, by Warfare, produced one SW and is the grand-dam of 2 more SWs. *Santa Paula II, by Santa Claus (GB), was the dam of one SW and the grand-dam of 3 stakes horses.

..........*Teddy (1913, b.)
.......*Sir Gallahad III (1920, b.)
..........Plucky Liege (1912, b.)
...Roman (1937, bay)
..........Buchan (1916, b.)
....... *Buckup (1928, bay)
..........Look Up (1922, b.)
Pocahontas (1955, brown)
.......... Prince Rose (1928, b.)
....... *Princequillo (1940, bay)
.......... *Cosquilla (1933, b.)
... How (1948, brown)
..........*Sickle (1924)
.......*The Squaw II (1939, b.)
..........*Minnewaska (1932, b.)

Lady Be Good
1956, Better Self x Past Eight, by Eight Thirty

Lady Be Good was a stakes winner herself at age two, as well as a full sister to Time Tested, who won 8 stakes and equalled a track record. She produced 4 stakes winners: Discipline, by *Princequillo, who won stakes from age 2 through 4; Disciplinarian, by Bold Ruler, who won 5 stakes at age 2-3; Full Of Hope and In Hot Pursuit, both by Bold Ruler, both won one stakes and placed in 3 more. She also produced 2 stakes-placed winners: Bold Sultan, by Bold Ruler, and Bold Example, by Bold Lad. But it is through her 9 producing daughters that she has left a lasting mark on the breed. Every one of them is a stakes producer. Discipline is the dam of two SWs: Squander, by Buckpasser (dam of 4 stakes horses and grand-dam of 5 more, including Goodbye Halo) and Duty Dance, by Nijinsky II (dam of 1 SW and one stakes-producer, so far); as well as stakes-placed Probation, by Bold Ruler (grand-dam of 2 SWs). Two more of Discipline's daughters have also produced stakes winners.

Bold Example is the dam of two SWs: Highest Regard, by Gallant Romeo (dam of 2 SWs so far, including Awe Inspiring) and French Charmer, by *Le Fabuleux (dam of 2 SWs so far, including Zilzal, champion and horse of the year in England). Bold Example also produced stakes-placed Bare Essence, by Youth, dam of 2 winners, and stakes-producers Past Example (dam of 2 SWs including Polish Precedent, champion in France), Gallant Youth (dam of 1 SW), and Perfect Example (dam of Culture Vulture, champion in France, England and Italy). In Hot Pursuit is the dam of 2 stakes winners and 3 stakes-placed, and is the grand-dam of 3 stakes horses including Lonely Bird, a champion in Italy. Uncommitted is the dam of 3 stakes horses including Wavering Monarch (grade 1 winner and successful sire), and is the grand-dam of three more stakes winners and one stakes-placed.

Impish is the dam of two stakes horses and the grand-dam of 3 more, including Mining (a grade 1 winner and sire). No Demerits is the dam of two stakes-placed, and grand-dam of one more. Full Of Hope is the dam of one SW. Foresight Princess is the dam of 3 SWs. In Fine Fettle is the dam of 2 SWs.

..........Black Toney (1911, b.)
....... Bimelech (1937, ch.)
..........*La Troienne (1926, ch.)
...Better Self (1945, bay)
..........War Admiral (1934, br.)
.......Bee Mac (1941, ch.)
.......... Baba Kenny (1928, br.)
Lady Be Good (1956, bay)
..........Pilate (1928, ch.)
.......Eight Thirty (1936, bay)
..........Dinner Time (1929, ch.)
...Past Eight (1945, chest.)
..........*Hourless (1914, br.)
.......Helvetia (1923, ch.)
..........*La Belle Helene (1916, ch.)

My Dear Girl
1957, Rough'n Tumble x Iltis, by War Relic

My Dear Girl was a champion herself, as well as a half-sister to two stakes winners and two stakes-placed. Her 15 foals included a remarkable 7 stakes winners: In Reality and Return to Reality (both by Intentionally), Watchfulness (by Native Charger), Really And Truly (by What A Pleasure), Gentle Touch (by Chieftan), Superbity (by Groshawk), and My Dear Lady (by Mr. Prospector). She also produced stakes-placed winner Star Of The North (by *Prince Taj).

In Reality was an excellent racehorse and has been a tremendously influential sire, but My Dear Girl's influence is strong through her daughters, too. Five of them are stakes producers, including Gentle Touch, dam of Dr. Carter (grade 1 winner and sire). Another daughter, Endearing (by Count Fleet), produced 4 stakes horses and is the grand-dam of one more SW. You're Lovely (by Ambehaving) produced one stakes horse, and is the grand-dam of one SW. Near And Dear (by Needles) produced one SW, and 5 of her daughters are stakes producers, with a total of 8 stakes horses. And the youngest daughter of My Dear Girl, My Dear Lady, produced two SWs and is the grand-dam of one more so far.

..........Questionnaire (1927, ch.)
....... Free For All (1942, chest.)
..........Panay (1934, dkb/br.)
...Rough'n Tumble (1948, chest.)
..........*Bull Dog (1927, b.)
.......Roused (1943, bay)
.......... Rude Awakening (1936, ch.)
My Dear Girl (1957, chestnut)
.......... Man o' War (1917, ch.)
.......War Relic (1938, chest.)
.......... Friar's Carse (1923, ch.)
... Iltis (1947, bay)
.......... Balladier (1932, b.)
... We Hail (1942, bay)
.......... *Clonaslee (1922, b.)

Key Bridge
1959, Princequillo x Blue Banner, by War Admiral

Key Bridge was unraced herself, but she produced four stakes winners: Fort Marcy, by *Amerigo, who was just inducted into racing's Hall Of Fame; Key To The Mint, by Graustark, a champion and a top sire; Key To The Kingdom, by Bold Ruler; Key To Content, by *Forli; as well as stakes-placed National Park, by Nashua -- interestingly, all males.

Her most successful daughter on the track was Tabitha, by Country Delight, who won 5 races. Tabitha produced one stakes horse and is the grand-dam of 4 more. What's interesting is how well all of Key Bridge's other daughters have produced. None of them amounted to anything on the track... one was a winner in one start, another was unplaced in 2 starts, and the rest were unraced. But Seven Locks, by Jacinto, produced 6 winners and is the grand-dam of 9 stakes horses; Key Link, by Bold Ruler, produced 9 winners, and four of her daughters have produced winners (one is a stakes producer); Key To The Heart, by Arts And Letters, produced 5 winners, two stakes-placed, and is the grand-dam of 2 more stakes horses; Dumbarton Oaks, by Arts And Letters, produced 6 winners, one stakes-placed, and three of her daughters have produced winners; and Gliding By, by Tom Rolfe, produced 7 winners and 2 SWs, and is the grand-dam of 3 SWs including Silver Patriarch, a recent star in Europe.

.......... Rose Prince (1919, b.)
....... Prince Rose (1928, bay)
.......... Indolence (1920, b.)
...*Princequillo (1940, bay)
.......... *Papyrus (1920, br.)
.......*Cosquilla (1933, bay)
.......... Quick Thought (1918, b.)
Key Bridge (1959, bay)
.......... Man o' War (1917, ch.)
....... War Admiral (1934, brown)
.......... Brushup (1929, b.)
... Blue Banner (1952, chest.)
.......... Blue Larkspur (1926, b.)
....... Risque Blue (1941, b.)
.......... Risque (1928, b.)

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