Conduit Mares

[Bill from WA]

DOXA
(1901)
By Melton
Family 1s

Sometimes great things have inauspicious beginnings. Such is the case of the Conduit Mare, Doxa. Granted, her sire Melton won the prestigious St Leger and the Epsom Derby Stakes, but her immediate female family was something less than stellar. Melton was a beautiful individual. The renowned equine artist W. H. Hopkins stated that Melton “was the most truly-made horse he ever painted”. A superb athlete, Melton certainly excelled on the turf and was a highly regarded and successful stallion, but was this handsome specimen enough to override the mediocrity found in the immediate female family of this unassuming brown mare?

Doxa raced twice in the colors of her breeder John Musker, master of Westerham Hill Stud, where the aforementioned Melton held Court. She showed little talent as a racehorse, finishing last of four in her debut, and was unplaced in her second and final effort. The famed breeder Solly Joel purchased her at a sale at Newmarket in 1906 for 200 guineas. Mr. Joel kept Doxa until 1919, when she was sold to a Frenchman named H. Noury. She shows no recorded winners as a broodmare.

Her dam, the unraced Paradoxical, (also the dam of the Conduit Mare, Absurdity, who will be profiled later,) began her career as a matron when only three-years-old, and was the dam of nine foals. She was sent to Belgium in 1906. Her legacy survives through her daughters Absurdity, Lady Hawker, and Doxa.
In the breeding shed, Doxa’s most successful daughter, the un-raced Lady of Pedigree (1910) managed to produce two minor winners on the flat, however, these two individuals excelled over jumps, winning 14 races between them.

One of these versatile runners was Helene De Troie, who would go on to be the dam of the Marcel Boussac bred La Troienne, arguably the most influential mare ever imported to America. In the case of Doxa and her progeny, royalty unexpectedly evolved from very modest beginnings.

Some of the Classic winners (and producers) that descend from Doxa are; One ‘Arc winner, three Kentucky Derby winners, two Preakness winners, two winners of the CCA Oaks, a winner of the St. Leger, and four Broodmares of the Year.

[vineyridge]

Bill from WA, it's so good to see you back. Hope that you are well and going to be around more.

You've just explained in part why La Troienne and Adargatis are both very promising lines for jumping TBs. I had thought it was all from Teddy's dam liine to the Alexander Mare of 1790.

[Bill from WA]

ABSURDITY
(1903)
By Melton
Family 1s

Absurdity is a younger full sister to the Conduit mare, Doxa. Bred by Jack Joel’s Childwick Bury Stud, and purchased by Joel’s uncle Harry Barnato for 310 guineas as a yearling in 1904, Absurdity won 2 of 8 starts for Barnato in three years of racing. She didn’t exactly burn up the track since both of her wins came in very modest events as a three-year-old.

After her racing career ended she was returned to Joel as a broodmare, where, in that role, she excelled. She was the dam of eight winners, including the Classic winners, Jest, who won the 1000 Guineas and Oaks Stakes in 1913, and Black Jester, winner of the St Leger in 1914. The Classics kept coming, as Jest was the dam of Epsom Derby winner Humorist. Jest’s less talented sister, Gesture, was even more influential since the Classic winners Fairy Footsteps (1000 Guineas), Picture Play (1000 Guineas), and Royal Palace (Epsom Derby and 2000 Guineas) trace directly to her. Other Classic winners descending from Absurdity are, User Friendly (St Leger and Oaks Stakes), Moonshell (Oaks Stakes), and Light Cavalry (St Leger).

A crossing of the sisters Doxa, and Absurdity can be found in the pedigrees of Affectionately, Intriguing, Miss Swapsco, No Robbery, and Numbered Account.

[vineyridge]

FWIW, Black Ray is also an excellent line for horses that jump. Her granddaughter Emali was the dam of Aberali, The Horse in the Grey Flannel suit and a USET team horse ridden mostly by Kathy Kusner, while Black Ray is also in the great steeplechaser, Red Rum. Infra Red to Magic Red to Mared to Red Rum. But both also have lines to Umidwar. Might be a jumping nick there.

[Bill from WA]

Interesting info vineyridge. Thanks for posting. Here's another influential female line.

FRIZETTE
(1905)
By Hamburg
Family 13c


Bred in Kentucky by James R. Keene, Frizette was a better than average performer on the racetrack being a stakes winner in New York where she raced under her breeders colors. As a three-year-old, she was purchased by Mr. Herman Duryea and sent to his farm Haras Du Guzon in France to become a broodmare.

One can only imagine what the effect of the long sea voyage from New York to Marseille might have had on such a young filly, and we surmise that she may have been frightened by the ordeal, but she apparently arrived in good shape, and this, her new home, is where her legend unfolds.

The name Frizette has become iconic in the world of the thoroughbred, not for her racing prowess, but for the living legacy of her descendants. Her sire, Hamburg, was the leading sire in America the year of her birth. Her dam, Ondulee, by the great sire St Simon, was unplaced in her only lifetime start, and Ondulee’s dam, Ornis, was equally unimpressive on the turf, having the same meager record that her daughter recorded. Ornis was, however, a full sibling to the stakes winner and sire, Orion, both being out of the Two Thousand Guineas, and Epsom Derby winner Shotover, so there was obvious quality lying dormant within the genetic makeup of Ornis and Ondulee despite their failure on the racecourse.

Frizette took to her new career with aplomb. She produced 14 foals including some outstanding runners such as the stakes winner, Banshee, who herself was the dam of the stakes winner Durban. Durban in turn produced the breed shaping Champion sire Tourbillon in 1928.

In 1924 textile magnate and renowned breeder Marcel Boussac bought Frizette from Mrs. Duryea, and her last foal was born in 1927 (Arabesque by Ramus). She was barren to Dark Legend in 1928, and to Ramus in 1929. Late in 1929 she was sold to a butcher.

Don’t be too harsh in your criticism of M. Boussac for this deed, because at that time in France’s history, the law required that a licensed butcher put down a horse, and M. Boussac was just abiding by the law.

Frizette’s legacy survives to this day through such notables as Champion sire, Mr. Prospector, Triple Crown winner and sire, Seattle Slew, Epsom Derby and ‘Arc winner, Sinndar, and St Leger winner, Lomond.

[Bill from WA]

AFFECTION
(1914)
By Isidor
Family 9f

Bred in France, and imported to America as a two-year-old by John Sanford, Affection raced only as a juvenile. She was unplaced on the racecourse, and was retired to stud as a three-year-old when she was first acquired by John E. Madden, and subsequently by Marshal Field.

Affection was the dam of 11 foals, 9 of which raced with 8 of them coming home winners. One of those winners, Alabama Stakes winner Escutcheon, became a superior broodmare, producing 16 foals, 15 of which raced with 14 winners. Three of her 14 winners were victorious in Stakes, and another two were stakes placed. One of her Stakes placed winners was the filly Bourtai, by Stimulus, who carried on her dam’s outstanding production as a broodmare. Bourtai was the of dam five Stakes winners, four were fillies, and all of those fillies have left their mark in history as producers. Their names are, Delta, Levee, Banta, and Bayou, with Delta and Levee being honored as Broodmare of the Year.

Other notables claiming Affection as their Conduit are, Oath (Epsom Derby), Coastal (Belmont Stakes), Crème Fraiche (Belmont Stakes), and Shuvee (CCA Oaks).

[Bill from WA]

ALTOVISCAR
(1902)
By Donovan
Family 2f


Altoviscar was foaled in England in 1902. The 5th Earl of Carnarvon is listed as her official breeder; however, he did not arrange the mating that produced her. The Earl bought Navaretta carrying Altoviscar, from Mr. J.A. Dawson for 1000 guineas at Newmarket in December of 1901.

She ran in Carnarvon’s colors, making 12 starts in two years of racing, winning one modest event. She was off the course for four months during the racing season of her three-year-old year, suggesting some unsoundness issues. The Earl sent her back to the sales at the end of 1905, where she was purchased by J.H. Greer (later Sir Henry Greer), for 400 guineas. Well known in racing circles, Greer stood the top stallion, Gallinule, who sired the homebred Classic winners Wildfowler and Sieve Gallion. Mr. Greer later became the first director of the National Stud, and was the Aga Khan’s first stud manager.

Greer bred all of Altoviscar’s foals until she was sold, barren, to a Mr. Harding at Newmarket in 1916. The ubiquitous Jack Joel, who bred her last two foals, subsequently acquired her, and her history from that time is a mystery.

Altoviscar in total produced 11 foals, and five winners, with the filly Alope being much the best, registering four good wins as a two-year-old. Her other foals were dispersed all over the world, with Black Diver being sent to South Africa, Normandy Boy to Mauritius, Half Sister to Brazil, and High Star and Spivis to India.

Altoviscar has 5 lines to Touchstone in 6 generations, and is line-bred 5x6 to the Danish bred mare, Mowerina, who was the dam of England’s first Triple Crown winner, West Australian. Mowerina’s great granddaughter of the same name, by Scottish Chief, was the winner of 16 races, and the dam of Epsom Derby winner, Donovan, the sire of Altoviscar

Two winners each of the Epsom Derby, the 2000 Guineas, and the Oaks Stakes descend from her. Broodmare of the Year Knight’s Daughter, and her son, the immortal Round Table, are also part of this mare’s legacy. Aureole, Gone West, Pulpit, Jet Ski Lady, and leading South American sire, Sideral, are other names that lay claim to Altoviscar as progenitor.

[Jeff]

Great story Bill, thank you for posting.

[Bill from WA]

Thanks Jeff. Here's another. I'll keep posting until you folks get tired of it. Just holler when you get bored.

BILL AND COO
(1909)
By William the Third
Family 2s


The names of Triple Crown winner Secretariat, dual Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Alleged, and Broodmare of the Year Somethingroyal, would seem to be enough to validate this Conduit mare’s contributions to thoroughbred history. All of the above trace tail female to Bill and Coo (1909), by the preeminent stayer, William the Third.

Bred and campaigned by Lionel Robinson, this brown mare was un-raced as a two-year-old, and a non-winner in 4 starts as a three-year-old. She did, however, race competitively with the best of her crop, placing third in both the Oaks Stakes and the Ascot Gold Cup.

As a side-note, the English journalist, William Allison, bred Bill and Coo’s dam, Coo-ee by Trenton. Mr. Allison, a strong advocate of Bruce Lowe’s theories, was appointed by a dying Lowe to edit and complete his book “Breeding Racehorses by the Figure System”, which Allison did after Lowe’s death, publishing the work in 1895.

Bill and Coo was a moderate success as a broodmare, producing 5 winners from 12 foals including Queen’s Plate winner, Last of the Dandies, who became a leading sire of steeplechasers. Several other classic winners and many outstanding runners and producers flow through this influential mare, including Sir Gaylord, the CCA Oaks winner Fiesta Gal, and the great racemare Maximova.

[DDT]

Bill

Either I am losing my mind or I am blind, I cannot find Bill and Coo in the pedigree of Silver Deputy, help me out here.

DDT

[Bill from WA]

Hi DDT

This was an error on my part. Thank you for pointing it out. Silver Deputy is from family 2s, but not via Bill and Coo. His conduit is Quintessence. The two branches divide at Tasmania (1854) via the half sisters Curacoa (1860) and Margarita 1873). My only excuse is the shear volume of my research (thousands of hours over many years). There will be errors, and I'm grateful to those who call me out. I apologize.

Respectfully,

Bill

[DDT]

Bill

I apologize to you, I certainly was not calling you out, thank you for all that you post, please continue.

DDT

[Bill from WA]

Thank you DDT.

[Jeff]

Bill,

Thank You for expounding on the relationship that Silver Deputy has to the female family of Bill And Coo, even though you didn't need to because
anyone looking at the pedigree could see the connection a few generations back, thank you for taking the extra time to clarify the different facets of female family 2s.

Jeff.

[Jeff]

Bill

Either I am losing my mind or I am blind, I cannot find Bill and Coo in the pedigree of Silver Deputy, help me out here.

DDT

DDT,

I'd like to recommend that you subscribe to the pedigreequery.com and take advantage of the 'hypo mating' feature that paid subscribers have
the advantage of using, you could have done a hypo mating with Silver Deputy and Somethingroyal and easily followed the pedigrees back to find where
their female families converge. I've been subscribing for years and always enjoy looking at the pedigrees and following them back.

Jeff