The Darby Dan Sister-Brother Duo

The Darby Dan Sister-Brother Duo

Joseph Di Rienzi

3 April 2017
jdirienzi@ndm.edu

As we get closer to the 2017 Triple Crown series, it is evident that the venerable Darby Dan Farm is having a resurgence, at least in its stallion division. Contenders such as Gunnevera, Girvin and Magalacy are sired by, respectively, Dialed In, Tale of Ekati and Shackleford, all standing stud at Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. To recount the thoroughbred success of Darby Dan achieved by its founder, John W. Galbreath, his wife, Dorothy, and their heirs would be beyond the scope of this article. Over some sixty years, thoroughbreds associated with this stable have performed at the highest level and have won such races as the Kentucky Derby (twice), the Preakness, the Belmont Stakes (twice), the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and the Epsom Derby. Numerous champions and major stake winners have carried their silks and important bloodlines are still prevalent today from their strong female families.

This piece will recount two siblings, Primonetta and Chateaugay, female and male, respectively that raced in the early 1960’s for Darby Dan Farm. Born two years apart, they were both sired by 1955 Kentucky Derby winner Swaps (who had just begun his stud duties at Darby Dan) and produced by the mare Banquet Belle; she sired by Polynesian.  Trainer by James P. Conway, Primonetta and Chateaugay became the first two champions bred by Darby Dan and helped establish the stable at the highest ranks of American racing.  

Primonetta
(afleetalexandra.tumbir.com)

      

Chateaugay
(pinterest.com)

                                                

There were two exceptional three year-old fillies in 1961, and their respective performances would lead to a lively divisional rivalry and heated debate as to who was the better. Brookmeade Stable’s Bowl of Flowers, trained by Elliot Burch was the Two Year-old Filly Champion of 1960. A beautifully bred daughter of Sailor from the soon to be great broodmare Flower Bowl (dam of Darby Dan’s brilliant, but star-crossed Graustark), Bowl of Flowers showed speed and class from the beginning.  As a two year-old, she won the National Stallion (Filly Division), the Frizette and the Gardenia Stakes. As a three year-old, Bowl of Flowers set sights on the Triple Tiara for fillies in New York. She won the Acorn Stakes at one mile, was upset by Ogden Phipps’, Funloving in the 9 furlong Mother Goose Stakes, but she came back and scored a resounding win in the Coaching Club American Oaks at 10 furlongs. Bowl of Flowers’ arch rival was the lightly raced Primonetta. (The name means “first little one” in Italian, a reference to her being the first female offspring by her sire, Swaps.) A beautiful chestnut, Primonetta was undefeated as a two-year old, and she continued at three winning the Prioress Stakes, the Miss Woodford Stakes and Delaware Oaks. She first tasted defeat after nine starts in the Monmouth Oaks to Fred W. Hooper’s My Portrait losing by a neck, but in the first of two pivotal meetings, Primonetta defeated Bowl of Flowers in the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga by over 5 lengths, leading from start to finish. After assuming the leadership of the three year-old filly division, Primonetta went into a protracted four race losing streak that culminated in the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Race Course. In this 9 furlong weight for age race, she again faced Bowl of Flowers who this time ran Primonetta down in deep stretch to win by a ¾ of a length and claim the three year-old filly championship. 

Early in 1962, Bowl of Flowers sustained an injury that forced her retirement. Primonetta on the other hand would gain the older female horse championship winning 7 out of her 10 starts. Her stakes wins included the Regret, the Molly Pitcher and Falls City Handicaps and a victory this time in the Spinster Stakes. In two of her losses, she finished behind Meadow Stable’s three year-old filly champion Cicada.

As 1963 began, there were two leading contenders for the classics based on their respective two year-old form, and there was some discussion as to who was superior. In the East, Cain Hoy Stable’s Never Bend was voted Two Year-old Champion after a ten race campaign that saw him win such traditional stakes races as the Belmont Futurity, Cowdin and Champagne Stakes. From the West, Rex C. Ellsworth’s Candy Spots had run only three times as a juvenile, but in his last race he defeated Never Bend in the Arlington-Washington Futurity. The two principals both made their first appearances in allowance races in February, Candy Spots at 6 furlongs at Santa Anita Racetrack and Never Bend in a 7 furlong exhibition race at Hialeah Racetrack. They both won, but their margins of victory could not be more disparate. Candy Spots won his race by a nose, while Never Bend was 14 lengths ahead of his nearest rival. However, they both were impressive in their own ways. Candy Spots’ win over the good racehorse Bonjour owned by Patrice Jacobs was accomplished with little urging from jockey William Shoemaker, whereas, Manual Ycaza let Never Bend use his blistering speed to overwhelm his three opponents. Their next races were both run on March 2, Never Bend in the Flamingo Stakes and Candy Spots in the Santa Anita Derby. Never Bend went wire-to-wire in the Flamingo to win by 5 lengths, but he had to be reminded to keep running. His final time was not impressive which suggested he may have distance limitations.  The Santa Anita Derby was more eventful in that there was a four horse spill that completely changed the way the race was run. Shoemaker aboard Candy Spots avoided the fallen (horses and riders) and was able to defeat outsider Sky Gem by a 1½ lengths in slow time, which can be attributed to the disruption. 

Never Bend left Florida for Kentucky and did not compete in the Florida Derby. There were some rumors as to his soundness, but they were denied by his connections. Candy Spots did ship to South Florida and ran in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream. He was a convincing winner (4½ lengths), albeit in slow time. In a plan which was considered highly unusual, Candy Spots’ handlers declared that this race run on March 30 would be his final prep for the Derby. Never Bend ran in two allowance races in Kentucky. The first was the 7 furlong Forerunner Purse which he won unimpressively by a length. As the rumor mills were starting to churn about his soundness, he turned around and won the 7 furlong Stepping Stone Purse at Churchill Downs by 8 lengths in fast time.   

While Never Bend was preparing to run in Kentucky, other challengers were emerging. The most prominent at the time was Greentree Stable’s No Robbery, a dark bay son of Swaps, who came to be the talk of New York in the spring of 1963.  No Robbery actually started twice as a two year-old winning both starts impressively. No Robbery began his sophomore year with two dominant allowance wins at Aqueduct Racetrack in fast time. Undefeated, he went into the Wood Memorial as a very strong favorite against George D. Widener’s Crewman (last year’s Garden State Stakes victor) and Bonjour who, trained by the owner’s father, Hirsch, naturally had run east to west and back east in almost all the major races of his generation the past two years. This would to be the class test for No Robbery, and, he passed it in flying colors (actually the salmon pink and black of Greentree) leading from start to finish (although bearing out in the stretch) and defeating Bonjour by 2½ lengths with Crewman finishing ninth.

Another challenger to emerge was clearly below most racegoers’ radar. In retrospect, he should not have been, given his good looks, breeding, connections, and the improvements he was showing race by race. His name was Chateaugay, a handsome chestnut son of Swaps. More laid back and slower to develop than his champion older sister, Primonetta, Chateaugay had a five race, two year-old campaign that was highlighted with a close fourth place finish in the Pimlico Futurity. As a three year-old, he won two allowance races at Hialeah and Keeneland respectively. He was the wagering favorite in what was presumed a below average Blue Grass Stakes field (Never Bend, Candy Spots and No Robbery were not entrants) and prevailed by a head in a long drive. A note to take away was the Blue Grass was run in much faster time than any of the 9 furlong races won by the triumvirate mentioned previously.

The stage was set for one of most compelling Kentucky Derby’s in history. There were two undefeated horses (Candy Spots and No Robbery), a two year-old champion (Never Bend), and a horse undefeated at three (Chateaugay). Because of these resumes, the field was only nine entries, relatively low for modern renewals of this race. Most of the talk centered on The Big Three – Candy Spots, No Robbery and Never Bend. There was a growing consensus that Candy Spots was one of the great ones, but there were still doubters that felt he would be severely tested by the two Eastern speedsters, No Robbery and Never Bend. From a breeding standpoint, it is remarkable that five of the nine members (Candy Spots, Chateaugay, Bonjour, No Robbery and longshot On My Honor) all carried blood from the stallion Khaled (GB). 

After the break, Never Bend went right to the lead with No Robbery in close attendance and Candy Spots not far back in third after slightly checking on the first turn. Positions were unchanged as they headed to the far turn with Chateaugay gradually making progress from sixth position to fourth. Ridden by Braulio Baeza, Chateaugay launched his bid at the top of the stretch, and his momentum carried him pass everyone to wrest the lead from Never Bend.  As befits his name, Never Bend fought bravely, giving ground grudgingly to his chestnut rival. No Robbery who again attempted to bear out, faded eventually finishing seventh. Candy Spots who was on the inside at the top of stretch was wheeled to the outside and rallied late just missing second to Never Bend. The final margin was 1¼ lengths with Never Bend holding off Candy Spots for second by a neck. On My Honor was well back in fourth with Bonjour sixth. The final time was good, indicating the quality of the field and the legitimacy of the running. On the one hand, this was a shocking upset, in that none of the Big Three won, but it was clearly recognized that Chateaugay was a talented colt that was just reaching his full potential. For John Galbreath, who had great success in other sports, this was at the moment his crowning achievement in thoroughbred racing. He would repeat a Derby victory in 1967 with Proud Clarion and go on to breed and own an English Derby winner in Roberto in 1972. 

The Preakness was to be a rematch of the first three finishers in the Kentucky Derby. (No Robbery came out of the Derby with an injury and only raced twice more in his racing career without winning a major race.)  Candy Spots looking to redeem his lofty reputation was a slight favorite over Never Bend with Chateaugay the third choice. Never Bend set a moderate pace with Candy Spots tracking and Chateaugay back in sixth place in the eight horse field. When Candy Spots came up alongside, Never Bend had little response perhaps due to the tiring nature of the Pimlico track surface and would finish well back in third. Chateaugay, on the other hand launched a bold rally just as in the Derby, but this time Candy Spots repulsed the challenge and drew away to a convincing 3½ length victory. This result seemed to restore Candy Spots to “great horse” status, despite his Derby defeat. His admirers pointed out that the “gray ghost” Native Dancer also only lost one race, the Kentucky Derby. 

In the interval between the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, Candy Spots was not idle. He won the Jersey Derby at Garden State Park handily. All that was needed was a Belmont Stakes trophy to cement his claim as one of racing’s top horses. The Belmont Stakes (run at Aqueduct this year due to Belmont’s renovation) found Chateaugay the only serious challenger to Candy Spots as Never Bend was given time off from his efforts in the Derby and Preakness. In a race which was run around three turns, Candy Spots took the lead from Bonjour down the backstretch, set slow fractions, easily fought off challenges from Louis Haggin’s Choker and Bonjour and bounded into the stretch with a clear lead. Braulio Baeza aboard Chateaugay saved ground around the turns and mounted his challenge coming up the inside of Candy Spots. What was surprising was not that Chateaugay was able to prevail, but the ease in which he ran past Candy Spots in the stretch winning by 2½ lengths. Either the 1½ mile distance of the Belmont or Chateaugay’s overall superiority lead to Candy Spots’ defeat and a diminution of his reputation. With this second classic win over his three year-old rival, Chateaugay assumed the leadership of the division, a position he would not relinquish the rest of the year.

The leading three year-olds had less than stellar second half-seasons. Candy Spots won the Arlington Classic and American Derby but finished second to Elmendorf Farm’s B. Major in the Chicagoan at Arlington Park.  Chateaugay finished third to last year’s Hopeful Stakes winner, Greentree Stable’s Outing Class, in the Dwyer Stakes. Never Bend after a brief rest returned to racing with an allowance victory. The three had their reunion in the “Midsummer Derby” (the Travers Stakes). It was anticipated that it would settle the three-year old championship. However, the result was anything but conclusive. At 20-1 odds, George D. Widener’s Crewman who had won the Kent and Leonard Richards Stakes at Delaware Park earlier in the summer, found the top level form that had produced a victory in the previous year’s Garden State Stakes. He defeated similar longshot Hot Dust by 1½ lengths with Chateaugay another length back in third, Candy Spots fourth and Never Bend sixth and last.

After the Travers disappointment, the trio never were all in the same race again. Never Bend racing against older horses finished second in the United Nations Handicap (on grass) to Mrs. Marion DuPont Scott’s Mongo, and to Bohemia Stable’s mighty Kelso in the Woodward Stakes. He concluded his career defeating Chateaugay (back in fourth) in the 9 furlong Yankee Handicap at Suffolk Downs. Retired, Never Bend went to a distinguished career at stud at Spendthrift Farm. Candy Spots raced in the Aqueduct Stakes, and again, could do no better than fourth, this time to Kelso. Unraced at four years-old, Candy Spots came back racing at five winning the San Pasqual Handicap and placing in three stakes races during the first part of 1965. Chateaugay was able to win the one mile Jerome Handicap in September and that combined with his two classic wins were sufficient to award him the Three Year-old Male Championship of 1963. He would race two more years, without much success, winning only two minor races and finishing second in the 1964 Roseben Handicap.

In the breeding shed, older sister, Primonetta was the more significant, producing several top runners, including Maud Muller (by Graustark), Prince Thou Art and Cum Laude Laurie (both by Hail to Reason). She also produced Irish stakes winner Grenfall (by Graustark). Chateaugay, who eventually was exported to Japan for stud duty, had moderate success as a stallion with the durable True Knight being by far his most prominent U. S. runner. Whatever, their genetic legacy, both Primonetta and Chateaugay provided a foundation for the overall success of Darby Dan Farm that has continued to this very day.