Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
By: Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
TOP FLIGHT (USA) blk/br. M, 1929 {4-m} (Disc Donc) was a Hall of Fame filly. She had one son, FLIGHT COMMAND (USA) b. H, 1937 {4-m}, that did win the 1939 US Hotel Stakes, a 6 furlong race for 2 year olds at Saratoga that was a fairly important race, running from 1872 to 1955. American Classic Pedigrees provides some details about her descendants. Perhaps Top Flight’s biggest claim to fame was winning the then super-rich Belmont Futurity with its 107 K purse; she also won the Pimlico Futurity with its 64K purse.
I have briefly studied whether Top Flight survived in the thoroughbred bloodlines, with some mixed results. I know there are about 71 horses with Top Flight blood and Northern Dancer, using pedigrequeery.coms “common ancestor” feature. SIKESTON (USA) b. H, 1986 {4-m} (Lear Fan) is one of those horses, who though born in the United States, excelled in Italy. His wins include the Gran Criterium (Ity-G1), Premio Parioli (Ity-G1), Premio Vittorio di Capua (Ity-G1), Premio Ribot (Ity-G2), Premio Natale di Roma (Ity-G3), Premio Presidente della Repubblica (Ity-G1), Premio Roma (Ity-G1), Premio Vittorio di Capua (Ity-G1), Queen Anne S. (Eng-G2), Premio Presidente della Repubblica (Ity-G1), International S. (Ire-G2).
One of Top Flights descendants, ZUPPARDOS PRINCE (USA) br. H, 1976 {4-m} (Cornish Prince), won America’s oldest stakes race twice (or for that matter the Western Hemisphere’s oldest stakes race), the 1980 and 1981 Phoenix Stakes. Blood Horse had an article on him when he died.
From 1986 to 2006, Zuppardo’s Prince had quite a few stakes winners. I can still see Zuppardo’s Prince in the breed, looking for horse with his blood and Storm Cat’s in five generations, such as Louisiana Futurity winner STOVALL (USA) gr/r. C, 2021 {3-d} (Half Ours).
I have read elsewhere that Man O’ War was not bred to the best, but he was bred to Top Flight, to produce SKY RAIDER (USA) blk. H, 1938 {4-m}. Sky Raider raced only 3 times and retired with a record of 3 Starts: 2 – 1 – 0, $2,575. I don’t know why he had so few races, but I would be stunned beyond belief given his pedigree and racing record if it was not injury related. Pedigreequery.com lists 66 progeny for Sky Raider, all born between 1943-1949: there is one horse born in Argentina listed as born in 1955, and I think that it is an incorrect listing.
One mare born mid-century was HI SKY (USA) ch. M, 1950 {15-a}(Sky Raider), with a clever mix of the names “Sky Raider” and “Top Flight”). According to pedigreequery.com, the childless Hi Sky raced (and won) every year from 2-9. This mare started 28+ times from age 6 to 9. 216 Starts: 23 – 24 – 29, $41,570.
Sky Raider did sire a number of stakes winners in his 66 offspring.
Sky Raider’s son BRAZEN BRAT (USA) ch. M, 1948 {4-k} had a record of 9 Starts: 28 – 14 – 8, $169,300. Braxen Bratt had the following race record At 2: 1st: Rancocas Stakes (GS) 2nd: Colleen Stakes (MTH), Polly Drummond Stakes (DEL). At 4:1st: Annapolis Plate Handicap (BOW), Green Spring Valley Purse (PIM) 3rd: Hibscus Purse (HIA) At 5: 2nd: Autumn Day Handicap (JAM) 3rd: Regret Handicap (MTH), Rowe Memorial Handicap (BOW) At 6:1st: Capitol Handicap (LRL), Regret Handicap (MTH), Rowe Memorial Handicap (BOW), Sation Purse (BOW) 3rd: Distaff Handicap (AQU) At 7: 1st: W.P. Burch Memorial Handicap (BOW), Correction Stakes (JAM) 3rd: Maryland Sprint Handicap (PIM)
As for another son of Sky Raider, the progenyless FANCY FLYER (USA) b. H, 1945 {1-w}(Sky Raider) was also a stakes winner. Fancy Flyer raced and won from ages 2 to 8. At age 4, Fancy Flyer was first in the Oaklawn Handicap, Tomasello Memorial Handicap. Fancy Flyer was second in the Rhode Island Handicap, Commonwealth Handicap, while third in the Roger Williams Handicap. At age 5, Fancy Flyer was first in the Southland Handicap, Michigan Mile Handicap, and the Governor’s Handicap. At 5, Fancy Flyer was also second. Mountain Valley Stake, King Cotton Handicap, and third in the Ben Ali Handicap. Fancy Flyer at age 6 was also first in the Hamtrack Purse.
The larger point I am making is that while Top Flight’s blood is in some minor stakes winners, she was far, far from a foundational mare. Still, as we shall see, Top Flight’s blood is extant in the breed.
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One of Sky Raider’s sons, SKYSCRAPER (USA) ch. H, 1945 {12-c}, won a “Roslyn Purse” in 1949 at Belmont, which appears to be the only year it was run. He had about 10 offspring.
There was some Skyscraper in the breed, FIGHTER FOX (USA) ch. M, 1983 {4-e}(Private Account), being one of them. Fighter Fox won the Monmouth Oaks-G1, Miss Woodford Stakes Her third dam, JUST DESERT (USA) ch. M, 1949 {4-e}, was by Skyscraper.
EDIE BELLE (USA) gr. M, 1957 {4-e}(Determine) had Sky Raider as a damsire. According to pedigreequery.com, Edie Belle won the Wilshire Handicap, Hillsborough Handicap, Oakland Handicap ; 2nd Ramona Handicap, Golden Poppy Handicap (twice), Osunitas Stakes; 3rd San Mateo Handicap, Palomar Handicap.
When mated to Raise a Native, Edie Belle gave birth to LUCY BELLE (USA) gr. M, 1975 {4-e}, winner of the Azalea Stakes. Lucy Belle became the dam of the aforementioned Fighter Fox.
Edie Belle had a son MICKEY MCGUIRE (USA) dkb/br. H, 1967 {4-e} from mating with T.V. Lark. I don’t know if this is how the horse got his name, but there was a Mickey Mcguire “American comedy series of short subjects from 1927 to 1934,” according to Wikipedia. Wikipedia adds, “The series was based on Fontaine Fox’s popular comic strip series, Toonerville Folks.” While not nearly as popular as “The Little Rascals” (sometimes known as “Our Gang”) possibly might have been watched in rerun while you were having a “T.V. lark.” Well, perhaps that’s a bit of stretch.
VIDEO BELOW: Mickey McGuire “Talkie” with Andy Roonie
VIDEO BELOW: Mickey McGuire silent era film
I have not studied her in depth, but Top Flight, Top Flight son by Man O’War named Sky Raider, and Mickey McGuire remain in the breed through the gelding EVERDOIT (USA) gr. G, 2021 {9-c}(Gary D), who is a 30-1 morning line longshot in the Tampa Bay Derby. Mickey McGuire is the sire of Everdoit’s unraced fourth dam, NIKKI’S DREAM (USA) b. M, 1975 {9-c}.
As for Everdoit himself, he is one of the last of the Godolphin Arabian sire line, now exclusively through Man O’ War’s great, great grandson IN REALITY (USA) b. H, 1964 {21-a}, who himself is 3 sire x 3 dam War Relic, a son of Man O’ War. Of the trickle of Man O’War tail male descendants left, most today are through TIZNOW (USA) dkb/br. H, 1997 {26}(Cee’s Tizzy). But Everdoit’s sire is GARY D (USA) gr. H, 2007 {10-a}, a horse with a record of 21 Starts: 3 – 4 – 3, $135,690. According to the Daily Racing form, Gary D has 23 offspring, and stands for $1,500 in Florida. His 23 progeny have earned $1,359,536, with a win percentage of 14% (13%). His best progeny is MIDTOWN ROSE (USA) dkb/br. M, 2016 {2-j}, a winner of $463,953. Midtown Rose descended from the Epinard mare FRENCH DUCHESS (USA) ch. M, 1929 {2-j}.
Gary D himself was sired by SUCCESSFUL APPEAL (USA) dkb/br. H, 1996 {14-b}, in turn sired by VALID APPEAL (USA) b. H, 1972 {2-c}, and winner of the Dwyer and a successful sire. Valid Appeal was sired by In Reality, a horse that seems to be the latest living common tale-male ancestor of what is left of the Godolphin Arabian sire line.
So there is a wee bit of Top Flight in the modern race horse, and some of it is in Everdroit.
