Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
By: Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
There are some great horses that seemingly disappear from the breed, and then I have a fun moment that they still exist.
I have written in the past about REGRET (USA) ch. M, 1912 {A1}.
https://horseracingtoday.net/recalling-saratoga-triple-crown-filly-regret/
https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/letter-to-the-editor-rinaldo-del-gallo-2/
https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/the-1917-brooklyn-a-race-for-the-ages/
Most serious horse racing history fans know that Regret was the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby when she did so in 1912. It was a great year for fillies because RHINE MAIDEN (USA) b. M, 1912 {11} took the Preakness—there has never been another year when two fillies took two of the American classics for the colts. Rhine Maiden was the third filly to be in the Preakness. American Classic Pedigrees, a wonderful fact-filled website, states “The 1917 Gazelle Handicap saw the only known meeting between filly winners of American Triple Crown races. 1915 Kentucky Derby winner Regret was an easy winner, while Rhine Maiden ran unplaced.” Rhine Maiden was not just beaten by Regret: Rhine Maiden won a stakes race named after Regret at Aqueduct in 1917.
Rhine Maiden had one gelded son, RHINEGOLD (USA) br. G, 1920 {11}, who was a winner, and that was that for Rhine Maiden being in pedigrees. Regret’s blood lived on a bit, and I thought it came to an end. But it didn’t. I was pleased to learn that Regret’s blood lives on.
As it turns out, Regret had 11 offspring from 1919-1934, and pedigree dot com has no listed progeny for 1922, 1926, and 1933. One of her son’s was gelded and was a real campaigner: REDRESS (USA) b. G, 1930 {A1} started 174 times, with 22 wins, 15 places, and 21 shows for career earnings: $19,020: not bad for a depression error iron horse. Redress was sired by St. German. There was a younger Regret/St. Germans full sister named RUEFUL (USA) b. M, 1927 {A1}, who had 22 starts, 3 wins, 1 place, 7 shows career earnings: $3,875.
First Fiddle Racehorse
Rueful had a son that won many stakes races, FIRST FIDDLE (USA) gr. H, 1939 {A1}, who won or placed in 37 stakes races, with a record of 95 Starts, 23 Wins, 24 Places, 20 Shows Career Earnings: $398,610. First Fiddle was a darn good horse. Pedigree dot come shows list 15 stakes races he won. First Fiddle had a son, MASTER FIDDLE (USA) gr. H, 1949 {2-o} who won the Wood Memorial and won or placed in at least 9 other stakes races. And I once thought that Master Fiddle was the last of Regret appearing in pedigrees.
I was wrong. Take for instance the Daily Racing Form’s “Race of Day” for Wednesday, November 30, at Tampa Bay Downs, Race 2, for “Maidens, Fillies Two Years Old. Weight, 119 lbs. Claiming Price $32,000.” The purse is $18.5K. As it turns out, the number 6 entry CHALCOLITHIC (USA) dkb/br. F, 2020 {11-f}, owned by William Smith of Florida, has the good sire and runner SALT LAKE (USA) dkb/br. H, 1989 {2-o} as a damsire. Salt Lake’s third dam, MISS FIDDLE (USA) b. M, 1949 {2-o} was sired by FIRST FIDDLE (USA) gr. H, 1939 {A1}. Thus, we have a horse with Regret in her pedigree in a race being run tomorrow (as I write this).
But as it turns out, the blood of Salt Lake is not the only way Regret can end up in modern pedigrees. One of my great racing failures was betting on a horse named MARCHE LORRAINE (JPN) b. M, 2016 {7-d} in the Breeder’s Cup Distaff of 2021, only to cancel the bet. She was a mega-long shot and paid handsomely. “Marche Lorraine,” by the way, is a famous French patriotic song. Marche Lorraine’s sire is ORFEVRE (JPN) ch. H, 2008 {8-c}, who is the 7th horse to win the Japanese Triple Crown, and among other accomplishments was twice second in the Arc.
Below, Marche Lorraine wins the Breeders’ Cup Distaff
This is a video of the famous patriotic French song, Marche Lorraine.
As it turns out, Orfevre’s dam ORIENTAL ART (JPN) ch. M, 1997 {8-c} is also the dam of ORIENTAL ART (JPN) ch. M, 1997 {8-c}. Oriental Art’s sire is Japanese Hall of Fame Horse MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN) gr. H, 1987 {7-c}; Mejiro Mcqueen sire is Group 1 Tenno Sho winning MEJIRO TITAN (JPN) gr. H, 1978 {8-c}; Mejiro Titan’s sire MEJIRO ASAMA (JPN) gr. H, 1966 {1-x} won the Grade 1 autumn Tenno Sho. (There is a spring and autumn Tenno Sho, both being big Grade 1 races. And this is where it gets interesting. Mejiro Asama dam was an American horse imported to Japan named SWEET SIXTEEN (USA) gr. M, 1951 {1-x}. Sweet Sixteen’s sire was the aforementioned First Fiddle, whose second dam was Regret. So, the blood of Regret can be even on horses on the biggest stages.
Other Japanese sires that have Mejiro Asama blood are GOLD SHIP (JPN) gr. H, 2009 {16-h}, DREAM JOURNEY (JPN) b. H, 2004 {8-c}, and the enigmatically named LOVE IS BOO SHET (JPN) dkb/br. H, 2009. All these horses have Regret blood.
Without doubt, the blood of Regret is not the blood of horses of today. But here’s to horses such as the claimer Chalcolithic, or the stakes winning Marche Lorraine, that make horse racing history interesting.
