Feature Race | Auction | Breeding | General | Hall of Fame | Harness | Interviews | Mixed Breed | New Players | Racing | Site Updates | Steeplechasing | Steward's Cup | Triple Crown
Allayah
Original article written by Douglas Marley posted 9 months 3 weeks agoIn the “real world”, the Arabian horse is one of the oldest established breeds, and the source of most light horse breeds. The breed was developed by the Bedouin tribesman as mounts for their tribal raiders. Arabians were developed to have the stamina to cross trackless miles through the desert, but still be ready for a quick escape should the need arise. In the SimHorseRacing world the Arabian is one of the newest breeds, being created Y23, along with the Standardbred pacer, Standardbred trotter, Appaloosa, Paint, and Quarter Horse. In keeping with the flavor of the breed, Arabian Sim racers run either sprints, at distances of four, five or six furlongs, or routes, at distances of 1 1/4, 1 ½, or 2 miles. The later distance is often where the Arabian proves itself, with its rank-and-file runners competing regularly at a distance their Thoroughbred cousins rarely compete in outside of stakes races.
In year 28, in a perfect convergence, Hall of Fame Trainer, Nikki Everdeen, bred her Arabian mare, Euclase to Sayitsyourbirthday. The result was super horse Allayah.
Allyah sire was Sayitsyourbirthday who had been undefeated in his freshman season, winning two stakes. That same year Sayitsyourbirthday won two Simmys as Y24 Arabian Horse of the Year, and Y24 three-year-old Champion male. Sayitsyourbirthday continued to dominate his division in Y25. At the end of his career Sayitsyourbirthday retired to stud with a career record of 10: 8-1-0 with earnings of $301,500. Sayitsyourbirthday sired 406 foals, of these 230 were winners, with 42 stakes winners. His offspring earned nearly $13,000,000 in winnings.
Allayah’s dam, Euclase was a unique mare in that she won races at both sprint and route distances. Euclase started her career as a sprinter. For three years Euclase established herself a modest sprinter with a record of 13: 1-7-1 and earnings of $25,620, in allowance races. At the end of her third year, Euclase was entered in a 1¼ mile, non-winners of four contest which she won easily. After that victory Euclase was only entered in distance races against stakes company. Euclase ended her career with a route record of 10: 6-1-2 with earnings of $205,500.
Nikki Everdeen, who brought Sayitsyourbirthday and Euclase together was no novice to SimHorseracing. Nikki Everdeen has a won stakes and graded stakes with all five breeds of mixed breed horse, while still winning nearly 6,000 wins with thoroughbreds. For this she was voted into the Hall of Fame.
The breeding of Euclase to Sayitsyourbirthday produced the grey filly, Allayah. Nikki Sherman rolled the dice with Allayah by entering her in the $50.000, Hear Me Out Stakes at 1¼ miles. Allayah broke well and dueled future stakes winner Takiyah on the front end until the top of the stretch where the inexperienced filly gave way finishing a well beaten seventh.
In her next start, Allayah was entered in a maiden special weight at 1½ miles, against horses of her own experience level. Allayah was able to easily win this contest by 3¾ lengths despite a poor start. She gained more experience as a runner in her next start which was a third-place finish in a non-winner of two event.
After gaining experience, Allayah was able to put together a three-race winning streak, all in stakes company. The stakes races included the Moon Bask Echo stakes at 1½ mile, the Lamya Stakes and Endurance Championship both at two miles. Allayah’s last start in Y31 was in the $200,000, Grade 1, Steward’s Cup Arabian Distaff at two miles. In that race a bad start compromised her chances, and she finished fourth by less than a neck behind Champion and future Hall of Famer Ocean Blue. Allayah ended Y31 with a record of 7: 5-0-1 $132,500. Her Y31 stakes record was 5: 3-0-0.
After a well-deserved vacation at Bitter Root Farms, Allayah returned to the track for her sophomore campaign. In her first two starts were both wins against stakes company in the $50,000 Bozeman Stakes and the $125,000 Sandpiper Stakes, both at 2 miles. These two victories were then followed by two defeats, a fourth-place finish in the $50,000 Endurance Distaff at 1½ miles and a fifth-place finish in the $75,000 Endurance Ladies Marathon at 2 miles.
After these two setbacks, Nikki Everdeen gave Allayah a breather by entering her in an allowance event, which Allayah easily won. This tune-up did not have the expected result. In her next start Allayah finish 5th after dueling speedster, Pearl of the Desert in the Endurance Championship. Allayah ended the year with a well beaten sixth place in the Steward’s Cup Arabian Distaff. Allayah finished her Y32 season with a 7:3-0-0 record with earnings of $97,700.
Allayah entered the starting gate six times during her Y33 campaign. Four of her starts were in stakes races which resulted in two victories. Her first stakes victory was a nose victory in the $50,000 Endurance Distaff at 1½ miles. The other stakes victory, and the most important win of her career was a nose win in the $200,000 Grade 1 Steward’s Cup Arabian Distaff at 2 miles. Allayah finished her Y33 campaign with a record of 6:4-0-0 with earnings for the year of $139,500.
Nikki Sherman brought Allayah back to the track at six hoping she could again catch lightning in a bottle and get one more season out of her. At six Allayah entered the starting gate six times. Allayah was able to finish first in an allowance race and one stakes, the $50,000 Endurance Distaff at 1½ miles. Allayah also finished second in another allowance race and the $100,000 Endurance Championship at two miles. Allayah’s last start in Y34 was in the Steward’s Cup Arabian Distaff where she finished a well beaten ninth. Allayah finished her career with a record of 27:13-2-1 and $431,950 in earnings.
The next year Allayah began her second career as a broodmare. Allayah produced ten foals. All ten made it to the track with all of them winning races. Five became stakes winners. Of her five stakes winners the leading earner was grade 3 stakes winner, Sandman who ended his career with earnings of over $600,000.
Allayah was pensioned in Y43 and died five years later. It is of note that Allayah’s race record at the marathon distance of two miles was 18:9-1-0 with five stakes wins. Allayah proved herself an heir to the storied past of her desert ancestors and a worthy example of Arabian excellence.