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Hall of Fame - Awesome Dancer
Original article written by Leigh Ann Anderson posted 16 years 0 weeks agoAwesome Dancer was the product of chance. She was the first foal from the extraordinary mare Pike Place Dancer, by Awesome Again who in real life was an exceptional racehorse, but in the Sim he was a stallion who would still qualify for a maiden race.
Jon Xett was the mastermind behind sending Pike Place Dancer to Awesome Again. He obtained Pike Place Dancer when he began his stable. He liked the real life version of Awesome Again, but didn't notice that the Sim version wasn't as well regarded, and also sired mostly sprinters. And in retrospect Xett noted that Pike Place Dancer was more turf inclined, but she had the class to win the Kentucky Oaks on the dirt, and that is exactly the kind of class she passed on to her foals.
As a 2 year old, Awesome Dancer won at first asking, in a 5 furlong dirt maiden race. After that early win, she would race exclusively in stakes races for the rest of her career, but it took a few races to find the winner's circle again. In a couple of those early races she met a filly who would plague her most of her two year old campaign, a filly named Serena Sleet. Serena Sleet seemed to have Awesome Dancer's measure during their two year old campaign, but the Pike Place Dancer filly was able to put together a record of 6: 2-1-3, with only Serena Sleet and Illusion finishing ahead of her. This campaign included a win in the Frizette Stakes, a second place in the Steward's Cup Juvenile Fillies, and third place efforts in the Oak Leaf, Matron and Silverbulletday Stakes.
Awesome Dancer came back as a three year old with a second place effort in the Bonnie Miss Stakes, but that would be her only loss that year. As a three year old, Awesome Dancer would win the Louisville Oaks, the Black Eyed Susan, the Alabama, the Spinster and the Steward's Cup Distaff in an amazing championship season. This incredible series of wins would secure her the Simmy Award for Champion Three Year Old Filly.
After that amazing three year old campaign, Awesome Dancer came back as a four year old. Her first start was in the Fiji Stakes, a 1 1/16 mile turf race, where she came in second against a very strong field. Awesome Dancer was then shipped to California where she won the Santa Margarita, the Vanity and The Chula Vista Handicaps. Her final two starts were in the Spinster Stakes and the Steward's Cup Distaff; both were second place efforts against the top fillies Cascade and Soldier Girl.
Xett's filly retired to his broodmare band with a final record of 18: 10-5-3, and $3,375,000 in earnings. But her retirement only marked trading of one stellar career for another. As a broodmare Awesome Dancer would have eleven foals, with total earnings of just under $12,400,000.
The first two foals from Awesome Dancer were Courageous Effort (Yokoa Cat) and Fading Star (Sunday Silence). Courageous Effort was a top class filly who won two stakes races and seemed to prefer distances of 7 to 8 furlongs.
Fading Star, Xett's favorite foal from Awesome Dancer, was just as exceptional as her dam. Fading Star followed in her dam's footsteps by winning many of the same races (the Alabama, Spinster and Vanity) and adding many others such as the Demoiselle, the Soldier Girl, the Coaching Club American Oaks, and even the Pacific Classic to name just a few. Fading Star was also a Simmy winner, receiving the Champion Three Year Old Filly award as well as the Champion Older Mare award. And, again mirroring her dam, Fading Star became an outstanding producer by foaling Dual Legacy, In Terms of Heart, Moon Beam, Derby winner Piece of the Moon and Tot Ziens.
Blazes (Loki Flame) and Monsterous Storm (Giant's Causeway) were Awesome Dancer's next two foals. Of this pair, Blazes was the more talented, winning stakes races as a 2, 3 and 4 year old. He became a modest sire, getting 13 winners. Monsterous Storm was a two time stakes winner over the turf, and she foaled several very useful horses.
Next came Mythical Dancer (Elusive Pegasus), Tap Dances (Symbol), and August (Brilliancefindsaway). All three were stakes winners, with August being the top performer in this trio. Tap Dances has also foaled several very nice races horses. Mythical Dancer did not have a chance to sire any horses, and August has sired one winner from one foal.
Awesome Dancer's final foals were Tease (Sports Jersey), Sign of Glory (Battle Cry), Exasperated (Ground Zero) and Zonked (Jet Ski). All four were stakes quality, and of the four only Sign of Glory was not able to win a stakes. Tease and Exasperated have been good broodmares, foaling several winners each. Sign of Glory did not sire any foals. Zonked is the only one of Awesome Dancer's sons to have been gelded, thus he has no progeny.
Had Awesome Dancer only been a great race mare, her name would still be familiar to many trainers in the Sim, but as an outstanding broodmare, her influence is still felt in the Sim. And all because a new player didn't pay attention to a stallion's race record.