Feature Race | Auction | Breeding | General | Hall of Fame | Harness | Interviews | Mixed Breed | New Players | Racing | Site Updates | Steeplechasing | Steward's Cup | Triple Crown
American Baby Leaves A Legacy
Original article written by Anna Leroux posted 14 years 1 week agoWhen you see the name American Baby there are many things that may come to mind. You might think about the adorable blonde haired, blue eyed baby. When I think of American Baby I think about a stallion who’s legacy will be lasting.
American Baby was bred to be fantastic. American Baby’s out of the Mr. Prospector mare, Desert Heat who produced more then one colt worthy of being a stallion. By Mr. Prospector, Desert Heat was out of the Storm Cat mare Desert Stormer. With Mr. Prospector and Storm Cat this mare was designed to be royal. She was made to produce something of high quality. American Baby was her first offspring. The next she was bred, she was sent to Vindication to produce millionaire Desert Legend. Desert Legend herself has produced several stakes winners. Desert Heat’s next offspring would be by First Samurai to produce yet another millionaire in Desert Sands. Desert Sands has already produced twelve winners and stands for ten thousand dollars. Bred to Fighter Jet next would give the mare her only multi-millionaire in Desert Nomad. Desert Nomad was winner of the Long Island Classic. Since his retirement he has produced eleven winners and stands for sixty thousand dollars. Desert Heat’s four year old is still racing, and has already earned over a million dollars. Her three year old has yet to do much. Her two year old is just getting ready to start. Her last foal, a yearling by Anvil is a Steward bred. It is clearly obvious that American Baby was destined to greatness with so many amazing siblings to follow him. The other side of American Baby brings in the speed that made him such a great miler.
Symbol is American Baby’s sire. Symbol is out of the Secretariat mare Lady’s Secret such several other SIM stars as Sliver Valor, Equation, and Minionsoftheirrace. She is also the dam of Mirror who is responsible for producing six millionaires, and two multi millionaires out of eight offspring. Mirror’s known for Braveheart, Icon, and the noble Saga. Symbol is by real life stallion Silver Charm who was one heck of a racehorse, but known for producing for fragile offspring in the SIM. This trait has been passed down through his line in any horse. With all this extra greatness added, The Steward must have known what she was doing.
When American Baby hit the track as a two year old he won two sprint races in a row including the Satelite Stakes. Unfortunately he would go through the rest of his two year old season and almost his whole three year old season without a win. These days, horses would be gelded for such feats. However Amanda persevered and he won an allowance race to close out his three year old season. He would go on to win just two more races; the Teeworth Plate and the Prairie Meadows Handicap. American Baby’s racing career concluded with a third place in the Stewards Cup Dirt Mile, behind two greats in Empire and Beatofmyheart. However he finished in front of greats in Caveman, Left Behind, Image and more.
When American Baby hit the shed, I was lucky enough to breed on of his first stakes winners. Royal Miss was not only his first winner but also my first homebred filly, making her special in many ways. From that point I personally supported this stallion every year.
American Baby’s first crop to race produced nine horses. Of those nine horses four horses to earn over one hundred thousand dollars and five more who earned from forty thousand dollars to eighty nine thousand dollars. People began to sit up and take notice; this somewhat questionable horse could produce, and produce from mares that were not just nice but also of poor quality. In his next crop he produced seventy three offspring. This group included my own multiple stakes winner Shocking, as well as multiple stakes winners in Phoenix Rise who stands for forty five thousand dollars. This group also included Lost the Way, Girlinthespotlight, Moving On and more. In all American Baby has produced two hundred and sixty four winners on dirt, six all weather winners and eight steeplechasers. Of these winners seventy one are flat stakes winners and there are no steeplechase stakes winners to date. He has one hundred and thirty one who have yet to race.
American Baby was recently pensioned from the breeding shed, leaving behind a hole in the barn for dirt miler stallions. American Baby will live out his days in comfort at Lakeside Acres in Minnesota.