Prince of Birds

Prince of Birds
Sire	Storm Bird
Grandsire	Northern Dancer
Dam	Special Key
Damsire	Key to the Mint
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	10 March 1985[1]
Country	United States
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Joe Miller, Howard L. Bedda & Threefarms
Owner	Robert Sangster
Trainer	Vincent O'Brien
Record	4: 3-0-0
Major wins
	Tetrarch Stakes (1988); Irish 2,000 Guineas (1988)

Prince of Birds (10 March 1985 – after 2006) was an American-bred, Irish-trained thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a brief racing career he won three of his four races between June 1987 and June 1988. He won his only race as a two-year-old in 1987, won the Tetrarch Stakes on his three-year-old debut and then recorded his biggest win in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. He finished fifth in the St James's Palace Stakes on his only subsequent start and was retired from racing at the end of the year. He had little success as a breeding stallion.

Background

Prince of Birds was a chestnut horse with a white blaze and three white socks[2] bred in Kentucky by Joe Miller, Howard L. Bedda & Threefarms. As a yearling he was offered for sale at the Keeneland July Select Sale and was bought for $650,000 by the bloodstock agency BBA (Ireland)[1] on behalf of the British businessman Robert Sangster. He was sent to race in Europe and was trained throughout his racing career by Vincent O'Brien at Ballydoyle.

He was from the third crop of foals sired by the Canadian-bred Storm Bird, who was the top-rated two-year-old in Europe in 1980.[3] As a breeding stallion in Kentucky he also sired Summer Squall, Storm Cat, Indian Skimmer, Bluebird and Balanchine. Prince of Bird's dam Special Key was a granddaughter of Glad Rags who won the 1000 Guineas in 1966 and was the female-line ancestor of several major winners including Gorytus, Colonial Affair, Union Rags and Declaration of War.[4]

Racing career

1987: two-year-old season

On his first and only start as a two-year-old Prince of Birds won a maiden race over six furlongs at Phoenix Park Racecourse in June,

1988: three-year-old season

Prince of Birds began his second season in the Group Three Tetrarch Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh on 23 April. Ridden by John Reid started at odds of 4/1 and won by one and a half lengths from the Dermot Weld-trained favourite Careafolie (winner of the Gladness Stakes).[5]

Three weeks after his win in the Tetrarch, Prince of Birds was one of fourteen colts to contest the Irish 2000 Guineas over one mile at the Curragh and with Reid riding the stable's more fancied contender Caerwent, he was partnered by Declan Gillespie. The Minstrel Stakes winner Executive Perk started favourite ahead of the French challenger Dramatis and Caerwent with Prince of Birds next in the betting on 9/1. The best of the four British-trained runners appeared to be Intimidate who had finished runner-up in the Mill Reef Stakes, Gimcrack Stakes and Greenham Stakes. Prince of Birds raced towards the rear of the field and was not in the first ten as the leaders approached the last quarter mile. He began to make rapid progress through the centre but appeared hopelessly boxed-in as Caerwent and Executive Perk disputed the lead inside the final furlong. In the closing stages the favourite weakened abruptly and drifted to the right, opening up a gap through which Gillespie was able to drive his mount. Prince of Birds caught Caerwent on the line and won by a neck from his stablemate with Intimidate taking third ahead of Executive Perk.[6]

Reid resumed the ride when Prince of Birds was sent to England to contest the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on 14 June. He started the 7/2 favourite but never looked likely to win and finished fifth of the seven runners behind Persian Heights, Raykour, Caerwent and Blushing John.[7]

Stud record

After his retirement from racing Prince of Birds became a breeding stallion. He stood in Ireland, the United States, Australia and Japan. He sired many minor winners but very few top-class performers.[8] The most successful of his offspring were probably the Australian mare Infinite Grace who won the Tristarc Stakes in 2003 and the Japanese colt Multi Max, the winner of the 1993 Spring Stakes. His last reported foals were born in 2007.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Prince of Birds (USA), chestnut stallion, 1985[1]
Sire Storm Bird (CAN) 1978	Northern Dancer (CAN) 1961	Nearctic	Nearco
		Nearctic	Lady Angela
		Natalma	Native Dancer
		Natalma	Al Mahmoud
	South Ocean (CAN) 1967	New Providence	Bull Page
		New Providence	Fair Colleen
		Shining Sun	Chop Chop
		Shining Sun	Solar Display
Dam Special Key (USA) 1975	Key to the Mint (USA) 1969	Graustark	Ribot
		Graustark	Flower Bowl
		Key Bridge	Princeuillo
		Key Bridge	Blue Banner
	Better Begin (USA) 1970	Buckpasser	Tom Fool
		Buckpasser	Busanda
		Glad Rags	High Hat
		Glad Rags	Dryad (Family 13-b)[4]

References

"Prince of Birds pedigree". Equineline.
Hugh McMahon. "Prince of Birds profile". The Sport Horse Show and Breed Database.
Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-31-6.
"Lady Sarah – Family 13-b". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
"Tetrarch Stakes result". Racing Post. 23 April 1988.
"Irish 2000 Guineas result". Racing Post. 14 May 1988.
"St James's Palace Stakes result". Racing Post. 14 June 1988.
"Prince Of Birds – Progeny". Racing Post.

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[pedigree-1] "Prince of Birds pedigree". Equineline.

[2] Hugh McMahon. "Prince of Birds profile". The Sport Horse Show and Breed Database.

[Timeform1980-3] Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-31-6.

[tbl-4] "Lady Sarah – Family 13-b". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-08-21.

[5] "Tetrarch Stakes result". Racing Post. 23 April 1988.

[6] "Irish 2000 Guineas result". Racing Post. 14 May 1988.

[7] "St James's Palace Stakes result". Racing Post. 14 June 1988.

[8] "Prince Of Birds – Progeny". Racing Post.