My Dear Girl (foaled February 17, 1957 in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
) was an American Champion
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...
.
Background
My Dear Girl was bred by Ocala Stud Farm, owned by a nine-person syndicate headed by Bruce Campbell that was in just its second year of operation. She was purchased by Floridian
Frances A. Genter
Frances A. Genter (February 17, 1898 – November 24, 1992) was a major figure in American Thoroughbred horse racing. She is best known as the owner of Unbridled, the 1990 American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and winner of the 1990 Kentuck ...
, who would own and race a number of top horses including
Unbridled
Unbridled (March 5, 1987 – October 18, 2001) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic.
He retired with a career record of eight wins, six places, and six shows in 24 starts, ...
, who won the 1990
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...
.
Racing career
My Dear Girl made her racing debut on February 19, 1959 at Florida's
Hialeah Park Race Track
The Hialeah Park Race Track (also known as the Hialeah Race Track or Hialeah Park) is a historic racetrack in Hialeah, Florida. Its site covers 40 square blocks of central-east side Hialeah from Palm Avenue east to East 4th Avenue, and from East 2 ...
. She was initially trained by
Melvin "Sunshine" Calvert's assistant
George Seabo but after the filly won the 1959 Florida Breeders' Stakes at Hialeah, Calvert decided to take charge. She went on to win the important
Frizette Stakes
The Frizette Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies raced annually at Belmont Park in October. It is currently a Grade I stakes race at a distance of one mile. The Frizette is the female counterpart of the Champag ...
at
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905.
It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...
and at
Garden State Park
Garden State Park was a harness and thoroughbred race track in Cherry Hill, Camden County, New Jersey. It is now the site of a high-end, mixed-use "town center" development of stores, restaurants, apartments, townhouses, and condominiums. Garden ...
the
Gardenia Stakes which she won by five lengths on a muddy track that would prove to be the clincher for national honors. After finishing 1959 with five wins from seven starts, all under
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
Manuel Gonzales
Manuel Gonzales (March 3, 1913 – March 31, 1993) was a Spain, Spanish-American Disney comics artist. He worked on the Mickey Mouse (comic strip), ''Mickey Mouse'' comic strip from 1940 to 1981.
Gonzales was born in Cabañas de Sayago, Province ...
, My Dear Girl was voted
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly
The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when both t ...
.
Breeding record
A successful
broodmare
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...
for her owner
Frances Genter, My Dear Girl's best foal to race was
In Reality
In Reality (March 1, 1964 – May 8, 1989) was an American bred racehorse. Bred in Florida, he was a son of Intentionally and out of the mare My Dear Girl, the 1959 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. His damsire was Santa Anita Derby winner ...
.
Honors
Inaugurated at
Calder Race Course
Calder Casino is a casino located in Miami Gardens, Florida. It includes slots, electronic table games, and bingo.
The casino opened in 2010 and features a gaming floor with 1,100 slot machines, including video poker, as well as electronic r ...
in 1982, the
My Dear Girl Stakes was part of Calder's Florida Stallion Stakes series through 2013. After Calder's racing operations were leased to the
Stronach Group
Stronach Group, doing business as 1/ST, is an entertainment and real estate company in North America with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core.[Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...](_blank ...<br></span></div> it was moved to their <div class=)
operation when it became part of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' & Owners' Association (FTBOA) Florida Sire series .
FTBOA article Florida Sire Stakes Program and Calder history
Retrieved June 30, 2018
References
{{reflist
1957 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in Florida
Racehorses trained in the United States
American Champion racehorses
Thoroughbred family 21-a