Proud Birdie (1973–2003) was an American

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 best known for his upset win in the G1

Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap The Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race first run in September 1973 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade 1 race for horses 3 years old and up, it was raced over a distance of miles on a dirt track. The race c ...

. Bred 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 ...

, he was sired by 1967

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 ...

winner

Proud Clarion Proud Clarion (January 19, 1964 – December 17, 1981) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1967 Kentucky Derby. Background Owned and bred by John W. Galbreath, Proud Clarion was foaled at his Darby Dan Farm in Le ...

and out of the mare Bernie Bird, a daughter of the speedy

Del Mar Derby The Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually during the first week of September at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. A Grade II race open to three-year-old horses, it is contested on turf over a ...

winner, Bolero.

Racing career

Proud Birdie was purchased for $21,000 by A. Douglas Henderson's Marablue Farm of

Reddick, Florida Reddick is a town in Marion County, Florida, Marion County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 449, down from 506 in 2010. It is part of the Ocala, Florida, Ocala Ocala, Florida Metro ...

at the 1975 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company auction of two-year-olds in training. Raced by Marablue Farm, Proud Birdie was trained by Rosemary Lepera and then

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

inductee, James Maloney who said his greatest thrill in racing was Proud Bertie's win in the Marlboro Cup. He raced from age two through five and retired having won nine of his thirty-five starts with earnings of $324,842.

Stallion career

Proud Birdie stood his entire stallion career at Marablue Farm where he sired thirty-three stakes winners including multiple stakes winner, Birdonthewire. Pensioned in 1998, Proud Birdie was

euthanized Animal euthanasia ( euthanasia from el, εὐθανασία; "good death") is the act of killing an animal or allowing it to die by withholding extreme medical measures. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and especially painful) conditi ...

on May 2, 2003 at age thirty due to complications from the infirmities of old age.Bloodhorse.com May 6, 2003
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References

{{reflist 1973 racehorse births 2003 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Florida Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 1-k