Shady Heights (12 May 1984 – ca. 1997) was a British
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. In four seasons on the racecourse he competed in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan and the United States, winning seven of his twenty-nine contests.
He showed great promise as a juvenile in 1986, winning on his debut and then finishing second in both the
Mill Reef Stakes
The Mill Reef Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-olds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled ...
and the
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), ...
. In the following year he took the
Easter Stakes
The Easter Stakes was a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It was run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Kempton Park on Easter Saturday.
It was run for the last t ...
in April and was briefly made favourite for
The Derby but did not score again until late autumn when he won both the Breeders' Cup Prep Mile and the
Marshall Stakes. Shady Heights reached his peak as a four-year-old in 1988 when he won the
Tattersalls Rogers Gold Cup in Ireland and the
Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany before being awarded the
Group One
Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...
International Stakes
The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards (2, ...
on the disqualification of
Persian Heights. He also finished second in both the
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown P ...
and the
Phoenix Champion Stakes.
He failed to win in five races in 1989 and was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion in Japan. He had little success as a sire of winners.
Background
Shady Heights was a "lengthy, angular"
bay horse with no white
Markings bred by the
Duke of Roxburghe
The Duke of Roxburghe () is a title in the peerage of Scotland created in 1707 along with the titles ''Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford'', ''Earl of Kelso'' and ''Viscount Broxmouth''. John Ker, 5th Earl of Roxburghe became the first holder ...
at his stud at
Floors Castle
Floors Castle, in Roxburghshire, south-east Scotland, is the seat of the Duke of Roxburghe. Despite its name it is an estate house rather than a fortress. It was built in the 1720s by the architect William Adam for Duke John, possibly incorporat ...
, near
Kelso, Scotland. He was from the fifth crop of foals sired by
Shirley Heights
Shirley Heights (1 March 1975 – 17 March 1997) was a British Thoroughbred race horse and winner of the Derby in 1978. The colt had previously won the Royal Lodge Stakes and the Dante Stakes, and he went on to win the Irish Derby before his ra ...
who won
The Derby and the
Irish Derby
The Irish Derby (Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 ...
in 1978.
He became a very successful breeding stallion who sired many good winners including
Slip Anchor
Slip Anchor (1982–2011) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1985 Epsom Derby by seven lengths. After showing some promise as a two-year-old, he showed substantial improvement in the spring of 1985, winning t ...
and
Darshaan
Darshaan (18 April 1981 – 21 May 2001) was a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and a Champion sire and broodmare sire.
Background
Darshaan was a brown horse bred by his owner Aga Khan IV. He was sired by the British stallion ...
. Shady Heights' dam Vaguely won two minor races from twelve starts in Britain in 1976 and 1977.
She was a granddaughter of the broodmare Tantalizer, who also produced the
St Leger
The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...
winner
Provoke.
As a
yearling
Yearling may refer to:
*Yearling (horse), a horse between one and two years old
*''The Yearling
''The Yearling'' is a novel by American writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, published in March 1938. It was the main selection of the Book of the Mo ...
Shady Heights was offered at the Highflyer Sales and was bought for 110,000
guineas
The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...
by a representative of George Tong. He was sent into training with Robert Armstrong at his St Gatien Stable in
Newmarket, Suffolk
Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. Located (14 miles) west of Bury St Edmunds and (14 miles) northeast of Cambridge. It is considered the birthplace and global centre of thoroughbred hor ...
.
Racing career
1986: two-year-old season
Shady Heights made a successful racecourse debut in a six
furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...
race at
Windsor Racecourse
Windsor Racecourse, also known as Royal Windsor Racecourse, is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Windsor, Berkshire, England. It is one of only two figure-of-eight courses in the United Kingdom, the other being at Fontwell Park.
Des ...
in September, coming from well off the pace to win impressively. The colt was immediately stepped up in class for the
Group Two Mill Reef Stakes
The Mill Reef Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-olds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled ...
over the same distance at
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat r ...
later that month and started the
7/2 second favourite behind the outstanding filly
Forest Flower. Ridden by the American jockey
Steve Cauthen
Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American jockey.
In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. ...
he was briefly outpaced when the filly accelerated two furlongs out before staying on to finish second, beaten half a length. He was five lengths clear of the other runners, who included the subsequent
Middle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is s ...
winner
Mister Majestic
Mr. Majestic is a WildStorm Comics superhero created by writer H. K. Proger and artist Jim Lee. He first appeared in a backup story within ''WildC.A.T.s'' #11. He is the most powerful hero in the WildStorm universe and bears a strong resemblanc ...
. Cauthen was again in the saddle when Shady Heights contested Britain's most prestigious race for two-year-olds, the
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), ...
over seven furlongs at
Newmarket Racecourse
Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...
on 17 October. He again finished strongly and finished second, beaten three quarters of a length by
Ajdal
Ajdal (2 April 1984 – 18 August 1988) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was one of the leading European two-year-old of 1986, when he was unbeaten in three races including the Dewhurst Stakes. In the earl ...
. Plans to run the colt in the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup ...
were abandoned as he was prepared for a three-year-old campaign.
1987: three-year-old season
Shady Heights began his second season in the
Easter Stakes
The Easter Stakes was a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It was run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Kempton Park on Easter Saturday.
It was run for the last t ...
over one mile at
Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track together with a licensed entertainment and conference venue in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, 16 miles south-west of Charing Cross, London and on a border of Greater London. The site has of ...
and won impressively by four lengths from the
Prix Thomas Bryon
The Prix Thomas Bryon is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take pl ...
winner Glory Forever. After the race he was made ante-post favourite for the
1987 Epsom Derby. In May he contested recognised trials for the Derby and failed to maintain his position at the head of the market finishing second to
Sir Harry Lewis in the
Dee Stakes at
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
and fourth to
Ibn Bey
Ibn Bey (22 March 1984 – 10 December 2012) was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won major races in the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Italy and Germany as well as competing in the United States and Japan. After winning ...
in the
Predominate Stakes at
Goodwood.
After a three-month break, Shady Heights returned to the track and was matched against older horses for the first time in the Group One International Stakes at
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England.
It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...
on 18 August. He made little impact as he finished ninth of the ten runners behind
Triptych
A triptych ( ; from the Greek language, Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) t ...
. He was then dropped in class and was beaten by Lockton in the
Strensall Stakes at
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
in September before being sent to France to finish third behind Waajib in the
Prix du Rond Point at
Longchamp Racecourse
The Longchamp Racecourse (french: Hippodrome de Longchamp) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for its variety of interlaced tr ...
on 4 October. He returned to England to run third behind the filly Asteroid Field in the
Supreme Stakes
The Supreme Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to t ...
at Goodwood before being sent to Doncaster for the Listed Breeders' Cup Prep Mile. He scored his first win since April as he won by four lengths from the
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 ...
runner-up
Bold Arrangement. He ended his season in the Marshall Stakes (later renamed the
Ben Marshall Stakes) at Newmarket and won by one and a half lengths from the filly Azyaa.
1988: four-year-old season
Shady Heights was highly tried as a four-year-old, running twelve times in eight months between March and November. In early spring he finished fourth to Rose Or No in the
Prix Edmond Blanc
The Prix Edmond Blanc is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) at Saint-Cloud in late March or early April.
History
The event ...
at
Saint-Cloud Racecourse
Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud is a grass race course for Thoroughbred flat horse racing opened in 1901 at 1 rue du Camp Canadien in Saint-Cloud near Paris, France. During World War 1, the race course site housed the No. 4 Canadian Stationary Hospital ...
, third to Media Starguest in the
Earl of Sefton Stakes
The Earl of Sefton Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong (1,811 metres) on the Rowley Mil ...
and second to
Soviet Star
Soviet Star (20 April 1984 – 7 October 2014) was an American-bred French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was bred in Kentucky, sold as a yearling for $310,000 and sent to race in Europe where he proved to be an outstanding sprinter ...
in the
Sandown Mile
The Sandown Mile is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Sandown Park in late April.
Histor ...
. In May he was shipped to Ireland for the
Tattersalls Rogers Gold Cup (then a Group Two race) over ten furlongs at the
Curragh
The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...
and started the 7/4 favourite against nine opponents. Ridden by the
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
n jockey
Michael Roberts he won by half a length from the
Vincent O'Brien
Vincent O'Brien (9 April 1917 – 1 June 2009) was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history in a worldwide poll hosted by the ''Racing Post''. In ...
-trained Fair Judgement. In the
Prix d'Ispahan
The Prix d'Ispahan is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,850 metres (about 1 mile and 1¼ furlongs), and ...
on
soft ground at Longchamp two weeks later he finished fifth of the six runners behind
Miesque
Miesque ( ; March 14, 1984 – January 20, 2011) was a champion Thoroughbred racemare. At age three, she was a dual Classic winner in France and Britain, then went on to win the Breeders' Cup Mile in America. Her four-year-old campaign was highl ...
.
At
Sandown Park Racecourse
Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racing ...
on 2 July Shady Heights started a 33/1 outsider for the
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown P ...
. Ridden by Tony Ives he produced one of his best performances a he led for most of the way before being overtaken in the final strides and beaten a neck by
Mtoto
Mtoto (1 April 1983 – 24 May 2011) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which lasted from 1985 until 1988, he ran ten times and won seven races. He showed some promise as three-year-old in 1986, but emerged as a top-class horse in ...
in what was described as a "knock-down drag-out affair". The leading racemares Triptych and
Indian Skimmer
The Indian skimmer or Indian scissors-bill (''Rynchops albicollis'') is one of the three species that belong to the skimmer genus ''Rynchops'' in the family Laridae. They are somewhat tern-like but like other skimmers, have a short upper mandibl ...
came home in third and fourth places. Four weeks later he was sent to Germany for the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Munich and won by four lengths from the
Preis der Diana
The Preis der Diana is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Düsseldorf over a distance of 2,200 metres (about 1 mile and 3 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take pl ...
winner Alte Zeit. On 16 August Shady Heights made his second attempt to win the International Stakes in which he was ridden by
Willie Carson
William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE (born 16 November 1942) is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.
Life and career
Best known as "Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland in 1942. He was apprenticed ...
. The three-year-old Kefaah started favourite ahead of
Persian Heights with Shady Heights joint-third choice in the betting on 7/2 alongside Indian Skimmer. The other two runners were the French challenger
Fijar Tango (
Grand Prix de Paris
The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it ...
) and Lapierre (
Prix Jean Prat
The Prix Jean Prat is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is sche ...
). Carson settled Shady Heights just behind the leaders and turned into the straight in third place behind Kefaah and Fijar Tango before beginning to make progress on the inside in the last quarter mile. Meanwhile, Persian Heights launched a challenge on the outside but hung to the left, hampering Indian Skimmer before taking the lead a furlong out. Persian Heights crossed the line one and a half lengths in front of Shady Heights with Indian Skimmer a neck away in third. Indian Skimmer's jockey,
Steve Cauthen
Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American jockey.
In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. ...
lodged an objection to the winner and the racecourse stewards decided that the interference at the furlong marker had cost the mare second place. Under the rules of racing at the time Persian Heights was relegated to third (behind the horse who had suffered from the interference) and Shady Heights was awarded the victory.
Shady Heights' best subsequent run in 1988 came in the
Phoenix Champion Stakes at
Phoenix Park Racecourse
Phoenix Park Racecourse is a former horse racing venue in Ireland. It was located in the townlands of Ashtown and Castleknock in the civil parish of Castleknock on the northern edge of the Phoenix Park in Dublin. The course was founded by JHH ...
on 4 September when he disputed the lead for most of the way before being beaten three quarters of a length by Indian Skimmer with Triptych and Persian Heights in third and fourth. He appeared to have been hampered by the winner in the closing stages but on this occasion the inquiry by the racecourse stewards left the result unchanged. Later that month he was sent to Germany for a second time and finished unplaced behind
Kondor in the
Preis von Europa
The Preis von Europa is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Cologne over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place ea ...
. He was back in England for the Champion Stakes at Newmarket in October and finished fourth behind Indian Skimmer, Persian Heights and
Doyoun
Doyoun (8 March 1985 – 5 December 2002) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1988. In a racing career which lasted from October 1987 until October 1988 he ran seven times and wo ...
. After the race he was acquired by
Hideto Furuoka and sent to Japan to contest the 2400 metre
Japan Cup
The is one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan. It is contested on the last Sunday of November, post time of 15:40 at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters (about miles) run under weight for age conditions with ...
at
Tokyo Racecourse
is located in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. Built in 1933 for horse racing, it is considered the "racecourse of racecourses" in Japanese horseracing. It has a capacity of 223,000, with seating for 13,750.
Tokyo Racecourse hosts numerous G1 (Grade 1) r ...
on 27 November. He made no impact and finished unplaced behind the American four-year-old
Pay the Butler.
1989: five-year-old season
Despite his change of ownership Shady Height remained in training with Armstrong as a five-year-old in 1989. In April he finished fifth in the Earl of Sefton Stakes and fifth behind Indian Skimmer in the
Gordon Richards Stakes
The Gordon Richards Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong and 209 yards () ...
. After a break of almost four months he made his third and final appearance in the International Stakes and produced his best performance of the season as he finished third behind
Ile de Chypre
Ile de Chypre (25 March 1985 – 2010) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After showing some promise as a juvenile he improved to become a leading handicapper in 1988, winning two races and being placed in the Old Newton Cup, Mag ...
and
Cacoethes at odds of 20/1. The horse was sent to the United States to contest the
Arlington Million
The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flat horse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward on the turf. It was originally raced at the now-closed Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois over a distance of ...
on 3 September and finished unplaced behind
Steinlen. On his final racecourse appearance Shady Heights finished fifth behind Creator in the
Prix Dollar at Longchamp on 7 October.
Assessment
In the official International Classification for 1986, Shady Heights was rated the third-best two-year-old colt in Europe behind
Reference Point and Ajdal. The independent
Timeform
Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by ...
organisation gave Shady Heights a rating of 125, seven pounds behind their best two-year-old Reference Point. In their annual Racehorses of 1986 they described him as "a genuine classic colt".
In 1987 he was rated 120 by Timeform who commented that his performances in late autumn had "restored his somewhat tarnished reputation".
Stud record
At the end of his racing career Shady Heights was exported to become a breeding stallion in Japan. In eight seasons at stud he sired 116 winners of 335 races but had no top class performers. He was however, the damsire of the
Kikuka Sho winner Hishi Miracle. His last covering season was 1997.
Pedigree
* Shady Heights was
inbred
Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders and o ...
4 × 4 to Nasrullah, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.
References
{{Reflist, 2
1984 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom
Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom
Thoroughbred family 1-n