Dutrow's By the Light 5 Straight
A.P. Indy Bred Malibu Moon Has Winning Daughter in Pearl City Race
Jun 23, 2008 BarbaraAnne Helberg
By the Light, supremely bred, swept through the stretch at Belmont Park in the $75,000 Pearl City Stakes with long smooth strides and a willing finishing kick that stamped her as the daughter of championship stock. Winning by a length and one-half, By the Light captured her fifth straight victory for owner Jay Em Ess. She brought her career earnings to $497,565.
The 6 furlongs on the main track traveled by By the Light came before June's Belmont Stakes for Dutrow and his Triple Crown hopeful, Big Brown. It was a different day for Dutrow, one with peaceful beginnings and triumphant endings. There were different connections who didn't draw much of a media group, nor a great number of onlookers, with a different horse from whom nothing outrageous was expected. It was just a day at the races far removed from Triple Crown thoughts at the same location where TC mania would soon turn Thoroughbred racing into a media-frensy and crowd whooping atmosphere charged with intense anticipation.
Breeding Follows A.P. Indy Granddaughter
Yet the relatives of this young filly who raced through her assignment almost in obscurity were present in her strides, and in her carriage, and they had had their days on this same track. Their connections and a frenzied media had watched their every move, while racing fans filled the grandstand and the air with tingling bodies and bally-hoo. A.P. Indy took the Belmont by 3/4 of a length in 1992, then went to the Breeders' Cup Classic and brought home that trophy, too.
When Seattle Slew stepped onto the Belmont track in 1977, a Triple Crown championship was on the line, but Secretariat had just won the greatest Belmont Stakes ever run in 1973, breaking the 25-year wait for another triple champ since the great Citation had swept the three classics in 1948.
Both TC title holders were present when By the Light took her place in the starting gate for the Pearl City Stakes. Sired by Malibu Moon, whose daddy was A.P. Indy, grandsired by Seattle Slew himself, By the Light also has quality breeding on her dam's side. She is out of Macoumba (1992), by Mr. Prospector (1970), by Raise A Native (1961), by the great Canadian racer Native Dancer (1950), who won the '53 Belmont, as well as the '53 Preakness Stakes.
Nashua and Nijinsky, Too
By the Light's breeding doesn't end with Native Dancer. Nashua (1952), winner of the 1955 Preakness and the Belmont, sired Raise A Native's mate, Gold Digger (1962). Nijinsky (1967), one of Canada's great landmark champions and sires, bred Green Dancer (1972), sire of Mr. Prospector's mate, Maximova (1980).
Swaps (1952), Nashua's chief competitor for the Triple Crown, won the '55 Kentucky Derby, and he sired Green Dancer's mate, Baracola (1972).
Breeding Brings the Stakes Champion, By the Light
This long, strong line of champions brings to the present day, a three-year-old filly, By the Light, a stakes champion, five for five in her races. With the stride and the will of champions in her every step, she closed from last to first in the Pearl City Stakes in 12 seconds, a furlong's time run only by champions.
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