Waquoit (February 10, 1983–June 14, 2007)[1][2] was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won races at short and long distances en route to career earnings of more than $2.2 million.

Waquoit
SireRelaunch
GrandsireIn Reality
DamGrey Parlo
DamsireGrey Dawn
SexStallion
Foaled(1983-02-10)February 10, 1983
DiedJune 14, 2007(2007-06-14) (aged 24)
CountryUnited States
ColourGray
BreederFrank E. Mackle Jr.
OwnerJoseph Federico
TrainerGuido Federico
Record30: 19-4-3
EarningsUS$2,225,360
Major wins
Cape Cod Stakes (1985)
Miles Standish Stakes (1985)
Governor's Stakes (1985)
Jamaica Handicap (1986)
Yankee Handicap (1986)
Brooklyn Handicap (1987, 1988)
Michigan Mile And One-Eighth Handicap (1987)
Massachusetts Handicap (1987)
William Almy Jr. Handicap (1987)
Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (1988)
Governor's Handicap (Suffolk Downs) (1988)
Honours
Waquoit Stakes at Suffolk Downs

Background

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Standing close to seventeen hands, Waquoit was bred in Kentucky and sired by Relaunch, a multiple stakes winner who sired several top runners including two Breeders' Cup winners. Waquoit's dam was Grey Parlo, a daughter of Grey Dawn, the French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt who was the only horse to ever beat Sea-Bird and who became the leading broodmare sire in North America in 1990.

Waquoit was purchased at the 1984 Keeneland fall yearling sale for a very modest $15,000 by Joseph Federico, a Boston, Massachusetts building contractor and a native of Sulmona, in the Abruzzo Region of Italy. The colt was given the name of the village of Waquoit on Cape Cod.[3] He was trained by Guido Federico, the owner's cousin.

Racing career

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Waquoit became known for his ability to run on muddy dirt tracks. He began racing from a base at Suffolk Downs in Boston. While he won several minor stakes as a two-year-old, during the latter part of his three-year-old campaign he began to show his true ability in October 1986 with wins in the Jamaica Handicap at New York's Belmont Park[4] followed by the Yankee Handicap at Suffolk Downs.[5] As a four-year-old in 1987, Waquoit won the Massachusetts Handicap in a thrilling stretch duel with Broad Brush. He also added the prestigious Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont Park.[6] He was voted Horse of the Year by members of the New England Turf Writers Association.[7]

Having been injured early in the year, Waquoit did not return to training until April 2, 1988. Making his first start on June 4, the now five-year-old Waquoit won the Governor's Handicap at Suffolk Downs by seven lengths. On July 24, he defeated Personal Flag to win his second consecutive edition of the Brooklyn Handicap.[8] On October 8, 1988, he scored a fifteen-length win in the mile and a half Jockey Club Gold Cup.[9] Waquoit was not nominated for the Breeders' Cup, so his owner paid a $360,000 supplemental fee in order to run him in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Classic. In the final start of his career, Waquoit finished third to Alysheba.[10]

Syndicated to stud

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Syndicated for $3 million, beginning with the 1989 breeding season Waquoit stood at stud at the newly established Northview Stallion Station on acreage that had been Windfields Farm's Northview Annex at Chesapeake City, Maryland. [11] He sired 348 winners including thirty stakes race winners. Of his progeny, millionaire Grade 1 winner Halo America was the most successful on the track.[12] Through his daughter Ice Beauty, Waquoit was the damsire of Sweetnorthernsaint.[13]

Twenty-four-year-old Waquoit was euthanized due to infirmities brought on by old age on June 14, 2007, at Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City, Md.[2]

Sire line tree

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  • Waquoit[14]
    • Wicapi
    • Crosspatch
    • Buck Trout
    • Docent

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Waquoit, gray stallion, foaled February 10, 1983[1]
Sire
Relaunch
gray 1976
In Reality
b. 1964
Intentionally
blk. 1956
Intent
My Recipe
My Dear Girl
ch. 1957
Rough'n Tumble
Iltis
Foggy Note
gr. 1965
The Axe II
gr. 1958
Mahmoud*
Blackball
Silver Song
gr. 1957
Royal Note
Beadah
Dam
Grey Parlo
gray 1977
Grey Dawn II
gr. 1962
Herbager
b. 1956
Vandale
Flagette
Polamia
gr. 1955
Mahmoud*
Ampola
Parlomia
ch. 1971
Graustark
ch. 1963
Ribot
Flower Bowl
Parlo
ch. 1951
Heliopolis
Fairy Palace (Family 1-c)

* Waquoit is inbred 4S × 4D to the stallion Mahmoud, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Waquoit pedigree". Equineline.com. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  2. ^ a b "Maryland Stallion Waquoit Euthanized". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  3. ^ Boston Globe - September 7, 1986
  4. ^ Boston Globe - October 7, 1986 Waquoit Surprised Big Boys
  5. ^ Providence Journal - October 14, 1986 article titled Waquoit romps in Suffolk's Yankee
  6. ^ New York Times - July 26, 1987
  7. ^ Providence Journal - October 22, 1987
  8. ^ Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio) - July 24, 1988
  9. ^ Toldo Blade - October 9, 1988
  10. ^ USA Today - November 3, 1988
  11. ^ Washington Post - November 2, 1988
  12. ^ Thoroughbred Times - June 18, 2007
  13. ^ "Sweetnorthernsaint Pedigree". Equineline.com. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  14. ^ Maryland Stallion Waquoit Euthanized