Beldame
| Beldame | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Octagon |
| Dam | Bella Donna |
| Damsire | Hermit |
| Sex | Mare |
| Foaled | 1901 |
| Country | USA |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | August Belmont II |
| Owner | August Belmont II |
| Trainer | John J. Hyland Fred Burlew |
| Record | 31: 17-6-4 |
| Earnings | $102,570 |
| Major wins | |
| Great Filly Stakes (1903) Vernal Stakes (1903) Alabama Stakes (1904) Gazelle Handicap (1904) Carter Handicap (1904) Ladies Stakes (1904) Saratoga Cup (1904) First Special (1904) Second Special (1904) Dolphin Sakes (1904) Mermaid Stakes (1904) September Stakes (1904) Suburban Handicap (1905) | |
| Awards | |
| Champion of her division (1904) | |
| Honours | |
| U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1956) #98 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century | |
| Last updated on October 31, 2006 | |
Beldame was one of the greatest racing fillies of Twentieth Century American breeding.
A horse to lease
The chestnut was foaled in 1901 by Octagon out of Bella Donna (by Hermit). Named Beldame, she was a homebred of August Belmont II's (after whose family the Belmont Stakes as well as Belmont Park were named), and though he continued to own her, he leased her as a two-year-old to a business associate named Newton Bennington. It was while racing for Bennington that Beldame began her great career, earning her place as number 98 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century.
Against all comers
When she was three, she won twelve of her fourteen starts, earned the championship of her division, and her only loses were to older males. She dominated all females, and defeated males constantly. Because of this, track officials everywhere weighted her so heavily she won only twice at the age of four.
It didn't matter. Beldame had made her mark. The only way to stop her was to handicap her. So she stopped racing, retiring with 17 wins, 6 places, and 4 shows from 31 starts, Her earnings amounted to $102,570. After Firenze and Miss Woodford, she was the third filly to win more than $100,000.
Belmont took her back at the age of four to his recreation of his father's Nursery Stud, the original farm being dispersed after August Belmont's death.
Trained by Belmont's trainer, Hall of Famer John J. Hyland (with whom he was arguing, one of the reasons Belmont leased out such a good horse), and then by Bennington's, Hall of Famer Fred Burlew, she could win short or long. Beldame was almost unbeatable.
Beldame had a mind of her own, and oddly did not like oats. What she liked to eat was ear corn. She ate at least seven cobs a day.
Racing Days
As a two-year-old, she won the Great Filly Stakes, and the Vernal Stakes.
At three, she took the Alabama Stakes, the Gazelle Handicap, the Carter Handicap (against males by over two lengths under a stout hold), the Ladies Stakes, the Saratoga Cup (beating the year older Belmont Stakes winner, Africander), the First Special, the Second Special, the Dolphin Sakes, the Mermaid Stakes, and the September Stakes.
At four, and carrying more weight than the males, she won the Suburban Handicap, beating among other classy males, the great Broomstick.
Beldame, who died in 1923, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1956.