My Babu (1945–1970) was a French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who became one of the most influential sires in American breeding of show jumpers, eventers and hunters. His descendants include Bruce Davidson's former eventing mount JJ Babu, Anky van Grunsven's dressage horse Bonfire, and puissance and grand prix jumper Sympatico. Also, the grand prix jumper Napur is related to him through his sire Damascus dam Kerala. My Babu was the sire of Kerala, and therefore one of Napur's grandsires.
Racing career During My Babu's racing career in England, the bay colt had 16 starts, 11 wins, 2 places, and 0 shows, with career earnings of £29,830. His most important win came in the 1948 Classic, the 2000 Guineas Stakes in which he set a new stakes record time.My Babu Wins 2,000 Guineas, The Miami News, April 28, 1948, accessed April 13, 2010. He was later sold in 1955 to Americans Leslie W. Combs II and John W. Hanes for over $600,000,French Bred Stallion Sold For $600,000, Kentucky New Era, September 16, 1955, accessed April 13, 2010.$600,000 Paid for Sire; My Babu, British Stallion Sold to Combs and Hanes, New York Times, June 22, 1956, accessed April 13, 2010. the highest price ever paid for a Thoroughbred imported to the United States. The stallion stood at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky during his breeding career.
Stud record My Babu was a sire of 47 stakes winners and was a broodmare sire of 95 winners. He earned the title of Leading Juvenile Sire in 1960. His son, Better Boy, was the Leading sire in Australia four times.Nearly 50 Years On, Djebel blood to fore in Australian classic, The Sydney Morning Herald, November 21, 1988, accessed April 13, 2010. By 1965, his racing descendants had won over $3,000,000. My Babu was the grandsire of National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee Precisionist, and the damsire of Hall of Fame inductees Damascus and Gamely as well as the damsire of Little Current, the 1974 American Champion Three-Year-old Colt and winner of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
Sire line tree
My BabuByerley Turk LineBylerley Turk Jump SiresPortrait: TourbillonAmerican Classic Pedigree: My Babu Better Boy Craftsman Tolerance Century Double Century Burglar of Bamff Bigamy Stylish Century Dual Scope CentaineProminent New Zealand Stallion Centaine DeadCentaine's outstanding record Cordero Kinjite Super Fit Perfect World Cheiron Taupo Retreat Century Kid Rubiton Monopolize Flavour Adam Fields of Omagh Patezza BulletonThe Byerley Turk line set to vanish from Australia Lucky Secret Average Game Chevoit Tampir Lane Centro Euclase Reckless Eubulides Our Babu Dowdstown Charley Prince Florimund Babur Dionisio Saint Denys Billycan Bregawn Milesian Atlantis Mystery Ionian Rocked Partholon Mejiro Asama Mejiro Titan Mejiro McQueen Sakura Shori Sakura Star O Symboli Rudolf Tokai Teio Ayrton Symboli Tsurumaru Tsuyoshi Western Wind Falcon Drobny King Babar Primera Shearwater The Hammer SympaticoSympatico inducted into Show Jumping Hall of Fame Tong Babu Babu Dancer JJ Babu Bronze Babu Crozier Inverness Drive Bad'n Big Wedge Shot Beat Inflation Crested Wave Drought Gennaker Surfers Paradise Surface Sportful Journey At Sea PrecisionistAmerican Classic Pedigree: PrecisionistHall of Fame: Precisionist Garwol Prudent Manitoba Mazarin Babu's On Santanas
Pedigree
My Babu is inbred 4D x 4D to the stallion Swynford, meaning that he appears fourth generation twice on the dam side of his pedigree.
References