Quick As Lightning

Quick As Lightning
Sire	Buckpasser
Grandsire	Tom Fool
Dam	Clear Ceiling
Damsire	Bold Ruler
Sex	Filly
Foaled	17 March 1977^[1]
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Ogden Mills Phipps
Owner	Ogden Mills Phipps
Trainer	John Dunlop Angel Penna, Sr.
Record	9: 3-2-3
Major wins
Hoover Fillies' Mile (1979) 1000 Guineas (1980)
Awards
Timeform rating 115 (1979), 123 (1980)

Quick As Lightning (17 March 1977 – 1981) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the classic 1000 Guineas in 1980. She was one of the leading British-trained juvenile fillies of 1979, when she won two of her three races including the Hoover Fillies' Mile. In the following year, she finished third on her debut before defeating twenty-two opponents in the 1000 Guineas. She never won again, although she finished fourth when favourite for the Epsom Oaks and was narrowly beaten in the Coronation Stakes. She was later transferred to the United States, where she failed to win in three races before dying in 1981 at the age of four.

Background

Quick As Lightning was an "attractive, well-made"^[2] bay filly with no white markings, bred in Kentucky by her owner, Ogden Mills Phipps. She was from one of the last crops of foals sired by Ogden Phipps' stallion Buckpasser, an outstanding racehorse who was voted American Horse of the Year in 1966. He became a successful breeding stallion, siring La Prevoyante, Relaxing, Numbered Account, and L'Enjoleur. Quick As Lightning's dam, Clear Ceiling, won five races and was a half-sister to several good winners including Misty Morn, Bold Queen (Black-Eyed Susan Stakes), and What A Pleasure (Hopeful Stakes, twice Leading sire in North America).^[3] Phipps sent the filly to race in Europe, where she was trained by John Dunlop at Arundel, West Sussex.

Racing career

1979: two-year-old season

Quick As Lightning began her racing career in a twenty-four runner maiden race over six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in July. She accelerated well in the closing stages to win from Live Ammo and Moorestyle. The filly was then moved up in class to contest the Group Three Waterford Candelabra Stakes, which was run that year at Ascot Racecourse. She started favourite but appeared outpaced in the closing stages and finished third to Schweppes Forever and Vielle, beaten a total of five lengths. In September, Quick As Lighting started at odds of 9/1^[4] for the Hoover Fillies' Mile (then a Group Three race) at the same course. Carson held the filly up at the back of the field as Appleby Park set a fast pace. In the straight, she made rapid progress but was still three lengths behind Vielle with a furlong to run. Quick As Lightning caught Vielle in the final strides to win by a neck, with Sharp Castan five lengths back in third place. In their annual Racehorses of 1979, the independent Timeform organisation commented that there were "good races to be won" with the filly over middle distances but expressed doubts about whether she had the speed to win the 1000 Guineas.^[5]

1980: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut, Quick As Lightning ran in the Fred Darling Stakes, a trial race for the 1000 Guineas, over seven furlongs at Newbury Racecourse in April and finished third behind Millingdale Lillie and the Cheveley Park Stakes winner Mrs Penny. Two weeks later, Quick As Lightning started at odds of 12/1 in the 168th running of the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket Racecourse. She was ridden by Brian Rouse, who was a late reserve after four better-known jockeys reportedly turned down the chance to ride the filly.^[6] The highly regarded but lightly raced Saison started the 4/1 favourite ahead of the Nell Gwyn Stakes winner, Evita, on 15/2 with Millingdale Lillie, Mrs Penny, and Our Home at 8/1 in a field of twenty-three fillies. Rouse settled Quick As Lightning near the back of the field^[7] before moving up to challenge the leaders in the last quarter mile. At least seven horses were still in contention a furlong from the finish, as Our Home took a narrow lead from Mrs Penny. Quick As Lightning produced a sustained run on the outside to take the lead a hundred yards out and won by a neck and half a length from Our Home and Mrs Penny.^[2]

On 7 June, Quick As Lightning was moved up in distance and started the 3/1 favourite for the 202nd running of the Oaks Stakes over one and a half miles at Epsom Downs Racecourse.^[8] Rouse again restrained the filly until the last quarter mile before switching to the outside, but the favourite was unable to make significant progress and finished fourth of the eleven runners behind Bireme, Vielle, and The Dancer, beaten a total of eight lengths.^[9] Quick As Lightning was brought back in distance and equipped with blinkers for her next race, the Group Two Coronation Stakes over one mile at Royal Ascot. She produced an improved effort, but was beaten a neck by the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Cairn Rouge, with Our Home in third place. Quick As Lightning was then moved up again to one and a half miles for the Irish Oaks at the Curragh Racecourse but appeared unable to stay the distance as she dropped away in the last quarter mile to finish fifth of the nine runners behind Shoot A Line.^[2]

In the autumn of 1980, Quick As Lightning was sent to race in the United States, where she was trained by Angel Penna, Sr.. On 22 December, she made her North American debut by finishing second in an allowance race over eight and a half furlongs at Calder Race Course in Florida.^[10]

1981: four-year-old season

On 1 January 1981, Quick As Lightning finished third in a division of the Grade II La Prevoyante Handicap at Calder. On 27 January, she ended her racing career by finishing fourth in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park. Quick As Lighting died in the United States in 1981.^[10]

Assessment

In 1979, Quick As Lightning was given a rating of 115 by Timeform, five pounds behind their top-rated two-year-old filly, Aryenne.^[5] In the following year, Timeform rated her on 123, eight pounds below the highest-rated three-year-old filly, Detroit. In the official International Classification, she was also eight pounds below Detroit and was rated the sixth-best three-year-old filly trained in Britain behind Mrs Penny, Shoot A Line, Bireme, Vielle, and The Dancer.

In their book A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Quick As Lightning an "average" winner of the 1000 Guineas.^[11]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Quick As Lightning (USA), bay mare, 1977^[1]
Sire Buckpasser (USA) 1963	Tom Fool (USA) 1949	Menow	Pharamond
		Menow	Alcibiades
		Gaga	Bull Dog
		Gaga	Alpoise
	Busanda (USA) 1947	War Admiral	Man o'War
		War Admiral	Brushup
		Businesslike	Blue Larkspur
		Businesslike	La Troienne
Dam Clear Ceiling (USA) 1968	Bold Ruler (USA) 1954	Nasrullah	Nearco
		Nasrullah	Mumtaz Begum
		Miss Disco	Discovery
		Miss Disco	Outdone
	Grey Flight (USA) 1945	Mahmoud	Blenheim
		Mahmoud	Mah Mahal
		Planetoid	Ariel
		Planetoid	La Chica (Family:5-f)^[3]

References

1 2 "Quick As Lightning pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
1 2 3 Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-31-6.
1 2 "Bajazet Mare - Family 5-f". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
↑ Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
1 2 Timeform staff (1980). Racehorses of 1979. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-29-4.
↑ "American filly takes British race". Montreal Gazette. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
↑ "Martin Gale" (21 May 1980). "Credit due for this run by Kris". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
↑ "Martin Gale" (7 June 1980). "Lightning poised to strike twice". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2013-06-27.
↑ "Willie Carson's doubt". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 June 1980. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
1 2 "Quick As Lightning Statistics". Equibase.com. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press,. ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.

1000 Guineas winners

1814 Charlotte 1815 Filly by Selim 1816 Rhoda 1817 Neva 1818 Corinne 1819 Catgut 1820 Rowena 1821 Zeal 1822 Whizgig 1823 Zinc 1824 Cobweb 1825 Tontine 1826 Problem 1827 Arab 1828 Zoe 1829 Young Mouse 1830 Charlotte West 1831 Galantine 1832 Galata 1833 Tarantella 1834 May-day 1835 Preserve 1836 Destiny 1837 Chapeau d'Espagne 1838 Barcarolle 1839 Cara 1840 Crucifix ‡ 1841 Potentia 1842 Firebrand 1843 Extempore 1844 Sorella 1845 Pic-nic 1846 Mendicant 1847 Clementine 1848 Canezou 1849 The Flea 1850 Lady Orford 1851 Aphrodite 1852 Kate 1853 Mentmore Lass 1854 Virago 1855 Habena 1856 Manganese 1857 Imperieuse 1858 Governess 1859 Mayonaise 1860 Sagitta 1861 Nemesis 1862 Hurricane 1863 Lady Augusta 1864 Tomato 1865 Siberia 1866 Repulse 1867 Achievement 1868 Formosa ₩ ‡ 1869 Scottish Queen 1870 Hester 1871 Hannah ₩ 1872 Reine 1873 Cecilia 1874 Apology ₩ 1875 Spinaway 1876 Camelia 1877 Belphoebe 1878 Pilgrimage 1879 Wheel of Fortune 1880 Elizabeth 1881 Thebais 1882 St Marguerite 1883 Hauteur 1884 Busybody 1885 Farewell 1886 Miss Jummy 1887 Reve d'Or 1888 Briarroot 1889 Minthe 1890 Semolina 1891 Mimi 1892 La Fleche ₩ 1893 Siffleuse 1894 Amiable 1895 Galeottia 1896 Thais 1897 Chelandry 1898 Nun Nicer 1899 Sibola 1900 Winifreda 1901 Aida 1902 Sceptre ₩ ‡ 1903 Quintessence 1904 Pretty Polly ₩ 1905 Cherry Lass 1906 Flair 1907 Witch Elm 1908 Rhodora 1909 Electra 1910 Winkipop 1911 Atmah 1912 Tagalie 1913 Jest 1914 Princess Dorrie 1915 Vaucluse 1916 Canyon 1917 Diadem 1918 Ferry 1919 Roseway 1920 Cinna 1921 Bettina 1922 Silver Urn 1923 Tranquil 1924 Plack 1925 Saucy Sue 1926 Pillion 1927 Cresta Run 1928 Scuttle 1929 Taj Mah 1930 Fair Isle 1931 Four Course 1932 Kandy 1933 Brown Betty 1934 Campanula 1935 Mesa 1936 Tide-way 1937 Exhibitionnist 1938 Rockfel 1939 Galatea II 1940 Godiva 1941 Dancing Time 1942 Sun Chariot ₩ 1943 Herringbone 1944 Picture Play 1945 Sun Stream 1946 Hypericum 1947 Imprudence 1948 Queenpot 1949 Musidora 1950 Camaree 1951 Belle of All 1952 Zabara 1953 Happy Laughter 1954 Festoon 1955 Meld ₩ 1956 Honeylight 1957 Rose Royale 1958 Bella Paola 1959 Petite Etoile 1960 Never Too Late 1961 Sweet Solera 1962 Abermaid 1963 Hula Dancer 1964 Pourparler 1965 Night Off 1966 Glad Rags 1967 Fleet 1968 Caergwrle 1969 Full Dress 1970 Humble Duty 1971 Altesse Royale 1972 Waterloo 1973 Mysterious 1974 Highclere 1975 Nocturnal Spree 1976 Flying Water 1977 Mrs McArdy 1978 Enstone Spark 1979 One in a Million 1980 Quick As Lightning 1981 Fairy Footsteps 1982 On The House 1983 Ma Biche 1984 Pebbles 1985 Oh So Sharp ₩ 1986 Midway Lady 1987 Miesque 1988 Ravinella 1989 Musical Bliss 1990 Salsabil 1991 Shadayid 1992 Hatoof 1993 Sayyedati 1994 Las Meninas 1995 Harayir 1996 Bosra Sham 1997 Sleepytime 1998 Cape Verdi 1999 Wince 2000 Lahan 2001 Ameerat 2002 Kazzia 2003 Russian Rhythm 2004 Attraction 2005 Virginia Waters 2006 Speciosa 2007 Finsceal Beo 2008 Natagora 2009 Ghanaati 2010 Special Duty 2011 Blue Bunting 2012 Homecoming Queen 2013 Sky Lantern 2014 Miss France 2015 Legatissimo 2016 Minding

Legend - ₩ = Fillies Triple Crown winners, † = Epsom Derby winners, ‡ = 2000 Guineas Stakes winners

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