Be My Chief
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Be My Chief (7 May 1987 – 2006) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and
sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" an ...
. He was the leading British two-year-old in 1989 when he was undefeated in six races including the
Chesham Stakes The Chesham Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take pla ...
, Bernard Van Cutsem Stakes, Lanson Champagne Vintage Stakes, Solario Stakes and Racing Post Trophy, starting odds-on favourite on each occasion. He finished unplaced on his only run in 1990 and was retired to stud. He had some success as a sire of winners.


Background

Be My Chief was a bay horse with a large white
star A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...
four white
socks A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...
bred in Kentucky by his owner Peter Burrell. He was from the first crop of foals sired by Chief's Crown who won the
Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...
and was voted
American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse The American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when the ''Daily Racing Fo ...
in 1984. He went on to sire several other major winners including
Erhaab Erhaab (24 May 1991 – 22 November 2021) was a Thoroughbred race horse and sire, bred in the United States but trained in the United Kingdom. He is best known as the winner of the 1994 Epsom Derby. In 2011 he was moved from the Wood Farm ...
,
Grand Lodge A Grand Lodge, also called Grand Orient, Obedience, or by another similar title, is a name for the overarching governing body of a fraternal or other similarly organized group in a given area, usually a city, state, or country. In Freemasonry A ...
and Chief Bearheart. Be My Chief's dam Lady Be Mine won one minor race from four attempts as a three-year-old in England in 1981. She was a granddaughter of the broodmare My Game, whose other descendants have included Marwell, Marling,
Paean A paean () is a song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving. In classical antiquity, it is usually performed by a chorus, but some examples seem intended for an individual voice ( monody). It comes from the Greek (also or ), "song ...
and Unite. Peter Burrell who ran the British
National Stud The National Stud is a Thoroughbred stud farm in Newmarket which is owned by the Jockey Club. As well as commercial breeding services, it undertakes education and training activities and allows the public to visit the working stud on organised ...
brought the colt to race in Europe and sent him into training with
Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil (11 January 1943 – 11 June 2013) was a British flat racing horse trainer. Cecil was very successful, becoming Champion Trainer ten times and training 25 domestic Classic winners. These comprised four winners o ...
at the Warren Place stable in
Newmarket, Suffolk Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk (district), West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, 14 miles west of Bury St Edmunds and 14 miles northeast of Cambridge. In 2021, it had a population of 16,772. It is a global ...
.


Racing career


1989: two-year-old season

Be My Chief began his racing career in a six
furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...
maiden race In horse racing, a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...
at
Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's List of British flat horse races#Group 1, 36 annual Group One, Group 1 flat races, the St Leger ...
on 27 May in which he was ridden by Willie Ryan and started at odds of 4/9 against seven opponents. He recovered from being hampered at the start, took the lead a furlong out, and won by three lengths from Balla Cove, a colt who went on to win the
Middle Park Stakes The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it i ...
. When the colt reappeared on 22 June for the Listed Chesham Stakes at
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
he was ridden by
Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American jockey. In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. ...
, who partnered him in all his subsequent races. Starting at odds of 2/5 in an eight-runner field, he took the lead inside the final furlong and won by a length from the
Richard Hannon, Sr Richard Michael Hannon (born 1945), known as Richard Hannon Sr. to distinguish him from his son, is a former British horse trainer. He was British flat racing Champion Trainer four times, achieved more than a century of victories in a season 20 t ...
-trained Osario. Be My Chief again started odds-on favourite when he was stepped up in distance for the Bernard Van Cutsem Stakes over seven furlongs at
Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...
. He led from the start, drew clear in the final furlong, and won by three lengths from Long Iland, with Balla Cove two and a half lengths back in third. On 27 July, Be My Chief was stepped up to Group Three level for the Lanson Champagne Vintage Stakes at
Goodwood Racecourse Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House. It hosts the annual Glorious Goodwood meeting in l ...
. Starting at odds of 8/15, he led from the start, accelerated into a clear advantage two furlongs from the finish and held on to win by half a length and a length from Robellation and
Dashing Blade Dashing Blade (1 March 1987 – 15 August 2013) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won major races in Ireland, England, France and Italy. As a two-year-old in 1989 he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe winning f ...
. In his next two races, Dashing Blade won the
National Stakes The Vincent O'Brien National Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 me ...
and the
Dewhurst Stakes The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mi ...
. Only two horses, Balla Cove and Robellation, appeared to oppose Be My Chief when the colt started 1/3 favourite for the Solario Stakes at
Sandown Park Racecourse Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt racing, National Hunt races and one Group One, Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Sta ...
on 18 August. Be My Chief recorded his fifth consecutive victory, but had to be hard ridden by Cauthen to prevail by three quarters of a length from Robellation. On his final race of the season, Be My Chief was stepped up to Group One level for the Racing Post Trophy over one mile at
Newcastle Racecourse Newcastle Racecourse is a horse racing course located at Gosforth Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, owned by Arena Racing Company. It stages both Flat racing, flat and National Hunt racing, with its biggest meeting being the Northumberland ...
on 28 October. The event had been previously known as the William Hill Futurity and was being run for the first time under the sponsorship of the ''
Racing Post ''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting publisher published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 60,629 ...
''. It had been transferred from its traditional venue at
Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's List of British flat horse races#Group 1, 36 annual Group One, Group 1 flat races, the St Leger ...
after the
St Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
meeting in September had been abandoned owing to the poor state of the ground at the Yorkshire course. His four opponents were the Qathif, Cutting Note, Baligh and Loch Fruin, none of whom had previously contested a Group race. Starting the 4/7 favourite, he led from the start, accelerated in the final furlong and won by four lengths from Baligh.


1990: three-year-old season

Be My Chief suffered from a series of training problems in the early part of 1990 and missed both the
2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1.6 km) and scheduled to take place each yea ...
and The Derby. He eventually reappeared in the Scottish Classic over ten furlongs at
Ayr Racecourse Ayr Racecourse at Whitletts Road, Ayr, Scotland,''British Racing and Racecourses'' () by Marion Rose Halpenny – Page 71 was opened in 1907. There are courses for Flat racing, flat and for National Hunt racing. History Horse racing in Ayr dat ...
on 12 July and started the 2/1 favourite in a seven-runner field. He led until the last three furlongs but then quickly faded and finished tailed off in last place, more than twenty-five lengths behind the winner Husyan.


Stud record

Be My Chief was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion. He was initially based at the National Stud before standing in Sweden and Poland. His two most successful runners, however, had their biggest wins in North America: Hail The Chief won the Hawthorne Gold Cup whilst the racemare Donna Viola won the Yellow Ribbon Stakes and the
Gamely Stakes The Gamely Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares age three and older over a distance of miles on the turf run in late May annually at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. History The race was inaugurated ...
. His other good winners included Flying Squaw a filly who won the Moët & Chandon-Rennen. He died in 2006 at the age of nineteen.


Pedigree


References

{{Reflist 1987 racehorse births 2006 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 14-c