In Reality (March 1, 1964 – May 8, 1989) was an American bred

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

. Bred in Florida, he was a son of Intentionally and out of the mare My Dear Girl, the 1959

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both t ...

. His damsire was Santa Anita Derby winner Rough'n Tumble, who sired U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee

Dr. Fager Dr. Fager (April 6, 1964 – August 5, 1976) was an American thoroughbred racehorse who had what many consider one of the greatest single racing seasons by any horse in the history of the sport. In 1968 at the age of four, he became the only hors ...

. In Reality is best remembered for his win in the Florida Derby and his runner-up performance in the Preakness Stakes to Eclipse Award Champion and millionaire

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

Race career

In Reality started his stakes career with a second-place finish in the Cowdin Stakes to the young

and then ran second in the Sapling Stakes. He finished his two-year-old season with a run in the Pimlico Futurity, beating out that year's champion two-year-old, Successor, for the win. In his three-year-old season, In Reality started the year with a win in the Hibiscus Stakes. In Reality then finished second in the Florida Breeders' Stakes and the Flamingo Stakes before he won the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby. He then moved on to the Preakness, where he finished second to

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

. This effort was followed by wins in the Jersey Derby, Rumson Handicap and Choice Stakes. In Reality next met up again with Damascus in the American Derby and came in second once more. Against Dr. Fager in the New Hampshire Sweepstakes Classic, he finished second again. In Reality made one more attempt at another stakes in the Jerome Handicap and again was second; after that, he laid off for the rest of the season. In his four-year-old season, he finished third in both the Royal Palm and the Seminole Handicap. After taking a month off, he won the John B. Campbell Handicap, Carter Handicap, and Metropolitan Handicap. In Reality retired soon after his win in the Metropolitan to stand at stud for Frances A. Genter in Florida.

Stud career

In Reality was bred and raced by

Frances A. Genter Frances A. Genter (February 17, 1898 – November 24, 1992) was a major figure in American Thoroughbred horse racing. She is best known as the owner of Unbridled, the 1990 American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and winner of the 1990 Kentuck ...

and became an outstanding

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" a ...

of three Champions and a good sire of sires. In Reality's male line remains one of the only male lines directly descended from Man O' War. In Reality is the sire of: * Desert Vixen (b. 1970) - U.S. Racing Hall of Fame Filly * Smile (b. 1982) - Won 1986 Breeders' Cup Sprint,

American Champion Sprint Horse The American Champion Sprint Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. Created in 1947, in 1971 it became part of the Eclipse Awards program and is awarded annually to the top horse in sprint races (usually those run at a distance ...

, Damsire of Smarty Jones *

Known Fact Known Fact (17 March 1977 – 12 July 2000) was a Kentucky-bred British-trained racehorse and sire. He was the leading British miler of 1980, being awarded the 2000 Guineas on the disqualification of Nureyev and defeating Kris to win the Queen ...

(b. 1977) - Won the 1979 Middle Park Stakes & the 1980

2,000 Guineas Stakes 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 (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...

, English Champion Three-Year-Old Colt * Relaunch (b. 1976) - Won Del Mar Derby. Grandsire of Hall of Fame inductee Tiznow. Damsire of 2004 World's Top Ranked Horse Ghostzapper and

Real Shadai {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Real Shadai , image = , caption = Real Shadai at Shadai Stallion Station in 2000. , sire = Roberto , grandsire = Hail To Reason , dam = Desert Vixen , damsire = In Reality , sex = Stallion , foaled = 19 ...

, the 1993 Leading sire in Japan * Believe It (b. 1975) Won Wood Memorial Stakes, third in Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Damsire of 1998

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

and Preakness Stakes and Eclipse Award winner Real Quiet. In Reality is also the damsire of: *

Commendable Commendable (April 13, 1997 – April 10, 2014) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for his victory in the 2000 Belmont Stakes. In his racing career, he ran twelve times and won two races. After his racing career, he stood as ...

(b. 1997) - Won 2000

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

Mane Minister Mane Minister (foaled 1988 in Kentucky, died in 2010) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best remembered as the first (and {{as of, 2018, lc=y, the only) horse to finish third in all three of the U.S. Triple Crown races. Bred by Normandy Far ...

(b. 1988) - Won 1991 Santa Catalina Stakes *

Toussaud Toussaud (May 6, 1989 – January 5, 2009) was a bay mare bred and raced by Juddmonte Farms. Sired by El Gran Senor out of an In Reality mare, Image of Reality, Toussaud achieved much on the track and in the breeding shed. Race career Toussa ...

(b. 1989) - Won 1993 Gamely Stakes and Kentucky Broodmare of the Year * Meadow Star (b. 1988) - Won 1990

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a -mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt (although the distance has varied, depending on the configuration of the host track) for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the Uni ...

and

Pedigree

In Reality is inbred 3x3 to War Relic, meaning War Relic appears twice in the third generation of his pedigree.

References

{{reflist

External links

In Reality's pedigree and partial racing stats
1964 racehorse births 1989 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Florida Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 21-a Godolphin Arabian sire line Chefs-de-Race