Sookera (18 May 1975 – 2004) was an American-bred Irish-trained

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse and

broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than f ...

. Racing only as a two-year-old in 1977, she won three times and finished second twice, from five races. After winning on her debut and finishing second on her next appearance, she recorded her first major success when defeating male opponents in 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 plac ...

. She returned from a late summer break and finished second in the

Moyglare Stud Stakes The Moyglare Stud Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is schedul ...

before winning the

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern race system introduce ...

Cheveley Park Stakes The Cheveley Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it ...

. Sookera never ran again but became a very successful broodmare. She produced several winners including So Factual and is the female-line ancestor of numerous major winners including

Dansili Dansili (27 January 1996 – 22 December 2021) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He won five races, including the Prix du Muguet. After retiring from racing he became a successful stallion, with his progeny including Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe ...

Leroidesanimaux Leroidesanimaux (September 27, 2000 – May 27, 2016) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Brazil and was an Eclipse Award winner in the United States. Background His name was four French-language words combined. ''Le roi des animaux'' t ...

Banks Hill Banks Hill (foaled February 24, 1998 in England) was a French Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. She was bred and raced by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms. She was sired by Danehill, a multiple Champion sire in England, Ireland, and France and ...

and

Intercontinental Intercontinental is an adjective to describe something which relates to more than one continent. Intercontinental may also refer to: * Intercontinental ballistic missile, a long-range guided ballistic missile * InterContinental Hotels Group (IH ...

Background

Sookera was a "strong, good-quartered" brown mare with a white blaze bred in Kentucky by the British businessman

Robert Sangster Robert Edmund Sangster (23 May 1936 – 7 April 2004)

in association with the British Bloodstock Agency. She was sired by

Roberto The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

, an American-bred horse who won the

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey ...

and the inaugural

Benson and Hedges Gold Cup Benson may refer to: Animals *Benson (fish), largest common carp caught in Britain Places Geography Canada * Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35, Saskatchewan; rural municipality * Benson, Saskatchewan; hamlet United Kingdom *Benson, Oxfordshir ...

as a three-year-old in 1972. At stud, Roberto sired many important winners including Sunshine Forever,

Touching Wood Touching Wood (1979–2004) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1982. Touching Wood was still a maiden when he finished second to Golden Fleece in the 19 ...

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 = 1 ...

, At Talaq,

Lear Fan Lear Fan (2 February 1981 – 7 July 2008) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. One of an exceptionally strong generation of European racehorses he was one of the leading two-year-olds when he was unbeaten ...

, Kris S. and

Dynaformer Dynaformer (April 1, 1985 – April 29, 2012) was a Thoroughbred race horse and breeding stallion most notable as the sire of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. Background Dynaformer was an unusually large horse, standing high. bred by Jose ...

. Her dam, Irule, was a granddaughter of Itsabet, an American broodmare whose other descendants have included the dam of

Giant's Causeway The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (5 km) northeast of ...

As a

yearling Yearling may refer to: *Yearling (horse), a horse between one and two years old *''The Yearling ''The Yearling'' is a novel by American writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, published in March 1938. It was the main selection of the Book of the Mo ...

, Sookera was offered for sale at Saratoga but failed to make her

reserve price In economics, a reservation (or reserve) price is a limit on the price of a good or a service. On the demand side, it is the highest price that a buyer is willing to pay; on the supply side, it is the lowest price a seller is willing to accept ...

of $20,000. She was sent to race in Europe where she was trained by

Dermot Weld Dermot K. Weld (born 29 July 1948), a former jockey is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland (2,578 set in August 2000). Weld maintains his stable, Rosewell House, in ...

Racing career

1977: two-year-old season

Sookera made her racing debut on 17 March, the opening day of the 1977 Irish

flat racing 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 p ...

season, when she won the Castrol Stakes over five

furlongs A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

on soft ground at

Phoenix Park Racecourse Phoenix Park Racecourse is a former horse racing venue in Ireland. It was located in the townlands of Ashtown and Castleknock in the civil parish of Castleknock on the northern edge of the Phoenix Park in Dublin. The course was founded by JHH ...

. At the time she was still two months away from her actual second birthday. On her next appearance over six furlongs at the

Curragh Racecourse The Curragh Racecourse -- usually referred to as simply the Curragh -- is one of Ireland's most important Thoroughbred racecourses. It is situated on the Curragh plain in County Kildare, between the towns of Newbridge and Kildare. History ...

in May she was beaten a

length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Inte ...

by the

Vincent O'Brien Vincent O'Brien (9 April 1917 – 1 June 2009) was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history in a worldwide poll hosted by the ''Racing Post''. In e ...

-trained Turkish Treasure, to whom she was conceding seven pounds in weight. The winner went on to take the Cherry Hinton Stakes and the

Park Stakes A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...

. In June the filly was sent to England and was matched against male opposition in the Chesham Stakes over six furlongs at

Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races a ...

. She recorded her first major win as took the lead a furlong out and won decisively by one and a half lengths from Tumbledownwind, a colt who went on to win the

Gimcrack Stakes The Gimcrack Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to ...

. After a break of almost ten weeks, Sookera returned for the

at the Curragh in late August and was made the even money favourite. She appeared slightly short of full fitness in the pre-race paddock and finished second, beaten one and three quarter lengths by the winner Ridaness. On her final appearance of the season, Sookera was sent back to England for the Cheveley Park Stakes (then the only

race in Britain restricted to juvenile fillies) 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 ...

in October. Ridden by Wally Swinburn, she started at odds of 3/1 in a field which also included Noiritza (

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 met ...

Fair Salinia Fair Salinia (18 March 1975 – 31 March 2004) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the classic Oaks Stakes in 1978. In a racing career which lasted from September 1977 until September 1978 she won four of ...

, Petty Purse (

Star Stakes The Star Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies aged two years only. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in Ju ...

), Shapina (runner-up in the Cherry Hinton Stakes) and Smarten Up. Sookera took the lead a furlong out and looked likely to win easily but had to be pushed out by Swinburn in the closing stages to hold off Petty Purse and Fair Salinia by three quarters of a length and a head. Sookera was expected to be a contender for the

British Classic Races The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their o ...

in 1978 but never ran competitively again after her win at Newmarket.

Assessment

There was no International Classification of European two-year-olds in 1977: the official handicappers of Britain, Ireland and France compiled separate rankings for horses which competed in those countries. In the Irish Free Handicap Sookera was the top-rated filly, equal with Fairy Bridge. In the British Free Handicap she was rated second, five pounds behind

Cherry Hinton Cherry Hinton is a suburban area of the city of Cambridge, in Cambridgeshire, England. It is around southeast of Cambridge city centre. History The rectangular parish of Cherry Hinton occupies the western corner of Flendish hundred on the so ...

. The independent

Timeform Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by ...

organisation gave her a rating of 117, eight pounds behind their top-rated juvenile filly Cherry Hinton.

Breeding record

Sookera was retired from racing to become a broodmare for Sangster before being sold to

Juddmonte Farms Juddmonte Farms is a horse breeding farm, owned until his death on 12th January 2021 by Prince Khalid bin Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.National Thoroughbred Racing Association"Juddmonte Farms, Inc.", profile. Retrieved October 16, 2007. Overview J ...

. She produced at least 11 foals and 8 winners between 1980 and 1996. The best of her offspring on the track was the sprinter So Factual but her most enduring influence has come through the descendants of her daughter Kerali. * Resooka, a brown filly, foaled in 1980, sired by Godswalk. Unraced. * Field Dancer, bay filly, 1981, by Northfields. Won six races. * Ricura, bay filly, 1982, by

Hello Gorgeous Hello Gorgeous (11 March 1977 – after 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse and sire. From the second crop of foals sired by Mr. Prospector, he was exported to Europe where he was one of the leading colts of hi ...

. Won one race. * Kerali, chestnut filly, 1984, by

High Line The High Line is a elevated linear park, greenway and rail trail created on a former New York Central Railroad spur on the west side of Manhattan in New York City. The High Line's design is a collaboration between James Corner Field Op ...

. Won one race. Dam of Kerawi (

Christmas Hurdle The Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres ...

), Hasili and Dissemble (dam of

) * Durzi, bay colt (later

gelded A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, making ...

), 1985, by High Line. Won races on the amateur point-to-point circuit. * Krameria, bay filly, 1986, by

Kris The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...

. Won one race. * Soothfast, brown colt, 1989, by

Riverman Riverman (1969–1999) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse. Background Foaled in Kentucky, Riverman was bred by Harry F. Guggenheim of the prominent American Guggenheim family. Riverman was from the mare River Lady and sired by Guggenheim's st ...

. Won two Hurdle races. * So Factual, brown colt, 1990, by

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 ...

. Won seven races including

Cork and Orrery Stakes The Platinum Jubilee Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. Three-year-olds foaled in the Southern Hemisphere are also eligible. It is run at ...

and

Nunthorpe Stakes The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is sche ...

. * Safety Factor, brown colt, 1991, by Known Fact. Failed to win in three races. * Coincidence, brown colt, 1992, by Sovereign Dancer. Unraced. * Sweet Fact, chestnut colt, 1994, by Known Fact. Unraced. * Bold Fact, brown colt, 1995, by Known Fact. Won seven races including

July Stakes The July Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and i ...

. * Keralba, bay filly, 1996, by

Sheikh Albadou Sheikh Albadou (15 April 1988 – 1999), was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who was bred and trained in the United Kingdom. In a racing career which lasted from October 1990 until October 1992 he ran fifteen times and won six races. Shei ...

. Unplaced on only start. Sookera died in 2004.

Pedigree

References

{{reflist 1975 racehorse births 2004 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in Ireland Thoroughbred family 11