Indian Pride becomes third stakes winner for dam, Ms. Cornstalk

Indian Pride, who races as a homebred for Brereton C. Jones and his Airdrie Stud program, scored her first stakes victory in the Shine Again Stakes on Friday at Saratoga. The filly’s bloodline shone through again, as she is the third stakes winner produced by her dam, Ms. Cornstalk.

Ms. Cornstalk, an Indian Charlie mare bred by Jones, was unraced, but has produced five winners from seven starters, remarkably all by different stallions. Her first foal was the Stormin Fever filly Biofuel, who was the Canadian champion 2-year-old filly of 2009 before going on to be the Canadian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly in 2010. A Grade 3 winner in Canada in both her seasons of racing, Biofuel was third in the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes in 2010 at Belmont before running second in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.

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Ms. Cornstalk’s daughter Tu Endie Wei was Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2011, winning 3 of 4 starts. She won a graded stakes the following season before retiring to Airdrie, but, sadly, died during an operation for fibrous adhesions before she could launch her broodmare career.

Indian Pride, by Airdrie’s late outstanding filly sire Proud Citizen, has now won 3 of 4 starts with her Shine Again victory. Her only loss came when third in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes last fall at Keeneland. Ms. Cornstalk also is the dam of stakes-placed juvenile Homer Matt, by Majesticperfection, and the winner Millia Gratia, by Flashy Bull.

Ms. Cornstalk is the dam of a pair of unraced progeny of racing age – Imperial Presence, a 3-year-old Creative Cause gelding, and Lead, a 2-year-old colt from the first crop of Runhappy. Lead, who was a $700,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Robert and Lawana Low, has been breezing at Saratoga.

Meanwhile back at Airdrie, Ms. Cornstalk, the dam of a yearling colt from the first crop of champion Gun Runner, delivered a filly by Quality Road on April 13.

Ms. Cornstalk is among the most consistent mares helping the late Airdrie sire Indian Charlie emerge as a broodmare sire. The 69 stakes winners out of his daughters are led by Eclipse Award champion sprinter Mitole, Ms. Cornstalk’s graded winners, and graded stakes winners Apache Princess, Cafe Americano, Chanteline, Faraway Kitten, Frank’s Rockette, Gypsy Robin, Late Night Pow Wow, Marchman, Quip, Samraat, Sonic Boom, and Switzerland.