Calumet Champion Before Dawn Dead

Calumet Champion Before Dawn Dead
Date Posted: 3/7/2006 7:59:31 AM

Before Dawn was the last of the Calumet Farm champions from the days when the farm was owned by Lucille Markey. Word was received recently of her death.

A daughter of Calumet stallion Raise a Cup, Before Dawn was champion 2-year-old filly in 1981. Trained by John Veitch, she won her first five races, including the Matron (gr. I), Spinaway (gr. I), Astarita (gr. II), and Fashion Stakes. So powerful were her victories that Veitch ran her in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) against males. The odds-on favorite, Before Dawn ran second to Timely Writer.

Before Dawn started a new streak as a 3-year-old. She won her first
four races--three stakes--before losing to fillies for the first time. She ran third in the Fantasy Stakes (gr. I), and then was second in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). She started twice more, finishing unplaced both times, and was retired.

Before Dawn came from a time-honored Calumet family. Her third dam, Calumet homebred Twilight Tear, was 1944 Horse of the Year. Second dam A Gleam won such stakes as the Hollywood Oaks and Westerner Stakes.

As a broodmare, Before Dawn produced 11 named foals, all of which were winners, including three stakes-placed runners. Three of her daughters were stakes producers. Before Dawn, who was produced from the Tim Tam mare Moonbeam, was sent to Great Britain in 1997.

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