Indian Blessing, winner of the Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), is thoroughly a product of the racing and breeding program of Hal and Patti Earnhardt III, who raced not only the filly’s sire but also her stakes-winning dam.
The 2-year-old filly was sired by Indian Charlie, who was trained by Bob Baffert (as is Indian Blessing) for the Earnhardts, initially alone and then in partnership with the late John R. Gaines. A son of In Excess, Indian Charlie was an impressive 12-length winner of his only start as a 2-year-old and was one of the top 3-year-olds of 1998, when he won the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). He was unable to live up to his potential, however, when he finished third in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) in what would be his final career start.
Shameful, a daughter of Flying Chevron, was bred in Florida by Devonia Stud and purchased by the McKathan Brothers for $50,000 at the 2000 Keeneland September yearling sale from the consignment of agent Beth Bayer. Bayer had bought the filly for $14,000 from her breeder’s consignment of the 1999 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October mixed sale. The filly was graded stakes-placed twice as a 3-year-old and posted her only added-money win in the Pine Tree Lane Stakes at age 4.
Shortly after her stakes score, Shameful was bred to Indian Charlie for the first time, producing Shame On Charlie, who remains in training as a 3-year-old of 2007. Indian Blessing was the mare’s second foal. After producing a Candy Ride colt in 2006, the mare had a Roman Ruler colt this year and is back in foal to that stallion. Both Roman Ruler and Candy Ride stand at John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms near Lexington, where Shameful is boarded.
Indian Blessing is one of 32 winners sired by Indian Charlie, who stands at Brereton C. Jones’ Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky.
Earnhardt, who owns an automobile dealership near Mesa, Ariz., has bred and/or raced the additional graded stakes winners Behaving Badly (a grade I winner), El Corredor (a grade I winner who also stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale), In Excessive Bull, Premier Property, Soviet Sojourn, and Rojo Toro.