Reverie's Desdemona BHF

5/4/13    Reverie's Desdemona, foaled in 1942,  was never shown and she was bred as a two year old.  Her dam and grand dam were both in the ASB Broodmare Hall of Fame, as was one of her daughters, although the BHF wasn't established until decades later.  However, smart breeders knew who the good producers were long before the establishment of the BHF.  She produced 15 colts over a 21 year period and changed hands many times, having 8 different owners.  Her sire King's Genius was owned by Roger Selby of Portsmouth Ohio, the shoe magnate.  Her dam was sold with her in utero to Freeman Keyes, owner of Reverie Knoll Farm. Reverie Knoll owned Anacacho Denmark as well for several years, and he sired some of her most successful offspring.  She was also owned by Leatherwood Farms, Oman Stables, Jim Aikman and Earl Teater.  She changed hands for the last time when she was 25 years old.  Why anyone would buy a 25 year old broodmare is beyond me.  I hope they wanted to give her a good home, since she certainly had earned her retirement.  She had a beautiful bunch of colts, and in looking at pictures of Anacacho Denmark, I think they got their looks from her and probably her sire, King's Genius.



Reverie's Desdemona pictured at age 22
King's Genius x Spirit of Kentucky (BHF) by Rex Peavine


Many of her colts have already been pictured in previous posts, but here they are again, in order of birth. 

1945  CH Kate Shriver (BHF)

Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
Kate was the dam of CH Will Shriver.  More about the Callaway Hills farm on the 2/19/13 post.

1946  Ridgefields Denmark 

Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
Ridgefields Denmark was owned by Ridgefields Farm  his entire breeding career.  Buddy always reminded me of Ridgefields Denmark (in my dreams, I guess), even more so than his grandsire Golden Thunderbolt.

1947  Reverie's Camelia
Also sired by Anacacho Denmark.  She was the dam of breeding stallion Edna May's Starheart.

1948  Golden Thunderbolt

Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
Owned most of his breeding career by Grand View Farms.  Sire of Grand View's Majorette and of course, grandsire of Buddy.

1949  Easter Nosegay

Sired by Leatherwood King.
This was her first foal by a stud other than Anacacho Denmark and Reverie's Desdemona was now owned by Leatherwood Farm..  There is no further info on this mare and they went back to breeding Reverie's Desdemona to Anacacho Denmark until he died.

1951  Clarma

Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
He was also bred by Leatherwood Farm and stood at Dr. E. L. Robinson's Starlet Acres in Missouri for most of his breeding career.  His daughter A Perfect Mate to A Perfect Jewel was in the BHF.  His more often used photo can be seen in the 2/19/13 post.

1953  Oman's Desdemona Denmark

Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
Bred by Oman Stables and owned by them for several years until after John Oman was killed in a plane crash.  Later owned by by Reata Horse Farm in Ohio and Joan Farris in Indiana, he was probably the most famous of Reverie's Desdemona's stallion sons.  He was the top ranked breeding stallion for several years on Saddle & Bridle's stallion issue. More about him in the 3/10/13 post on Dixie Duchess.

1954  Oman's Magic Star

Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
She was shown as Lady in Lace and it was pure luck coming across this photo while searching for pictures of Spirit of Denmark and Sovereign Path.  The small photo was labeled with her show name, but mentioned her breeding.  She was a Reserve World's Champion in Fine Harness. 

1955  Oman's Anacacho Kate
Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
couldn't find anything more about this mare, but whenever I search the ASHA site for Cacho Kate, she pops up too.  More on Cacho Kate later.

1957  Spirit of Denmark

Sired by Anacacho Denmark.
He was in the last foal crop of Anacacho Denmark and was used as a breeding stallion.

1958  Hide-A Way's Supremacy 
Sired by The Supreme Ace , she was bred by Jim Aikman.

1959  Hide-A-Way's Free Ride
Sired by Hide-A-Way's Cameo Command
Also bred by Jim Aikman, but no further info on this one.

1963  Hide-A-Way's Desdemona
Sired by Hide-A-Way's Firefly Supreme
This mare was the last one bred while Reverie's Desdemona was owned by Jim Aikman.  Her first foal, Living Legend, ended up as a breeding stallion here in Michigan, and was owned by Dave Bedell.  H-A-W's Desdemona was also owned for a time by some Michigan breeders.

1964  Sovereign Path

Sired by Genius Bourbon King
He was purchased as a 3 year old by Mrs. Judson Large, who had owned his sire Genius Bourbon King.  She stood him as a breeding stallion, probably as a replacement for his sire.

1966  Wing Reverie
Sired by Wing Commander
None of Reverie's Desdemona's daughters produced like she did, in either quantity or quality.  Kate Shriver and Reverie's Camelia came closest.  Wing Reverie produced four colts, including show and breeding stallion Mahogany Wing, who was owned for several years by the flamboyant Dr. Gene Scott.