Considered the great broodmare of her time, Evensong may very well be one of the best broodmares of all times. Her temperament got in the way of a good racing career and the mare was eventually sold on the cheap. 300 dollars was all it took to acquire Evensong, who got her revenge in the breeding shed.
Born in 1925, Evensong was by Nelson Dillon out of Taffolet and was bred by James P Berry of Hartford, CT, racing under his Wedgewood Stable umbrella. She was trained and raced by Will Crozier and showed great speed. As early as March 1927, the two-year-old Evensong was praised in US magazines. In an article in the Lexington Herald-Leader it said that “the second time to sulky this year she worked in 2:18 1/4 (1:25,9), last quarter in 33 1/4 seconds, with her three-year-old sister Mary B. On what she can show and do, Evensong and the black colt Scotland look like the best pair of two-year-old trotters in the southern field.”
A filly without manners
There is no questioning the early talent. Evensong became the first two-year-old to beat 2:15 when she trotted in 2:14 1/4 (1.23,4) in Macon, Georgia on March 25. When the 1927 Grand Circuit opening in Toledo on July 11, Evensong finished second in The Steadman Trot, the race for two-year-olds. There was nothing to do with Nellie Signal, who won both heats in 2:07 1/4 (1.19,1), but Evensong was a game second both times. Behind her, Spencer was third. Just eight days later Scotland beat Nellie Signal over three heats, while Evensong finished out of the money courtesy of her bad manners. The talent was there in plenty, though, which she underlined on Sept 15. Then she trotted 2:08 3/4 (1.20,0) in a time trial with the last half in 1:02 3/4 (1.16,3). This was an exceptional speed for a two-year-old filly, though it wasn’t the best in the crop. That honor belonged to Scotland and Spencer who both trotted 2:05 1/4 (1.17,8) early in the season.
A week after her time trial, Evensong started in the 1927 Junior Kentucky Futurity. Won by Fireglow ahead of Scotland and Spencer, Evensong finished fifth in the first heat and then broke in the remaining two heats. This wasn’t entirely surprising. Her dam Taffolet was described as fast but hot-headed, while her sire Nelson Dillon was described as fast, perfectly gaited but terribly unsound. Evensong was universally regarded as one of the most capable fillies in the crop at 2, but had inherited her dam’s hot-headedness. As a result, even though she had shown plenty of speed, but never won a single Grand Circuit race.
Bred early
Prior to her three-year-old season Evensong was moved to trainer Marvin Childs since Crozier decided to only race on the eastern tracks. Despite being staked to all the big races, Evensong took no part in them as she struggled with injuries at three. At four she was then bred to Guy Richard producing the 2:10 (1.20,8) filly Miss Guy Song.
In 1931 she was consigned to the Old Glory Sale and was purchased by Dr Edwards of Walnut Hall Farm for a mere $300. For the farm it was just a matter of “bringing the blood back” as Walnut Hall owned Sybil Knight, the third dam of Evensong, while her second dam, Taffeta Silk was bred and born at the famous Kentucky nursery. The language reflected that: Harry Burgoyne at Walnut Hall called Evensong a “Silk mare” after her 4th dam Red Silk.
The purchase meant Evensong would have access to some of the best stallions in the business.
Exceptional production
Evensong was a beautiful looking brown, almost black-brown, mare and she had the body type of a thoroughbred. This was not uncharacteristic of a horse inbred 3×3 on Axworthy. The foundation sire is the paternal great-grandsire through Dillon Axworthy and the latter’s son Nelson Dillon; Axworthy is also the sire of Evensong’s damsire Guy Axworthy. Evensong had 13 foals and the crown jewel was undoubtedly Volo Song. By many considered the best and most perfect trotter ever to grace the track, Volo Song was widely expected to break Greyhound’s world record before his untimely and shocking death in 1944. His full brother Victory Song was the first Horse of the Year and possessed exceptional speed, but also soundness issues. In addition to the others taking a 2:00 or better record (Gay Song, Love Song, Peter Song and Flying Song).
Evensong became famous as the first producer of five 2:00 (1.14,6) horses – and when Flying Song clocked 1:59 (1.14,0) she became the first producer of six 2:00 horses as well. There were, believe it or not, three others likely to do the same under normal circumstances: Hit Song, 3, 2:01.2 (1.15,5) finished second in the 1951 Hambletonian and was one of the better trotters in Italy after being exported there. Promoter 2, 2:04 3/4 (1.17,5) was one of the best two-year-old trotters in his crop but founder stopped his career early as a three-year-old. Then Twilight Song 3, 2:01 1/4 (1.15,4) was without a doubt the best two-year-old of her crop but tooth issues ruined much of her campaign at three – including the Hambletonian – but upon returning in the fall she did beat Dean Hanover and won the Kentucky Futurity. She was sold for export later that fall.
| Year | Name | Sire | Career | Other info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Miss Guy Song (f) | Guy Richard | 2:12 1/2h (1.22,3) $514 | |
| 1933 | Peter Song (c) | Peter Volo | 3,2:00 (1.14,6) $4,019 | |
| 1934 | Twilight Song (f) | Peter Volo | 2,2:01 1/4 (1.15,4) $23,239 | Winner 1937 Kentucky Futurity |
| 1935 | Promoter (c) | Protector | 2,2:04 3/4 (1.17,5) $5,585 | |
| 1937 | Gay Song (c) | Volomite | 1:59 3/4 (1.14,4) p2:13 1/2 (1.23,0) $3,273 | |
| 1938 | Love Song (f) | Volomite | 1:59 (1.14,0) $13,220 | |
| 1939 | Leading Man (g) | Protector | 2:06h (1.18,3) $58,463 | |
| 1940 | Volo Song (c) | Volomite | 4,1:57 3/4 (1.13,2) $47,840 | Winner 1943 Hambletonian |
| 1941 | Scotch Song (f) | Scotland | ||
| 1943 | Victory Song (c) | Volomite | 4,1:57.3 (1.13,1) $73,859 | Winner 1946 Kentucky Futurity |
| 1944 | Mighty Song (c) | Volomite | T2:02.3 (1.16,2) pT2:00.2 (1.14,8) $21,495 | |
| 1946 | Flying Song (c) | Volomite | 1:59 (1.14,0) $33,031 | |
| 1949 | Hit Song (c) | Darnley | 3,2:01.2 (1.15,4) $90,899 |
Had these three competed longer at the fast US tracks it is likely that at least some, and probably all, would improve their records to 2:00 or better. Evensong could thus actually have had nine 2:00 horses to her name – and this at a time when most broodmares failed to even produce one 2:00 horse.
A lasting legacy
Volo Song’s tragic death prevented him from passing on his genes, but Victory Song established a lasting legacy through his sireline down to Garland Lobell and further on to Chapter Seven. Another branch went through his paternal grandson Noble Gesture, sire of the Canadian super-stallion Balanced Image and grandsire of the incomparable Mack Lobell.
There are also numerous top trotters who trace back to Evensong on their maternal line. The best one is of course the incomparable Varenne, but the list also includes trotters such as Hambletonian winner Market Share, Hambletonian Oaks-winner Gleam, Kentucky Futurity-winner Quick Pay, Diamond Exchange, Sevruga, Italian stars Mint di Jesolo and Brandy dei Fiori. More recent stars include Oracle Tile and Swedish mare Mellby Free.
Evensong died in 1950 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1957. She is buried at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Evensong
Bay filly born in Connecticut in 1925. Died in Lexington, KY on Oct 19, 1950.
Nelson Dillon – Taffolet (Guy Axworthy)
2, T2:08 3/4 (1.20,0)
Breeder: James P Berry
Owners: James P Berry – Walnut Hall Farm
Trainer: Will Crozier, Marvin Childs
Driver: Will Crozier, Marvin Childs and others
Groom: –
