{{Short description|American thoroughbred racehorse}} {{Infobox racehorse|name=Baldski|sire=Nijinsky|grandsire=Northern Dancer|dam=Too Bald|damsire=Bald Eagle|sex=Stallion|foaled=15 May 1974|death_date=10 August 1993|country=United States of America|color=Dark bay or brown|breeder=Mrs. Charles W. Engelhard|owner=Cashman E C|record=27: 7-3-3|earnings=$103,214|wins=Gold Coast Handicap (1977)}}
'''Baldski''' (15 May 1974–10 August 1993) was an American-bred thoroughbred racehorse and a Brilliant/Intermediate Chef-de-race.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Baldski (horse) |url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/baldski.html |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=American Classic Pedigrees |language=en}}</ref>
== Background == Baldski was a dark bay or brown stallion, 16 hands tall, with well-built hindquarters but a slim front end. He was bred by Jane Engelhard, recorded as Mrs. Charles W. Engelhard on papers after her late husband.<ref name=":0" /> He was considered well-bred.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=12 Pedigree fun facts: Verifying |url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/12-pedigree-fun-facts-verifying/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Kentucky Derby |language=en}}</ref>
Too Bald, Baldski's dam, was Broodmare of the Year and considered a top-class broodmare.<ref name=":1" /> Baldski was her fifth foal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Too Bald Offspring |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/progeny/too+bald |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref> She also produced Exceller, a multiple G1 winner and Hall of Fame member, and Capote, the 1986 American Champion Two-Year-Old Male and a notable sire.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Too Bald (horse) |url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/too-bald.html |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=American Classic Pedigrees |language=en}}</ref>
Nijinsky, Baldski's sire, was a top-class racehorse, winning the English Triple Crown and achieving a Timeform rating of 138, and a top-class sire, being named a Chef-de-race and being on leading sire lists in at least three countries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nijinsky II (horse) |url=http://www.americanclassicpedigrees.com/nijinsky-ii-can.html |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=American Classic Pedigrees |language=en}}</ref>
Baldski was sold in the 1975 Keeneland July yearling sale, being purchased for $75,000 by Eugene Cashman.<ref name=":0" />
== Race career == Baldski had a lacklustre racing career. He won 7 of 27 starts, with his only stakes win being in a minor event at Calder, the Gold Coast Handicap. He also finished second the Grade 2 Ak-Sar-Ben Omaha Gold Cup Handicap and Grade 3 Ak-Sar-Ben President's Cup Handicap. In the ''Daily Racing Form''<nowiki/>'s 1977 Free Handicap for American three-year-old males, he was rated at 114 pounds.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Baldski raced from 1977 to 1979.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baldski Horse Profile |url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=601387®istry=T |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.equibase.com}}</ref>
== Stud career == Baldski was retired to stud in 1980, entering stud at Farnsworth Farms in Florida, where he would spend his entire stud career.<ref name=":0" /> Baldski was a much better sire than racehorse, becoming a prominent sire, especially in Florida.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bowen |first=Edward L. |title=Dynasties: Great Thoroughbred Stallions |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2023 |isbn=9781493079384 |pages=216}}</ref>
Baldski sired 577 foals, including 419 winners (72.6%) and 48 black-type winners (8.3%) (''The Blood-Horse'' credits Baldski with an additional black-type winner (8.5%)).<ref name=":0" /> His AEI was 1.74.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chaposa Springs Pedigree |url=https://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm/Chaposa%20Springs?page_state=VERIFY&reference_number=1361590®istry=T&horse_name=Chaposa+Springs&foaling_year=1992&dam_name=La+Chaposa+(PER)&include_sire_line=Y&nicking_stats_indicator=Y&sire_reference_number=0&dam_reference_number=0&color=&sex=&hypo_foaling_year=&breeder=&include_truenick=Y |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.equineline.com}}</ref> As a broodmare sire, Baldski sired 206 mares who produced 1176 foals, including 647 winners (55%) and 52 black-type winners (4.4%). His broodmare sire AEI was 1.47 with a CI of 1.37.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baldski Horse Card |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/horses/card/601387 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.bloodhorse.com}}</ref>
In 1989, Baldski-Diplomat Way was used as an example of a negative nick in a nicking pattern table published in ''The Blood-Horse'', due to no stakes winners being produced from 19 foals bred on the cross. Later, stakes winners were bred on the cross, eventually totaling 3 stakes winners from 28 foals (10.7%).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Roman |first=Steven A. |title=Dosage: pedigree and performance |date=2002 |publisher=Russell Meerdink Co |isbn=978-0-929346-73-1 |location=Neenah, WI |pages=15}}</ref>
Baldski died in 1993, when he was euthanized due to a fractured upper forelimb.<ref name=":0" />
In the Roman-Miller dosage system, Baldski is considered a Brilliant/Intermediate Chef-de-race.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-30 |title=Chefs-de-Race as of October 2019 (listed alphabetically) |url=http://i.bloodhorse.com/pdfs/ChefdeRace%20Alpha%20List_updated%20Oct2019.pdf |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=The Blood-Horse}}</ref>
Notable descendants of Baldski include: Include, Lovely Maria,<ref name=":1" /> and Justify.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Justify Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/justify11 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref>
=== Notable progeny ===
* Chaposa Springs, winner of the Test Stakes, Ballerina Handicap, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chaposa Springs Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/chaposa+springs |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref> * Once Wild, winner of the Withers Stakes, Westchester Handicap, Coaltown Breeders' Cup Stakes, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Once Wild Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/once+wild |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref> * Appealing Skier, winner of the Kentucky Cup Sprint Stakes, Withers Stakes, Hutcheson Stakes, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Appealing Skier Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/appealing+skier |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref>
=== Notable progeny of daughters ===
* Beautiful Pleasure, American Champion Older Female Horse and winner of the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Matron Stakes, Beldame Stakes, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beautiful Pleasure Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/beautiful+pleasure |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref> * Mecke, winner of the Super Derby, Arlington Million, Turf Classic Stakes, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mecke Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/mecke |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref> * Better Talk Now, winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf, Sword Dancer Handicap, Man o' War Stakes, etc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Better Talk Now Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/better+talk+now |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref>
== Pedigree == {{Pedigree|name=Baldski (USA), dark bay or brown stallion, foaled 1974<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baldski Horse Pedigree |url=https://www.pedigreequery.com/baldski |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=www.pedigreequery.com}}</ref>|f=Nijinsky (CAN)<br /> 1967|m=Too Bald (USA)<br /> 1964|ff=Northern Dancer (CAN) <br /> 1961|fm=Flaming Page (CAN) <br /> 1959|mf=Bald Eagle (USA)<br /> 1955|mm=Hidden Talent (USA) <br /> 1956|fff=Nearctic (CAN)|ffm=Natalma (USA)|fmf=Bull Page (USA)|fmm=Flaring Top (USA)|mff='''Nasrullah''' (GB)|mfm=Siama (USA)|mmf=Dark Star (USA)|mmm=Dangerous Dame (GB)|ffff='''Nearco''' (ITY)|fffm=Lady Angela (GB)|ffmf=Native Dancer (USA)|ffmm=Almahmoud (USA)|fmff=Bull Lea (USA)|fmfm=Our Page (USA)|fmmf=Menow (USA)|fmmm=Flaming Top (USA)|mfff='''Nearco''' (ITY)|mffm=Mumtaz Begum (FR)|mfmf=Tiger (USA)|mfmm=China Face (USA)|mmff=Royal Gem (AUS)|mmfm=Isolde (USA)|mmmf='''Nasrullah''' (GB)|mmmm=Lady Kells (IRE)}}Baldski is inbred 4S × 4D x 5D to Nearco, meaning Nearco appears in the fourth generation on both the sire and dam's side of the pedigree as well as the fifth generation on the dam's side. Baldski is also inbred to Nasrullah 3D × 4D and Bull Dog 5S × 5D x 5D.
== References == {{Reflist}} Category:Racehorses bred in the United States Category:Racehorses trained in the United States Category:1974 racehorse births Category:1993 racehorse deaths Category:Thoroughbred family 21-a Category:Chefs-de-Race