# Dearly Precious

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**Dearly Precious** (1973–1992) was an American [Champion](/source/Eclipse_Award) [Thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) [racehorse](/source/Horse_racing).

## Background

Bred in Florida by Mrs. Jean R. Pancoast, she was out of the mare Imsodear and sired by [U.S. Racing Hall of Fame](/source/National_Museum_of_Racing_and_Hall_of_Fame) inductee [Dr. Fager](/source/Dr._Fager). Richard E. Bailey, a [cable television](/source/Cable_television) executive, purchased her as a yearling for $22,000 and entrusted her race conditioning to [Stephen A. DiMauro](/source/Stephen_A._DiMauro).

## Racing career

On the way to being voted the [Eclipse Award](/source/Eclipse_Award) as 1975's [American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly](/source/American_Champion_Two-Year-Old_Filly), Dearly Precious won eight of her nine starts. Her wins included important races for her age group under regular jockey [Michael Hole](/source/Michael_Hole), such the [Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes](/source/Arlington-Washington_Lassie_Stakes), [Astoria Stakes](/source/Astoria_Stakes), and the [Spinaway Stakes](/source/Spinaway_Stakes). As a three-year-old, Dearly Precious won her April 4, 1976 debut in the Flirtation Stakes at [Baltimore's](/source/Baltimore) [Pimlico Race Course](/source/Pimlico_Race_Course). On April 25, she won her tenth straight race, capturing the [Prioress Stakes](/source/Prioress_Stakes) at Aqueduct Racetrack.[1] On May 5, Dearly Precious lost by half a length to Tell Me All in the [Comely Handicap](/source/Comely_Stakes),[2] then on May 14 she was beaten by a nose in the [Black-Eyed Susan Stakes](/source/Black-Eyed_Susan_Stakes), handicapped by ten more pounds than the winner, What A Summer. On May 22, she came back to win the first leg of the [Filly Triple Crown](/source/American_Triple_Tiara_of_Thoroughbred_Racing), the [Acorn Stakes](/source/Acorn_Stakes).[3]

## Injury and retirement

Rested after her tough win over Optimistic Gal in the Acorn Stakes, Dearly Precious was in the hunt for another annual Championship when she suffered a bowed [tendon](/source/Tendon) in her left foreleg on July 11, 1976 while winning the Dark Mirage Stakes at [Aqueduct Racetrack](/source/Aqueduct_Racetrack).[4] Her racing career over, Dearly Precious retired having won twelve of her sixteen starts, and eventually served as a broodmare. Her offspring met with limited success in racing, the best of which was a mating to [Nijinsky](/source/Nijinsky_II) that produced stakes winner Mister Modesty.

## References

1. Strauss, Michael (27 April 1976). ["Dearly Precious Wins 10th in Row"](https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/27/archives/dearly-precious-wins-10th-in-row-dearly-precious-takes-10th.html). *The New York Times*

1. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jxwTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4a0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6201,1070505&dq=dearly+precious+jerkens](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jxwTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4a0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6201,1070505&dq=dearly+precious+jerkens) [dead link]

1. ["Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SOgTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jgUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5390,5313284&dq=dearly+precious). *news.google.com*

1. ["The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8-QRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=me0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1633,4689438&dq=dearly+precious+bailey+stakes). *news.google.com*

- [Dearly Precious' pedigree and partial racing stats](http://www.pedigreequery.com/dearly+precious)
- [April 27, 1976 *New York Times* article titled *Dearly Precious Wins 10th in Row*](https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/27/archives/dearly-precious-wins-10th-in-row-dearly-precious-takes-10th.html)
- [July 12, 1976 *New York Times* article titled *Star Filly Is Injured At Aqueduct; Dearly Precious Injured*](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8-QRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=me0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1633,4689438&dq=dearly+precious+bailey+stakes)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dearly Precious](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dearly_Precious) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dearly_Precious?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.