Chef-de-Race: Shirley Heights
b.h., 1975 (Mill Reef-Hardiemma, by Hardicanute)
(March 28, 2001)
by Steve Miller, with additional input by Steve Roman

Introduction: The following is the latest in a series of articles by Mr. Steve Miller on the selection of European-based chefs-de-race. Mr. Miller is a Thoroughbred owner and correspondent from the UK and an acknowledged pedigree authority.  The addition of Shirley Heights to the list as the 199th chef-de-race follows extensive discussion on "The Homestretch" web forum (http://pub17.ezboard.com/bthehomestretch) involving several participants in Europe and the US.  The dialog led Mr. Miller to examine Shirley Heights' aptitudinal influence in Europe while, concurrently, Steve Roman evaluated Shirley Heights' (and several of his sons') influence in North America.  The result of the analysis is that Shirley Heights has been named a Classic/Professional chef-de-race.

Scaling the Heights

SHIRLEY HEIGHTS was a dual Derby winner, at Epsom and the Curragh (both 12 furlongs) and winner of six races in all from 7-12 furlongs. In addition to his two Group1 victories he won the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes (8f), the Group 3 Dante Stakes (10.5f) and two Listed races at Newmarket at 7f and 10f. His own sire Mill Reef was a champion 3-y-o and multiple Group 1 winner who excelled at around 12 furlongs. 

Shirley Heights retired to stud in 1979 standing at the Royal Studs in Sandringham. He was European champion sire in 1988 (by individual winners) and Leading British-based sire in 1989 (by total money won UK & Ireland). 

Shirley Heights was the sire of winners of well over 800 races. The average winning distance for his progeny is 11.9 furlongs, from a sample of 422 winning performances (Great Britain & Ireland) with the following distribution: 5f 0, 6f 2, 7f 6, 8f 31, 9f 13, 10f 98, 11f 33, 12f 110, 13f 28 14f & 14f+ 101. The distribution is remarkably even at 10f, 12f and 14f+, showing that while he could produce progeny that stayed beyond 14 furlongs, he was just as likely to produce a much sharper type of performer at around 10 furlongs. 

His Group/Grade winners show a strong inclination for middle distances and Cup races, up to about 20 furlongs. They include seven individual Group/Grade 1 winners: 

Slip Anchor (ex Sayonara) winner of the Group 1 Derby (12f) and a Group 3 Derby trial. Was also placed second in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at 10f. 

Darshaan (ex Delsy) winner of the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (12f) and three Group 2s – the Criterium de Saint-Cloud, Prix Greffulhe and Prix Hocquart. Darshaan is himself a champion sire, producing progeny of the calibre of – Mark Of Esteem, Key Change, Hellenic, Kotashaan, Cerulean Sky, Dilshaan, Sayedah, Perfect Plum, etc. 

Valley Of Gold (ex Lustre) winner of the Group 1 Oaks d’Italia and the Group 3 Prix Cleopatre and placed in two other Group 1s, the Prix Vermeille and the Irish Oaks. 

Arcadian Heights (ex Miss Longchamp) winner of the Group 1 Ascot Gold Cup at 20f and the Group 3 Doncaster Cup at 18f. 

Shady Heights (ex Vaguely) winner of the Group 1 International Stakes at 10f and two Group 2s – the Irish Gold Cup and the Grosser Amdahi-Bayerisches Zuhtrennen. 

Infamy (ex Seriema) winner of the Grade 1 Rothman’s International Stakes at Woodbine and the Group 2 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket, also runner up in the Group 1 Coronation Cup at 12f at Epsom. 

High Hawk (ex Sunbittern) winner of the Group 1 Premio Roma, the Group 2 Parkhill Stakes, the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes and the Group 3 Prix de Royallieu, also placed second in the Irish Oaks. The dam of In The Wings (by Sadler’s Wells), a multiple Group/Grade 1 winner at 12 furlongs, and Group winners Hunting Hawk and Hawker’s News (both by Sadler’s Wells also). 

Shirley Heights’ other Group/Grade performers include: Rumpipumpy, Sacrament, Zinaad, Dajraan, Known Heights, Perpendicular, Private Tender, High Estate, Iades, Light The Lights, Apogee, Acclimatise, Satinette, Out Of Shot, Verde-Antique, Tabayaan, Elegant Air, Head For Heights, Private Tender, Free At Last, Brooklyn’s Dance. Other notable Stakes performers include Bal Harbour. 

Shirley Heights was also the broodmare-sire of the likes of In The Wings (by Sadler’s Wells ex High Hawk) and Fairy Heights (by Fairy King ex Commanche Belle), etc. 

Shirley Heights’ seven Group/Grade 1 winners are arranged below by Dosage index.

With a Classic/Professional designation for Shirley Heights factored in, the numbers read:

This seems especially satisfactory with regard to certain members of the group such as Arcadian Heights who was capable of winning Cup races at distances beyond two miles. Note that while the Dosage index calculations would stay the same for a Classic/Solid designation, a Classic/Professional designation moves all the centres of distribution  to a negative value apart from Valley Of Gold’s – whose numbers are nevertheless entirely consistent with a filly capable of winning the Italian Oaks and being placed in the Irish equivalent, at 12f. 

It is evident that Shirley Heights has made his influence felt at the highest level in both North America and Europe. I consider a Classic/Professional chef-de-race designation as appropriate and preferred over Classic/Solid. It is also consistent with Dr. Roman's interpretation of Shirley Heights’ record in North America.   

March 24, 2001.

Follow-up ideas to Steve Miller from Steve Roman, March 25, 2001: 

Thanks for the excellent write-up on Shirley Heights. 

These are the options for North American racing based on 49 open stakes wins involving Shirley Heights, Darshaan, Deploy and Slip Anchor in various pedigree positions.  The average winning distance is 10.43 furlongs. 

Current: Avg = DP 6.78-3.84- 8.41- 5.49-0.22, DI 1.61, CD  0.44, Pts. 24.73

C/S:     Avg = DP 6.78-3.84-13.35-10.47-0.22, DI 1.00, CD  0.16, Pts. 34.69

C/P:     Avg = DP 6.78-3.84-13.39- 5.49-5.20, DI 1.00, CD  0.01, Pts. 34.69

S:       Avg = DP 6.78-3.84- 8.41-15.45-0.22, DI 0.74, CD  0.01, Pts. 34.69

S/P:     Avg = DP 6.78-3.84- 8.41-10.47-5.20, DI 0.74, CD -0.14, Pts. 34.69 

The AWD is one of the longest I've seen in this country for any single influence with a large number of examples.  Note the median is 11f.  The average, just over our Derby distance of 10f, suggests a CD close to zero that is achieved by a C/P assignment.  An S assignment affords the same CD, but the DI appears too low.

The distribution of wins by distance is 14f(1), 12f(15), 11f(10), 10f(4), 9f(12), 8.5f(6), 8f(1).  Note the bimodal character of the distribution with peaks at 11-12 furlongs and 8 1/2-9 furlongs, also consistent with C/P. 

Reply to Steve Roman from Steve Miller, March 26, 2001: 

It is clear to me that in order to reflect the very distinct triple peak formation at 10f = 98, 12f = 110 and 14f+ = 101, which are remarkably even and account for 309 winners of the 422 total sample, that the designation for Shirley Heights ought to be split category. The range for his Group winners tells the same story. We can therefore confidently rule out a plain Solid designation (or indeed a plain Professional designation).

As the North American sample represents just 49 wins, I suggest we give a little more emphasis to the GB & Ireland sample of 422 wins.

Unlike other recent European designations, Shirley Heights distribution of winners is very even at these three points. Ela-Mana-Mou and Niniski are clustered to the Professional end of the spectrum.

With Ela-Mana-Mou (P) we see a progression from 35 wins at 10f, to 54 at 12f, to 80 at 14f+.

With Niniski (C/P) a similar progression of 25 wins at 10f, to 56 wins at 12f, to 88 at 14f.

Busted (S) is a similar shape to Shirley Heights going from 124 winners at 10f, to peak at 155 winners at 12f, and falling to 133 at 14f+. But Shirley Heights (98, 110, 101) is more even than Busted’s.

Sadler’s Wells (C/S) is the reverse of Ela-Mana-Mou and Niniski, peaking at 119 at 10f, 104 at 12f and falling away to 53 at 14f+.

I think we can agree to discard the C/S designation for Shirley Heights, which leaves us with  C/P.

I believe that C/P best reflects his overall performance as a sire (an extension of his own sire’s influence – Mill Reef C/S).

Niniski’s (also a C/P) AWD is 12.6f (above that of Shirley Heights on 11.9f). This together with the fact that Niniski’s winners are grouped at the Professional end of his scale make it impossible for me to place Shirley Heights any further to the right than C/P unless Niniski were amended similarly.

Therefore the only possible category that I could place Shirley Heights in, as the designations stand, is Classic/Professional.

North American Open Stakes Winners descended from Shirley Heights, Darshaan, Slip Anchor and Deploy:

Shirley Heights as a non-chef-de-race

AWD refers to the average winning distance in North American open stakes.

Shirley Heights as a Classic/Professional chef-de-race

AWD refers to the average winning distance in North American open stakes.