Sleepytime

Sleepytime (foaled 20 February 1994) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from September 1996 to April 1998 she ran six times and won two races. In two races as a two-year-old she won one race, and finished third in the Group One Fillies' Mile at Ascot. On her three-year-old debut she was beaten in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury but then won the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse. On her only subsequent appearance that year she finished third in the Coronation Stakes. After one unsuccessful run in 1998 she was retired from racing to become a successful broodmare.

Background

Sleepytime, a dark-coated bay filly with a white star, was bred by Charles H. Wacker III and raced in the colours of Wacker's Greenbay Stables. As a two-year-old, Sleepytime was described as having a dragster-like physique, with a "slender, delicate front" and "hugely powerful" hind quarters.

Her sire, Royal Academy won the July Cup at Newmarket and the Breeders' Cup Mile in 1990. At stud, his best winners have included the double Irish St Leger winner Oscar Schindler and the Hong Kong champion Bullish Luck. Sleepytime's dam, Alidiva, who was probably the best horse sired by Chief Singer, won at Listed level and was a half-sister to the Prix d'Ispahan winner Croco Rouge. In addition to Sleepytime produced the Group One winners Taipan (Preis von Europa, Premio Roma) and Ali-Royal (Sussex Stakes). As a descendant of the broodmare Bourtai, Sleepytime and Alidiva came from the same branch of Thoroughbred family 9-f which produced Big Spruce and Coastal.