Miss Woodford was a brown Thoroughbredracemare that became one of the top American fillies of all time. At one stage, she won 16 consecutive races.
Background
She was bred by Colonel Catesby Woodford and Colonel Ezekial Clay of Runnymede Farm near Paris, Kentucky. Miss Woodford was by Billet,, out of the unraced Fancy Jane, by Neil Robinson. Miss Woodford was sold to Mike and Phil Dwyer of the Dwyer Brothers Stable to replace Hindoo, their retired champion. They traded Hindoo as a stallion prospect plus a couple of fillies to her then owner, George W. Bowen, in exchange for $9,000 cash and his three-year-old filly.
Racing record
Miss Woodford had already raced for Bowen & Company, winning the Spinaway Stakes. After she was purchased by the Dwyers, Miss Woodward, like Hindoo, was trained by National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee James G. Rowe, Sr. A dispute with the Dwyers concerning Miss Woodford caused Rowe to resign and become a racing official. Eventually, though, Rowe returned to training, campaigning great runners such as Sysonby, Colin, two-time Horse of the Year At the time they acquired Miss Woodford, the Dwyer brothers already owned a colt who was considered the best of his crop. With the addition of Miss Woodford, they now owned a top colt, George Kinney, and a top filly. One of the highlights of her three-year-old season was defeating George Kinney, her stablemate who had won the Belmont Stakes. At three, four, and five, Miss Woodford won 16 consecutive races. By the end of her fifth year of racing, Miss Woodford was America's leading money winner, having earned $98,179. She won six races in less than two months at the age of six. One of her best efforts was the Eclipse Stake at the Fair Grounds in St Louis. There she faced the first two winners of the American Derby: Modesty and Volante. Miss Woodford won to push her earnings over the $100,000 mark, becoming the first horse ever to do so in a racing career. She also won the Monmouth Cup at Long Branch Racetrack, the Monmouth Oaks, the Ocean Stakes, the Eatontown Stakes and the West End Hotel Stakes. Miss Woodford ran in 48 races and won 37. She was second in 7 and third in 2. In her three match races, she won two. Her lifetime earnings at distances up to 2½ miles amounted to $118,270. This made her the highest stakes winning filly in American history. Firenze followed her in earnings, and then came Yo Tambien.
Stud record
Miss Woodford was sold to James B. A. Haggin and was bred. Although she produced the stakes winners George Kessler and Sombre, as well as three other winners from nine foals, none of her progeny approached her abilities.
