The Western Thoroughbred History – Past Due

Past Due carried the bloodlines of early twentieth-century speedsters. Although he had a limited sire record, he has had a lasting impact on racing and barrel racing through his daughters. Mares that he sired became the matriarchs of dam lines that have produced great horses such as Eddie Stinson and Coronas Leaving You.

Past Due was foaled in Arizona on January 13^th, 1956. He was bred by R. S. Snedigar. His sire, Be Sure Now, was a black-type stakes placed son of Triple Crown winner War Admiral. His dam, Trinket Box, was a race-winning daughter of Sweep Like. His pedigree also included Man o’ War, North Star III and Black Toney. He traced multiple times to Sweep, Peter Pan and Hastings. This meant that he had a concentration of the blood of Domino and Ben Brush – two major contributors to the development of the modern Quarter Horse. His connection to those great sires undoubtedly boosted his appeal to Quarter Horse breeders.

A brown horse with an uphill build, Past Due had a conformation that reflected his sprinting heritage. In 1958, he made five starts as a two-year-old and won one race. At age three, Past Due won three starts. He continued racing until he was five years old. In total, he made 29 starts, won 7 races, and earned $34,550, which is the equivalent of about $325,000 today. Upon his retirement from racing, he began his stud career. Past Due stood at Doyle Matthews’ farm in Bristow, Oklahoma.

Past Due sired just two stakes-winners – Past Carin’ and Due Mee. Past Carin’ was a gelding out of Bally Deck, by Top Deck. He won the 1971 Sangre de Cristo Stakes in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also placed second in the Sunland Spring Derby and third in the Three Bars Handicap. Past Carin’ posted a career-high speed index of 103. In total, he made 126 starts, won 24 races, and earned $41,747 on the track. Due Mee was a bay colt by Past Due and out of Kissimmee, another Top Deck mare. He won the 1976 Chinook Futurity at Midland Downs. He also won the Juarez Southwest International Futurity. In total, Due Mee made 23 starts, won 7 races, and earned $17,480 on the track. Due Mee went on to sire a handful of horses, none of which were particularly noteworthy.

In 1976, Dickey’s Gem, a filly by Past Due and out of Connie II, by Zeke Leo, set a new track record at Sun Downs for 400 yards in 20.74 seconds. Kash Due, a gelding by Past Due and out of Hickory Coquette, by Black Hickory, also set a new track record at Pleasanton for 440 yards in 22.36 seconds. Other successful Quarter Horse starters by Past Due include Admiral Red, Dickey Due Drop, Line Passer, Dickeys Patches and Lady Be Sure. Thoroughbred race-winners by Past Due include Sunnys Due, Phantom Hawk and Lusty Due. Past Due also sired Ace Is Past Due, a Paint stallion that earned money on the track. Bro Brummel, a gelding by Past Due and out of Camelot Teeny, by Camelot’slittlecuero, earned a ROM on the track as well as in the arena.

The biggest impact of Past Due is felt through his daughters. Due Test, a Thoroughbred mare by Past Due and out of Glamour Test, by Arabian Sea, produced Los Alamitos Derby winner Al Due. Miss Past Due, a Quarter Horse mare out of Bar Y Lady, by Grey Hound, produced stakes winners Sheswright, Hes’wright and Ease On Down. Ease On Down would later produce Casino Lights, the dam of Eddie Stinson. His most influential daughter was Call Her Anything, a Thoroughbred mare out of Submersion, by Depth Charge. When bred to Rocket Wrangler, Call Her Anything produced Rusty Rockette. Rusty Rockette won the Texas Classic Stakes and went on to produce multiple graded stakes winner Lil Bit Rusty. Lil Bit Rusty is the dam of graded stakes winners Coronas Leaving You, Beduinos Rusty and Wholelota Dash. Lil Bit Rusty also produced World Champion Racing Quarter Horse Whosleavingwho.

In total, Past Due sired 160 foals in 20 foal crops. From this limited sire record, he had 90 starters and 45 winners. Of his 72 Quarter Horse starters, 42 earned ROMs on the track. His get earned $382,201 in racing. Descendants of Past Due include Open Me A Corona, Boknaai, Rustys Miracle, Valiant Lil Lady, Favorite Cartel and many others.

Sources: Equineline, Equibase, The Quarter Horse Journal and Speedhorse Magazine