Sparkling Native was foaled on May 4th, 1965. He was bred by Harbor View Farm in Ocala, Florida. His sire, Raise a Native, was the 1963 Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. Sparkling Native was among Raise a Native’s first foal crop. That crop of foals also included Exclusive Native, the sire of Triple Crown winner, Affirmed; Raise a Ruckus, the dam of Bold Ruckus; and Bold Native, the dam sire of Forest Wildcat. With that outstanding first foal crop, Raise a Native established his reputation as a sire. He later sired Alydar, Mr. Prospector and Majestic Prince. Today, Raise a Native is recognized as one of the most prolific sires of all-time. Sparkling Native was bred in the purple on the top and bottom of his pedigree. His dam, Sparkle, was an unraced daughter of Triple Crown winner Count Fleet. She also produced race winners Effervesce, Madame Anita, The Winkler, Sparkling Johnny, Robert Kope, Sparkling Spear and Masterfully.
Sparkling Native matured more slowly than his sire. He only won one race at age two. During the summer of his three-year-old season, he placed third in the Longport Stakes at Atlantic City. That fall, he equaled the course record in the Oil Capitol Handicap at Hawthorne for seven furlongs in 1:23.20. He also won the SNARO Handicap at Sportsman’s Park that year. Sparkling Native continued racing until he was five years old. As an older horse, he added a second-place finish in the New Year’s Handicap at Tropical Park to his record. In total, he made 45 starts, won nine races, and earned $75,748, the equivalent of about $580,000 today.
After his retirement from racing, Sparkling Native stood at Buena Suerte Ranch in Roswell, New Mexico. He was purchased by Sarah Henderson and Harriett Peckham to be a replacement for Rocket Bar, one of the all-time greatest Thoroughbred sires of Quarter Horses. Although he had impossibly big shoes to fill, the young chestnut stallion had qualities of a successful sire. He had an exceptional pedigree and excellent conformation. His well-balanced frame was bookended by a sloping shoulder and strong hindquarters. He had a refined head and a smooth neck that tied in properly. His significant substance and bone made him an ideal outcross for Quarter Horse mares.
In 1973, his first foals hit the ground. Among that first crop was Native Creek, a Quarter Horse stallion out of Negra Creek, by Afton Creek. As a two-year-old, Native Creek placed second in the Lubbock Downs Futurity. At three, he won a Superior Race Horse award after winning the Cypress Handicap and the St. Nicholas Express Handicap. He also placed second in the Kansas Derby and the Auld Lang Syne Invitational Handicap that year. As an older horse, Native Creek won the New Mexico State Fair Handicap and placed second in the Champion of Champions, Horseman’s QHRA Championship and Go Man Go Handicap. He also placed third in the Inaugural Handicap and Shue Fly Stakes. In five years of racing, Native Creek made 47 starts, won 13 races, and earned $208,693 on the track.
Six of Sparkling Native’s Quarter Horse offspring set or equaled track records. Native Tea, a Quarter Horse filly by Sparkling Native and out of Miss Go Moore, by Go Moore Go, equaled the track record at Rollie White Downs for 350 yards in 16.970 seconds. Native Tea also won the Heart of Texas Futurity, Bracketville Futurity and Buttons and Bows Stakes. Native Way won a futurity at Garfield Downs and set a new track record there for 350 yards in 17.900 seconds. Sparkling Meyers also equaled the track record for 400 yards at Garfield Downs. Sparkling Two Shoes set a new track record in the Canadian Futurity at Kamloops for 350 yards in 18.340 seconds. Miami, a gelding by Sparkling Native and out of Glory Creek, by Glory Be Good, set a new track record at Lubbock Downs for 440 yards and later bested his own record by running the distance in 21.750 seconds.
Other stakes winners by Sparkling Native include Watch a Native, Native Pan, Sparkling Eight, Sparkling Tony, Mr. Native Son, You’re a Love, Native Mask and Lucky Native. In total, he sired 450 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals in 17 foal crops. Those offspring included 159 race winners, 143 ROM-earners, 14 stakes winners and eight Superior Race Award-earners with earnings of $1,975,088 on the track.
Several of his sons went on to become successful sires themselves. The aforementioned Native Creek sired 248 ROM-earners and 13 stakes winners. Among those stakes winners were Creeks Mirage, Native Again, Coastal Native, Oh My Honeybunny and Native Cookin. Native Creek’s get earned $2,031,444 on the track. He was also the dam sire of Dust Em Dusty and Firebaugh Filly. Sparkling Moolah, a gray stallion by Sparkling Native and out of Tonita Moolah, by Tony B Deck, also sired 197 ROM-earners and 13 stakes winners with earnings of $1,862,708 on the track. Stakes winners by Sparkling Moolah include A Daydream Believer, Dusty Moolah, Sparkling Intent, Native Bright and Pink Valentine. Beat a Native, a bay stallion by Sparkling Native and out of Goetta, by Go Man Go, won the Rillito 870 Championship and set a new track record at that distance in 45.700 seconds. He went on to sire seven stakes winners including Bartendress, Mito Native, Saucy Native, Aspen Breezes and Natives Pursuit. In total, Beat a Native’s offspring earned $1,132,698 on the track. Partnership, No Match For Me and J And B Sparky were also sons of Sparkling Native that sired racing and performance horses.
Sparkling Native was a powerful a broodmare sire as well. He sired the dams of De Elegant Zevi, Strait On for You, Anatole, Flamboyan, Easy Demand, Heza Native Bar, Miss Sparkle Jet and Down Home Native. He was also the dam sire of Town Native and To the Punch, successful barrel horses. His distant descendants have done well in racing and barrel racing too. Multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Bodacious Dash is a descendant of Sparkling Native through his third dam, Native Tea. Bulleva, a sorrel mare by Bully Bullion and out of One Hot Lane, by Lanes Leinster, is a descendant of Sparkling Native through her second dam, Hot Rod Sparkle. Bulleva won the 2015 Diamonds and Dirt Slot Race with Sharin Hall. She is the second all-time highest money-earner for her sire. Bulleva’s full-brother, BS Onehotbully, is a popular barrel horse sire.
Sparkling Native died in 1987 at the age of 22. He is remembered as an impressive sire of sires. The speed and athleticism of his descendants make them standout performers on the track and in the arena still today.
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, All Breed Database, Speedhorse
The Western Thoroughbred 