No Drift was foaled on March 24th, 1971. He was bred by Michael G. Phipps in Kentucky. His sire, Noholme II, was the 1959 Australian Horse of the Year. Despite his success as a racehorse, Noholme II did not generate much interest as a stallion prospect. At just 15.2HH, he was considered too short. In 1960, he was offered for sale for the low price of $10,000 AUD. Gene Goff, a wealthy oilman, purchased Noholme II along with 40 other horses and imported them to the United States. Goff sent Noholme II to train with Arthur Beuzeville. In 1961, Noholme II placed second in the Chicago Handicap, Orange Bowl Handicap and Stars and Stripes Handicap. He then retired to Goff’s Verna Lea Farms in Fayetteville, Arkansas to stand at stud. He went on to sire champions Nodouble, Fool’s Home and Shecky Greene.
Double Drift, the dam of No Drift, was by Double Jay, the 1946 Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. She was out of Levelix, a black-type stakes-winning daughter of the French stallion Ambiorix. Double Drift produced just two foals – Not Drift and Marco Ricci. Marco Ricci was a black-type stakes winner that went on to sire several race-winning Thoroughbreds including Samwalki and Vivara. No Drift was not as successful as Marco Ricci on the track. He made six starts, won one race, and earned $5,400. However, No Drift was far more successful in the breeding shed. He sired stakes winning Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.
No Drift stood at Shawnee Farms in Oklahoma. His first crop of Quarter Horse foals, which arrived in 1979, included stakes winners Down South Jukin, Hummin Holme and The Family Plan. Down South Jukin was actually his best starter of any breed. The sorrel filly was out of Edee Priest, by Little Dick Priest. She won eleven races including the Florida Bred Futurity, Florida Bred Derby, Debutante Stakes, Las Damas Handicap and Peninsula Handicap. In total, Down South Jukin earned $193,087 on the track. Hummin Holme won the Laddie Stakes and The Family Plan won the Blue Valley Futurity.
No Drift’s other top Quarter Horse starters include No Magic, Driftin Tell Sackett, Furr From Holme, Cryformore, Say Guy, Lady Gates Again, Driftin Ty Sackett, Alias Luther Smith and Drifting Illusion. His best Thoroughbred starter, Im a Sapsucker, set a new track record at Delaware Park for 5 furlongs in 56.80 seconds. Drift N Holme, a Quarter Horse filly by No Drift and out of Cady Bars, by Clyde Depth Bars, also set a new track record at Players Bluegrass Downs for 330 yards in 17.050 seconds.
In total, No Drift sired 472 registered Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals in 17 foal crops. Among those were 222 race winners, 212 Racing ROM earners, 12 stakes winners, 11 Superior Race Award earners and two graded stakes winners with earnings of $2,688,506 on the track. Several of his sons went on to sire Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas too. Driftinwinner, Driftin Cee, Driftin Gin, Flydrift, Jetsa Drift, Lil Red Sleeper, Nashville Now and Sweet Candy Man were all notable sires by No Drift. Driftin South, a full-brother to Down South Jukin, was No Drift’s most successful son at stud. Driftin South sired many good barrel horses including Deckas Best Drifter and No Drift Lacee.
No Drift was an important broodmare sire as well. He produced the dams of winning racehorses, barrel horses and show horses. Graded stakes winner Phat Willie Sister was by Willie Wanta Dash and out of Easily Drifting, by No Drift. Do Wa Ditty Dash, a 1D barrel horse ridden by Dianne Bath was out of a No Drift mare. Dianne and Do Wa Ditty Dash placed at several professional rodeos. No Drift was also the sire of Driftin Lady Oh, the dam of Recyclebull and Lady Oh Raylene. Recyclebull earned an AQHA Reserve World Champion title and Lady Oh Raylene produced NFR qualifier Famous Heartbreaker. Shellys Do Drift, a mare by No Drift and out of Miss Banks Do, by Rebel Cause, was the matriarch of a talented family of show horses. Her daughter Corliss was a Hunter Under Saddle champion. Sheza Detail and Sentimental Detail, both by Last Detail and out of Shellys Do Drift, produced champions Lyles Al Lie and Sketchie Details.
No Drift died in 1993 at the age of 22. He is still influential in the pedigrees of race, barrel and show horses today.
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, Speedhorse Magazine, All Breed Database
The Western Thoroughbred 