First Ambassador was foaled on March 29th, 1974. He was bred by Farnsworth Farm near Ocala, Florida. First Ambassador was by Diplomat Way, a son of Hall of Fame inductee Nashua. Diplomat Way won fourteen races, including the 1967 Blue Grass Stakes. He also set a new track record in the Chicago Handicap at Hawthorne. Diplomat Way stood at Farnsworth Farm where he sired numerous stakes winners. His highest earners were Ingot’s Ruler, Four Bases, Roving Minstrel, Colonel Power and Luv A Libra. His Thoroughbred sons Embassy Row, Favored Diplomat and First sired Quarter Horses.
Fragrantly, the dam of First Ambassador, was by Barbizon, the 1956 Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and the damsire of Raise Your Glass. Fragrantly made ten starts and won one race. Her first foal, Feloniously, won the 1972 Hawthorne Derby Handicap. Fine Aroma, a full sister to First Ambassador, won the 1980 Bornastar Stakes. She went on to produce Perfection, winner of the 1993 Banyan Handicap. Fine Diplomacy, another full-sister of First Ambassador, produced Prospector’s Gold, a sire of 173 AQHA recognized foals. Other race winners out of Fragrantly included Felonious Assault, Famed Ambassador and Fine Fellow. Her daughter Fine Fragrance produced Thoroughbred stakes winners Fragrant Princess, Mystic Obsession and Ship Liner. In total, Fragrantly produced fourteen Thoroughbred foals for Farnsworth Farm. Her last foal, Redolence, was foaled in 1986 when she was 22 years old.
On June 14th, 1976, First Ambassador placed third in his debut at Atlantic City. His first win was in a Maiden Special Weight at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey. He equaled the track record for 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.40. Three weeks later, he scored a 2 ¼ length victory in another 5 ½ furlong race at Monmouth. First Ambassador ran third in the Gr. 1 Sapling Stakes behind Ali Oop and Ahoy Mate. He also ran second in the Northfield Stakes and third in the Arch Ward Stakes.
As a three-year-old, First Ambassador won three Allowance races at Gulfstream Park and Calder. By age four, he dropped down to the claiming ranks. He won his final start on November 16th, 1979 for owner Gamil Y and trainer Francisco Milia. His final race record was 61 starts, eleven wins, fourteen seconds and ten thirds, with $153,158 in earnings, which is the equivalent of about $680,000 today.
By 1980, First Ambassador was owned by a syndicate and standing at the Asmussen Horse Center in Laredo, Texas. He stood 15.3HH and was still race-fit when he appeared in his first stallion advertisements in Speedhorse Magazine. His first foal crop arrived in 1981 and included racing Register of Merit earners Kissimee First, Tommys Ambassador and Foreign Consul.
In 1984, Mercury’s Envoy, a bay Thoroughbred colt by First Ambassador, won the Texas Breeders Futurity and the Expomex Stakes. Border Ambassador, a gray Thoroughbred colt by First Ambassador, won the 1984 Scotch Foursome Spring Laddie Stakes at La Mesa Park. Track Ambassador, a dark bay Thoroughbred colt by First Ambassador, won ten races against Quarter Horse company and ran second in the 1985 Norgor Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. His best Quarter Horse starters were Elegant Envoy and First Premonition.
Altogether, First Ambassador sired 86 registered Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals in ten foal crops. They included 37 race winners, fourteen ROM earners and two stakes winners. They earned $505,917 on the racetrack.
None of his sons sired any Quarter Horse foals. His daughters produced 32 AQHA recognized foals that earned $32,398 on the track. Ambassadors Tomboy produced Good Will Buddy, the highest earner out of a First Ambassador mare. His daughter Delegation produced Racing ROM earners Mexican Delegate and Inland Port.
Ambassadors Babe was probably the best producer by First Ambassador. She was the dam of Racing ROM earners Buccaneer Boy, Babes Feature, Royal Wekota and Streakin Six Babe. Streakin Six Babe was bred by Keith Asmussen. She won one race and earned $7,490 on the track. Streakin Six Babe was claimed in her final start for Danyelle Campbell. Campbell sold the mare to World Champion barrel racer Charmayne James. Streakin Six Babe produced Famous at Six, a filly by Dash Ta Fame, and Features Six Babe, a filly by A Black Feature for James.
Streakin Six Babe was later purchased by World Champion barrel racer Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi. Tonozzi bred Streakin Six Babe to Frenchmans Guy. The resulting foal, Ima Super Fly Guy, aka “Super Fly” won the 2012 Diamonds and Dirt Classic Futurity and placed in a Round 6 at the 2013 WNFR. Her next foal, Smoke N the Babes, was a 1D money earner. Her fifth foal, Streaking Is Easy, is a broodmare in Tonozzi’s program.
Babe On the Chase, aka “Birdie,” is one of Streakin Six Babe’s most accomplished foals. She is a ProRodeo winner, multiple WNFR qualifier and producer of several successful barrel horses, including Tres Chasin Babe PZ, Seis on the Chase and Runnin Racketeer. Ima Famous Babe, aka “Katniss,” also went to the NFR multiple times before she sadly passed away. Streakin Six Babe is also the dam of Babe on the Run, A French Babe, Streaking Frenchie, This Babe Rocks, Miss JB 1620, Babe O Licious, Blazin Babe Olena, Sheza Smooth Babe, We R Goin Streakin, A Babe With Proof, Babe On the Prowl, Teeto , Sheza American Babe, I Got U Baabe, Abracaadabraa and Seis My Name.
First Ambassador’s last foals were born in 1990 when he would have been sixteen years old. Although he did not sire many successful runners, his name will appear in the pedigrees of great barrel horses for years to come thanks to the success of his granddaughter Streakin Six Babe!
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, American Quarter Horse Association, Speedhorse Magazine
The Western Thoroughbred 