Killoqua was foaled on February 11th, 1959. He was bred by American businessman Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney at his farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Killoqua is a word from the indigenous Lushootseed language of the Pacific Northwest. It means deep, peaceful lake. Killoqua was by Mount Marcy, a son of leading sire Mahmoud. Mount Marcy won 17 races including the Saranac Handicap, Louisville Handicap, Clark Handicap, Ben Ali Handicap, Phoenix Handicap and New Orleans Handicap. Mount Marcy sired stakes contenders Golden One, Dodger and Hit the Trail.
Pet Child, the dam of Killoqua, was a Whitney homebred. She was by Revoked and out of White Lady, by Mahmoud, which meant that Killoqua had the English Champion on both sides of his pedigree. Pet Child won two races and placed second in the 1955 Schuylerville Stakes. She produced three foals for Whitney, including multiple stakes winner Watch Fob. Pet Child was sold to Dumbarton Stable in Florida where she produced Earl of Milldale, a brown stallion that won stakes races in California, Colorado and New Mexico. Riley M. Gilbert bred Pet Child to Mr. Leader. The resulting foal, Myosotis, won the Prix du Bois in France before returning to the United States. Pet Child produced her seventh and final foal, Cornish Pet, for John A. Ewald Jr. in Virginia. She was twenty years old.
As a two-year-old, Killoqua made nine starts and won three races. He also placed second in the 1961 Haggin Stakes and third in the Charles S. Howard Stakes and Westchester Stakes. At three and four, he won ten races and placed second in the SNARO Handicap and third in the San Vicente Handicap. He finally won a stakes race as a five-year-old. That year, Killoqua won the Clang Handicap at Hawthorne and set a new course record in the Meadowland Handicap at Arlington for about 6 furlongs in 1:06.80. In 1965, Killoqua won the SNARO Handicap at Sportsman’s Park. He retired at age seven with a final race record of 73 starts, 26 wins, 16 seconds and 10 thirds, with $191,887 in earnings, which is the equivalent of about $1.9 million today.
At some point during his racing career, Killoqua was claimed by Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeder John D. Askew for $20,000. Killoqua covered his first mares while he was still racing. Annie How, a daughter of Vandy II, was one of the first Quarter Horses that Askew bred to Killoqua. The resulting foal, Lady Killoqua, won five races and placed third in the 1966 Halloween Futurity at Blue Ribbon Downs. Lady Killoqua went on to produce six AQHA registered foals, including Superior Race Horse award earner Mia Moon Mama and Racing Register of Merit earners Whatta Mama and Qua Charge.
Askew also bred Killoqua to the Thoroughbred mare Nona Noneta while he was at the track. She produced Natty Type, a gelding that made 99 starts and won 15 races during his six-year racing career. His biggest win was in the 1968 Arkansas Futurity. Natty Type was Killoqua’s only Thoroughbred stakes winner.
Vibrant Dee was another early Quarter Horse by Killoqua. She was out of Vancent Dee, a daughter of Vandy. Vibrant Dee made 37 starts and won eight races. She became one of Killoqua’s first Quarter Horse stakes winners when she captured the 1968 King Bee Downs Derby. Vibrant Dee went on to produce seven AQHA registered foals, including Racing ROM earner Vibration Bars.
Dee Mount, a full-sister to Vibrant Dee, won 18 races. She set a new track record in the Gateway Downs Futurity for 300 yards in 16.220 seconds. She also won the 1969 Ozark QHA Derby at Ozark Downs. Dee Mount went on to produce 11 AQHA registered foals. Dashingly a sorrel mare by Dash for Cash, was Dee Mount’s best starter. Dashingly won 18 races and earned $1,754,323 on the track. Her biggest wins were in the Gr. 1 Go Man Go Handicap and Vessels Maturity. Dashingly was the 1981 AQHA Racing Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. In 1983, she was named Champion Aged Mare, Champion Aged Horse and World Champion. She was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2014.
In addition to Dashingly, Dee Mount also produced My Fortune Cookie, the dam of Six Fortunes, the 1986 AQHA Racing Champion Three-Year-Old Colt. Six Fortunes went on to sire 429 AQHA registered foals, including stakes winners Chicagoland, De Magic Six, Diablos Fortune, Explode on Demand, Real Six Time, Six Delights, Six to Five, Sixforbubba, Those Were the Days and Timely Bonus. Dee Mount’s daughter Adoringly produced Sterling Sport, the 2003 AQHA Champion Distance Horse. Dee Mount was also the second dam of stakes winners Ima Royal Winner and Splendid Sam Perry.
Marcy Bar, a daughter of Killoqua and Vanetta Bar, a race-winning daughter of Pana Bar, won five races, including the 1968 Fall Futurity at Midway Downs. Marcy Bar went on to produce ten AQHA registered foals, including Jet Commanche, the 1975 AQHA Racing Campion Three-Year-Old Gelding, and Papa Gallo, winner of the Brushy Mountain Stakes. Her daughter Marcy Dee was the dam of stakes winners Aspen Breezes, Delightful Memories and Marcy Darling. Marcy Darling later produced First to Flash, the 2002 AQHA Racing Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. First to Flash went on to sire First Moonflash, the 2009 AQHA Racing Champion Aged Stallion. Marcy Darling also produced stakes winners First to Shine and GW Chick. Marcy Darling was the second dam of Duponte First, a stallion that is currently winning professional rodeos with Sydney Graham!
By the time Killoqua retired to stud at Askew’s farm in Fayetteville, Arkansas, he had already sired five stakes winners. Senor Panda and Asqua, stakes-winning Quarter Horse geldings by Killoqua, hit the ground a few months after he left the racetrack. Vanaqua was the first stakes winner that he sired in retirement. Vanaqua was a full-brother to Vibrant Dee and Dee Mount. He won 17 races, including the 1970 Annual March Futurity at Ozark Downs and Leo Handicap at Los Alamitos. Vanaqua went on to sire 270 AQHA registered foals, including multiple stakes winner Aqua Treasure.
Killoqua Jr was the best Quarter Horse starter by Killoqua. Killoqua Jr was a black gelding bred by Kenneth C. Harlow in Oklahoma. He was out of Miss Vandy Vada, a daughter of Leovada. Killoqua Jr won 17 races and earned $59,968 on the track. His biggest wins were in the 1974 All American Congress Futurity, 1974 Bluestem Downs Spring Futurity and 1975 Beulah Derby. Killoqua Jr also set a new track record at Eureka for 400 yards in 20.030 seconds.
Mr Quapaw, the final stakes winner by Killoqua, won seven races, including the 1977 Z. Wayne Griffin Director’s Stakes and Timberline Derby. Mr Quapaw went on to sire 29 AQHA registered foals.
Come Qua, a brown Quarter Horse gelding out of First Come, a daughter of Clabber Bar, was Killoqua’s best performer. In 1978, Come Qua won his first World Champion title with Jan Thompson in the Amateur division of Hunter Under Saddle. The following year, he was the Open Senior Hunter Under Saddle World Champion. He also won the Hunt Seat Equitation World Champion title in the Youth division with Lindy Thompson. In 1981, Come Qua was runner-up for the prestigious AQHA Superhorse award. He swept the World Champion titles in Senior Working Hunter, Senior Hunter Hack and Senior Hunter Under Saddle. He won the Senior Hunter Hack World Champion title again in 1982. He was also the Youth Hunter Hack World Champion in 1982 and 1983 with Kristine M. Flynn. Come Qua earned a total of 1,780.0 Performance Points and 8 World Champion titles. Comanche Qua, a full-brother to Come Qua, also competed at the World Show and earned Superior awards in Hunter Hack and Hunter Under Saddle.
In total, Killoqua sired 188 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse foals in 18 foal crops. They included 81 race winners, 53 ROM earners, 13 stakes finalists, 10 stakes winners, 7 Superior Race Award earners and 1 World Champion. They earned $778,585 on the track and 2,130.0 points in the arena.
Sons of Killoqua sired more than 500 AQHA registered foals. Vanaqua was the largest contributor to that number. His sons Bar Two Dee, Sir Hi and Sequayah also sired significant numbers of foals.
Daughters of Killoqua produced 324 AQHA recognized foals that earned $2,961,581 on the track and 102.0 points in the arena. In addition to his producing daughters mentioned above, Back in Business produced Mucho Petro, winner of the 1990 Canterbury Championship (Gr. 2). His daughter Disco Skip produced multiple stakes winner Nu Vision. Miss Killoqua was one of his best-producing daughters. She was the dam of 14 AQHA registered foals, including stakes winners Rebel Killoqua and Deckas Deal. Miss Killoqua was the third dam of Dinastia Toll Brz, winner of the 2003 Charger Bar Handicap (Gr. 1) and the dam of two-time champion FDD Dynasty.
Notably, Killoqua was also the damsire of Performance ROM earners Panama Killoqua, Rebelqua and Lekilloqua Bird.
Killoqua’s last foals were born in 1981 when he would have been 22 years old. Killoqua died under the ownership of Ralph Ager at Circle A Farm in Scio, Ohio. Despite only siring an average of 10 foals per crop, Killoqua is still prominent in the pedigrees of racehorses and barrel horses today!
Sources: Equineline, Equibase, American Quarter Horse Association, The Quarter Horse Journal, Speedhorse Magazine, All Breed Database
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