Waya (FR)

Biography

When she won the Eclipse Award for Champion Older Female in 1979, Waya (FR) had accomplished just about all one could ask of an elite thoroughbred. She had won Grade 1 events on both dirt and turf, defeated males at classic distances, carried top weight to victory, and equaled a world record.

Bred in France by Dayton Ltd., Waya was a bay daughter of Faraway Son out of the Blue Prince mare War Path. Unraced as a juvenile, she began her career as a 3-year-old in 1977 for owner Daneil Wildenstein in her home country with Hall of Fame trainer Angel Penna, Sr.

Waya was immediately placed in stakes company, breaking her maiden in her career debut on May 30, 1977, winning the Prix de la Croix St. Jacques by six lengths at Saint-Cloud. Next out, she earned a one-length win in the Group 3 Prix de Royaumont at Chantilly. Waya failed to win in her next five starts before closing out her season with a head victory in the Group 2 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp that October.  

Waya was relocated to the United States for her 4-year-old season in 1978. She made her American debut that June, winning a pair of allowance races and finishing second in the Grade 3 New York Handicap in a span of 18 days. Waya then placed in the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Handicap before her making her only appearance at Saratoga Race Course.

At the Spa, Waya rallied from 11 lengths back to win the Grade 2 Diana Handicap by nearly three lengths. Her time of 1:45⅖ for nine furlongs placed herself in historic company as she equaled the world record shared by Secretariat, Tentam, and Crystal Water.

The Diana was the first of four straight impressive wins for Waya. The next three were at Belmont Park, with the Flower Bowl at 1¼ miles against her own sex before defeating males in the Grade 1 Man o’ War and Grade 1 Turf Classic. In the Man o’ War she defeated multiple stakes winner Tiller by a length and three quarters, with Mac Diarmida nearly three lengths back in third. Mac Diarmida went on to earn an Eclipse Award as Champion Turf Male in 1978. Waya’s victory in the Turf Classic was by a nose over Tiller, with Trillion a neck back in third. Trillion, a Group 1 winner in France, went on to be named Champion Turf Female in 1979.

After her 4-year-old campaign, Waya was purchased by Peter Brant and George Strawbridge, Jr. for a reported price of $1.1 million, according to The BloodHorse magazine.

David Whiteley, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2026, served as Waya’s trainer for her 5-year-old campaign in 1979, and under his guidance she turned in another four-race win streak that began with the Santa Ana Handicap at Santa Anita. She followed that with the Grade 1 Santa Barbara under 131 pounds at 1¼ miles.

Returning to New York, Waya next captured the Grade 1 Top Flight Handicap on a sloppy main track at Aqueduct Racetrack under 128 pounds, eight more than the outstanding second-place finisher Pearl Necklace. Next up was the June 3 Saratoga Springs Cup Handicap at 10 furlongs on a sloppy Belmont Park main oval, in which she defeated Late Bloomer by a nose while conceding six pounds. Late Bloomer was the reigning Eclipse Award Champion Older Female of 1978.

Four months later, Waya won her final career victory in the prestigious Grade 1 Beldame Handicap at Belmont Park by three lengths at 1¼ miles. The Beldame sealed her Eclipse Award as Champion Older Female.

Waya was retired with a record of 14-6-4 from 29 starts and earnings of $822,816. Twenty-six of her starts took place in stakes company, including 22 group or graded events. Waya helped close a rich decade on the American scene. In 2019, she became the 20^th thoroughbred who competed in the 1970s to be elected to the Hall of Fame. The list included immortals such as Affirmed, Alydar, Forego, Ruffian, Seattle Slew, and Secretariat, among others. Waya’s remarkable career puts her firmly in such elite company.

As a broodmare, Waya’s first foal, Vidalia, became a 2-year-old filly champion in Italy for owners Brant and Strawbridge. Waya produced 11 additional foals for the partnership, one of which, De Niro, was a graded stakes winner for Brant. Overall, Waya was represented by 11 starters, eight of whom were winners.

Waya died at the age of 27 on Dec. 12, 2001, and was buried at Derry Meeting Farm near Cochranville, Pa.

Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero, Jr., who rode Waya to nine victories, said she was one of his all-time favorite mounts.

“She was absolutely special … tough, talented, and she was a fighter,” Cordero said. “I was blessed to ride a lot of great horses and Waya was right at the top of the list.”

Achievements

Eclipse Award Champion Older Female — 1979

Notable

Won the Diana Handicap — 1978
Won the Man o' War Stakes — 1978
Won the Beldame Stakes — 1979
Won the Santa Barbara Handicap — 1979
Won the Top Flight Handicap — 1979

— Equaled the world record of 1:45⅖ for nine furlongs on turf in the 1978 Diana Handicap

Horse Profile for Waya (FR) | Equibase is Your Official Source for Thoroughbred Racing Information