Iron Liege and Venetian Way!

This blog entry is about a couple of horses and a great jockey. The 1957 Kentucky Derby winner was Iron Liege ridden by Bill Hartack, shown below on the track. He was in a big showdown in the Derby against Gallant Man, but Willie Shoemaker just took a few seconds standing up, thinking he had won too early, and Iron Liege won by a nose. GM's owner was so upset until Shoemaker said, "I'm sorry, John, I made a mistake."

The 1960 Kentucky Derby winner was Venetian Way, also ridden by Bill Hartack. The track that day was referred to as "used chewing tobacco" because it was damp (according to Red Smith). VW was the third favorite, behind Bally Ache who had beaten him 3 out of 4 encounters. But VW won with the fastest win ever recorded on an off track. VW is shown with his roses in the winner's circle.

And then there is Bill Hartack who was the youngest person ever to be elected to the Hall of Fame at the age of 26. He was a fightin', competitive, tough jockey. On November 27th, this year, newspapers noted that this great champion passed away at the age of 74. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and he was found dead of heart disease at a hunting cabin while on vacation. He was the child of a coal miner in Pennsylvania whose mother died when he was 8. He didn't want to become a coal miner, so he began a very young, very early career as an exercise rider and bush track rider. But he was quickly snapped up by Chick Lang, his manager, who saw how hot he was as a property.

He won 5 Kentucky Derbies, 3 Preaknesses, and 1 Belmont Stakes, among his many, many, many achievements. His Derby winners were Iron Liege (1957), Venetian Way (1960), Decidedly (1962), Northern Dancer (1964), and Majestic Prince (1969). Can you imagine? Only one other jockey has won the Derby 5 times!! Mr. Hartack never married.

Anyway, my girls are related to Iron Liege and Venetian Way multiple ways. They are related to IL through Bull Lea, War Admiral, and Sir Gallahad, most directly. And they are related to Venetian Way through Eight Thirty, Bull Dog, Black Toney, Sickle, and The Tetrarch.

Useeit and My Girls!

So, check this out! One of Hailee's relatives has a book written about her, called Black Gold by the famous Marguerite Henry! Useeit by Bonnie Joe and Effie M was a 1907 thoroughbred mare who is now rumored to have been a Quarter horse and who was dragged all over the West, Mexico and Louisiana to race for Al and Rosa Hoots. She produced the 1924 Kentucky Derby winner, Black Gold, via Black Toney, but he was sterile, poor thing, which ultimately led to his untimely death on the Fairgrounds track in New Orleans.

But, his full brother, Beggar Boy, is Hailee's relative on her mom's side, Docs Blue Rock Dawn. Beggar Boy is the sire of 4 AQHA Race ROMS and 20 AQUA daughters producing ROMS.

Violet is not related to Useeit, but has her boyfriend, Black Toney in several lines in her Dame Francesca line on her dad's side, Groomstick!

I am definitely treating myself to the read of Black Gold again. I remember that fabulous book as a child, and now I am a lucky woman who has a family member from that great American family tree in my pedigree!

Black Gold -- 1924 Kentucky Derby Winner!

Okay, so here is a pretty dramatic story about some of Hailee's more colorful relatives. Al Hoots was this crazy old guy who had a very heartful mare, Useeit. He dragged her all over the West and Louisiana to race and she returned his confidence by winning 34 of her starts for him. In 1916, he took her to Juarez, Mexico and ran in her in a claiming race, thinking that he'd gotten everyone to agree not to claim her. A gentleman named Ramsey tried to claim her, and Hoots held him off by riflepoint and ran off with his little mare

Then the next year, 1917, on his deathbed, he told his Osage Nation wife, Rosa, to breed his mare to Black Toney a famous horse owned by Colonel Bradley of Idle Hour Stock Farm. What a joke! A poor family being able to have the money to breed to that Kentucky wealth! But Hoots said that he'd had a vision, "I see this foal, possessed of an undaunted spirit of a mother descended from horses which admitted defeat only in death."

So, guess what? An oil boon! The Osage Nation in Oklahoma struck it rich and Rosa Hoots, now a widow, was able to send Useeit to Black Toney, and their baby, Black Gold, a beautiful black foal, was born in 1921. He won like crazy. He raced 35: 18-5-4. And when he was 3, he won the Kentucky Derby, Lousiana Derby, Chicago Derby, and Ohio Derby. He didn't race in the Preakness or Belmont because we hadn't developed that as the cultural standard, the Triple Crown yet!

Now the sad part -- He was retired to stud at 4, but was found to be sterile. So, they sent him back to the track. He raced in pain with a hoof injury, and then at the New Orleans Fair Grounds, he gave his full heart to win, though he was past his prime. He broke his leg, but still tried to win and finished the race with his champion heart and on three legs. He was put to sleep there in New Orleans and is buried in the Fair Grounds infield. He died in 1928. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989, and now the grandchildren of Rosa Hoots are trying to start a business to remember this great horse.

His only child was struck and killed by lightning, but my beautiful Hailee carries Black Gold's blood through his closest relation, his full brother, Beggar Boy, born in 1924, 3 short years after Black Gold. He had a nice long life, passing away in 1945 at the age of 21!

You can read more about this famous family of horses at the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Gold_(horse)
or
http://www.blackgold1924.com/
or
http://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/blackgold.html
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=31

Kelso

Kelso is so famous that it's hard to know where to begin. So, let's just jump in! He raced for 8 years! Whoo! That's because he was a naughty boy from an undistinguished family, so they gelded him at 2. Boy, didn't they feel bad once he turned out to be an amazing racer! He was foaled at Claiborne Farms, but belonged to Mrs. Allaire du Pont of Woodstock Farm in Maryland. When his career was over it stood at: 63: 39(31), 12(10), 2(1), and he had earned almost $2 million. He won everywhere, all the time, even carrying shocking weight disadvantages.

As Eddie Arcaro once said, "He can beat anything at any distance. So, here are some of his spectacular achievements. He won the Jockey Gold Cup race 5 times! He was voted #4 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century. He earned the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award 5 times! He earned 5 division championships, earning 3 year-old colt of the year, and champion older horse for another 4 years! He set or equaled 8 track records and set 3 American standards. His 5 Eclipse Horse of the Year awards have never been rivalled and they earned him the #3 Top moments in Racing History. He was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in 1967, and the Aiken Training Track Hall of Fame in 1977. He was so beloved, especially in 1963 the year I was thinking about being born, that he received fan mail at his own mailbox at his home at Woodstock Farm.

He passed away on October 16, 1983 at the age of 26 at his home in Maryland and BloodHorse said of him in an obituary: "Kelso demonstrated the durability of class. No horse in our time was so good, so long. His was mature greatness." I guess he was -- 8 years! He earned a rest.

My girls are related to him most immediately through the following shared relatives: Count Fleet, Hyperion, Mahmoud, Prince Palatine, Man o' War, Whisk Broom, Black Toney. You can read more about this absolute champion at the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelso_(horse)
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=96

Breaking News! John Henry passes at 32

Today John Henry was euthanized at the Kentucky Horse Park, at the venerable age of 32. He was an amazing gelding who was only 15.1 hands, but a whole lot of champion. I have seen this gentleman at the Hall of Champions a few times, and was grateful for the experience.

He was foaled on March 9, 1975 at Golden Chance Farms, and was a "small, ugly, and bad-tempered" foal who was sold at Keeneland for $1,100. He was so naughty and destructive of his stall property that he was gelded and sold for $2,200. But then finally, he was purchased by his family, the Rubins, for $25,000 and sent to train with Ron McAnally who trained him with "carrots, apples and love!"

John Henry raced for 8 years, between 1977-1984, earning more than $6.5 million, and earning the Eclipse Horse of the Year Award twice! His final record was 83: 39-15-9. He earned 7 Eclipse Awards and voted Champion Older Horse. He was the oldest horse to win Horse of the Year at age 9, and oldest horse to win a Grade 1 race at the age of 9. He was the Champion Turf Horse in 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1984. He won 30 stakes races. And is the only horse to win the Arlington Million (G1) twice and the only horse to win the Santa Anita Handicap twice!! He has won more graded stakes than any other thoroughbred in history. Not surprisingly, he was voted Race Horse of the Decade for the 1980s. And is still the richest gelding of any breed in history! He was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in 1990, and was voted #23 of the Top 100 race horses of the 20th century! When he retired in 1985, he was the highest money-earning American thoroughbred in history!

He was retired to the Kentucky Horse Park, along with his famous buddy, Cigar and has received his adoring public for 22 years! His family and close friends visited him often, with his trainer Ron McAnally and his exercise rider of 6 years visiting him just this past September. He was failing in health over the past few weeks, and took a bad turn over the weekend. He lost considerable weight and was in kidney failure. The KHP executive director, John Nicholson, said, "John Henry was a testament to the fact that a horse's value is far greater than the sum of his pedigree, conformation, sales price, and race record."

John Henry's dad has passed away, so a son said today that his mother and stepfather, Rubin, "loved sharing John's victories with his adoring fans and we appreciate their devotion even to this sad day. We are sure that if Sam Rubin were here today, he and my mother, Dorothy, would agree that their wish would be for John Henry to be rememberd as the mighty cantankerous champion we all loved."

My girls' share many relations with this champion, and I am sure that you can see that he and Hailee share their looks! Some of their shared family members are Princequillo, Bull Lea, Whisk Broom, Mahmoud, Blenheim, Mah Mahal, Blue Larkspur, Bubbling Over, Man 'O War, and Black Toney.

Here are photos of John with Bill Shoemaker up! Rest in peace, you honored creature!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_(horse)
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=93

Affectionately and my girls!!!

Affectionately was born in 1960 at Dr. Charles Hagyard's Lexington Farm. She was trained by Hall of Famer Hirsch Jacobs who said, she was "the best horse I've ever trained." Which was no faint praise since he trained Stymie and Hail to Reason. She was a 3x champion on the racetrack and a stupendous, if short-lived broodmare. She won 9 of 10 races in her 2 year old season. And in her 5th year, won the Vagrancy, Toboggan, and Top Flight Handicaps. Her 7 furlong victory in the Vagrancy was called the high point of the racing season, according to the New York Racing Secretary! In that race, she carried 137 lbs., 17 to 28 lbs more than any of her competitors. She ended her racing career with 52 starts: 28 wins, 8 places, and 6 shows for total earnings of $546,659. For her major wins, 18 of which were stakes races, and 9 were added-money races, she was nicknamed "The Queen of Queens." She was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1989. She also was voted the #81 race horse of the 20th century as reported by The Blood Horse's Thoroughbred Champions, the book used for this blog entry! In 1966, she was bred to Hail to Reason, and produced Personality, her first foal. This first foal won the Preakness Stakes and earned Horse of the Year, an honor shared with Fort Marcy. Affectionately died at 19. So, she is related to my girls in a number of very close ways. They share War Admiral, Hyperion, Black Toney, La Troienne. Black Toney and La Troienne have Big Hurry a dam crossed with War Admiral to produce Affectionately's mom, Searching. My girls, Violet and Hailee, have a Black Toney/La Troienne cross to produce Bimelech -- the horse who almost won the Triple Crown!!! So, you can see that my girls are closely related to Affecionately! You can read more about this beautiful filly and see pictures of her at the following links:

http://www.pedigreequery.com/affectionately

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=2

Hailee's Bubbling Over

My girl, Hailee, is related to Bubbling Over, the 1926 Kentucky Derby Winner and sire to Burgoo King, also a Derby winner. In these photos you see both Bubbling Over and his son. Bubbling Over was blind when he won the Derby. He raced 13 times, won 10, placed twice, and showed 1. He won such races as the Nursery Handicap, Champagne Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes and placed at the Pimlico and Breeders Futurities. For Hailee, he was bred to Algeria who had lots of Fair Play and Whisk Broom. Their daughter, Airegla was bred to Bimelech, the winner of both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, and son of Black Toney, a very famous sire. Hailee has a family cemetary at Darby Dan Farms in Lexington, Kentucky. You can read more about Bubbling Over at:

http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/Graves/cem/GraveMattersDarbyDan.html

or

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2002/derby_history/derby_charts/years/1926.html

or

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,751479-1,00.html

My Girls are Ruffians!

What can be said about Ruffian? She was born in 1972, never defeated, never headed. Every time she raced in her 8 stakes races, she won and set a record. She won the Filly Triple Crown just breezing along. She perished in a match race against Foolish Pleasure. Her jockey, Jacinto Vasquez, had the choice to ride either horse in the match race and he chose the big black girl. She was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1976. My girls are heavily directly related to this wonder of a girl. I am awed. I remember with vivid clarity the day Ruffian died. We were living in Canada, and mom and I were watching the news and heard the story. Violet and Hailee are related across every single branch of Ruffian's family tree. They share many relatives, including Nasrullah, Sweep, Domino, Traffic Court, Sir Gallahad, Plucky Liege, Teddy, Broomstick, Blue Larkspur, Black Toney, Discovery, Whisk Broom, Commando, Love Wisely, Hindoo, and Fair Play. What's strange is that Ruffian has Man o' War's daddy in her pedigree, but not the Grand Man himself! Anyway, Ruffian is a lovely macho girl and she was a real role model to girls like me in the 1970s. Be big, be bold, compete, have a big, giant heart. You can read more about this short-lived, lovely miraculous girl at the following links. The Youtube link is very sad -- someone went to a great deal of effort to write a lovely song to her:

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=128

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffian_(horse)

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96wka0rBHWM

or

http://www.championsgallery.com/Ruffian/Ruffian.html

or

http://thoroughbredchampions.com/biographies/ruffian1.htm

or

http://www.equinenet.org/heroes/ruffian.html

or

http://horseracing.about.com/library/pics/blruffian.htm

Winning Colors and My Girls!!!

Winning Colors was born in 1985, and she was the third filly to win the Kentucky Derby in 1988. In the Derby, she took command early to hold off the champion Forty Niner. Her lifetime earnings were $1,526,837 and she had 19 starts, and 8 wins. Among her wins were the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks. She was called "The Amazon" because she was so big and bold. During her life, she needed surgery for breathing problems, but still came back to racing. She was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2000, the same year as jockey, Julie Krone. She earned third in the Preakness and was voted Champion 3 year-old. She is related to both my girls. Among their shared relatives are Nasrullah, Gainsborough, Man 'O War, Rock Sand, Commando, Voter, Bend Or, Hastings, Pensive, Black Toney, Teddy, and Bull Dog! In these photos, you see her winning the Kentucky Derby and in the winner's circle with her roses (happy girl!). Then you see a photo of her as an older lady who turned grey! You can read more about this amazing mare at the following link:

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=348

Barbaro passes, January 29, 2007

Co-owner Gretchen Jackson: "Certainly, grief is the price we all pay for love."

Today, Barbaro was euthanized at the New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, after 8 months of intensive treatment for an injury sustained in the 2006 Preakness Stakes. Prayers to his family of owners, riders, caretakers, grooms, veterinarians, fans, companion animals, and equine friends.

Sweet Hailee and Violet are related to this big-hearted champion. Violet shares his family through her Blushing Groom, Nearco, Nasrullah, Man 'O War, and Black Toney lines. Hailee is part of his family through Man 'O War and Black Toney. But we are all part of God's family.

May God care for his darling creation. Barbaro, 2003-2007.

La Troienne -- Hailee and Violet's "Blue Hen"

Hailee and Violet are very proud to have La Troienne in their family tree -- a 20th century "Blue Hen." A Blue Hen is a mare who produces nothing but the best characteristics and nothing but winners!! La Troienne was born in France and imported to the United States. She was not impressive on the race track, but has left an indelible mark on Thoroughbred history as one of the most influential broodmares of all time. She was imported to Idle Hour Stock Farm and bore 15 foals, 12 of which raced, and 10 of which were winners. Her first daughter, Black Helen, was a super-charged race horse who out of 22 starts, won 15 times. She was so powerful as a race horse that Black Helen routinely won against fields of colts. She was declared the U.S. champion 3-year-0ld racing filly. The only colt she could not beat was Omaha, the Triple Crown winner. She was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame.

La Troienne produced many, many famous descendents, including Go for Gin and Buckpasser. She produced many broodmares-of-the-year.

Hailee has an impressive connection to La Troienne. La Troienne and Black Toney produced Bimelech and Bubbling Over (Kentucky Derby winner) was the sire on the dam's side of a Bimelech cross which produced Sir Bim. Sir Bim was crossed on the dam side of a Top Deck sire side to produce a line in Hailee's sire's history! Whoo!

Violet too is impressively connected to La Troienne's history in at least two powerful ways. Again, she has the Bimelech connection and on the dam's side War Admiral (Triple Crown winner) is the sire to produce a dam for Bimelech which produced Better Self, a stakes winner. She also has a La Troienne and Blue Larkspur cross which produced Big Event who was bred to War Admiral to produce Blue Eyed Momo on Violet's dam's side.

Blue Larkspur is very cool as a cross because he won the Belmont Stakes, Juvenile Stakes, Saratoga Special, Classic Stakes, Withers Stakes, Arlington Cup, and Stars and Striples Handicap. He was 1929 Horse of the Year and Champion 3-year-old Colt, and the 1930 Champion Handicap Male!

You can read more about La Troienne, the fabulous "Blue Hen" of the Hailee and Violet Sanchez family tree at my friendly links, The Pedigree Post!
You can also read about her at:
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/LaTroienne.html