Majestic Prince -- 1969 Derby Winner!

Majestic Prince won the 1969 Kentucky Derby and was the first horse in history to win both the Derby and Preakness without any losses. His final record was 10: 9(6), 1(1), 0. He retired after problems with osselets. He beat Arts and Letters in both the Derby and Preakness, but then ran with tendon problems and came in second in the Belmont Stakes to his same competitor -- no Triple Crown!

His trainer was Johnny Longdon, the jockey who rode Count Fleet to a Derby win, and thus the only person to both train and ride Derby winners! He was an Albertan, just like Majestic Prince's owner. His jockey was Bill Hartack and MP was his fifth and final Derby winner! MP was inducted into the racing hall of fame in 1988 and was elected #46 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century.

My girls are related to him through Discovery, Case Ace, Man 'O War, Whisk Broom, Royal Charger, Alibhai, and Mahmoud. You can read more about this fabulous gentleman at the following links:
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=7
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_Prince

Northern Dancer -- 1964 Kentucky Derby!

Okay, I'll just start by saying that not enough praise can be heaped upon the royal head of Northern Dancer, so this blog will only hint at his fabulousness. He is the Canadian colt who won the 1964 Kentucky Derby, my first Derby officially as a member of this planet! He was born very late, May 27, 1961, and was a small little guy. He did not sell at an auction, so his breeder, E.T. Taylor and his wife, Winnie, kept him. He went into training and did very well. He did exceptionally well in his second and third year, but still was not favored in the Derby.

On Derby Day, Bill Hartack rode him to a tight win over Hill Rise. He was ridden also during his career by Ron Turcotte. What was amazing about Derby day was just how blistering fast he raced. He came from behind, got in front, Hill Rise put up a battle, but couldn't do it! The last quarter went in 24 seconds! His was the fastest Derby until Secretariat! He won the Preakness, but then went third in the Belmont. He won the Queen's Plate in Canada, to their true thrill and pleasure! But then was retired because of heat or a bowed tendon. His track record was 18: 14-2-2.

He stood at stud in Canada in 1965, but the demand was so strong for him that he was ultimately sent to stud in Maryland. It is impossible for me to tell you just how amazing his stud career was! Just impossible. His stud fee skyrocketed until it stood at more than $1 million. He was voted the 20th century's sire of sires. He had champion babies on four continents. When he was 21, a French syndicate put up $40 million for his breeding rights! In fact, in 2004, all 18 starters in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris were related to him! One of his yearlings, Snaafi Dancer, sold for $10.2 million! In 1984, all 14 of his yearlings averaged at sale at $3.3 million. He was pensioned in 1987, and died on November 16, 1990, being euthanized after a bout of colic. He was sent home to be buried at his birthplace, Taylor's Windfield Farms in Oshawa, Ontario. Ultimately, he had 635 registered foals, 467 winners, and 150 stakes winners. Get this, Northern Dancer is responsible for more Breeder's Cup winners than any other sire!

There's no way I can list all of his accomplishments, awards, recognitions, and memorials, so here's a little sampler. He was voted #43 of the Top 100 racehorses of the 20th century. He was inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in 1976. He was voted into Canada's Hall of Fame. He earned Champion 3-year-old colt! He earned the top of many sire lists. He made it to a Canadian postage stamp! He has streets named after him in the United States and Canada. Of course, he has statues of himself!

My girls are related to him most directly through Nearco, Hyperion, Mahmoud, Discovery, and Chicle.

You can see video of him and read about him at the following links. Upon his death, the CBC really did a lovely job of interviewing people who loved him about his special unique qualities. There's even a funny little story by one of his favorite track writers who said that Northern Dancer, while nice, had to be watched or he would kick your head into the bleachers! What a stud!! What a marvellous, wonderful, small little, kick-butt stud!
http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/thoroughbred/1976/Northern_Dancer.asp
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Dancer
or
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-41-365-2014-10/on_this_day/sports/northern_dancer_death
or
http://horseracing.about.com/od/latestnews/a/aa031605a.htm
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=111
or
http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=14238
or
http://www.thoroughbredchampions.com/biographies/northernd.htm
or
http://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/northerndancer.html
or
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DC1339F934A25752C1A966958260
or
http://www.cbc.ca/lifeandtimes/northerndancer.html

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

Kentucky 2007: Nijinsky's Grave

Here is the grave of Nijinsky, the Canadian born racer who is the last English Triple Crown winner! He was born in 1967 and passed in April 1992 from laminitis. He is noted as an "imposing, musuclar horse with anything but a gentle nature." He was purchased by an American who sent him to Ireland where he was the 2 year-old Champion in both England and Ireland. Thirty-six years passed between Bahram, another famous English Triple Crown winner and then Nijinsky's wins! And we have not had another since!

After winning his Triple Crown, he lost the Prix d l'Arc de Triomphe at the Hippodrome de Longchamp in Paris to a horse named Sassafras! I mean, really! Sassafras!. After another place and a final record of 13: 11-2-0, he was sent to spend the rest of his life siring majestic babies at Claiborne Farms! The Sun, a British newspaper, voted him "Horse of the Millenium" and he even had a movie devoted to him narrated by Orson Welles, he was so important!

He is the only sire in thoroughbred history to have colts who won the Kentucky Derby (Ferdinand) and Epsom Derby (Golden Fleece) in the same year! What's sad is that his kid Ferdinand was sent to the slaughterhouse by his Japanese owners when they decided his babies were just not fabulous enough.

My girls are related to him most immediately through Nearctic, Mahmoud, Bull Lea, Blue Larkspur, Menow, and Man 'O War. Nijinsky's parents are Northern Dancer and Flaming Page, and so he has Omaha (a Triple Crown Winner) and Omaha's dad, Gallant Fox (another Triple Crown winner) in his pedigree!

You can read more about this Canadian bred fabulous horse at the following links, and you can even see youtube footage of him winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the St. Leger!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nijinsky_II
or
http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/thoroughbred/1976/Nijinsky_II.asp
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing
or
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/stallion-directory/reference.aspx?doc=northerndancer
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmO6WttLCqQ
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I70rZCoHGQg

Mom's Command and My Girls!

This year, 2007, three horses were inducted into the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga -- Silver Charm, Swoon's Son, and Mom's Command! Mom's Command comes from a very unusual family in New Hampshire. She was bred and born to Peter Fuller (now 84) and his wife, Joan Beth Fuller. They are of Runnymede Farm and had 8 children, the 5th, Abigail, at the age of 26, rode Mom's Command to the Filly Triple Crown in 1985 -- the Acorn Stakes, Mother Goose Stakes, and the Coaching Club American Oaks! She led all the way in each of those three races, and Abby seemed to know what the girl could do!

The induction was on August 6th, but Mom's Command had been euthanized earlier that year and is now cremated and buried at her Runnymede. Her dad, Peter, said, "I'm thrilled to have her elected to the Hall of Fame. I think she deserves it. I think the fact that my daughter rode her is one of those things that is just marvellous!" He is the only gentleman to breed and train both the horse and jockey!!

My girls are related to this sweet filly many ways, including through the wonderful, big-hearted obvious: Nasrullah, Count Fleet, Mahmoud, Prince Rose, and Discovery. Tsin-Tsin to sweet girls everywhere!

You can read more about Mom's Command at the following links:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070701/NEWS/707010349/-1/TOWN0203
or
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=425

Hyperion and My Girls!

Violet is related to Hyperion, arguably the best stud of the 20th century, but definitely the best one in England, Ireland and France. Hyperion's record was 13: 9, 1, 2, and he was fantastic in his wins, but even more fantastic as a stud. He was among the top 10 leading sires 16 times, and only St. Simon has beat this record. He was the leading broodmare sire 4 times.

His dam, Selene, was considered the finest racing filly of her time with a record of 22: 16-4-1, and she became a spectacular Blue Hen who had 14 foals. She was a first-class broodmare. His next two dams on his mom's side were Serenissima and Gondolette, also exquisite Blue Hens. His sire was Gainsborough, an English Triple Crown winner and Gold Cup winner, as well as the sire who produced Mah Mahal, the Blue Hen who produced Mahmoud. His grandsire was Bayardo, an even greater racer who produced two English Triple Crown winners, no other stud having done that -- Gainsborough and Gay Crusader.

Hyperion came into being because his breeders were trying to inbreed on the female line, a revolutionary policy at the time. They felt that the Blue Hens in his family tree were very important and should be doubled and tripled, if possible. So, in his immediate family tree, several times, he has the following Blue Hens: Pilgrimage and Canterbury Pilgrim. No wonder he had a sweet temper and liked to save it up for his races! He was a king bred from royal girls!!

Anyway, he passed away at Lord Derby's Woodland Stud in Newmarket. And he had an enormous influence on the sports of racing, dressage, eventing, and jumping. Even Karen O'Connor benefitted from a win on a Rolex horse with his breeding, Worth the Trust! In Violet's family, he produced Pensive, the winner of the 1944 Kentucky Derby!

You can read more about this great racer and stud at the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_(horse)
or
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Selene.html#Hyperion
or
http://www.holsteiner.com/impulsion/bayron2.html
or
http://www.reines-de-course.com/hyperion.htm

Miesque and My Girls!

Miesque was a 1984 filly who is owned by a Greek shipping tycoon, Stavros Niarchos. She won championships in every country she ran in. Her final record was 16: 12, 3, 1, and all of her races except one were Group 1 stakes races. She won 10 Grade 1 races!!! In France, she earned the Champion Juvenile award as a 2-year-old, and when she was shipped to the U.S., she won the Breeder's Cup at Hollywood Park, and then turned around and won it a second time the next year at Churchill Downs, at her last race! In the first Breeders' Cup, she was in a field of 14, and the second 12! She was the first race horse ever to win two Breeders' Cups back to back. When she was 3, she ended her racing year with 5 championship awards!!! She earned Champion 3-year-old filly in France and England, Champion Miler in France and England, and Champion U.S. grass mare. When she was 4, she won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Female Turf horse, as well as France's Champion Miler and Champion Older mare. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, and inducted into the French Hall of Fame. She was voted #82 of the Top 100 Race Horse of the 20th century!

When she retired, she became an awesome broodmare. Her children are very famous. Her last foal was a 2005 colt out of A.P. Indy by Seattle Slew by Weekend Surprise by Secretariat. This 2005 foal is being trained to race at Newmarket, England! But her first baby, her first bombshell smashing success as a mom is pictured above, Kingmambo, a major stakeswinner who is now retired to stud at Lane's End Farm...and he is so special that his 2007 stud fee is listed as "private." If you have to ask, you can't afford to breed to her baby!

Of course, my girls are related to sweet little, regular-running, championship earning, good mama Miesque. They share many connections, including Nearctic, Princequillo, Hyperion, Mahmoud, Equipoise, Nasrullah, and Count Fleet.

This good mare has races named after her at Hollywood Park and in France! You can read more about her at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miesque

or

http://www.thoroughbredchampions.com/biographies/miesque.htm

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=341

Top Flight and My Girls!

Top Flight was a young lady with not that great a pedigree. Her parents were not big winners, but they had genetic potential! By the end of her brief racing career, she retired as the all-time top money-earning filly, which she held for 14 years. She was the first 2-year-old to earn more than $200,000. Her final record was 16: 12-0-0, and $275,900. She beat colts, was unbeaten in 7 starts at 2, including 3 times when she ran against colts. Indeed, she beat Burgoo King, a Kentucky Derby winner, twice!! At 2, she won the Futurity Stakes, Pimlico Futurity, Saratoga Special, Spinaway Stakes, Matron Stakes, Arlington Lassie, and Clover Stakes, and at 3, the Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Stakes, Arlington Oaks, Alabama Stakes, and Ladies' Handicap.

She was enrolled in the Hall of Fame in 1966, and was voted 66th of the Top 100 Race Horses of the 20th century! She passed in 1949 and she is buried at CV Whitney Farm which is part of Gainesway Farm. At the link below, you can read about their famous equine cemetary and see Top Flight's stone. Anyway, she had 7 foals, including a stakes winner, and the sires were Gallant Fox, Man o' War, Peace Chance, and Mahmoud.

My girls are related to her, primarily through Commando, Broomstick, Audience, and St. Simon. This photo is from an Ebay ad, and pictures here in Turf and Sport Digest . She was bred by Harry Payne Whitney, but he passed away in 1930 before he got a chance to meet her. So, his son, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, owned and raced her!

You can read more about her at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Flight_Handicap

or

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=153

or

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

Gallant Bloom and my girls!

Gallant Bloom was voted the #79 top race horse of the 20th century, and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977. She was a 1966 filly from the famous horse, Gallant Man, pictured here in this photo taking second place to Iron Liege in the 1957 Kentucky Derby. I'll mention that in a moment. Gallant Bloom was a tiny horse who in spirit was a hell cat who liked to break loose on the track like a speedster. She beat the very best fillies and mares of her day, including Shuvee, Gamely, Amerigo Lady, and Singing Rain. In her 22 race career, she finished 16-1-1. She earned Champion 2-year-old filly in 1968 and Champion 3-year-old filly in 1969. In fact, she won 12 races in a row from ages 2 through 4. She was so popular for her fierce racing that she swept the voting ballot for Champion 3-year-old, though Shuvee had won the NY Racing Association Triple Crown, by taking the Acorn, Mother Goose Stakes, and Coaching Club Stakes. She had a sort of checkered breeding career, having difficulty getting into foal, though she did make some babies. She passed away in 1991 in her paddock in Old Frankfort Place, Kentucky. My girls are related to her through several lines, including Bull Lea, Plucky Liege, Mahmoud, War Admiral, Bee Mac, Gainsborough, and Dark Ronald.



Now, about her dad! Gallant Man was a very famous horse, not the least of which because Bill Shoemaker had the biggest "duh" moment of his career on him. Gallant Man was winning the Kentucky Derby when Shoemaker misjudged the finish line and pulled up and stood in his stirrups in early victory. Iron Liege took his chance and put a nose in front of Gallant Man for the win. This has followed Shoemaker forever! And followed his trainer, ex-jockey and Hall of Fame trainer from Nebraska, John Nerud! Even the greats have their mistakes! Anyway, Gallant Man was a small tough guy (a little over 15 hands) who ended up beating Bold Ruler in the Belmont Stakes and Metropolitan Handicap! He raced during the golden era of Round Table and Bold Ruler. he earned #36 of the Top 100 race horses of the 20th century! In his stud career, he produced Genuine Risk (through one of his daughters) and, of course, our lovely little Gallant Bloom! You can read more about his daughter at the following link:
http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=76

Violet's Blenheim II

So, you know that my girl, Violet, is related to Nasrullah several different ways. So, let me tell you about Nasrullah's damsire, Blenheim. He won the Epsom Derby in 1930, and sired the 1936 Epsom Derby, Mahmoud. He was sold to the U.S. and joined a syndicate of Claiborne Farm, Calumet Farm, Greentree Farm, and Stoner Creek Farm. In his very first crop, he produced Whirlaway, a Triple Crown Winner (and, obviously, Violet's indirect relation!). Whirlaway is pictured in the photo! He died in 1958 and is buried at Claiborne Farms! You can read more about this sexy, productive stallion at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blenheim_II

or

http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Blenheim.html

or

http://www.barbaralivingston.com/gallery/jamessames/blenheim?full=0

Gainsborough and Violet!

Gainsborough was bred and owned by Lady James Douglas. His track record was 9:5-1-1 and he lived a nice long life of 30 years. He is the sire of Hyperion and Mah Mahal, the dam of Mahmoud. All off these horses are part of Violet's family tree! Gainsborough's dad was Bayardo who was distinguished by being the dad of TWO English Triple Crown winners, Gainsborough and Gay Crusader -- both again, part of Violet's family! When he won the 2000 Guineas (the first jewel in the Triple Crown), it was the first time in history that a woman bred a U.K. classic race winner and the first time in history that a horse wore a woman's colors!! His jockey, Joseph Childs, donated his winnings to his regiment as part of the war effort. He retired to a brilliant stellar stud career! You can read more about this elegant champion and the lady who loved him at the following links:

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

or

http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=868

Sweep and My Girls!

Both my girls are related to Sweep, son of Ben Brush and Pink Domino. He was born in 1907 and won the 1910 Belmont Stakes. He is cross-listed with the AQHA. His final record was 13-9-2-2, and in 1909 he was Champion 2-year-old and 1910 Champion 3-year-old. He is noted as being a great broodmare sire. He had 3 daughters who produced Kentucky Derby winners. Beaming Beauty produced Hailee's Bubbling Over, Brushup produced Violet's War Admiral, and Dustwhirl produced Whirlaway. Sweep is recognized for passing the big heart gene to his daughters. His grandson, War Admiral, is one of the four largest heart lines in today's pedigrees, along with Princequillo, Blue Larkspur, and Mahmoud. Notice that Violet is related to all four of those big-heart lines! In the photos, you see Sweep and his son War Admiral winning the Preakness Stakes! Hailee also has Sweep through his son Eternal.