The Thoroughbred is best known for it’s prowess on the track, but the breed has had a bigger impact on the horse industry than winning races. Although racing brings billions of dollars into the economy, the Thoroughbred is also responsible and well-known for founding and improving many other breeds. They have become heros and have even managed to find their way into the hearts of horse people and non-horse people alike. Some Thoroughbreds are household names and others sit quietly in the background as the parents of those in the winner’s circles. The Thoroughbred has been carefully developed and has proven to be an established and well formed breed.
In the 17th century, horse racing in England was becoming popular and the need was growing for an established horse that was bred for racing. Henry VIII was the first patron of horse racing and founded the Royal Paddocks at Hamton Court. The horses he bred there were of Spanish and Italian origin and were heavily influenced by the Barb. These horses were crossed with native running stock of Galloway from northern England, ancestors of the Fell pony and Irish Hobbies.
During the Restoration of Charles II, Monarchs maintained a particular interest in racing stallions and soon the Thoroughbred saw a revolution in breeding and development.
With the importation of three eastern horses, the Byerly Turk, the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Arabian, the racing horses of the time would be improved forever, not for speed but for consistency in breeding. The running horses of England at the time were far superior runners compared to the three eastern horses, however, these three stallions were needed to form a consistent type and add refinement to the breed.
It has been established that over 80% of all Thoroughbreds have derived from 31 original ancestors, with the three eastern stallions towering as the most important. In the male line, all modern Thoroughbreds descend from these three stallions.
Although the three eastern stallions have been named as the most important ancestors of the Thoroughbred breed, there are four principal bloodlines which have founded the majority of the top racing horses in the world.
The first of the four principle bloodlines belongs to the eastern stallion, the Byerly Turk. He was a war mount who fought in battle before being sent to stand at County Durham in 1690. He was named after his owner, Captain Robert Byerly. The line starts with Herod, the son of Jigg who was the son of Byerly. Herod’s progeny won more than 1,000 races alone.
The Darley Arabian was acquired at Aleppo in 1704 before being sent to the Darley home in East Yorkshire. He was well proportioned, extremely striking and stood 15 hands. He was bred to the mare Betty Leedes and together the two produced the great racehorse, Flying Childers. In the words of his owner, Flying Childers “was the fleetest horse that ever raced in Newmarket or, as generally believed, was ever bred in the world.”
The two also produced Bartlett’s Childers who sired Squirt who sired Marske who in turn sired Eclipse, who was undefeated on the turf. Eclipse founded the second principle bloodline and from him we see some of the most impressive bloodlines known today.
The Godolphin Arabian arrived in England in 1728. He was brought to Lord Godolphin’s Stud, Gog Magog, as a teaser stallion. He ended up fighting the stallion Hobgoblin for his mare, Roxana. The two produced Lathe and Cade. Cade sired Matchem in 1748 who founded the third principle bloodline.
The fourth principle bloodline was founded on Highflyer. Highflyer was the the son of Herod, who was one of the most significant Thoroughbred breeding stallions in America.
Although these four bloodlines head up the four base families of the Thoroughbred, there are also other important sires. They left a large impact on the breed although their male lines did not directly prevail. Those sires include Curwen Bay Barb, the unknown Arabian sire of the foundation mare, Old Bald Peg, to whom millions of repeat crosses can be traced. D’Arcy’s Chestnut and White Arabians are also prevalent sires, as well as the Leedes Arabian and the Helmsley and Lister Turks. Brownlow’s Turk and Alcock’s Arabian also proved their importance through their responsibility for the gray coat colors we see today.
In the late 1700s, breeders stopped using Arabians, being satisfied with what they had acquired by this time. Though not yet named a breed or even referred to as Thoroughbred, the type was fixed and firmly in place as superior. Although England’s running horses were becoming popular the world over, the Thoroughbred was not officially named a breed until the mid-19th century.
It is evident when observing the Thoroughbred in early art depictions, that elegance and refinement were two factors sought after in the development of the breed. England had graduated from the thick stocky war horse of the past and was leading the way into a new era of horse breeding.
In 1791 James Weatherby researched and produced the first stud book in England. He listed 387 pedigrees of mares, each tracing back to the three Arabian foundation stallions. These records proved to be most important in further developing the breed.
Samuel Gist is credited with importing the first Thoroughbred into America. Bulle Rock arrived in Virginia in 1730 at the age of 21 and became the leader in a succession of Thoroughbreds to follow. He was the son of the Darley Arabian.
One of the most significant stallions in the development of American Thoroughbred breeding was Herod. His son, Florizel sired Diomed who, although a brilliant runner, was a disappointment in England as a breeding stallion. He was shipped to the United States in 1798 at 21 years of age and went on to become the founder of one of the most important lines in American Thoroughbred history. His son Sir Archie sired Boston, a foul tempered stallion who won 40 out of his 45 races. He went on to sire Lexington, one of America’s greatest Thoroughbred stallions.
Lexington held the title of America’s Leading Thoroughbred Sire for 16 years, 14 of which were in succession. This record has never since been matched by any modern American sire.
The first organized Thoroughbred race was produced by Governor Samuel Ogle of Maryland in 1745 at Annapolis.
In 1873, Colonel Sanders D. Bruce, of Kentucky, published the first volume of the American Studbook. This Studbook is now produced by the Jockey Club in order to preserve the integrity of the breed. The Jockey Club maintains records for over 3 million horses, many dating back to the 19th century, as well as daily race records from all over the country. This is the governing body that watches over all aspects of Thoroughbred racing and breeding in the United States.
The Thoroughbred stands approximately 16 hands tall with a refined head, intelligent eyes and a long, slim neck. High withers and a deep, well muscled shoulder are also characteristic of the breed, as well as clean, long legs and powerful hindquarters. Thoroughbreds are found in bay, black-bay, chestnut, black and gray, although periodically a roan will appear.
Probably the first celebrity horse and possibly the most famous horse of all time of any breed is Man O’War. He was a large chestnut who surpassed the boundaries of racing. He became a household name and a figure of majesty. Man O’War was related to the 1946 Triple Crown winner, Assault.
Born just before midnight on March 29, 1917 at Nursery Stud in Lexington, Kentucky, Man O’War was large and bold and earned the nickname ‘Big Red.’ In 1918, he sold as a gangly yearling at the Saratoga Yearling sale for $5,000. He debuted at Belmont Park on June 6, 1919 in a purse race and easily won by six lengths. Three days later, Man O’War won another stakes race at the Keene Memorial Stakes against five opponents.
It was just a few days before Man O’War was carrying more weight than his opponents and still winning by great margins. On August 13, 1919, the stallion made history while at Saratoga’s Sanford Memorial. The chestnut stallion was still circling when the flag went down, causing him to face the wrong way as the rest of the field thundered down the track. Man O’War’s opponents were long gone before the stallion could right himself to run the six-furlong race. He caught and quickly passed most of the group on the inside, but ran out of track with a half length to go. Upset, an aptly named horse, ended up winning the race that day, earning him a place in history as teh only horse to ever beat Man O’War. Upset faced Man O’War a total of six times during his career and never again defeated him.
Man O’War went on to set many American records, although he never competed in the Triple Crown. His owner kept him in the east for most of his career. His last race was in Canada at the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup. He was pitted against Sir Barton who was having a magnificent year. This time Man O’War carried six lbs. less weight than Sir Barton and won by seven lengths. It was discussed later that foul play may have been a possibility in the race, as Sir Barton had sore feet during race day and Man O’War’s stirrup strap had been slit (although it did not break during the race). It was discovered that Willis Sharpe Kilmer had been offended that his horse Exterminator had not been invited to the race, which raised suspicion.
Offers came for special challenges and all were declined. Man O’War was wintered at Glen Riddle farm and then moved to Lexington on January 27, 1921. He was ridden under silks in an exhibition before a large crowd at the Lexington Association track. The first time he ever set foot on a Kentucky track.
Man O’War’s groom, Will Harbut, became closely associated with the horse after he was moved to Kentucky. He was happy to show Man O’War to visitors and soon magazines began covering the human interest story. Harbut’s description of Man O’War, became the famous phrase, “He wuz de mostest hoss.”
Man O’War left a legacy of fine racers, including his grandson, Seabiscuit, who went on to find extensive fame on the track. He passed quietly on November 1, 1947 at the age of 30. He was embalmed and lay in state for three days before being buried in a portion of his old paddock. He was immortalized with a bronze statue of himself mounted to a green marble slab that headed his grave. He was later moved to the Kentucky Horse Park where his grave was perfectly recreated. He attracts thousands of visitors every year who still honor him as the greatest Thoroughbred of all time.
Although the great Man O’War never had the chance to compete in the Triple Crown, there are 13 other Thoroughbreds that will go down in history holding the title.
In 1919 the first Triple Crown victory in history was won by Sir Barton. Unfortunately, at the time there was no reward for winning the toughest triple but he is immortalized just the same. His story is interesting as he was entered in the Kentucky Derby as a running mate for Billy Kelly.
In 1918 Sir Barton was purchased as a two-year-old by Commander J.K.L. Ross of Maryland for $10,000. In an early race, Sir Barton broke the quickest and led from wire to wire. He finished five lengths ahead and was sent immediately to the Preakness. He won that race as well, also wire to wire, and won by 4 lengths. He then went on to win the Withers Stakes 10 days later and then the Belmont to take the first Triple Crown.
Although Sir Barton’s racing career did not last long, it was intense. He had a very short breeding career before being recruited into the U.S. Calvalry. After serving his country, Sir Barton died on October 30, 1937 at the age of 21. His owner at the time, Dr. J.R. Hylton buried him on his ranch in the Laramie Mountain foothills. His remains were later moved to Washington Park in Douglas, Wyoming, in honor of his Triple Crown win.
It was not until 1930 that another Triple Crown victory took place. Gallant Fox was born in 1927 and was known as the ‘Fox of Belaire.’ That year, the Preakness was the first of the three Triple Crown races to run, with the Kentucky Derby following eight days later. In the Belmont, Gallant Fox faced only three opponents and won by thre lengths. He was then retired to stud as a three-year-old. His son, Omaha, went on to win the Triple Crown himself in 1935. Gallant Fox died at 27 years of age and is buried on the hill behind Secretariat’s barn, but has a marker in the main cemetery at Claiborne Farm. Gallant Fox is the only Triple Crown winner to sire another Triple Crown winner.
Omaha was born in 1932 and won only one of his nine starts as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old, however, Omaha managed to win the Derby, went on to win the Preakness by six lengths, lost the Withers Stakes, but then regained his stride and won the Belmont. That year the Belmont track was a swamp; only five horses started and Omaha won by a length and a half. He was sent to England for a short period before coming back to America to stand at stud, but was a disappointment. As a breeding stallion, Omaha did sire some stake winners before passing in 1959 at the age of 27. He is buried at AkSarBen racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska.
War Admiral won the 1937 Triple Crown one year after it was slated as a three-race forum. The stallions was born in 1934 as the son of Man O’War. When War Admiral was born, his owner wrote, “a derby winner has arrived. He’s little but he looks like a grand runner.” The truth is War Admiral was a temperamental stallion who was known for holding up starts. In fact, during the start for the Belmont (which he won), War Admiral sliced a chunk off of his hoof while acting up. His belly was covered with spattered blood by the end of the race, but it was not discovered until he was in the winner’s circle. He died in 1959 and was buried next to his great sire.
In 1941, Whirlaway took the Triple Crown victory. He was born in 1938 at Calumet Farm in Kentucky. After his Triple Crown win, he stood at stud for a short time before being sent to France to stand. He died there in 1953 at the age of 15. A marker has been placed for him at Calumet Cemetery, although he is buried in France.
Count Fleet took the Triple Crown victory in 1943. He was born in 1940 at Stoner Creek Stud in Paris, Kentucky. He was retired to stud after a knee injury and died December 3, 1973 at the age of 33. He was laid to rest in the central place of honor in the cemetery at Stoner Creek Stud.
Assault won the 1946 Triple Crown. He was born in 1943 at the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas. He was retired from racing and was a disappointment as a stud. He was returned to the track in 1948, retired again and returned again in 1949. He was retired for good in 1950 and lived out his life as a pasture stud, breeding Quarter Horses and producing a few offspring. He died in 1971 at the age of 28 at the King Ranch.
In 1948, Citation was the Triple Crown winner. He was born in 1945 at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. After his retirement, Citation stood at stud until his death in 1970 at the age of 25. He is buried at the cemetery at Calumet Farm.
It wasn’t until 1973 that another Triple Crown winner was crowned. Secretariat broke the 25 year streak when he swept the three races. Secretariat was born in 1970 in Virginia at Meadow Stud, Inc. He went on to a successful breeding career, producing many winners, but unfortunately suffered from laminitis, which caused him to be euthanized in 1989 at the young age of 19. He is buried in whole at Claiborne Cemetery in Paris, Kentucky, where tradition is ‘head, heart and hooves.’ Visitors continue to visit his grave to this day, bringing flowers and gifts.
Seattle Slew won the 1977 Triple Crown and excited crowds. He was born in 1974 in Kentucky and retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm. His value was placed at $12 million. He had a successful breeding career and was eventually moved to Three Chimneys Farm where even at the age of 24 was saddled and jogged daily. He died in 2002 at the age of 25 at Hill’n Dale Farm, Midway, Kentucky.
In 1978, Affirmed triumphed as the Triple Crown winner after a grueling battle on the track with rival Alydar. The duel went down in history as one of the greatest battles of all time. Affirmed was born in 1975 at Harbor View Farm in Florida. After his racing career, Affirmed was retired to stud and produced foals around the world. He stood at Spendthrift Farm for a period before being moved to Calumet Farms where he lived out the rest of his days beside his old rival, Alydar. He died in 2001 at the age of 26 at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Thoroughbred has influenced many breeds throughout its history. They are the base of many of today’s favorite breeds and are responsible for improving many others. They have changed the world of sport and brought the horse to the forefront. Some of them are a household name, while some have yet to achieve their place in the spotlight.
To all of those past and future, we salute you. Thank you each and every one for bringing us those exciting moments in history, the touching agony of defeat and the glory of being a Thoroughbred.
For more information on the Thoroughbred please contact: The Jockey Club, 821 Corporate Drive, Lexington, KY 40503, call 859/224-2700 or visit www.jockeyclub.com.
