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In a monumental and important work for the Thoroughbred industry, author and pedigree researcher Avalyn Hunter provides extensive pedigree analysis of every American classic race winner from 1914 through 2002.
On the morning of May 18, 1924, households across America opened their newspapers to the headline: "Derby Winner Property of Indian Woman." The woman in question was Rosa Magnet Hoots, a member of the Oklahoma Osage Nation. The horse, draped in the iconic red roses signifying his victory in the fiftieth running of the Kentucky Derby, was Black Gold. In a sport defined by its exclusivity, the pair's unlikely appearance in the winner's circle set off a firestorm of speculation that would uncover an origin story stranger than fiction. Named for the oil that had been discovered in large quantities in Oklahoma at the time of his birth, Black Gold was born in 1921 to a mare named Useeit. At the st...
When Canadian industrialist and Thoroughbred breeder E.P. Taylor watched his well-bred, handsome colt pass unsold through the auction ring, he could hardly have envisioned the degree to which this seeming misfortune would boomerang in his favor. Named Northern Dancer, the sales reject proved his worth by winning the 1964 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes for Taylor. In doing so, he become a Canadian hero. And that was only the beginning. As a stallion, the diminutive Northern Dancer exerted a legendary influence on the breed, at one time commanding a million-dollar stud fee. International competition for his offspring created world records in the auction ring. Respected pedigree authority Avalyn Hunter explores how Northern Dancer and his sons have established a royal dynasty that has profoundly dominated the international bloodstock market.
Toronto industrialist and Thoroughbred breeder E.P. Taylor wanted to prove to the world that his native Canada could produce racehorses as good as any, and he backed up his belief by offering his own yearlings for sale. So, he couldn’t have been happy when buyers in 1962 rejected a well-bred but small bay colt from his Windfields Farm consignment. But Taylor could hardly have envisioned the degree to which this seeming misfortune would boomerang in his favor.Ultimately, he would have the satisfaction of breeding, then racing the horse that would transform the international bloodstock market. Named Northern Dancer, the sales reject proved his worth by winning the 1964 Kentucky Derby and Pre...
No Thoroughbred race in the state of Kentucky holds a more hallowed place in the national and international consciousness than the Kentucky Derby. Its fame is richly deserved, yet there are other equally important and historic races whose significance deserves a larger share of the spotlight—none more so than the Derby's sister race, the Kentucky Oaks. Inaugurated on May 19, 1875—just two days after the first Kentucky Derby—and run annually at Churchill Downs since then, the Kentucky Oaks is America's most prestigious race for three-year-old fillies and the second-oldest continuously run horse race in North America. Always cherished by horsemen as a test for the future mothers of the T...
Mr. Prospector showed early brilliance as a speedster on the racetrack, but nothing could have prepared the horse racing world for the spectacular progenitor he would become. By the time of his death at age 29 in 1999, Mr. Prospector had led the U.S. sire list twice (with his sons and daughters earning more than $16 million) and had led the broodmare sire list twice. He has since led the broodmare sire list seven more times. He sired 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, who sold for $4 million as a yearling and was syndicated for stud duty for $70 million. Respected pedigree expert Avalyn Hunter looks at Mr. Prospector and his incredible impact on the American Thoroughbred.
Calumet, Claiborne, King Ranch—these iconic names are among the owners and breeders revered by Thoroughbred industry professionals and racing fans around the world. As campaigners of many of the 20th century's top racehorses, their prestige has been confirmed by decades of competition in the Triple Crown, the most esteemed series in American Thoroughbred racing. Even with these substantial legacies, their success is measured against the benchmark set by one of racing's earliest dynasties, the historic Belair Stud. The story of this legendary operation began with William Woodward's childhood memories of grand days at the racetrack, inspiring dreams of breeding a champion or two of his own. ...
No Thoroughbred race in the state of Kentucky holds a more hallowed place in the national and international consciousness than the Kentucky Derby. Its fame is richly deserved, yet there are other equally important and historic races whose significance deserves a larger share of the spotlight—none more so than the Derby's sister race, the Kentucky Oaks. Inaugurated on May 19, 1875—just two days after the first Kentucky Derby—and run annually at Churchill Downs since then, the Kentucky Oaks is America's most prestigious race for three-year-old fillies and the second-oldest continuously run horse race in North America. Always cherished by horsemen as a test for the future mothers of the T...
Women of the Year profiles the ten fillies and mares that have earned Horse of the Year honors in American racing.
Champion Race Horses of the Empire State From Saratoga to Belmont Park, New York hosts some of horse racing's most important races, but many of the most successful thoroughbreds of the past five decades also have called the state home. Say Florida Say seemed to only improve with age, winning thirty-three times throughout a seven-year career that made him a regional favorite in the 1990s. The first ever New York horse to win the Kentucky derby, Funny Cide, rose to national prominence in 2003, winning both the Derby and the Preakness in incredible fashion. The thoroughbred Audible shared owners with triple-crown winner Justify, and though embroiled in some controversy as a result, was also an elite race horse during a brief career. Author Allan Carter highlights the stories behind the greatest New York thoroughbreds of the past half-century.