Legacy of Triple Crown Winners as Stallions

Photo: Candice Chavez / Eclipse Sportswire

American Pharoah, our first Triple Crown Champion in eons, will probably grace racing fans with his presence three or four more times before he is rushed to the breeding shed at the end of the year, where he’ll spend the rest of his life siring little pharaohs.  We’ll possibly never know how great he could be after an abbreviated racing career.  Other than Secretariat, who was retired at the end of his three-year-old season due to financial considerations, and Count Fleet due to injury, all of the Triple Crown winners raced as fouryear-olds and some raced until they were seven-years-old.  Triple Crown stars in generations past were expected to sire superstars like themselves. Naturally, in a male-dominated sport, the celebrated offspring were expected to be male and to create dynasties.  Let’s take a look at what really happened.

 

SIR BARTON (Star Shoot—Lady Sterling, by Hanover)    

Race record: 31-13-6-5 ($116,857)


At stud: 

Sire stats: 17 crops; 218 foals; 141 starters; 99 winners. Earnings: $909,166
1 champion; 7 stakes winners; 7 stakes placed


Broodmare sire stats: 77 broodmares; 360 registered foals; 246 starters; 159 winners. Earnings:  $1,764,969

0 champions; 10 stakes winners; 6 stakes placed. 


Principal sons at stud: none

Blue hens: none

 

Notes:

Before there was a Triple Crown, there was Sir Barton.  It wasn’t until a few years after the colt captured the Kentucky Derby Preakness and Belmont Stakes that The New York Times sportswriter Bryan Field began to refer to the trio of races as the Triple Crown.  Upon Gallant Fox’s victory, the Triple Crown moniker was brought to the forefront of racing by Daily Racing Form columnist Charles Hatton.  A small horse standing only 15.2 ½ hands high, Sir Barton sired 218 foals and eight stakes winners in seventeen racing crops. Sir Barton’s best offspring were his daughters, and include Kentucky Oaks winner Easter Stockings.  His sons didn’t do much on the track or in the breeding shed.  Only one notable descendant carried on the bloodline of Sir Barton three time Champion Susan’s Girl, who claimed Sir Barton as her fourth damsire.  Susan’s Girl’s half sister Quaze Quilt won the Kentucky Oaks but was found to be infertile.    

 

 

GALLANT FOX  (Sir Gallahad III—Marguerite, by Celt)

Race record: 17-11-3-2 ($328,165)


At stud: 

Sire stats:  21 crops; 322 foals; 270 starters; 172 winners; Earnings: $1,937,575
2 champions; 18 stakes winners; 16 stakes placed

Broodmare sire stats: 141 broodmares; 838 registered foals;

730 starters; 534 winners. Earnings: $880,324

0 champions; 35 stakes winners; 37 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud: none

Blue hens: Twilight Tryst, Vashti

 

Notes:

Gallant Fox was bred by Belair Stud. Standing a statuesque 16.1 hands, Gallant Fox was nicknamed the “Fox of Belair.”   After a tremendous racing career that, besides the triple crown, included victories in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Wood Memorial, Dwyer, Lawrence Realization Stakes and Saratoga Cup,  Gallant Fox was retired to stand at stud at Claiborne Farm next to his sire, Sir Galahad. During his stud career, the stallion sired 2 champions and 18 stakes winners in 21 racing crops.  Gallant Fox’s best offspring were found in his first two crops. His son Omaha, produced from his first crop, swept the Triple Crown series in 1935 and remains the only Triple Crown winner sired by a Triple Crown winner.  Gallant Fox’s son Granville was named Champion three year old colt despite losing his rider at the start of the Kentucky Derby.  Another son, Flares, was a successful stakes runner in England.  Gallant Fox wasn’t a sire of sires, as his sons failed to produce much in the way of notable offspring, but Gallant Fox’s grandson Chop Chop was a seven-time leading sire in Canada and produced the blue hen Ciboulette.  Gallant Fox most likely carried the large heart gene. His daughter’s include the blue hen Twilight Tryst, and the prolific mare Vashti. Gallant Fox wasn’t the best sire, but his descendants include Bailjumper, the damsire of Medaglia d’ Oro. Balijumper was also the grandsire of the Champion Skip Away.  Kentucky Oaks winner Nancy Jr., and the multiple stakes winners Honorable Miss, Lady D’Accord, My Dinah, and the sire Stravinsky. 

 

OMAHA  (Gallant Fox—Flambino, by Wrack)

Race record: 22-9-6-2 ($154,705) 


At stud: 

Sire stats: 17 crops; 206 foals; 144 starters; 85 winners; Earnings: $1,304,576
0 champions; 7 stakes winners; 8 stakes placed


Broodmare sire stats:  66 broodmares; 333 registered foals; 233 starters; 162 winners. Earnings: $607,674

1 champion; 11 stakes winners; 10 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud:  none

Blue hens: Flaring Top

 

Notes:

A son of Gallant Fox and full brother to the stakes winner Flares. Omaha followed in the hoof prints of his sire in winning the Triple Crown.  Records are inconcise regarding the colt’s stature.  Records have him ranging from His height has been variously given at 16.2½ to 17 hands high, and he was too large to fit into a single stall of the starting gate.  Omaha was the only Triple Crown winner to not win Horse of the Year.  Unfortunately, Omaha sired only seven stakes winners in 17 crops of foals.  His highest earner was Prevaricator, two-time winner of the San Diego Handicap, who made almost $152,000 in 174 starts.  Omaha was a better broodmare sire than sire and likely carried an active X-Factor (large heart gene). His best granddaughter was Doubledogdare who earned honors as Champion Two Year Old and Three Year Old Filly, Summer Tan, who set new track records in the Gallant Fox Handicap and Cowdin Stakes.  Summer Tan stood at Darby Dan Farm and sired three champions; Omaha’s daughter Flaring Top was a blue hen and dam of another blue hen, Flaming Page, who won both the Queen’s Plate against males and the Canadian Oaks. Flaming Page is better known as the dam of the great English Triple Crown hero Nijinsky.  Flaming Page’s descendants include the multiple Group 1 winner The Minstrel and multiple group winner Minsky, full brother to Nijinsky.  

 

WAR ADMIRAL  (Man o’ War—Brushup, by Sweep)

Race record: 26-21-3-1 ($273,240)

 

At stud: 

Sire stats: 20 crops; 373 foals; 320 starters; 251 winners; Earnings: $7,777,585
2 champions; 40 stakes winners; 31 stakes placed.


Broodmare sire stats:   163 broodmares; 1287 registered foals; 1,113 starters; 878 winners; Earnings: $4,504,215

8 champions; 2 graded stakes winners; 112 stakes winners; 84 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud:  none

Blue hens: Admiral's Lady, Belthazar, Busanda, Flying Ship, Iron Maiden, Searching, Striking, Wavy Navy

 

Notes:

War Admiral is one of the best known Triple Crown winners, notability because of his exciting match race in the movie “Seabiscuit.”  The son of the fabulous stallion Man O’War was acclaimed in his own right as a stallion and notably, one of the best broodmare sires of his generation.  War Admiral was one of the most successful Triple Crown winners at stud, getting 2 champions and 40 stakes winners in 20 racing crops, plus earning leading sire designation of 1945.  None of his sons came close to War Admiral’s success at stud, although a lesser known son, War Jeep, sired a broodmare of the year, Belle’s Jeep, whose son Jewels Reward was Juvenile Co-Champion. War Admiral’s daughters were worth their weight in gold and helped shape the bloodlines of the modern-day Thoroughbred.  Eight of his daughters were deemed blue hens and their offspring helped shape todays modern racing;  Buckpasser, Affectionately,  Courtly Dee, Admiring, Bupers, Crafty Admiral, Iron Liege, Iron Reward (dam of Swaps), Gunbow, Hoist the Flag, and Priceless Gem are just a few of the descendants of War Admiral’s daughters.

 

 WHIRLAWAY  (Blenheim II—Dustwhirl, by Sweep)

Race record: 60-32-15-9 ($561,161)


At stud: 

Sire stats: 10 crops; 181 foals; 159 starters; 132 winners; Earnings: $3,168,079

0 champions; 18 stakes winners; 20 stakes placed.


Broodmare sire stats: 72 broodmares; 547 registered foals; 459 starters; 354 winners; Earnings: $1,278,635

2 champions; 34 stakes winners; 29 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud:  None

Blue hens: None

 

Notes:

Whirlaway stood only 15.3 hands high.  He was bred and owned by Calumet Farm and owns the distinction as being the only Triple Crown hero to also win the Travers Stakes. Nicknamed “Mr. Longtail” because his tail almost swept the ground, Whirlaway earned Championship honors for three consecutive years, as a two year old, three year old, and older horse.  As good as he was on the racetrack, Whirlaway was average, at best, as a stallion.  He sired 18 stakes winners out of ten foal crops. Whirlaway stood seven of those seasons at Calumet before shipping to stand in France. His most accomplished runner was Scattered, heroine of the Coaching Club American Oaks.  Like the Triple Crown champs before him, Whirlaway was a better broodmare sire, although none of his daughters earned blue hen designation. His daughter’s descendants include the legendary Forego, blue hen Lady Pitt (dam of blue hen Blitey whose descendants include Dancing Spree, Fantastic Find, Finder’s Fee, T.D. Vance, Dancing Forever, Heavenly Prize, Good Reward, Persistently, Pure Prize, etc.); Champion Older Mare Late Bloomer, Irish Champion Filly Marble Arch, Belmont Stakes winner and sire Bet Twice, United Nations Handicap winner Ends Well, and many others.

 

 

COUNT FLEET  (Reigh Count—Quickly, by Haste)

Race record: 21-16-4-1 ($250,300)


At stud: 

Sire stats:  22 crops; 435 foals; 351 starters; 267 winners; Earnings: $7,090,359

3 champions; 39 stakes winners; 27 stakes placed.


Broodmare sire stats: 207 broodmares; 1622 registered foals; 1,332 starters; 1,041 winners; Earnings: $4,084,829

7 champions; 7 graded stakes winners; 118 stakes winners; 76 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud:  Counterpoint

Blue hens: Fleet Flight Not Afraid, Perception, Recess

 

Notes:

Count Fleet was in the 15 hands high range. He was a feisty horse who was difficult to train and ride. The headstrong Count Fleet was his own worst enemy on the track, yet he earned honors as Champion Two Year Old of 1942. The following year, he was voted Champion Three Year Old and Horse of the Year.  He bobbled in the Belmont Stakes, injuring his leg, but won the race anyway when his jockey was unable to pull the colt up.  Count Fleet was a strong sire.  He produced two winners of the 1951 Classics, the Kentucky Derby winner Count Turf and the Belmont Stakes winner/Horse of the Year Counterpoint. In 1952 Count Fleet was again the sire of the Belmont Stakes winner and Horse of the Year, One Count, plus the champion Three Year Old Filly, Kiss Me Kate.  Despite being named a leading sire, Count Fleet’s sons didn’t follow in their sire’s hoof prints at stud.  Only one, Counterpoint, sired notable offspring, although One Count did manage to produce two blue hens.  Count Fleet’s descendants through his daughters include the major sire Fleet Nasrullah, plus sires Forestry, Cormorant,  four-time leading broodmare sire Prince John; the blue hen Gold Digger who is the dam of Mr. Prospector;  Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Cash Run, Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Secret Circle, Breeders' Cup Turf hero Johar, Filly Triple Crown winner and champion Mom’s Command,  Champion 3YO Filly Furl Sail,  Canadian champion Whindsharp,  Preakness winner Elocutionist  and G-1 winner Shared Interest.  

 

 

ASSAULT (Bold Venture—Igual, by Equipoise)

Race record: 42-18-6-7 ($675,470)


At stud: 

Sire stats:  0 crops; 0 foals; 0 starters; 0 winners; Earnings: $0

 

Notes:

Foaled in Texas, Assault stood just 15 hands high.  The colt was well bred. His sire was a Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner and his dam was by a Horse of the Year.  Assault incurred a hoof injury when he was a foal and his foot was permanently deformed.  Although he walked with a limp, he showed no weakness on the race track and was nicknamed the "Club-footed Comet.”  Assault was plagued with poor health, but overcame kidney, leg and blood issues.  Assault was retired as a four year old, but it was discovered that he was infertile.  Assault was sent back to the track for an additional three years, but didn’t display the brilliance he had shown the first time around.

 

CITATION (Bull Lea—Hydroplane II, by Hyperion)

Race record: 45-32-10-2 ($1,085,760)


At stud: 

Sire stats: 18 crops; 271 foals; 239 starters; 168 winners; Earnings: $3,758,921

1 champion; 12 stakes winners; 12 stakes placed.


Broodmare sire stats: 123 broodmares; 804 registered foals; 649 starters; 493 winners; Earnings: $1,797,222


Principal sons at stud:  None

Blue hens: None

 

Notes:

Citation is one of the greatest race horses of our time.  He was the first race horse to earn a million dollars and he set a record of 16 consecutive wins from 1948-1950, which stood until 2005.  Standing 16 hands high, Citation was a plain bay, with an intelligent eye. He had an effortless stride over every condition track and was a calm, cool and collected horse.  Despite his feats on the racetrack, Citation was an adequate stallion, siring his best offspring in his first two crops, but Citation was neither a sire of sires nor a top broodmare sire. Standing at Calumet Farm, Citation’s most accomplished progeny were Silver Spoon, who beat the boys in the Santa Anita Derby and Preakness hero Fabius. Although none of his daughters achieved blue hen status, they and their descendants produced some decent stakes horses, such as Florida Derby hero Ruthie’s Native, Grade 1 winner/sire Proper Reality and Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve.

 

 

SECRETARIAT (Bold Ruler—Somethingroyal, by Princequillo)

Race record: 21-16-3-1 ($1,316,808)

 

At stud: 

Sire stats: 16 crops, 663 foals; 498 starters; 341 winners; Earnings: $30,154,305

3 champions; 23 graded stakes winners; 57 stakes winners; 47 stakes placed.


Broodmare sire stats: 338 broodmares; 3282 registered foals; 2,541 starters; 1,724 winners; Earnings: $18,942,188

6 champions; 75 graded stakes winners; 172 stakes winners; 160 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud:  General Assembly, D’Accord, Risen Star, Medaille D’Or, Pancho Villa

Blue hens: Cinegita, Weekend Surprise, Six Crowns, Terlingua

 

Notes:

Secretariat is the most famous of the Triple Crown winners.  Nicknamed “Big Red,” the superhorse stood 16.2 hands high.  He created the standard for modern greatness, setting new records in each of the Triple Crown races, two of which still stand.  Expectations were high that the superhorse would escalate the breed and that Secretariat would sire super offspring, an impossible task.  Secretariat was considered to be a disappointment at stud despite siring 3 champions and leading the list as the top Sire of Two Year Olds in 1978.  His offspring include 1986 Horse of the Year Lady’s Secret, Canadian champion Medaille d’Or, champion Three Year Old Risen Star, Kentucky Derby runner-up General Assembly, and Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule.  Secretariat shined as a broodmare sire. His grandsons A.P. Indy and Storm Cat (sire of American Pharoah’s damsire Yankee Gentleman) have shaped modern breeding worldwide. Some of his other prominent grandsons at stud include Gone West, Dehere, Summer Squall, and Chief’s Crown.  

 

 

SEATTLE SLEW (Bold Reasoning—My Charmer, by Poker)

Race record: 17-14-2-0 ($1,208,726)


At stud: 

Sire stats: 24 crops; 1103 foals; 782 starters; 537 winners; Earnings: $84,439,063

8 champions; 63 graded stakes winners; 113 stakes winners; 70 stakes placed; 


Broodmare sire stats: 503 broodmares; 3718  registered foals; 3665 foals of racing age; 2,823  starters; 1993 winners; Earnings: $28,602,780

12 champions; 118 graded stakes winners; 236 stakes winners; 201 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud:  A.P. Indy, Capote, Slew O’Gold, Vindication; lesser sons: Avenue of Flags, Chief Seattle, Doneraile Court, General Meeting, Houston, Leestown, Metfield, Seattle Song, Septieme Ciel, Slew City Slew, Slew Bob, Slewpy, Tomahawk, Tsunami Slew, Williamstown.

Blue hens: None

 

Notes:

Seattle Slew is the only colt who entered – and exited the Triple Crown events undefeated. Seattle Slew stood 16 hands high and had an even temperament. The dark bay, almost black stallion was the best sire of sires of all the Triple Crown winners. His offspring include Kentucky Derby/Belmont Stakes winner Swale and Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy, who, like his sire, became an international sire sensation in his own right.   Despite earning leading broodmare sire honors for two consecutive years, Seattle Slew has no blue hen daughters. His daughters' progeny include the "incomparable, invincible" Cigar, who tied Citation's record of 16 straight wins, Breeders' Cup Turf winner Dangerous Midge, plus the stallions Offlee Wild and Eskendereya.


 

 

AFFIRMED (Exclusive Native—Won’t Tell You, by Crafty Admiral)

Race record:  29-22-5-1 ($2,383,818)


At stud: 

Sire stats: 22 crops; 435 foals; 351 starters; 267 winners; Earnings: $7,090,359

3 champions; 42 graded stakes winners; 86 stakes winners; 59 stakes placed.


Broodmare sire stats: 383 broodmares; 2864 registered foals; 2839 of racing age; 2197 starters; 1571 winners; Earnings: $15,101,127

10 champions; 62 graded stakes winners; 148 stakes winners; 138 stakes placed.


Principal sons at stud:  None

Blue hens: Morning Devotion

 

Notes:

The athletic Chestnut Affirmed stood 16.1 hands high. He was noted for his determination in winning the Triple Crown races against his rival Alydar.  The two colts made history as the only rivals to finish first and second in all three races.  Affirmed was a capable stallion and his offspring had a penchant for the lawn.  Affirmed’s most notable offspring include fan favorite and multiple G-1 winner The Tin Man, Turf Champion Mare Flawlessly, Canadian champs Quiet Resolve and Peteski.   Like many of the Triple Crown heroes, Affirmed was more accomplished as a broodmare sire.  His daughters’ progeny include the good sire Harlan’s Holiday, multiple G-1 winners Honey Ryder and Dressed to Thrill; Breeder's Cup Classic/Dubai World Cup hero Pleasantly Perfect, Dubai Golden Shaheen Sprint winner Big Jag, and English Oaks/Irish Derby heroine Balanchine.

 

 

Summary:

There are two common factors that almost all of the Triple Crown winners share as sires.  One is that they, with little exception, were better as broodmare sires, rather than sires of sires. The other trait many of them shared is that they very likely carried a dominant large heart (x-factor) gene, which theory goes hand in hand with the stallions’ status as better broodmare sires. 

 

So what does all of this mean for our latest Triple Crown Champ when he eventually (hopefully later than sooner) goes to stud?  The bloodlines of three Triple Crown champions flow through American Pharoah’s veins. Count Fleet, War Admiral (3 instances) and Secretariat.

 

American Pharoah’s sire Pioneerof The Nile is proving to be an excellent stallion.  In just five crops of 220 foals with a total of 106 on the race track, Pioneerof The Nile has sired 1 champion, 6 graded stakes winners, 7 stakes winners and 10 stakes placed runners.  Pioneerof The Nile’s first son to go to stud is Caro Prince, who stood his first season this year, so the jury is still out on what his legacy will be. 

 

American Pharoah has all of the characteristics of a carrier of a dominant large heart gene. His race record and curly leaf-like ears are dead giveaways.  How he’ll do as a stallion is anybody’s guess, but he’ll have every opportunity to prove himself. His first book of mares will be the best available, either stakes winners or proven dams of stakes winners.  As an X-Factor carrier, American Pharoah is poised to become an excellent broodmare sire. Here’s hoping some of his sons follow in his increasingly large hoof prints.

 

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