Fenian (horse)
| Fenian | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Mickey Free |
| Grandsire | Chestnut |
| Breeder | August Belmont |
| Owner | August Belmont |
| Trainer | Jacob Pincus |
| Jockey | Charlie Miller |
| Major wins | |
| American Classics wins: Belmont Stakes (1869) | |
Fenian (foaled 1866) was a
Breeding
Fenian was bred by
Racing career
Fenian raced as a two-year-old and was held to be a good racehorse then.[5] He started five times and won twice.[6] On June 10, 1868, he placed third in the Hopeful Stakes, a 5 furlongs (1.0 kilometer) race for two-year-olds.[7] Seven days later, he placed second in a 1⁄2 mile (1 kilometer) sweepstakes race for two-year-olds.[8] He was again second in a two-year-old sweepstakes race on July 1, this time at a distance of 5 furlongs.[9] On October 7 he won a match race against Inveruglass at a distance of 3⁄4 mile (1.2 kilometers).[10] In his last race as a two-year-old, he won a handicap sweepstakes on October 10 at a distance of 1 mile (1.6 kilometers).[11] His record as a two-year-old was two wins, two seconds, and a third from five races.[7][8][9][6]
Fenian won the third running of the Belmont Stakes in 1869 for his owner August Belmont.[12] His trainer was Jacob Pincus and he won the race in a time of 3 minutes and 4.25 seconds.[1][13] The track was rated as heavy, and the race was at a distance of 1+5⁄8 miles (i.e. 13 furlongs (2,600 metres)) on June 5. The race was worth $3500 to the winner,[1] who was ridden by Charlie Miller.[14] Although there is no official record of the margin of victory, contemporary accounts noted that Fenian won the race easily, and finished the race while being pulled up.[1] The race was run at Jerome Park.[14] His stablemate, Glenelg, was also entered in the race, and there is some indication that Glenelg was held back to allow Fenian to win.[13] Glenelg, also owned by Belmont, came in second in the race. Fenian, however, had been bred by Belmont, and Glenelg, who was imported to the United States in his mother's womb, had not, so Belmont preferred for a horse he had bred to win.[15] There were 6 other horses in the race, but none of them came close to beating either Fenian or Glenelg.[5] This was Fenian's only race as a three-year-old.[6]
Fenian reportedly never raced again, due to bad legs.[1] This was a fault of all of his dam's foals.[5] However, Belmont sold Fenian in October 1870 to Dr. D. Kerwin for $70.[16] He later raced under Kerwin's name as a gelding until 1872 when he was sent to England.[17][18] Retrained for steeplechasing and owned by J.B. Burstall, Fenian was second in the Military and Navy Stakes run at Emsworth in April 1872.[19]
Fenian won no other stakes races,[2] and sired no stakes winners.[20] His claim to fame is that he is the horse that appears on top of the Belmont Stakes trophy.[21][22]
Pedigree
| Sire Mickey Free[23] 1841 |
Birdcatcher[24]
1833 |
Sir Hercules | Whalebone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peri | |||
| Guiccioli | Bob Booty | ||
| Flight | |||
| Annie
1827 |
Wanderer | Gohanna | |
| Catherine | |||
| Caroline | Whalebone | ||
| Marianne | |||
| Dam Spiletta[4] 1856 |
Stockwell[25]
1849 |
The Baron | Birdcatcher |
| Echidna | |||
| Pocahontas | Glencoe I | ||
| Marpessa | |||
| Olivia Augusta
1851 |
Cowl | Bay Middleton | |
| Crucifix | |||
| Maria | Belshazzar | ||
| Cervantes Mare |
Citations
- ^ a b c d e New York Racing Association "1869 Belmont Stakes" The Belmont Stakes
- ^ a b Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 460
- ^ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 622
- ^ a b Bruce American Stud Book vol. 1 p. 128
- ^ a b c Vosburgh "Belmont Stakes" Daily Racing Form
- ^ a b c Crickmore Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 p. 232
- ^ a b Crickmore Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 p. 33
- ^ a b Crickmore Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 p. 36
- ^ a b Crickmore Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 p. 38
- ^ Crickmore Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 p. 75
- ^ Crickmore Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 p. 78
- ^ New York Racing Association "Belmont Stakes" The Belmont Stakes
- ^ a b Hewitt Great Breeders of the Past p. 24
- ^ a b Staff "Glory of Belmont Stakes" Daily Racing Form
- ^ Robertson History of Thoroughbred Racing pp. 105–106
- ^ Staff "Sale of horses at Jerome Park Evening Post
- ^ Staff "American Jockey Club Handicaps" American Gentleman's Newspaper
- ^ Staff "Racing and Trotting Notes New York Clipper
- ^ Staff "South Hampshire Steeplechases" Sportsman
- ^ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 580
- ^ Sowers Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes p. 11
- ^ Staff "Belmont Stakes Factoids" Belmont Stakes
- ^ Bruce American Stud Book vol. 1 p. 38
- ^ Bruce Horse Breeder's Guide p. 71
- ^ Bruce Horse Breeder's Guide p. 3
References
- Bruce, S. D. (1884). OCLC 9320888.
- Bruce, S. D. (1883). Horse-Breeder's Guide and Hand Book. New York: Turf, Field and Farm. OCLC 63337475.
- Crickmore, H. G. (1901). Racing Calendars: Vol. 3 1868, 1869. New York: W. C. Whitney. OCLC 950904302.
- Hewitt, Abram S. (1982). The Great Breeders and Their Methods. Lexington, KY: Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. OCLC 12739523.
- Hogan, Clio D. (n.d.). Index to Stakes Winners 1865–1967. Solvang, CA: Flag Is Up Farms.
- New York Racing Association (2010). "1869 Belmont Stakes" (PDF). The Belmont Stakes. New York Racing Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 7, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
- New York Racing Association (2010). "Belmont Stakes". New York Racing Association. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
- Robertson, William H. P. (1964). The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America. New York: Bonanza Books. LCCN 64-17364.
- Sowers, Richard (2014). The Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes: A Comprehensive History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-7698-5.
- Staff (1871). "American Jockey Club Handicaps" (PDF). The American Gentleman's Newspaper. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- Staff. "Belmont Stakes Factoids". Belmont Stakes. New York Racing Association. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- Staff (June 1, 1921). "Glory of Belmont Stakes". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
- Staff (May 4, 1872). "Racing and trotting notes" (PDF). The New York Clipper. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- Staff (October 14, 1870). "Sale of horses at Jerome Park" (PDF). The Evening Post. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- Staff (April 20, 1872). "South Hampshire Steeplechases". The Sportsman. No. page 8.
- Vosburgh, W. S. (April 9, 1922). "The Belmont Stakes". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved January 31, 2011.