The big, rangy colt had countless genes of greatness, and a talent he brought to fruition on June 11, 1988, that not only left spectators breathless, but gave them a fleeting glimpse into the past, back to a time when something even more extraordinary had been done by his father.
Risen Star, champion, and shining beacon of New Orleans, was bred in Kentucky by Arthur Hancock II and Leone J. Peters. As a racehorse he entered the starting gate only eleven times, but left a beautiful footprint, and enriched an already deep, glorious heritage. The following discussion offers a brief overview of many of the predecessors who from one generation to the next would produce Risen Star.
FEMALE LINE
Fifth Dam – Mumtaz Begum (FR.)
Mumtaz Begum was sired by Epsom Derby winner Blenheim II (GB), who would also sire American Triple Crown winner Whirlaway, and English champion and leading sire Mahmoud (GB), to name just a few, in addition to being broodmare sire of Coaltown, and Kentucky Derby winners Hill Gail and Kauai King, the latter who also won the Preakness Stakes. Mumtaz Begum's dam was the very fast English champion Mumtaz Mahal (GB).
Fourth Dam – Bibibeg (IRE.)
Third Dam – Quaheri
Mumtaz Begum produced Bibibeg, and although undistinguished as a racer, Bibibeg's sire was 1935 English Triple Crown winner Bahram (GB). Bibibeg was bred to Olympia, winner of the San Felipe, Flamingo Stakes and Wood Memorial and their foal was Quaheri.
Quaheri, also unremarkable on the track, reached the court of Hail to Reason. Sired by Turn-to (IRE.), by Royal Charger (GB), Hail to Reason was a two-year-old champion before becoming a prolific stallion, among his get, Halo, Irish/English champion and Epsom Derby winner Roberto, Kentucky Derby winner Proud Clarion, and Horse of the Year Personality (Thoroughbred Racing Associations). He was also broodmare sire of the great French racemare Allez France. His son Halo would sire Horse of the Year, dual classic winner/Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sunday Silence, and Derby winner Sunny's Halo. Roberto became the sire of Dynaformer, who in turn sired Barbaro.
From the mating of Quaheri and Hail to Reason came Break Through.
Second Dam – Break Through
The lightly raced mare Break Through received as one of her suitors, the stallion His Majesty, and from his cover, Break Through dropped a female foal, who would be named Ribbon.
Dam – Ribbon
Ribbon, a bay mare, was a multiple stakes winner from twenty-seven starts, among her wins the 1 1/8 mile Arlington Oaks, and the grassy 1 1/8 mile Pucker Up Stakes.
Broodmare Sire – His Majesty
The racehorse His Majesty made twenty-two starts, won the 1 1/8 mile Everglades Stakes and later set a Hialeah track record of 1:46 2/5 for the distance. His Majesty's sire, Ribot (GB.), trained by the legendary Italian Federico Tesio, was undefeated in sixteen lifetime starts, including two wins in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and undoubtedly was Europe's supreme runner in the 1950s. His Majesty was a full brother to the tremendously talented Graustark, winner of seven of eight starts, before sustaining a career-ending injury. His Majesty's dam, Flower Bowl, also produced champion Bowl of Flowers by Sailor. Flower Bowl's sire, the unraced Alibhai (GB), by the great champion and sire Hyperion (GB), was also the father of Kentucky Derby winner Determine, champion handicap mare Bornastar, Your Host, and Hollywood Gold Cup winner, Solidarity. Your Host became the sire of the immortal five-time Horse of the Year Kelso. Determine would sire Decidedly, a California-bred, who followed in his father's footsteps with a victory in the Run for the Roses.
MALE LINE
Fifth Sire – Pharos (GB)
Pharos' father, Phalaris (GB), was the ancestral sire of Thoroughbred racing's most dominant male lines, three of these being through Native Dancer, Northern Dancer, and Buckpasser. Another line will be mentioned shortly.
A mating of Pharos and the Italian classic winner Nogara (ITY.) produced a bay colt, whose achievements on the racetrack made him a champion; but his later success as a stallion proved to be infintely more monumental. He was Nearco (ITY.).
Fourth Sire – Nearco (ITY.)
Nearco, also trained by Tesio, was a tremendously strong, dominant racer and superior to his contemporaries. When it was time to send him to the breeding shed, he proved equally successful, counting among his many sons, Epsom Derby winners Dante and Nimbus. Another son, Royal Charger, was himself a grand success as a stallion and produced such notables as U.S. female champion Idun and female co-champion Royal Native (Daily Racing Form), male turf champion Mongo, and Preakness Stakes winner Royal Orbit. Royal Charger's son Turn-to, in addition to offspring Hail to Reason, sired two-year-old champion First Landing, and was damsire of 1971 Horse of the Year Ack Ack. Through Royal Charger's daughter Gay Hostess, came dual classic winner Majestic Prince.
In 1954 a foal, produced by Nearco and the Hyperion mare Lady Angela (GB), became Nearctic (CAN.), the future sire of the fabulous sire of sires Northern Dancer (CAN.). Another mare brought to Nearco's court was Mumtaz Begum, and in 1940 the offspring from their mating was the beginning of the other dominant male line descending from Phalaris. This foal would be called Nasrullah (GB).
Third Sire - Nasrullah(GB)
Nasrullah was a two-year-old English champion and later a leading sire in both England and the United States, with an enormous output of stakes winners. One of his best sons, out of the Johnstown mare Segula, was Nashua, the Horse of the Year in 1955. Nashua would do well in the breeding shed, siring female handicap champion Shuvee. It was a daughter of Nashua, Bramalea, who gave birth to Roberto, while through another daughter, Gold Digger, came the legendary stallion Mr. Prospector, by Raise a Native, by Native Dancer.
Miss Disco by Discovery
Miss Disco, a bay mare foaled in 1944, had been sired by Horse of the Year and handicap champion Discovery, a son of Preakness winner Display, whose own sire Fair Play, had also sired Man o'War. Discovery made two great contributions as a stallion, both through his daughters, Geisha and Miss Disco. Geisha was mated to Polynesian and the resultant foal was the aforementioned Native Dancer. Miss Disco was mated to Nasrullah, and on April 6, 1954, a bay foal arrived who would become one of his era's most brilliant runners and later a great sire of champions. His name was Bold Ruler.
Grandsire – Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler was among arguably the best crop ever in American racing, that group foaled in 1954 who became the three-year-old class of 1957. Among Bold Ruler's peers were Round Table, Gallant Man (GB), Iron Liege, Federal Hill, and General Duke. Bold Ruler was very fast, equaled the track record in the seven furlong Bahamas Stakes, and broke the track mark in the 1 1/8 mile Flamingo Stakes. After a torrid duel with Gallant Man in the 1 1/8 mile Wood Memorial, Bold Ruler prevailed by a nose in track record time. He finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, before winning the Preakness Stakes, then succumbed to Gallant Man in the Belmont Stakes after he was cooked by the winner's rabbit, inserted specifically to soften him up. Later that year, Bold Ruler went on a rampage winning six of his next seven races, and also began showing his great weight carrying ability. He ran off by six lengths in the one mile Jerome Handicap under 130 pounds, won by nine lengths in the seven furlong Vosburgh, also under 130, won the 1 1/16 mile Queens County Handicap by more than two lengths under 133, and romped in the Benjamin Franklin Handicap by twelve lengths under 136. He won on fast and sloppy surfaces and always gave huge weight concessions. His year culminated with a showdown in the 1 ¼ mile Trenton Handicap against Gallant Man and Round Table with Horse of the Year honors on the line. Bold Ruler won by two and a quarter lengths, named Horse of the Year (Daily Racing Form), and champion three-year-old male. In 1958, he returned as an outstanding handicap horse winning five of seven starts, all stakes, with his lightest impost 133 pounds. As a stallion Bold Ruler was incredible and led the sire list eight times, seven consecutively; only Lexington, in the nineteenth century, led more often. Some of Bold Ruler's children were champions Gamely, Lamb Chop, Bold Bidder, Bold Lad, and Wajima. The great Bold Ruler was grandsire of Ruffian, Spectacular Bid, and great-grandsire of Seattle Slew.
Somethingroyal by Princequillo (GB)
Somethingroyal out of the Caruso mare Imperatrice, had an uneventful race career. She started once. Her dark bay dam, Imperatrice, had made thirty-one starts winning a few stakes races including a victory over males in the 1942 Fall Highweight Handicap in a swift time of 1:10. Somethingroyal's sire Princequillo, had recorded thirty-three starts, winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Saratoga Cup. He led the sire list twice, and several more times as a broodmare sire. As a stallion, Princequillo was also a promoter of soundness. His greatest son was Round Table, the 1958 Horse of the Year and multiple champion, who excelled on dirt and established greatness in American grass racing. One of the soundest horses to ever race, Round Table would go on to become an outstanding sire himself. Princequillo's other sons included Preakness winner Hill Prince and 1957 Horse of the Year Dedicate (Thoroughbred Racing Associations). Princequillo was also broodmare sire of handicap, two-time turf champion and 1970 Horse of the Year Fort Marcy (Daily Racing Form), European great Mill Reef and American standout Sham.
Somethingroyal had to shine elsewhere and was able to enjoy success in the breeding shed, being named Broodmare of the Year in 1973. Among her earlier children were black-type winners Sir Gaylord by Turn-to, First Family by First Landing and Syrian Sea by Bold Ruler. Somethingroyal was later bred back to Bold Ruler and the two outdid themselves beyond imagination. With the offspring they produced, the bar was set so high that no equine couple since has been able to come even remotely close to reaching it.
On March 30, 1970, a large chestnut foal, by Bold Ruler out of Somethingroyal, with three white stockings and a star on his forehead was born. The owner went through a half dozen names for her colt, the first five being Scepter, Royal Line, Something Special, Games of Chance, and Deo Volente (Latin for “God Willing”), all which were rejected by the Jockey Club. Finally, the sixth name was accepted: Secretariat.
Sire - Secretariat
Secretariat's nonpareil racing performances place him on the highest plane of a very select few equine stars. Constantly compared to Man o'War, Secretariat's striking looks made him the equine equivalent of a movie idol. Possessed of talent and power unmatched in the modern era, Secretariat's persona had more widespread public appeal than probably any racer in history, Man o'War notwithstanding. Emerging in the public eye as a American hero, pure, innocent, and charismatic, during the time of Vietnam, Watergate and an energy crisis, his handsome image graced the covers of Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated. What the racehorse Secretariat did on the track was incredulous, the stuff of legend and folklore.
Secretariat was the first two-year-old to be named Horse of the Year outright, an honor he repeated at three. He became the first horse to win the U.S. Triple Crown in twenty-five years following Citation's feat in 1948, and his wins in the classics were far more stunning, with a 1:59 2/5 record time in the Kentucky Derby and an otherworldly mark in the Belmont Stakes of 2:24 with a thirty-one length separation at the finish, considered by most to be the greatest singular performance of all time, and one which may never been equaled. The big colt's mark in the Preakness, after a tremendous move from last to first, may have also been in record time, but due to a teletimer malfunction his final clocking was set at 1:54 2/5, probably slower than he actually traveled. Late in his career, Secretariat demonstrated amazing prowess on turf, winning his last two starts, the 1 ½ mile Man o'War Stakes and 1 5/8 mile Canadian International by a combined eleven and a half lengths.
Although not considered a great sire, Secretariat was a very good one. A few of his best progeny were 1986 Horse of the Year Lady's Secret, and 1978 Canadian two-year-old male champion Medaille d'Or (CAN.). Another son, General Assembly, was a multiple stakes winner, and his 2:00 stakes record clocking in the 1979 Travers Stakes still stands. Secretariat's biggest stallion contribution certainly came as a broodmare sire, and through his daughters the industry has been endowed with such notable racers and stallions as Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, as well as Summer Squall, Gone West, Storm Cat, et al.
One of the mares Secretariat was bred to was Ribbon. From that cover a colt was born on March 25, 1985, and eventually purchased from Hancock by Louis Roussel III of New Orleans at a Fasig-Tipton two-year-old sale in Florida. His price was $300,000. Roussel would condition the horse and automobile dealer Ronnie Lamarque was brought in as a co-owner. Roussel was also a devout Catholic and gave his horse a name taken after the Star of Bethlehem and Risen Christ.
Secretariat's finest son, the large, dark bay Risen Star, would soon begin to shine his own bright light on the racetrack and family legacy.
To be continued...
Sources
Books:
Edward L. Bowen. Bold Ruler Thoroughbred Legends, No. 24
(Lexington, KY: Eclipse Press, 2005).
Timothy T. Capps. Secretariat Thoroughbred Legends, No. 19 (Lexington, KY: Eclipse Press, 2005).
Thoroughbred Times Co. Inc. The Original Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac, 2009 (Lexington, KY: Thoroughbred Times Books, 2008).
Daily Racing Form. The American Racing Manual, 1992 (Highstown, N.J.: Daily Racing Form, 1992).
William Nack. Secretariat: The Making of a Champion (Second Da Capo Press edition. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2002).
Daily Racing Form, Champions: The Lives, Times, and Pas Performances of America's Greatest Thoroughbreds (New York: Daily Racing Form Press, 2005).
Muriel Lennox. Northern Dancer: The Legend and His Legacy (Toronto: Beach House Books, 1995).
Richard Stone Reeves, Edward L. Bowen. Belmont Park: A Century of Champions (Lexington, KY: Eclipse Press, 2005).
Newpapers:
Richard Stone Reeves, Edward L. Bowen. Belmont Park: A Century of Champions (Lexington, KY: Eclipse Press, 2005).
Newpapers:
Peter Finney. “Risen Star, Derby Fever.” The Times-Picayune, February 5, 1988.
Steven Crist. “Risen Star Outruns Filly in Preakness.” The New York Times, May 22, 1988.
Online:
Copyright 2011, 2012 by John Califano
