Equipoise with Sonny Workman up
©Keeneland-Cook

Equipoise has been labeled one of the greatest handicap horses of the century. His racing success is all the more remarkable when one considers that Equipoise suffered from chronic hoof problems.

In an amazing victory at 2, Equipoise won the Pimlico Futurity after being left at the post, and running out of two shoes to defeat Twenty Grand and Mate. When jockey Sonny Workman was asked if this was his greatest race, he replied: "My greatest race? Hell, it may have been the greatest race anybody ever saw." A quarter crack forced an early end to Equipoise's second season. At 4 he set a world record of 1:34 2/5 for the mile at Arlington Park and won the Metropolitan, Stars and Stripes, and Whitney Stakes. He ended the season as Horse of Year, an honor he would receive again in 1933.

At 5 Equipoise gave 26 pounds to the runner-up to win a second Metropolitan. He also won the Suburban under 132 pounds. At 6 Equipoise won the Philadelphia and Dixie Handicaps, as well as the Whitney Gold Trophy.

Equipoise was the leading sire of 1942 and produced 12% stakes winners out of only four crops.

Equipoise was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1957.

Equipoise in the 1932 Metropolitan
NMR Collection\Morning Telegraph