Biography

Bred and owned by Calumet Farm, Real Delight missed her 2-year-old season because of injury, but made up for the lost time with one of the great 3-year-old filly campaigns in American racing history.

After winning her first two starts for Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Jones in 1952, Real Delight was conditioned by Hall of Famer Ben Jones (Jimmy's father) for the remainder of her career. Real Delight won a division of the Ashland Stakes in her third career start before suffering her only defeat as a 3-year-old in her next race, finishing second in an allowance at Keeneland.

Real Delight rebounded after her first loss to win her next eight starts, including the Kentucky Oaks, Black-Eyed Susan, Coaching Club American Oaks, Arlington Matron, Modesty Handicap, Beverly Handicap, and a division of the Beldame. With a record of 11-1-0 from 12 starts and earnings of $236,272, Real Delight was named Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Daily Racing Form selected her as Champion Female Handicap Horse.

As a 4-year-old, Real Delight won the Arlington Matron Handicap before being retired to Calumet Farm with a career record of 12-1-0 from 15 starts and earnings of $261,822. In retirement, Real Delight produced three stakes winners, eventually becoming the third dam of Alydar.

Real Delight died at the age of 20 in 1969.

Achievements

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly — 1952
Champion Female Handicap Horse (Daily Racing Form) — 1952

Biography

Hall of Fame jockey Tod Sloan, who rode hundreds of good horses in America and Europe, stated flatly, “Hamburg was the only great horse I ever rode.”

Bred by C. J. Enright, Hamburg was a son of Hanover out of the Fellowcraft mare Lady Reel. Hall of Fame trainer John Madden, one of the most astute horsemen in the sport’s history, purchased Hamburg as a weanling for $1,200. It proved to be one of Madden’s many brilliant decisions.

As a 2-year-old in 1897, Hamburg won 12 of 16 starts and never finished worse than third, earning $38,595 for Madden, who also served as trainer. Hamburg’s wins included the Double Event, Flash, and Autumn stakes under 129 pounds; the Electric Handicap with 132; the Congress Hall Handicap under 134; and the Great Eastern Handicap with an impost of 135 pounds, burdens never before carried by a 2-year-old. There was great discussion at the time that Hamburg was arguably the greatest 2-year-old the American turf had ever seen.

Madden then sold Hamburg for a record $40,001 to Marcus Daly. The purchase price was the highest ever, surpassing the $40,000 Leonard Jerome paid for the mighty Kentucky in the 1860s. Madden used the money he made from Hamburg to be a Kentucky farm, which is aptly named Hamburg Place, where Madden established a breeding empire.

In 1898, Hamburg began his 3-year-old campaign by finishing third in the Belmont Stakes for new trainer Billy Lakeland. Hamburg then easily won the Spring Special and Swift Stakes before meeting Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit (who was trained by Madden) in the Lawrence Realization. With Sloan in the saddle, Hamburg was never threatened and won by two lengths.

Following the Lawrence Realization, Hamburg delivered a virtuoso performance in the 2¼-mile Brighton Cup against good older horses. Sloan sent Hamburg to the lead early and cruised to an easy win, defeating Ogden, the 1896 Futurity winner, and Brooklyn Handicap winner Howard Mann. Hamburg was retired after the Brighton Cup victory with a career mark of 16-3-2 from 21 starts and earnings of $60,380. Hamburg was sent to Daly’s Bitter Root Stud in Montana.

In 1900, Daly died and Hamburg was sold for $60,000 in the dispersal. The winning bid was made by none other than Madden on the account of William Collins Whitney. Hamburg then stood at La Belle Stud in Kentucky until Whitney died in 1904. The owner’s son, Harry Payne Whitney, then paid $70,000 for Hamburg and stood him at Brookdale Stud in New Jersey.

Hamburg was an immediate success as a stallion and became the leading sire in America in 1905. Hamburg’s notable offspring included Hall of Fame filly Artful, Futurity winner Hamburg Belle, Travers winner Dandelion, and Belmont winner Burgomaster, as well as standouts Borrow, Pegasus, and Frizette. Overall, Hamburg sired 27 stakes winners.

Hamburg died in 1915 at age 20.

Achievements

Champion 2-Year-Old Colt — 1897
Horse of the Year — 1898
Champion 3-Year-Old Colt — 1898

Biography

Named after a type of artillery gun, Ack Ack was the final horse bred and raced by Harry Guggenheim. A son of Battle Joined out of the unraced Turn-to mare Fast Turn, Ack Ack was foaled at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1966. Guggenheim dispersed all his racehorses in 1969, but decided to hold on to Ack Ack.

A proven sprinter at ages 3 and 4 when he won the Arlington Classic, Withers, Bahamas, and Derby Trial (setting a track record of 1:34⅖ for a mile), as well as the Autumn Days and Los Angeles handicaps, Ack Ack had his best season at age 5 in 1971 when he won the inaugural Eclipse Awards for Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter, and Champion Older Male.

When Guggenheim died in January 1971, Ack Ack was sold for $500,000 to E. E. Buddy Fogelson, who raced the horse under the banner of Forked Lightning Ranch. Conditioned at ages 4 and 5 by Charlie Whittingham, Ack Ack won seven consecutive stakes in 1971, including races on both dirt and grass at distances ranging from 5½ furlongs to 1¼ miles.

Ack Ack’s 1971 victories included the Santa Anita Handicap under 130 pounds, the 5½-furlong Hollywood Express Handicap with 130, a course record in the 1⅛-mile American Handicap on grass with 130 and the 1¼-mile Hollywood Gold Cup with a career-high 134 pounds in his final career start.

Ack Ack was retired to stud at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky, where he sired 51 stakes winners, including Broad Brush and Youth. Ack Ack died Dec. 28, 1990, at Claiborne.    

In a 1986 edition of the Thoroughbred Record, Whittingham said Ack Ack was “the best horse I ever trained. He could do about everything. He was never beaten in the mud, he ran twice on the turf and won both times, he carried the weight, and he went the distance.” 

Achievements

Eclipse Award Horse of the Year — 1971
Eclipse Award Champion Sprinter — 1971
Eclipse Award Champion Older Male — 1971

Biography

The second filly to win the Kentucky Derby, Genuine Risk was selected from the 1978 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale by 14-year-old Matthew Firestone, whose parents, Bert and Diana Firestone, paid $32,000 for the chestnut by Exclusive Native.

Trained by Hall of Famer LeRoy Jolley, Genuine Risk broke her maiden in her career debut in late September 1979 at Belmont Park. She won all four of her starts as a juvenile, including the Tempted Stakes by three lengths and the Demoiselle Stakes by a noise from Smart Angle.

As a 3-year-old, Genuine Risk opened her campaign with a March allowance win at Gulfstream Park and then took an overnight handicap at Aqueduct to run her win streak to six. Her connections opted to test her against colts in the Wood Memorial. Genuine Risk finished a credible third and it was decided she would contest the Kentucky Derby. It was the first time since 1959 that a filly had attempted the Derby,

At odds of 13-1, Genuine Risk settled off the pace in the 13-horse field. Under Hall of Fame jockey Jacinto Vasquez, Genuine Risk took the lead on the turn for home and defeated Rumbo by a length. Genuine Risk became the second filly, joining Regret (1915), to win the Kentucky Derby.

Genuine Risk then finished second to Codex in a controversial running of the Preakness Stakes. Vasquez filed an objection against Codex and jockey Angel Cordero, Jr., but the Maryland stewards let the result stand. Genuine Risk briefly owned the lead in stretch of the Belmont Stakes, but she was passed late by winner Temperance Hill and finished second.

Contracting a virus after the Belmont, Genuine Risk sat out three months before being defeated by Hall of Famer Bold ’n Determined by a nose in the Maskette. She finished her season on a high note by defeating the older Misty Gallore in the Ruffian Handicap. Genuine Risk earned the Eclipse Award for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

At 4, Genuine Risk won her debut in an April allowance race before finishing third in an allowance event on grass in May. She made her final start in August at Saratoga, winning an allowance by 8¼ engths. While training for the Woodward, Genuine Risk seemed off and was retired by the Firestones, finishing her career with a mark of 10-3-2 from 15 starts and earnings of $646,587.

Genuine Risk died at the age of 31 at the Firestone family’s Newstead Farm in Upperville, Virginia.  

Achievements

Eclipse Award Champion 3-Year-Old Filly — 1980

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the Kentucky Derby — 1980

Biography

Bred in California, two-time Eclipse Award winner Café Prince was purchased by George Strawbridge, Jr. for $17,000 at Saratoga in 1971. He went on to win the American Grand National, two editions of the Colonial Cup, International Gold Cup, and Lovely Night Steeplechase. Café Prince set course records at Saratoga and Fair Hill while racing through age 10.

Racing under the banner of Strawbridge’s Augustin Stables, Café Prince was conditioned by Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard and raced on the flat early in his career before finding his calling over jumps. He won four of his five steeplechase races as a 3-year-old in 1973 and won his first major race, the Lovely Night at Saratoga, in 1974.

Unfortunately, Café Price came out of the Lovely Night with a bowed tendon and did not return to the races until September 1975. After finishing third in the Temple Gwathmey that October, Café Prince won the Colonial Cup at Camden by three lengths. In the process he defeated the race’s defending champion, Augustus Bay, as well as 1972 winner Soothsayer and Captain Christy of Ireland, rated the best steeplechaser on the British Isles. The victory, however, was a costly one for Café Prince. He reinjured his tendon and missed all of 1976.

Returning in 1977, Café Prince won the International Gold Cup at Rolling Rock by 18 lengths. He also won his second Colonial Cup and the Samuel K. Martin Memorial at Far Hills to win the Eclipse Award for Champion Steeplechase Horse.

In 1978, Café Prince won the Grand National and repeated in the International Gold Cup, this time by 14 lengths. He was again honored with the Eclipse Award. In 1979, five years after he won the Lovely Night, Café Prince won the Saratoga event for a second time, setting a course record.  

Café Prince won two races as a 10-year-old before being retired with an overall record of 18-5-4 and earnings of $228,238 from 52 starts. 

Achievements

Eclipse Award Champion Steeplechase Horse — 1977
Eclipse Award Champion Steeplechase Horse — 1978

Biography

Sired by Hall of Famer Tom Fool out of Hall of Fame mare Two Lea, Calumet Farm’s Tim Tam was bred for greatness. Only an injury in the Belmont Stakes prevented the dark bay colt from becoming Calumet’s third Triple Crown winner.

Trained by Hall of Famer H. A. “Jimmy” Jones, Tim Tam broke his maiden in his 3-year-old debut on Jan. 17, 1958, at Hialeah Park. He earned his first stakes win less than a month later in the Everglades Stakes and went on to win the Flamingo Stakes (via disqualification), Fountain of Youth, and Florida Derby before heading to Kentucky in the spring.

After an allowance victory at Keeneland, Tim Tam won the Derby Trial prior to a half-length win over Lincoln Road in the Kentucky Derby. Tim Tam defeated Lincoln Road in the Preakness by 1½ lengths before taking his shot at the Triple Crown in the Belmont.

The Belmont, however, did not provide a storybook ending for Tim Tam, as he was injured in the stretch and finished second, six lengths behind Cavan. The injury forced Tim Tam’s retirement with a career record of 10-1-2 from 14 starts and earnings of $467,475.

Tim Tam sired 14 stakes winners, including Hall of Fame filly Tosmah. He also sired Royal Entrance, the dam of Hall of Fame filly Davona Dale. Tim Tam died on July 30, 1982, at the age of 27.   

Achievements

Champion 3-Year-Old Male — 1958

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the Kentucky Derby — 1958
Won the Preakness Stakes — 1958

Biography

Davona Dale helped resurrect the glory days for Calumet Farm during her sensational 1979 campaign in which she won the old Filly Triple Crown consisting of the Kentucky Oaks, Black-Eyed Susan, and Coaching Club American Oaks, as well as the New York Filly Triple, taking the Acorn and Mother Goose to go with her Coaching Club victory.

Bred and owned by Calumet and trained by Hall of Famer John Veitch, Davona Dale won both of her starts as a 2-year-old in 1978, including the Holly Stakes at the Meadowlands. After finishing fourth in her 3-year-old debut, Davona Dale finished second in the Shirley Jones Stakes at Gulfstream before embarking on her historic run.

Starting with the Bonnie Miss at Gulfstream, Davona Dale won eight consecutive stakes, including the Fantasy, Kentucky Oaks, Black-Eyed Susan, Acorn, Mother Goose, and Coaching Club American Oaks before finishing second in the Alabama to It’s in the Air.

Following the Alabama, Davona Dale tried the colts in the Travers and finished fourth. She was again fourth in the Maskette and closed her season with a record of 8-2-0 and earnings of $555,723 from 13 starts to earn the Eclipse Award for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

Returning for three races at age 4, Davona Dale defeated It’s in the Air in the Ballerina Stakes to avenge her loss in the Alabama. Ankle and tendon issues led to Davona Dale’s retirement in September 1979 after she finished fourth in the Maskette for the second consecutive year.

Davona Dale compiled a career record of 11-2-1 from 18 starts and earnings of $641,612. She died in 1997 at the age of 21. 

Achievements

Eclipse Award Champion 3-Year-Old Filly — 1979

Biography

Bred in New Jersey by Lucien O. Appleby in 1891, Henry of Navarre was a son of 1884 Preakness Stakes winner Knight of Ellerslie. He was sold privately to Kentucky horseman Byron McClelland, who raced him in his green and gold silks at ages 2 and 3, while also serving as trainer.

As a 2-year-old in 1893, Henry of Navarre won six of his 10 starts, but he was not considered in the same class as the year’s best juvenile, Hall of Famer Domino. Unbeaten in all nine of his starts that year, Domino set an earnings record of $170,790 that stood for 38 years. Henry of Navarre, meanwhile earned $10,785 in 1893.

When the calendar turned to 1894, Domino and Henry of Navarre met for the first of five times in the Withers Stakes. Domino prevailed by a head, but it was the only time in five meetings he ever defeated Henry of Navarre. Their next meeting, a match race, resulted in a dead heat. Henry of Navarre next defeated Hall of Famer Clifford with Domino third in a three-horse field. In 1895, Henry of Navarre bested Domino both times they met.

Henry of Navarre enjoyed his best campaign as a 3-year-old in 1894, winning 13 of 20 starts — finishing in the money 19 times — with earnings of $37,750. He won the Belmont Stakes that year and soon after began a nine-race win streak that included the Travers Stakes, Foxhall Stakes, Iroquois Stakes, Dolphin Stakes, and Bay Stakes. Henry of Navarre’s biggest victory of the year took place at Morris Park on Oct. 6. A crowd of 25,000 was on hand to see a special contest featuring Henry of Navarre, Domino, and Clifford in a three-horse field. Henry of Navarre turned back Clifford by three-quarters of a length with Domino injuring a foot and finishing 11 lengths back.

Clifford’s trainer, Hall of Famer John W. Rogers, said after the race: “I thought I had a great horse in Clifford — I still think so — but this Henry of Navarre! He had Domino take him to the lead — and there’s no faster one — and when he had shaken off Domino, Clifford came at him; but he shook off Clifford, too. Any horse that can shake off two horses such as they, in separate attempts, must be a race horse of the first water.”

Henry of Navarre continued to thrive as a 4-year-old, posting a record of 8-1-1 from 10 starts. He began the year with two victories in Kentucky at Latonia then won the Country Club Stakes in Cincinnati, Ohio. At that point, McClelland decided to sell Henry of Navarre to August Belmont II for $35,000. Belmont turned Henry of Navarre over to Hall of Famer John J. Hyland to train.

In his first start for Belmont, Henry of Navarre finished second to Rey El Santa Anita in the Twin City Handicap at Sheepshead Bay. Henry of Navarre was then the even-money favorite when he met Domino and Rey El Santa Anita at level weights for 1⅛ miles in a special race on Sept. 11 at Sheepshead Bay. Domino hung tough in the stretch, but Henry of Navarre was able to win by a neck with Rey El Santa Anita three lengths back.

Henry of Navarre then defeated Clifford by 1¼ lengths at Sheepshead Bay at 1¼ miles with Domino, Rey El Santa Anita, and Sir Walter completing the order of finish. The five horses were widely considered to be the five best in training at the time. Clifford got a measure of revenge when he next defeated Henry of Navarre in the Oriental Handicap. Henry of Navarre, however, quickly shook the loss off and won the Manhattan Handicap under 127 pounds, 20 more than runner-up Sir Walter. Henry of Navarre then closed out his season with a victory in the Municipal Handicap.

Henry of Navarre won a purse race on May 21, 1895, to begin his 5-year-old season before contesting the Suburban Handicap on June 23. In the Suburban, which many historians consider his greatest victory, Henry of Navarre was saddled with 129 pounds, more than any other Suburban winner up to that time. The Commoner, a 4-year-old carrying 113 pounds, led in the stretch before Henry of Navarre rallied furiously and won by a length. Clifford finished third.

Following the race, Henry of Navarre was retired to Nursery Stud in Kentucky with a career record of 29-8-3 from 42 starts and earnings of $68,985. He produced only a few stakes winners before being shipped to Belmont’s stud farm in France in 1909. He remained there for two years before returning to America.

In 1911, Belmont announced he would give the United States government six stallions for use in the cavalry and to start a national breeding bureau. Henry of Navarre was one of the stallions and spent the remainder of his days at the Army Remount Depot at Front Royal, Virginia.

Henry of Navarre died in 1917 at the age of 26.

Achievements

Horse of the Year — 1894
Champion 3-Year-Old Male — 1894
Horse of the Year — 1895
Co-Champion Handicap Male — 1895
Co-Champion Handicap Male — 1896

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the Belmont Stakes — 1894

Biography

Bred and owned by Joseph E. Widener, Fairmount was one of the top jumpers of the 1920s, winning three consecutive editions of the prestigious Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase.

A chestnut gelding by Fair Play out of the Rock Sand mare Sunflower, Fairmount was foaled in 1921 at Widener’s Elmendorf Farm, near Lexington, Kentucky. Like many other jumpers, Fairmount was tried initially for flat racing. He found little success in that discipline, finishing seventh in each of his three races as a 2-year-old in 1923.

Sent to Hall of Fame steeplechase trainer J. Howard Lewis, Fairmount spent 1924 training for steeplechase competition before returning to the races in 1925. In his first year as a jumper, Fairmount finished second to Hall of Famer Jolly Roger in a maiden event at Belmont. He was again second nine days later to the seasoned Brigadier General in the Bowling Brook Steeplechase Handicap. Lewis was encouraged by what he saw and sent Fairmount to Maryland in the fall. He won against maiden company in a canter by 40 lengths on Oct. 8 at Laurel Park before closing out his season a month later with a 10-length win in an allowance race at Pimlico.

Fairmount came into his own in 1926 with his first victory in the Temple Gwathmey, as well as wins in the Manly Memorial Steeplechase, Charles L. Appleton Memorial Steeplechase (by 20 lengths), and International Steeplechase (by 20 lengths). He won the Temple Gwathmey again 1927 and also in 1928. His victories in the race helped Widener win the Temple Gwathmey six consecutive years (1925 through 1930).

In each of his Temple Gwathmey wins, Fairmount defeated the younger sensation Jolly Roger. Fairmount carried 170 pounds in winning both the 1927 and 1928 editions of the Temple Gwathmey.

In 1927, Fairmount also won the Broad Hollow Steeplechase under 165 pounds, giving the runner-up 22 pounds. Fairmount raced with success through 1929. He was retired after one final race as a 10-year-old in 1931 with a career record of 12-5-0 from 22 starts and earnings of $74,075.

Biography

Bred in Kentucky by Eugene Mori, Tosmah was a bay daughter by Hall of Famer Tim Tam out of the Cosmic Bomb mare Cosmah. A champion as a juvenile and sophomore, Tosmah also had success as an older mare, defeating the great filly Affectionately in 1965 and beating Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair in 1966.

As a 2-year-old in 1963, Tosmah won seven of her eight starts, including the Frizette Stakes, Mermaid Stakes, and a division of the Astarita Stakes. She was named champion by Daily Racing Form and Turf and Sport Digest, while the Thoroughbred Racing Association gave Castle Forbes the honor.

At 3, Tosmah won the Colonial Handicap, Miss Woodford Stakes, Liberty Bell Handicap, Arlington Handicap, Arlington Matron Handicap, Maskette Handicap, Beldame Stakes, Quaker City Handicap, and Jersey Belle Handicap to be named Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. Additionally, Tosmah was recognized as Champion Female Handicap Horse by Daily Racing Form. She finished either first or second in 13 of her 14 starts that year and earned $305,283.

In 1965, Tosmah repeated in the Maskette, defeating Affectionately at even weights by a nose. She won her second Colonial Handicap in 1966 and defeated 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair, among others, in the John B. Campbell Handicap. Tosmah was retired at the end of the 1966 season with a career record of 23-6-2 from 39 starts and earnings of $612,588.

Tosmah gave birth to only four foals, including the stakes winner La Guidecca. Tosmah died in 1992 at the age of 31 and was buried at Briardale Farm in New Jersey.  

Achievements

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly (Daily Racing Form and Turf and Sport Digest) — 1963
Champion 3-Year-Old Filly — 1964
Champion Female Handicap Horse (Daily Racing Form) — 1964