Biography

Bred and campaigned by C. V. Whitney and trained for most of his career by Hall of Famer Robert L. Wheeler, Silver Spoon dominated her own division on the West Coast for two years while also defeating good colts on multiple occasions.

The champion 3-year-old filly of 1959, Silver Spoon was a chestnut daughter of Triple Crown winner Citation out of the Mahmoud mare Silver Fog. Silver Spoon developed a faulty gait early in her life as the result of being kicked in the hip by another horse, causing some speculation she would be unable to stand training.

Nevertheless, Silver Spoon won both of her starts as a 2-year-old in 1958 and extended her win streak to six as a sophomore. She won the La Centinela, Santa Ynez, and Santa Susana stakes before defeating colts in the Santa Anita Derby, including eventual Preakness winner Royal Orbit. Silver Spoon then became the only filly between 1945 and 1980 to compete in the Kentucky Derby. She finished a credible fifth, beaten 3¼ lengths by Tomy Lee.  

Returning to California, Silver Spoon exacted a measure of revenge on Tomy Lee by defeating the Derby winner and other colts in the Cinema Handicap.

As a 4-year-old, Silver Spoon won the Santa Monica, Santa Maria, Santa Margarita, Milady, and Vanity handicaps. She was retired with a record of 13-3-4 from 27 starts and earnings of $313,930. Silver Spoon's seven foals included stakes winner Inca Queen.

Silver Spoon died at the age of 22 in 1978.

Achievements

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly — 1959

Biography

Bred by the late Col. E. R. Bradley’s Idle Hour Stock Farm, Oedipus was America’s champion steeplechaser in 1950 and 1951 and shared the honor in 1952 with Jam.

A son of Hall of Famer Blue Larkspur out of the Sickle mare Be Like Mom, Oedipus was a weanling when Bradley died in August of 1946. Ogden Phipps, Greentree Stable, and King Ranch purchased and divided the Bradley stock, with Oedipus among the horses going to Phipps.

Carrying the rose and yellow silks of Lillian Bostwick Phipps, Oedipus was originally trained by Hall of Famer James “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, but the brown colt failed to place in six starts as a juvenile in 1948. He was then gelded and turned over to steeplechase specialist and Hall of Famer Pete Bostwick, who schooled the horse over jumps at Aiken, South Carolina.

Winner once in seven starts over jumps as a 3-year-old in 1949, Oedipus blossomed at age 4 in 1950, setting a course record in the Shillelah Steeplechase at Saratoga and then winning the Broad Hollow and Brook steeplechases at Belmont to be named champion. In 1951, at age 5, he won the Corinthian at Belmont, the Beverwyck at Saratoga, and then swept what was regarded as steeplechasing’s Triple Crown at the time: the Broad Hollow with 158 pounds, the Brook with 161, and the Grand National with 165, giving weight to all his rivals. Oedipus was once again an easy choice as America’s champion steeplechaser.

At 6, Oedipus, won the Broad Hollow for the third consecutive year (in course-record time). He also won the Shillelah for the second time and split champion honors with Jam. Oedipus defeated Jam in the Broad Hollow, but his rival turned the tables in the Brook, while in receipt of five pounds. Jam was named champion by Daily Racing Form, while Oedipus took the honor from the Thoroughbred Racing Associations.

Oedipus won the C. L. Appleton Steeplechase at Belmont in 1953 at age 7 for his final career victory. He continued to race through 1954, making nine more starts. Oedipus was retired with a career record of 14-12-9 from 58 starts and earnings of $132,405.

Oedipus died at the age of 32 in 1978, the year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Achievements

Champion Steeplechase Horse — 1950
Champion Steeplechase Horse — 1951
Co-Champion Steeplechase Horse — 1952

Biography

The first California-bred to earn $1 million and the winner of 34 stakes races in his seven-year career, Native Diver became one of the most popular and successful geldings in American racing history.

Bred and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Louis K. Shapiro, Native Diver was sired by Imbros out of the Devil Diver mare Fleet Diver. Native Diver won his first three starts as a 2-year-old for Hall of Fame trainer Buster Millerick by a combined 23¾ lengths, including his first career stakes start, the El Camino Handicap at Tanforan. The following year, Native Diver set the first of his six track records in the Hillsdale Handicap at Bay Meadows, covering six furlongs in 1:08⅖.

During his career, Native Diver won six races carrying 130 pounds or more, including three track records under that weight. For three consecutive years, 1965 through 1967, Native Diver won the Hollywood Gold Cup, running it faster each time.

Other notable wins for Native Diver included multiple editions of the San Francisco Mile, San Diego Handicap, Inglewood Handicap, Palos Verdes Handicap, San Carlos Handicap, Albany Handicap, and Los Angeles Handicap.

At the age of 8 in 1967, Native Dancer won six stakes races, including the Del Mar Handicap, in which he equaled a track record. However, Native Diver became ill following the race and died of intestinal colic. He was buried at Hollywood Park near the grandstand.

Overall, Native Diver posted a record of 37-7-12 from 81 starts and earned $1,026,500.

When Hollywood Park was closed, Native Diver’s remains were exhumed and moved to Del Mar Racetrack.

Biography

Bred by Willis Sharpe Kilmer, Reigh Count was one of the first horses purchased by Fannie Hertz. A chestnut son of Sunreigh out of the Count Schomberg mare Contessina, Reigh Count was one of the top racehorses of the late 1920s.

As a 2-year-old in 1927, Reigh Count won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and the Walden Handicap. He was almost perfect as a 3-year-old, winning seven of his eight starts, including the Kentucky Derby, Miller Stakes, Huron Handicap, and Lawrence Realization, as well as victories against older horses in the Saratoga Cup, Lawrence Realization, and Jockey Club Gold Cup.

In breaking Exterminator’s track record in the Saratoga Cup, Reigh Count defeated the older standout Display. He beat Preakness winner Victorian in the Lawrence Realization and bested the likes of Chance Shot, Display, and Diavolo in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

As a 4-year-old, Reigh Count raced in England, winning the Coronation Cup and finishing second in the Ascot Gold Cup.

At stud, Reigh Count sired 1943 Triple Crown winner Count Fleet. Reigh Count died on April 8, 1948, at Stoner Creek Stud in Kentucky at the age of 23.

Achievements

Champion 2-Year-Old Male — 1927
Horse of the Year — 1928
Champion 3-Year-Old Male — 1928

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the Kentucky Derby — 1928

Biography

Searching did not find immediate success as a racehorse, losing the first 20 starts of her career. However, once in the care of Hall of Fame trainer Hirsch Jacobs, the bay daughter of Triple Crown winner War Admiral out of the Black Toney mare Big Hurry became a stakes winner each year from 1955 through 1958.

Bred by Ogden Phipps, Searching was sold to Jacobs for $15,000 and raced in the name of his wife, Ethel. She proved to be a bargain purchase. As a 3-year-old, Searching won the Vagrancy Handicap and Gallorette Stakes and finished with a record of 12-8-2 from 26 starts.

As a 4-year-old in 1957, Searching won the Correction, Diana, Maskette, and Top Flight handicaps. She returned as a 5-year-old to win another edition of the Gallorette, as well as the Distaff Handicap. Searching won the Correction, Diana, Matriarch, and Molly Pitcher handicaps as a 6-year-old in 1958 before being retired with a record of 25-14-16 from 89 starts and earnings of $327,381.

Searching became a remarkable producer, foaling Hall of Fame member Affectionately, as well as stakes winners Admiring and Priceless Gem. Searching died at the age of 21 in 1973.

Biography

One of three Hall of Fame foals from the 1945 crop of Calumet Farm sire Bull Lea — along with Citation and Coaltown — Bewitch retired in 1951 with the highest career earnings of any filly or mare at $462,605.

Bred and raced by Calumet, Bewitch won her first eight starts as a 2-year-old in 1947, including six stakes races. One of those victories was in the Washington Park Futurity, as Bewitch defeated stablemate and future Triple Crown winner Citation, handing him his only loss of the year. As a 2-year-old, Bewitch also won the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes, Pollyanna Stakes, Princess Pat Stakes, Hyde Park Stakes, and Debutante Stakes. She finished her season with a record of 8-0-1 from 10 starts and earnings of $213,675.

After winning the Ashland Stakes to open her 3-year-old season in 1948, Bewitch was sidelined until June with bucked shins. When she returned, Bewitch won the Modesty Stakes, Artful Handicap, and Cleopatra Handicap, compiling an overall record of 4-0-1 from six starts and earnings of $69,000 as a sophomore.

As a 4-year-old, Bewitch won the Vineland Handicap, Misty Isle Handicap, and Beverly Handicap. She added wins in the Black Helen Handicap at age 5 and the Vanity Handicap as a 6-year-old in 1951. Bewitch finished second to Citation in the Hollywood Gold Cup that year. In that race, Citation became the first horse to earn $1 million, while Bewitch surpassed Gallorette’s career earnings record for a filly or mare.

Bewitch was retired in 1951 with a record of 20-10-11 from 55 starts. She had only two foals, but both of them died before ever racing. Bewitch died at Calumet Farm in 1959 at the age of 14.

Achievements

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly — 1947
Champion Older Female — 1949

Biography

Horse of the Year in 1939 and 1940, Challedon was bred in Maryland by William L. Brann and Robert S. Castle and campaigned under their Brancastle Farm banner. 

As a 2-year-old in 1938, Challedon won the Pimlico, Maryland, and New England futurities and finished his season with a record of 4-0-1 and earnings of $67,700 from seven starts.

At 3, Challedon won nine stakes races, including the Preakness, Arlington Classic, Hawthorne Gold Cup, Havre de Grace Handicap, Narragansett Special, Pimlico Special, and Yankee Handicap. He also set a world record in the Tranter Purse at Keeneland. With a record of 9-2-3 and earnings of $184,535 from 15 starts, Challedon was named Horse of the Year.

Challedon repeated as Horse of the Year in 1940. His wins that year included the Hollywood Gold Cup, Whitney Handicap, Havre de Grace Handicap, and Pimlico Special. He concluded his season with a record of 5-1-1 and earnings of $70,600 from seven starts.

As a 5-year-old, Challedon battled injuries and was winless in three races. He returned at age 6 in 1942 and won twice, including the Philadelphia Handicap. He was then retired with a lifetime record of 20-7-6 and earnings of $334,660 from 44 starts.

Challedon sired 13 stakes winners before his death at the age of 22 in 1958.

Achievements

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the Preakness Stakes — 1939

Biography

A small chestnut bred in Virginia by Isabel Dodge Sloane’s Brookmeade Stable, Sword Dancer won only three times in 14 starts as a juvenile in 1958 before breaking through and emerging as Horse of the Year as a 3-year-old when he won six major stakes.

Trained by Hall of Famer Elliott Burch, Sword Dancer finished second in both the Kentucky Derby (by a nose) and Preakness Stakes before winning the Metropolitan Handicap by 3¼ lengths and the Belmont Stakes by three-quarters of a length. Sword Dancer then won the Monmouth Handicap, Travers Stakes, Woodward Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. He defeated Hillsdale by a head in the Woodward with Hall of Famer Round Table third. In the Gold Cup, he trounced Round Table by seven lengths.

Returning as a 4-year-old, Sword Dancer won the Grey Lag Handicap, Suburban Handicap, and repeated in the Woodward, setting a track record of 2:01.20 in defeating Bald Eagle and T. V. Lark. Sword Dancer was retired with a record of 15-7-4 from 39 starts and earnings of $829,610.   

Standing stud at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, Sword Dancer sired Hall of Fame member Damascus and champion filly Lady Pitt. He later stood in France. Sword Dancer died at the age of 28 on Nov. 16, 1984.

Achievements

Horse of the Year — 1959
Champion 3-Year-Old Male — 1959
Champion Male Handicap Horse (Daily Racing Form) — 1959

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the Belmont Stakes — 1959

Biography

Bred in Ireland, L’Escargot was America’s champion steeplechaser in 1969 when he won the Meadow Brook Handicap at Belmont Park in record time, but his greatest achievement took place six years later when he won England’s prestigious Grand National at the age of 12. In between, he won consecutive editions of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and earned a reputation as a crowd favorite.

A chestnut son of Escart III out of the Grand Inquisitor mare What A Daisy, L’Escargot was sold as a 3-year-old to Raymond R. Guest, a former Senator from Virginia who was serving as the United States Ambassador to Ireland at the time.

Trained in Ireland by former steeplechase jockey Dan Moore, L’Escargot won twice in six starts in his debut season of 1967. After winning two of five starts in 1968, L'Escargot posted a record of 5-2-2 from 10 starts in 1969, including some quality performances in the United States. Along with his record-setting effort in the Meadow Brook, L’Escargot finished third in the Temple Gwathmey and fourth in the inaugural Colonial Cup, earning American champion steeplechase honors for the year.

In 1970, L’Escargot returned to Europe, where he remained for the duration of his career. Throughout the next six years, he won four stakes races and placed in seven other added-money events in England and Ireland. L’Escargot won back-to-back editions of the coveted Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1970 and 1971 before beginning a quest to capture the famed Grand National at Aintree.

L’Escargot fell in his first attempt at the Grand National in 1972. He finished third in 1973 edition and second in the 1974 running, both of which were won by the legendary Red Rum. L’Escargot, however, finally won the Grand National in 1975, romping to a 15-length victory over Red Rum. Guest described winning the Grand National with L’Escargot as “the biggest thrill of my life, the biggest excitement.”

Following the 1975 season, L'Escargot was retired with a record of 14-15-7 from 61 starts. He died at the age of 21 at Guest’s Powhatan Plantation in Virginia.

Achievements

Champion Steeplechase Horse — 1969

Biography

Gallant Bloom, bred and owned by King Ranch’s Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., won a dozen stakes races in her career and posted a 12-race win streak stretching from her juvenile season into her 4-year-old campaign.

As a 2-year-old in 1968, Gallant Bloom won the National Stallion, Matron, and Gardenia stakes and was named Champion 2-Year-Old Filly by Daily Racing Form. After finishing second in the Frizette at Belmont Park in October 1968, Gallant Bloom did not lose again until June 1970. She was trained by Hall of Famer Max Hirsch as a 2-year-old before his son, Hall of Famer William J. “Buddy” Hirsch, conditioned her in 1969 and 1970.

During her undefeated sophomore campaign of 1969, Gallant Bloom won the Liberty Belle Handicap, Post-Deb Stakes, Monmouth Oaks, Delaware Oaks, Gazelle Handicap (defeating Shuvee), Matchmaker Stakes (defeating the older Gamely) and Spinster Stakes. With a perfect record of eight wins from as many starts, Gallant Bloom was named Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, as well as the Daily Racing Form’s Champion Female Handicap Horse.

Gallant Bloom extended her win streak to 12 with victories in the Santa Maria Handicap and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap to begin her 4-year-old campaign in 1970. The streak was finally ended when Gallant Bloom was beaten in the Nassau County Handicap. After finishing off the board in the Suburban Handicap, Gallant Bloom was retired because of an ankle injury with a career record of 16-1-1 from 22 starts and earnings of $535,739.

Achievements

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly (Daily Racing Form) — 1968
Champion 3-Year-Old Filly — 1969
Champion Female Handicap Horse (Daily Racing Form ) — 1969