Racing Champs Trace to England
Eclipse Begat American Winners; Domino Strengthened Bloodlines
Bloodlines of four American Triple Crown winners trace directly to the great British running and stock champion, Eclipse. Awards are named for him.
Even though horse breeding will always remain an unscientific undertaking, horsemen will continue to search for the best bred horse of speed and stamina.
Certain ancestry and lineage have stood the test of time. American thoroughbreds today still trace back to the grand English stallion, Eclipse. Foaled in 1764, he was also an unbeatable competitor on the track.
Not a racer until the age of five, Eclipse retired from the track undefeated in 18 contests.
But what he contributed to the Sport of Kings in the breeding shed is his most important legacy. A great-great-grandson of the Darley Abrabian (owned by Thomas Darley, of Yorkshire), one of three breeds that combined to establish racing's best, Eclipse is tail male to many champions.
Most notably, all four of the American Triple Crown winners in the 1940s trace to Eclipse's lot: Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), and Citation (1948).
First foaled in Syria, the Arabian breed that came to England was revered as a top specimen. The Darley Arabian gave the world Eclipse. Today's American Eclipse Awards honor his contribution to thoroughbred breeding. His introduction to American breeding stock secured the blossoming of most of the potent lines currently in existence. While other Darley Arabian lines have disappeared, Eclipse's tail male lineage accounts for 90 percent of American thoroughbred winners.
The thoroughbred line got a lasting start with Eclipse. It was originated in America by the champion Domino. The best of European imports, including such greats as Ribot, Blenheim II, Nasrullah, Mahmoud, Princequillo, Ambiorix, Alibhai, and Sir Gallahad III, were used to refresh American lines.
Equipoise, Roman Brother, Menow, Nantallah, Blue Larkspar, Sweep, Ben Or, Heliopolis, Sickle, Bull Lea, Polynesian, St. Simon, Roman, Sun Beau, Tom Fool, Hyperion, Sysonby, Nasrullah, Black Toney, Native Dancer, Alsab, Kelso, and Buckpasser were all champions, all Eclipse tail male products.
When intermingled British stock reached its limits, oriental stallions infused new and fresh bloodlines into English mares, who returned the favor by birthing brighter, faster foals.
Imported stallions produced the lineage of today's thoroughbreds. Their stock withstood the mystery of cross breeding and continues to be coveted today.
Although the Goldolphin (Barb) Arabian (owned by the Earl of Godolphin when he came into prominence) accounts for less American champions than the Darley Arabian, his line did bring about such superstars as Man o' War, Seabiscuit, Discovery, War Admiral, and the champion filly, Busher. The Barb's grandson, Matchem, born in 1748, begat this line.
Herod, foaled in 1758, a great-great-grandson of the Byerley Turk (owned by Captain Robert Byerley), is the third link in American thoroughbred beginnings. He is believed to be a mixture of Persian and Arab bloodlines.
First Fiddle, Porter's Cap, Royal Minstrel, Whiskery, Epinard, and The Tetrarch trace to Herod. Just 3 percent of American stakes winning lineage traces to the Byerly Turk, but his cross bred lines produced other champions. Kelso, the five-time American Horse of the Year, for example, traces to Eclipse in tail male descendents, but a Man o' War mare, Maidoduntreath, by Matchem, was Kelso's maternal grand-dam.
Unscientific and mysterious, thoroughbred breeding does produce surprises along the way. Still, breeders, owners, and trainers rely heavily on the evidence of past performance.
