Bimelech
Bimelech | |
---|---|
Sire | Black Toney |
Grandsire | Peter Pan |
Dam | La Troienne (FR) |
Damsire | Teddy (FR) |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 1937 |
Country | United States |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Colonel E. R. Bradley |
Owner | Idle Hour Stock Farm |
Racing colors | White, green hoops and cap |
Trainer | William A. "Bill" Hurley |
Record | 15: 11-2-1 |
Earnings | $248,745 |
Major wins | |
Saratoga Special Stakes (1939) Hopeful Stakes (1939) Belmont Futurity Stakes (1939) Pimlico Futurity (1939) Blue Grass Stakes (1940) Derby Trial Stakes (1940) American Classic Race wins: | |
Awards | |
American Champion 2-Year-Old Colt (1939) American Champion 3-Year-Old Male Horse (1940) | |
Honours | |
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1990) #84 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century | |
Last updated on November 4, 2006 |
Bimelech (February 27, 1937 – 1966) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won two Triple Crown races and was a Champion at both age two and three. He was ranked #84 among U.S. racehorses of the 20th century. After retiring to stud, he sired 30 stakes winners and his daughters produced 50 stakes winners.
Early life
Bimelech was foaled at Colonel E. R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Colonel Bradley named this latest La Troienne foal after a friend, John Harris, who went by the nickname Abimelech. He dropped the "A" because he gave his horses names that began with a "B". Bimelech was the last colt sired by Bradley's major stallion, Black Toney, and was a full brother to Black Helen, the 1935 Champion three-year-old filly. (Black Toney was also the sire of Hall of Famer Black Gold.)
Racing career
Bimelech was undefeated as a two-year-old, winning his first over maidens at Suffolk Downs by three lengths. In his next race, an allowance at Empire City, he wired the field. Bimelech's first stakes race was at Saratoga Race Course, where he defeated Briar Sharp and Andy K. in the Saratoga Special Stakes. He then went on to win the Hopeful Stakes by a neck. He ended his first season with a length and a half victory in the Belmont Futurity Stakes and a four length win in the Pimlico Futurity. Bimelech was named American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt. He was also the Experimental Free Handicap Highweight at 130 pounds, a prodigious weight for a young horse.
He became the favorite to win the 1940 Kentucky Derby; his winterbook odds of three to one were the lowest odds ever quoted for a Derby favorite up to that time.
In his first race as a three-year-old, Bimelech took the Blue Grass Stakes by two and a half lengths. He then won the Derby Trial Stakes, beating a colt from Milky Way Farm Stable called Gallahadion.
Still undefeated, Bimelech was the overwhelming choice for the Derby, which had had its purse raised to $75,000 added. It was his third start in 8 days. At six to one, Charles S. Howard's Mioland was the bettor's second choice. (Howard owned and raced the famous Seabiscuit.) Gallahadion was thirty-five to one.
In the Derby, Bimelech drifted farther and farther out from the rail and ran wide the entire race. The longer distance left him exhausted in the last few furlongs. Gallahadion passed him in the final furlong. Bimelech's jockey, Fred Smith, took the blame for the loss.
A short time later, Bimelech beat Gallahadion in the Preakness. He ran second in the Withers Stakes, but records indicate this was due to poor preparation. So after the Withers, Bimelech went into heavy training and won the Belmont Stakes. He struggled to win his next race, and it was discovered he was racing with an injured foot, which ended his racing that year. He took that year's honor of American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse.[1]
When the new starting gates were introduced, Bimelech acted very badly while being loaded into the gate. After two races, Bradley retired his horse, fearing Bimelech would hurt himself.
Stud record
In 1946, Bradley died and all his horses were sold. A syndicate (Greentree Stud, King Ranch, and Ogden Phipps) bought Bimelech. They stood him at Greentree Stud, where he sired 30 stakes winners, including these multiple stakes-winners:
- Alfoxie, won Laurel Stakes and Jasmine Stakes
- Bassanio, won Monmouth Handicap and USA Sussex Handicap
- Be Faithful, won Beverly Handicap (twice) etc.; was the second dam of Never Bend. He also sired Better Self, the broodmare sire of Dr. Fager.
- Better Self, won Saratoga Handicap etc.; the damsire of Dr. Fager.
- Blue Border, won Palm Beach Handicap and Shevlin Stakes etc.
- Bradley, won Great American Stakes and Sanford Stakes
- Brookfield (Domino Handicap and Wilmington Handicap)
- Burning Dream (American Handicap and San Francisco County Handicap)
- Bymeabond (Santa Anita Derby and San Jose Handicap)
- Getthere Jack (Great American Stakes and Tremont Stakes)
- Guillotine (Lincoln's Birthday Handicap and Futurity Stakes etc.)
- Jabneh (Hialeah Turf Handicap, Longfellow Handicap)
- Laugh (USA Albany Stakes and Flash Stakes)
- Torch Of War (Churchill Downs Handicap and USA de Soto Handicap)
- Well Away (La Centinela Stakes and Yo Tambien Handicap)[2]
Daughters of Bimelech produced 50 stakes winners. Bimelech died in 1966.
Legacy
Bimelech was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1990. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, Bimelech was ranked number 84.
Pedigree
Sire Black Toney (USA) 1911 | Peter Pan (USA) 1904 | Commando | Domino |
---|---|---|---|
Emma C. | |||
Cinderella | Hermit | ||
Mazurka | |||
Belgravia (USA) 1903 | Ben Brush | Bramble | |
Roseville | |||
Bonnie Gal | Galopin | ||
Bonnie Doon | |||
Dam La Troienne (FR) 1926 | Teddy (FR) 1913 | Ajax | Flying Fox |
Amie | |||
Rondeau | Bay Ronald | ||
Doremi | |||
Helene de Troie (FR) 1916 | Helicon | Cyllene | |
Vain Duchess | |||
Lady of Pedigree | St. Denis | ||
Doxa (Family: 1-x)[3] |
References
- ^ Ahnert (editor in chief), Rainer L. (1970). Thoroughbred Breeding of the World. Germany: Pozdun Publishing. p. 400.
{{cite book}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ "Bimelech - offspring". Australian Stud Book. Australian Turf Club Limited and Victoria Racing Club Limited. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ "Family 1-x". bloodlines.net. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- Bimelech's page in the Hall of Fame
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- 1873 Survivor
- 1874 Culpepper
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- 1876 Shirley
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- 1929 Dr. Freeland
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Mate
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Head Play
- 1934 High Quest
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Dauber
- 1939 Challedon
- 1940 Bimelech
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Alsab
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Polynesian
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Faultless
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Capot
- 1950 Hill Prince
- 1951 Bold
- 1952 Blue Man
- 1953 Native Dancer
- 1954 Hasty Road
- 1955 Nashua
- 1956 Fabius
- 1957 Bold Ruler
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Royal Orbit
- 1960 Bally Ache
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Greek Money
- 1963 Candy Spots
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Tom Rolfe
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Damascus
- 1968 Forward Pass
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Personality
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Bee Bee Bee
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Little Current
- 1975 Master Derby
- 1976 Elocutionist
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Codex
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Aloma's Ruler
- 1983 Deputed Testamony
- 1984 Gate Dancer
- 1985 Tank's Prospect
- 1986 Snow Chief
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Risen Star
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Summer Squall
- 1991 Hansel
- 1992 Pine Bluff
- 1993 Prairie Bayou
- 1994 Tabasco Cat
- 1995 Timber Country
- 1996 Louis Quatorze
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Red Bullet
- 2001 Point Given
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Afleet Alex
- 2006 Bernardini
- 2007 Curlin
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Rachel Alexandra ♥
- 2010 Lookin At Lucky
- 2011 Shackleford
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Oxbow
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Exaggerator
- 2017 Cloud Computing
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 War of Will
- 2020 Swiss Skydiver ♥
- 2021 Rombauer
- 2022 Early Voting
- 2023 National Treasure
- 2024 Seize the Grey
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly