Gallant Man
Gallant Man | |
---|---|
Gallant Man at Spendthrift Farm in 1981 | |
Sire | Migoli |
Grandsire | Bois Roussel |
Dam | Majideh |
Damsire | Mahmoud |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | March 20, 1954 |
Died | September 7, 1988(1988-09-07) (aged 34) |
Country | Ireland |
Color | Brown |
Breeder | HH Aga Khan III & Prince Aly Khan |
Owner | Ralph Lowe |
Trainer | John A. Nerud |
Record | 26:14-4-1 |
Earnings | $510,355 |
Major wins | |
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1957) Travers Stakes (1957) Peter Pan Stakes (1957) Nassau County Handicap (1957) Hibiscus Stakes (1957) Hollywood Gold Cup (1958) Sunset Handicap (1958) Metropolitan Handicap (1958) U.S. Triple Crown series: | |
Honors | |
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1987) #36 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century Gallant Man Handicap at Hollywood Park Racetrack | |
Last updated on November 23, 2006 |
Gallant Man (March 20, 1954 – September 7, 1988) was a thoroughbred racehorse, named for a horse in a Don Ameche movie. His exact foaling date was unknown or at best debated over the years of his life and many years after. The supporting evidence from a review of foaling stall records in Ireland indicates that he was born on the Saturday after St. Patrick's Day during a highly productive foaling weekend for many thoroughbred mothers on the same farm. His dam, Majideh, is recorded as being in the foaling stall without a live foal until March 20, 1954, at approximately 7:45 am.
Racing career
Performance at Kentucky Derby
Gallant Man is remembered primarily for his upset loss in the 1957 Kentucky Derby. He would almost certainly have won the race, but his jockey, Hall of Famer Bill Shoemaker, misjudged the finish line and stood up too early in his stirrups, which slowed Gallant Man's rush for the wire and allowed another Hall of Fame jockey, Bill Hartack riding Iron Liege, to take the win by a nose. As noted in books, in articles, and on online sites, Shoemaker's error remains one of the biggest blunders in racing history.
Career after the Derby
After the Derby, Hall of Fame trainer John Nerud sent Gallant Man out to decimate the field in the Belmont Stakes, winning by 8 lengths, beating the favorite Bold Ruler. The track and race records Gallant Man achieved that day stood until Bold Ruler's son, Secretariat's 1973 Belmont Stakes. Subsequently, Gallant Man beat Bold Ruler in the Metropolitan Mile, and his Jockey Club Gold Cup was achieved against older horses.
Gallant Man raced as a three- and four-year-old at the same time as Bold Ruler and Round Table, who both became Horse of the Year.
Gallant Man, who had at one time or another beaten each of them, was never awarded a racing honor or a championship of any kind. He ranks #36 in Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century. (Round Table ranks #17 and Bold Ruler ranks #19.)
A small brown horse by (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner) Migoli out of Majideh (winner of both the Irish Oaks and the Irish 1,000 Guineas), Gallant Man stood a little over fifteen hands and was afflicted with bad ankles.
If Ralph Lowe had listened to his vet, Gallant Man would not have been bought in the group of nine horses acquired from the Aga Khan ($220,000 for the crop of Irish yearlings). However, Lowe's bloodstock agent, Humphrey Finney, thought the little horse might be perhaps the worst of the lot, but was still a good buy.
Retirement
Retired after his 1958 season with a splint problem in his left foreleg, Gallant Man stood at Kentucky's Spendthrift Farm, where he sired 52 stakes winners. He did even better as a broodmare sire. Genuine Risk (from one of his daughters) and Gallant Bloom were two of his breeding triumphs.
Death
After being pensioned in 1981, Gallant Man was euthanized on September 7, 1988, at the age of 34 after suffering from lameness, respiratory problems, and many failing organs.
Longevity
According to the most up-to-date records on past racehorses, Gallant Man (by virtue of his 1957 Belmont Stakes win), at 34 years and 171 days, is the longest-lived racehorse ever to win any Triple Crown race, surpassing Count Fleet, who lived for 33 years and 254 days, on November 30, 1987. His longevity genes continued throughout the generations. Nearly 20 years to the day of his death, his granddaughter Genuine Risk, who lived 31+1⁄2 years, died naturally from similar health problems, but also became the longest-lived filly ever to win a Triple Crown race. His grandson Lord Avie became one of the few thoroughbred racehorses to place third or better in all of his races and is the longest-lived horse with this distinction. In 2012, Lord Avie at 34 surpassed his grandfather in longevity by approximately 2+1⁄2 months.
Pedigree
Sire Migoli | Bois Roussel | Vatout | Prince Chimay |
---|---|---|---|
Vasthi | |||
Plucky Liege | Spearmint | ||
Concertina | |||
Mah Iran | Bahram | Blandford | |
Friar's Daughter | |||
Mah Mahal | Gainsborough | ||
Mumtaz Mahal | |||
Dam Majideh | Mahmoud | Blenheim | Blandford |
Malva | |||
Mah Mahal | Gainsborough | ||
Mumtaz Mahal | |||
Qurrat-Al-Ain | Buchan | Sunstar | |
Hamoaze | |||
Harpsichord | Louvois | ||
Golden Harp (family: 5-e) |
External links
- Gallant Man's pedigree with photo
- v
- t
- e
- 1867 Ruthless ♥
- 1868 General Duke
- 1869 Fenian
- 1870 Kingfisher
- 1871 Harry Bassett
- 1872 Joe Daniels
- 1873 Springbok
- 1874 Saxon
- 1875 Calvin
- 1876 Algerine
- 1877 Cloverbrook
- 1878 Duke Of Magenta
- 1879 Spendthrift
- 1880 Grenada
- 1881 Saunterer
- 1882 Forester
- 1883 George Kinney
- 1884 Panique
- 1885 Tyrant
- 1886 Inspector B
- 1887 Hanover
- 1888 Sir Dixon
- 1889 Eric
- 1890 Burlington
- 1891 Foxford
- 1892 Patron
- 1893 Commanche
- 1894 Henry of Navarre
- 1895 Belmar
- 1896 Hastings
- 1897 Scottish Chieftain
- 1898 Bowling Brook
- 1899 Jean Bereaud
- 1900 Ildrim
- 1901 Commando
- 1902 Masterman
- 1903 Africander
- 1904 Delhi
- 1905 Tanya ♥
- 1906 Burgomaster
- 1907 Peter Pan
- 1908 Colin
- 1909 Joe Madden
- 1910 Sweep
- 1913 Prince Eugene
- 1914 Luke McLuke
- 1915 The Finn
- 1916 Friar Rock
- 1917 Hourless
- 1918 Johren
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Man o' War
- 1921 Grey Lag
- 1922 Pillory
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Mad Play
- 1925 American Flag
- 1926 Crusader
- 1927 Chance Shot
- 1928 Vito
- 1929 Blue Larkspur
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Faireno
- 1933 Hurryoff
- 1934 Peace Chance
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Granville
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Pasteurized
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Bimelech
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Bounding Home
- 1945 Pavot
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Phalanx
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Capot
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Counterpoint
- 1952 One Count
- 1953 Native Dancer
- 1954 High Gun
- 1955 Nashua
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Gallant Man
- 1958 Cavan
- 1959 Sword Dancer
- 1960 Celtic Ash
- 1961 Sherluck
- 1962 Jaipur
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Quadrangle
- 1965 Hail To All
- 1966 Amberoid
- 1967 Damascus
- 1968 Stage Door Johnny
- 1969 Arts and Letters
- 1970 High Echelon
- 1971 Pass Catcher
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Little Current
- 1975 Avatar
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Coastal
- 1980 Temperence Hill
- 1981 Summing
- 1982 Conquistador Cielo
- 1983 Caveat
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Creme Fraiche
- 1986 Danzig Connection
- 1987 Bet Twice
- 1988 Risen Star
- 1989 Easy Goer
- 1990 Go and Go
- 1991 Hansel
- 1992 A.P. Indy
- 1993 Colonial Affair
- 1994 Tabasco Cat
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Editor's Note
- 1997 Touch Gold
- 1998 Victory Gallop
- 1999 Lemon Drop Kid
- 2000 Commendable
- 2001 Point Given
- 2002 Sarava
- 2003 Empire Maker
- 2004 Birdstone
- 2005 Afleet Alex
- 2006 Jazil
- 2007 Rags to Riches ♥
- 2008 Da' Tara
- 2009 Summer Bird
- 2010 Drosselmeyer
- 2011 Ruler on Ice
- 2012 Union Rags
- 2013 Palace Malice
- 2014 Tonalist
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Creator
- 2017 Tapwrit
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Sir Winston
- 2020 Tiz the Law
- 2021 Essential Quality
- 2022 Mo Donegal
- 2023 Arcangelo
- 2024 Dornoch
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly