Needles (horse)
Needles | |
---|---|
Sire | Ponder |
Grandsire | Pensive |
Dam | Noodle Soup |
Damsire | Jack High |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | April 29, 1953[1] |
Country | United States |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | William E. Leach |
Owner | D & H Stable |
Trainer | Hugh L. Fontaine |
Record | 21: 11-3-3 |
Earnings | $600,355 |
Major wins | |
Hopeful Stakes (1955) Sapling Stakes (1955) Flamingo Stakes (1956) Florida Derby (1956) Fort Lauderdale Handicap (1957) U.S. Triple Crown series: Kentucky Derby (1956) Belmont Stakes (1956) | |
Awards | |
U.S. Champion 2-Yr-Old Colt (1955) U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (1956) | |
Honours | |
United States Racing Hall of Fame (2000) Needles Stakes at Calder Race Course Needles Court in Napa, California | |
Last updated on December 9, 2006 |
Needles (April 29, 1953 – October 15, 1984) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. In 1956, he became the first Florida-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby; that year he also won the Belmont Stakes.
Background
Needles was a bay colt bred and raised in Ocala, Florida. He was the descendant of Blenheim and a son and grandson of Kentucky Derby winners Ponder and Pensive. Needles was a sickly foal who was given his name because of the numerous veterinary injections he was given to overcome broken ribs and pneumonia. Needles' dam Noodle Soup was a descendant of the influential Irish broodmare Golden Harp.[2]
Racing career
Owned by Jack Dudley and Bonnie Heath who raced as the D & H Stable, at age two Needles won six of ten starts, including the prestigious Hopeful Stakes. His performances that year earned him the 1955 championship as two-year-old colt.
Ridden by David Erb, Needles was a crowd favorite for his come-from-behind style, sometimes overcoming a 15-length deficit. The betting favorite, Needles won the 1956 Kentucky Derby by coming from 16th place in a field of 17 to make up 24 lengths and win "going away".[3] His victory marked the first time a Florida-bred horse won America's most prestigious horse race.[4]
In the Preakness Stakes, the next leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races at Pimlico Race Course, Needles finished second to the Calumet Farm colt Fabius, whom he had beaten in the Derby. Needles came back in New York to win the grueling one and a half-mile Belmont Stakes, the final and longest leg of the Triple Crown races. Career Boy finished second and Fabius ran third. Needles earned another championship as three-year-old colt in 1956.
At age four, Needles started three times, finishing 1, 2, and 3. His 1957 racing season ended early following an injury.
Stud record
Needles was sent to stand at stud at owner Bonnie Heath's breeding farm in Marion County, Florida. Needles' success in racing sparked a boom in Florida horse breeding. Among others, it produced notable runners such as Carry Back and Affirmed.
Needles died in 1984 at the age of 31. His heart and hooves are buried in the Garden of Champions at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company Pavilion. In 2000, he was inducted into the United States National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.[5]
Pedigree
Sire Ponder (USA) 1946 | Pensive (USA) 1941 | Hyperion (GB) | Gainsborough |
---|---|---|---|
Selene | |||
Penicuik (GB) | Buchan | ||
Pennycomequick | |||
Miss Rushin (USA) 1942 | Blenheim (GB) | Blandford | |
Malva | |||
Lady Erne | Sir Gallahad (FR) | ||
Erne (IRE) | |||
Dam Noodle Soup (USA) 1944 | Jack High (USA) 1926 | John P Grier | Whisk Broom |
Wonder | |||
Priscilla | Star Shoot (GB) | ||
Yankee Sister | |||
Supromene (USA) 1938 | Supremus | Ultimus | |
Mandy Hamilton (GB) | |||
Melpomene (GB) | Son-in-Law | ||
Golden Harp (IRE) (family 5-e)[2] |
See also
References
- ^ a b "Needles pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
- ^ a b "Belvoirina - Family 5-e". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "1956 Kentucky Derby". Kentuckyderby.com. 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
- ^ "Needles Victorious in Derby". Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1956-05-07. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
- ^ "Needles at National Museum of Racing, Hall of Fame". Racingmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
- v
- t
- e
- 1875 Aristides
- 1876 Vagrant
- 1877 Baden-Baden
- 1878 Day Star
- 1879 Lord Murphy
- 1880 Fonso
- 1881 Hindoo
- 1882 Apollo
- 1883 Leonatus
- 1884 Buchanan
- 1885 Joe Cotton
- 1886 Ben Ali
- 1887 Montrose
- 1888 Macbeth II
- 1889 Spokane
- 1890 Riley
- 1891 Kingman
- 1892 Azra
- 1893 Lookout
- 1894 Chant
- 1895 Halma
- 1896 Ben Brush
- 1897 Typhoon II
- 1898 Plaudit
- 1899 Manuel
- 1900 Lieut. Gibson
- 1901 His Eminence
- 1902 Alan-a-Dale
- 1903 Judge Himes
- 1904 Elwood
- 1905 Agile
- 1906 Sir Huon
- 1907 Pink Star
- 1908 Stone Street
- 1909 Wintergreen
- 1910 Donau
- 1911 Meridian
- 1912 Worth
- 1913 Donerail
- 1914 Old Rosebud
- 1915 Regret ♥
- 1916 George Smith
- 1917 Omar Khayyam
- 1918 Exterminator
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Paul Jones
- 1921 Behave Yourself
- 1922 Morvich
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Black Gold
- 1925 Flying Ebony
- 1926 Bubbling Over
- 1927 Whiskery
- 1928 Reigh Count
- 1929 Clyde Van Dusen
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Brokers Tip
- 1934 Cavalcade
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Lawrin
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Gallahadion
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Hoop Jr.
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Jet Pilot
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Ponder
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Count Turf
- 1952 Hill Gail
- 1953 Dark Star
- 1954 Determine
- 1955 Swaps
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Iron Liege
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Tomy Lee
- 1960 Venetian Way
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Decidedly
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Lucky Debonair
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Proud Clarion
- 1968 Forward Pass (Dancer's Image disqualified)
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Dust Commander
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Cannonade
- 1975 Foolish Pleasure
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Genuine Risk ♥
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Gato Del Sol
- 1983 Sunny's Halo
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Spend a Buck
- 1986 Ferdinand
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Winning Colors ♥
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Unbridled
- 1991 Strike the Gold
- 1992 Lil E. Tee
- 1993 Sea Hero
- 1994 Go for Gin
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Grindstone
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus
- 2001 Monarchos
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Giacomo
- 2006 Barbaro
- 2007 Street Sense
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Mine That Bird
- 2010 Super Saver
- 2011 Animal Kingdom
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Orb
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Nyquist
- 2017 Always Dreaming
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Country House (Maximum Security disqualified)
- 2020 Authentic
- 2021 Mandaloun (Medina Spirit disqualified)
- 2022 Rich Strike
- 2023 Mage
- 2024 Mystik Dan
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly