Bend Or
Encyclopedia
Bend Or was a British
Thoroughbred
racehorse
who won the 1880 Epsom Derby
. His regular jockey
Fred Archer, winner of thirteen consecutive British jockey titles
, said Bend Or was probably the greatest horse he had ever ridden.
Bred and foaled at the 1st Duke of Westminster's
Eaton Stud, Bend Or grew to be a large stallion
but was noted for his unusual docility. He was sired by Doncaster
, a son of Stockwell
, from the mare, Rouge Rose by Thormanby. Thormanby won the 1860 Epsom Derby and the 1861 Ascot Gold Cup
and was in 1869 the leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
.
His name is the heraldry
term for "a bend (heraldry)
which is golden or yellow in color".
by a head in England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby. Following his Derby win, a challenge to his pedigree was lodged on the grounds that his dam was not Rouge Rose, but a mare called Clemence. Although the objection was dismissed, it remained the subject of controversy. Bend Or won his second start in 1880, the St. James's Palace Stakes
but had to be given a few months rest due to shin problems exacerbated in his Derby win. The injury affected him for most of the remainder of the year as was evident in his first loss when he returned to racing for September's St. Leger Stakes
. After finishing fifth behind winner Robert the Devil in the St. Leger, Bend Or was second to him again in the Great Foal Stakes and in the Champion Stakes
.
Returning to the track at age four, Bend Or won the 1881 City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom Downs
then avenged his previous year's losses, beating arch rival Robert the Devil in the Epsom Gold Cup
. He won the 1881 Champion Stakes
but was bothered by a return of shin soreness. Carrying top weight of eight pounds more than the next weighted horse, Bend Or next finished fifth in the Cambridgeshire Handicap
. He was then retired to breeding
duties at his owner's Eaton Stud.
coat, and like his damsire Thormanby, had black spots on his neck, shoulder, and on his quarters. These markings often showed up in his progeny and is referred to as Bend Or spotting
.
Standing at Eaton Stud, Bend Or sired two British Classic Races winners:
In addition, Bend Or was twice the leading broodmare sire in Britain before his death at age twenty-six in January 1903. He was the damsire of Sceptre
, winner of four classics in 1902. Important descendants include the champion sire, Phalaris
, The Tetrarch
, voted Britain's two-year-old of the 20th Century, and the New Zealand
bred and international racing star, Phar Lap
. Bend Or was also the grandsire of the great American
sprinter, Roseben
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
who won the 1880 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. His regular jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
Fred Archer, winner of thirteen consecutive British jockey titles
British flat racing Champion Jockey
The Champion Jockey of flat racing in Great Britain is the jockey who has ridden the most winning horses during a season. The list below shows the Champion Jockey and the number of winners for each year since 1840...
, said Bend Or was probably the greatest horse he had ever ridden.
Bred and foaled at the 1st Duke of Westminster's
Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster KG, PC, JP , styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845 and Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869 and known as the 3rd Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an English landowner, politician and racehorse owner.He inherited the estate of...
Eaton Stud, Bend Or grew to be a large stallion
Stallion (horse)
A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded .Stallions will follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck, as well as a somewhat more muscular physique as compared to...
but was noted for his unusual docility. He was sired by Doncaster
Doncaster (horse)
Doncaster was an English Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the Epsom Derby and sire of the great stallion Bend Or.-Breeding:...
, a son of Stockwell
Stockwell (horse)
Stockwell was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland seven times; he was second on the sires' list a further four times during a 14-year period.-Breeding:...
, from the mare, Rouge Rose by Thormanby. Thormanby won the 1860 Epsom Derby and the 1861 Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
and was in 1869 the leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
The list below shows the leading sire of racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1751. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
.
His name is the heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
term for "a bend (heraldry)
Bend (heraldry)
In heraldry, a bend is a coloured band running from the upper right corner of the shield to the lower left . Writers differ in how much of the field they say it covers, ranging from one-fifth up to one-third...
which is golden or yellow in color".
Racing record
Racing at age two, Bend Or went undefeated in his five starts. At age three he also raced five times, starting the season by defeating Robert the DevilRobert the Devil (horse)
Robert the Devil was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1879 to 1881 he ran eleven times and won nine races. He was the leading three-year-old colt in Europe in 1880 when his wins incuded the Grand Prix de Paris in France and the St Leger and the Cesarewitch in...
by a head in England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby. Following his Derby win, a challenge to his pedigree was lodged on the grounds that his dam was not Rouge Rose, but a mare called Clemence. Although the objection was dismissed, it remained the subject of controversy. Bend Or won his second start in 1880, the St. James's Palace Stakes
St. James's Palace Stakes
The St. James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
but had to be given a few months rest due to shin problems exacerbated in his Derby win. The injury affected him for most of the remainder of the year as was evident in his first loss when he returned to racing for September's St. Leger Stakes
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
. After finishing fifth behind winner Robert the Devil in the St. Leger, Bend Or was second to him again in the Great Foal Stakes and in the Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
.
Returning to the track at age four, Bend Or won the 1881 City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs Racecourse
Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England. The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course is best known for hosting the Epsom Derby, the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half...
then avenged his previous year's losses, beating arch rival Robert the Devil in the Epsom Gold Cup
Epsom Gold Cup
The Epsom Gold Cup was an English Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Epsom, Surrey.Raced in late May, it was open to horses age three and older...
. He won the 1881 Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
but was bothered by a return of shin soreness. Carrying top weight of eight pounds more than the next weighted horse, Bend Or next finished fifth in the Cambridgeshire Handicap
Cambridgeshire Handicap
The Cambridgeshire Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event...
. He was then retired to breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
duties at his owner's Eaton Stud.
Stud record
Bend Or had white flecks on his chestnutChestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
coat, and like his damsire Thormanby, had black spots on his neck, shoulder, and on his quarters. These markings often showed up in his progeny and is referred to as Bend Or spotting
Bend-Or spots
Bend-Or spots are a type of spotted marking found on horses. They are fairly rare and range in color from slightly darker than the horse's coat to an almost-black shade. These random spots are most commonly seen on palominos, chestnuts, and darker horses, and may not appear until the horse is...
.
Standing at Eaton Stud, Bend Or sired two British Classic Races winners:
- Ormonde, the undefeated Triple CrownTriple Crown of Thoroughbred RacingThe Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
champion - Bona Vista, 2,000 Guineas and also
- Fairy Gold (GB) exported to America and dam of the good horse Fair PlayFair Play (horse)Fair Play was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful on the track, but even more so as a sire.His grandsire was Spendthrift, whose grandsire was the English Triple Crown champion West Australian....
, sire of Man o' WarMan O' WarMan O' War, man o' war or manowar may refer to:* Man-of-war, a warship* Man of war for uses with this spelling - Places :...
(ch c 1917), and the Belmont Stakes winner Friar RockFriar RockFriar Rock was a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse. His most important win came in the 1916 Belmont Stakes.-Background:...
(ch c 1913 Rock SandRock SandRock Sand was a brown Thoroughbred race horse who was a very good young galloper, winning six of his seven starts. Always showing great courage he won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.He was a beautifully conformed...
). - Kendal, the sire of Galtee MoreGaltee MoreGaltee More was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1896 to 1897 he ran thirteen times and won eleven races. As a three-year-old in 1897 he became the seventh horse to win the English Triple Crown by winning the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket,...
, later exported to Argentina and a successful sire there - Martagon, won Ascot Gold Vase, the Goodwood Cup and was a successful sire
- Ornament, her descendants include the Derby winner RelkoRelkoRelko was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1963 Epsom Derby. A grandson of Tantieme, he was owned by French hotelier, François Dupré and bred at his stud farm in Pont-d'Ouilly in the Basse-Normandie region....
, Craig an Eran and Chateaugay.
In addition, Bend Or was twice the leading broodmare sire in Britain before his death at age twenty-six in January 1903. He was the damsire of Sceptre
Sceptre (horse)
Sceptre was a British-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred racemare whose career ran from 1901 to 1904. In 1902 she became the only racehorse to win four British Classic Races outright.-Breeding:...
, winner of four classics in 1902. Important descendants include the champion sire, Phalaris
Phalaris (horse)
Phalaris was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, later a Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and a Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland...
, The Tetrarch
The Tetrarch
The Tetrarch was an undefeated Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire, who was voted Britain's Two-Year-Old of the 20th Century.-Breeding:...
, voted Britain's two-year-old of the 20th Century, and the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
bred and international racing star, Phar Lap
Phar Lap
Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...
. Bend Or was also the grandsire of the great American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sprinter, Roseben
Roseben
Roseben was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame race horse who grew to such an enormous size he was known as "The Big Train." Because of his great size, he was slow to mature but when he finally got moving in his fourth, fifth and sixth years of racing, he began to be called the greatest...
.