Bold Venture (horse)
Encyclopedia
Bold Venture was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse that won the Kentucky Derby
and Preakness Stakes
.
He was sired by the multiple British
stakes winner, St Germans, who, after his importation to stand at Greentree Stud in Lexington, Ky., became the leading sire of 1931 when his son Twenty Grand won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. St. Germans own sire, Swynford
, also a stakes winner, was a top British stallion whose other sons included English Derby winner Sansovino, English Derby second St. Germans, Challenger (also imported to the United States, where he sired American Horse of the Year Challedon), Lancegaye (imported to the U.S. and sire of Kentucky Derby winner Cavalcade), and Blandford, a leading sire in Europe and the sire of four English Derby winners. Bold Venture's dam, Possible, was by Ultimus, a son of the two-time American Horse of the Year Commando
(1900/1901), by the "Black Whirlwind" Domino
.
conditioner, Max Hirsch
, was entered in the 1936 Kentucky Derby
without achieving a single stakes
win and his rider was an apprentice jockey
named Ira "Babe" Hanford, who had been riding in races for less than a year. The boy's contract was owned by Hirsch's daughter, Mary, also a trainer. Just as Hanford's mount had never won a stakes race, no apprentice had ever won the Derby. They went out together as 20-1 shots.
That year, Brevity, owned by Joseph E. Widener
of Elmendorf Farm
, was the favorite. Brevity had won the Florida Derby
and had equaled the world record for 1 1/8 miles. Indian Broom, owned by Austin C. Taylor, was second favorite after lowering Brevity's record in the Marchbank Handicap.
As soon as the gates opened, Brevity was knocked to his knees and the horse who would go on to win that year's American Horse of the Year award, Granville
, threw his rider James Stout
. Indian Broom was trapped in a scrum of racing horses. Bold Venture was in no better position. On the way out of the gate, another horse slammed into him, which was like, as Hanford said: "...a bowling ball hitting the pins." This started a chain reaction that caused Granville to throw Stout. But the apprentice rider somehow found his horse running room and by the backstretch
Bold Venture was leading. But Brevity had righted himself, broken free of the pack, and came charging after Bold Venture. Before he could catch him, assuming he could, he ran out of running room. The two "beginners" had won the Derby.
The win did little for Bold Venture's reputation. Considering the terrible mess at the start of the race and that Charles Kurtsinger
, the rider of the Santa Anita Derby
winner He Did, claimed someone leaned over the rail and managed to snatch his whip causing his horse to come in seventh, all thought the victory by horse and rider a matter of bad luck for better horses.
Two weeks later Bold Venture, was entered in the $50,000 "Second jewel of the Triple Crown
the Preakness Stakes
and ridden by the great jockey George Woolf
, had a second bad start, but still won…this time a nose in front of Granville.
Undefeated in his three-year-old season, and with two legs of the Triple Crown
won, Bold Venture bowed a tendon and was retired.
Owner Morton L. Schwartz sold Bold Venture to Robert J. Kleberg Jr. for a reported $40,000 as a breeding animal. Although Bold Venture did not have immediate success as a stallion in Kentucky, he then stood at Kleberg's King Ranch
in Texas, and there sired a pair of top-class racehorses: Assault
, winner of the 1946 U.S. Triple Crown Champion, and Middleground
, winner of the 1950 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes
.
Bold Venture's date of death is not known.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 that won the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
and Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
.
He was sired by the multiple British
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...
stakes winner, St Germans, who, after his importation to stand at Greentree Stud in Lexington, Ky., became the leading sire of 1931 when his son Twenty Grand won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. St. Germans own sire, Swynford
Swynford
Swynford was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred at the 16th Lord Derby's stud in Lincolnshire, England he was sired by John O'Gaunt, a son of Isinglass, winner of the British Triple Crown in 1893...
, also a stakes winner, was a top British stallion whose other sons included English Derby winner Sansovino, English Derby second St. Germans, Challenger (also imported to the United States, where he sired American Horse of the Year Challedon), Lancegaye (imported to the U.S. and sire of Kentucky Derby winner Cavalcade), and Blandford, a leading sire in Europe and the sire of four English Derby winners. Bold Venture's dam, Possible, was by Ultimus, a son of the two-time American Horse of the Year Commando
Commando (horse)
Commando was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred at Castleton Stud by owner James R. Keene, Commando raced at age two, winning five of his six starts and finishing second in the other as a result of jockey error. At age three, Commando raced only three times, winning the...
(1900/1901), by the "Black Whirlwind" Domino
Domino (horse)
Domino was a 19th-century American thoroughbred race horse.-Background:A dark brown, almost black*, colt, Domino was sired by Himyar out of the mare Mannie Gray.Sam Hildreth writes in his book, "The Spell of the Turf" that he looked black was actually a deep chestnut. Himyar was out of speed...
.
Racing career
Bold Venture, trained by the Hall of FameNational Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
conditioner, Max Hirsch
Max Hirsch
Maximilian J. "Max" Hirsch was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.Born in Fredericksburg, Texas, Hirsch became one of the most successful trainers in Thoroughbred horse racing history. He spent part of his formative years working as a groom and jockey at Morris Ranch in...
, was entered in the 1936 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
without achieving a single stakes
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
win and his rider was an apprentice 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:...
named Ira "Babe" Hanford, who had been riding in races for less than a year. The boy's contract was owned by Hirsch's daughter, Mary, also a trainer. Just as Hanford's mount had never won a stakes race, no apprentice had ever won the Derby. They went out together as 20-1 shots.
That year, Brevity, owned by Joseph E. Widener
Joseph E. Widener
Joseph Early Widener was a wealthy American art collector who was a founding benefactor of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C...
of Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm
Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, and has been involved with horse racing since the early 19th century...
, was the favorite. Brevity had won the Florida Derby
Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on the Saturday closest to the end of March or the first of April. Added to the racing schedule in 1952, the Grade 1 race is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt...
and had equaled the world record for 1 1/8 miles. Indian Broom, owned by Austin C. Taylor, was second favorite after lowering Brevity's record in the Marchbank Handicap.
As soon as the gates opened, Brevity was knocked to his knees and the horse who would go on to win that year's American Horse of the Year award, Granville
Granville (horse)
Granville was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned and bred by prominent horseman William Woodward, Sr. at his Belair Stud in Bowie, Maryland, Granville was sired by U.S...
, threw his rider James Stout
James Stout
James Stout was an American Hall of Fame thoroughbred horse racing jockey.Known as "Jimmy," he began working at a racetrack as a stable boy then in 1930 became a professional jockey. Stout became most famous riding for Belair Stud and trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons. He rode Seabiscuit in his first...
. Indian Broom was trapped in a scrum of racing horses. Bold Venture was in no better position. On the way out of the gate, another horse slammed into him, which was like, as Hanford said: "...a bowling ball hitting the pins." This started a chain reaction that caused Granville to throw Stout. But the apprentice rider somehow found his horse running room and by the backstretch
Backstretch
The Backstretch is the area in a horse racetrack where horses are stabled and the training and daily work of maintaining the horses occurs. In many race tracks it will be found directly across the track from the grandstands and may also be called "the other side of the track."-Description:A...
Bold Venture was leading. But Brevity had righted himself, broken free of the pack, and came charging after Bold Venture. Before he could catch him, assuming he could, he ran out of running room. The two "beginners" had won the Derby.
The win did little for Bold Venture's reputation. Considering the terrible mess at the start of the race and that Charles Kurtsinger
Charles Kurtsinger
Charles E. Kurtsinger was an American Hall of Fame jockey who won the Triple Crown in 1937.Known as "Charley" but in racing received the nickname "The Flying Dutchman", Kurtsinger was born in Shepherdsville, Kentucky and learned race riding from his jockey father and from veteran rider Mack Garner...
, the rider of the Santa Anita Derby
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $1 million. Inaugurated in 1935, it is considered the most important West Coast stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby...
winner He Did, claimed someone leaned over the rail and managed to snatch his whip causing his horse to come in seventh, all thought the victory by horse and rider a matter of bad luck for better horses.
Two weeks later Bold Venture, was entered in the $50,000 "Second jewel of the Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
and ridden by the great jockey George Woolf
George Woolf
George Monroe Woolf , nicknamed "The Ice Man", was a Canadian-born thoroughbred race horse jockey and the namesake of the annual jockey's award given by the United States Jockeys' Guild....
, had a second bad start, but still won…this time a nose in front of Granville.
Undefeated in his three-year-old season, and with two legs of the Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
won, Bold Venture bowed a tendon and was retired.
Owner Morton L. Schwartz sold Bold Venture to Robert J. Kleberg Jr. for a reported $40,000 as a breeding animal. Although Bold Venture did not have immediate success as a stallion in Kentucky, he then stood at Kleberg's King Ranch
King Ranch
King Ranch, located in south Texas between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, is one of the world's largest ranches. The ranch, founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis, includes portions of six Texas counties, including most of Kleberg County and much of Kenedy County, with...
in Texas, and there sired a pair of top-class racehorses: Assault
Assault (horse)
Assault was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the U.S. Triple Crown in 1946.-Early life:...
, winner of the 1946 U.S. Triple Crown Champion, and Middleground
Middleground
Middleground was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.Ridden by 16-year-old apprentice jockey Bill Boland, and trained by Max Hirsch, both future U.S...
, winner of the 1950 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
.
Bold Venture's date of death is not known.