Broomstick (horse)
Encyclopedia
Broomstick was a Thoroughbred
race horse born and bred at the famous McGrathiana Stud in Kentucky
, but more importantly, he was one of the great sires of American
racing. Out of another great sire, the Hall of Famer
Ben Brush, Broomstick went on after his racing career to produce champion after champion for many years.
The important horseman, James R. Keene
(who owned Domino
, Kingston
, Colin
and Sysonby
among so many other memorable horses), also owned Elf, Broomstick's dam. Believing she was barren, he sold her to Milton Young. One year later she foaled Broomstick. As a yearling Broomstick then went to a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
coal millionaire named Captain Samuel S. Brown
who was a member of The Jockey Club
and the owner of two racetracks.
Broomstick was small, but he won his first three stakes at two. Because of this, he was weighted down rather heavily for such a young horse and consequently won fewer races at that age. He placed in the Saratoga Special
, the Walden Stakes, the Flatbush Stakes, the Great Trial Stakes and the Spring Stakes.
At three, and under another trainer, he won the Travers Stakes
. In the Brighton Handicap
he beat older horses and set a record that stood for nine years. In that race he was up against the truly game Irish Lad
who broke down nearing the wire, but finished on three legs, only barely beaten.
Still heavily weighted, he placed in the Merchants and Citizens Handicap
, the Hindoo Handicap, and his second Saratoga Special
.
At four his only important effort was a place in the Century Handicap.
duty at Capt. Brown's Senorita Stock Farm near Lexington, Kentucky
where he sired three crops including 1911 Kentucky Derby
winner Meridian
, Sweeper II who raced in England and in 1912 won the Classic 2,000 Guineas Stakes, and the 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II
who went on to sire Whiskery, the winner of the 1927 Kentucky Derby. Capt. Brown died in late 1905 and his son, W. Harry Brown, continued on with the business until November 23, 1908 when he sold Broomstick and twenty-eight other horses at a Fasig-Tipton
auction. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C05E1DE113EE233A25757C2A9679D946997D6CF
Purchased by Harry Payne Whitney
, Broomstick was sent to stand at his Brookdale Farm in New Jersey
where he continued as a great sire. Even with only an average eleven foals per crop, of those eleven foals twenty five percent were stakes
winners. The best of the lot was Regret
, the first filly
to win the Kentucky Derby
which she did in 1915. He also sired Cudgel
who, in his time, beat Exterminator
, Sun Briar
, Johren
, and Roamer. And then there was the extraordinary Tippity Witchet
who raced 266 times over thirteen seasons and won 78 of those starts, came in second 52 times, and third 42 times.
Broomstick was America's leading sire from 1913 to 1915 and among the top ten for 17 years: 1910 to 1927. He died when he was thirty years old, only a few years past being at his best.
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...
race horse born and bred at the famous McGrathiana Stud in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, but more importantly, he was one of the great sires of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
racing. Out of another great sire, the Hall of Famer
National 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...
Ben Brush, Broomstick went on after his racing career to produce champion after champion for many years.
The important horseman, James R. Keene
James R. Keene
James Robert Keene was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.-Biography:He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States in 1852...
(who owned 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...
, Kingston
Kingston (horse)
Kingston was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won 89 races, the most in the history of the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Of his 138 starts, he was out of the money only on four occasions. He was later inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame.-Breeding:He was bred by James R. Keene...
, Colin
Colin (horse)
Colin was one of America's greatest Thoroughbred racehorses. He retired undefeated after 15 starts and as a sire appears in the pedigree of the champion racehorse, Alsab.-Pedigree:...
and Sysonby
Sysonby
Sysonby was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won every start easily, except one, at distances from one mile to two and a quarter miles...
among so many other memorable horses), also owned Elf, Broomstick's dam. Believing she was barren, he sold her to Milton Young. One year later she foaled Broomstick. As a yearling Broomstick then went to a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
coal millionaire named Captain Samuel S. Brown
Samuel S. Brown
Captain Samuel Smith Brown was an American businessman and a prominent Thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder and racetrack owner....
who was a member of The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club, formed on February 9, 1894, is the keeper of The American Stud Book. It came into existence after James R. Keene spearheaded a drive in support of racehorse trainers who had complained about the Board of Control that governed racing in New York State.-History:On its formation, The...
and the owner of two racetracks.
Broomstick was small, but he won his first three stakes at two. Because of this, he was weighted down rather heavily for such a young horse and consequently won fewer races at that age. He placed in the Saratoga Special
Saratoga Special Stakes
The Saratoga Special Stakes is an American grade II thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is for two-year-olds willing to race six and a half furlongs on the dirt....
, the Walden Stakes, the Flatbush Stakes, the Great Trial Stakes and the Spring Stakes.
At three, and under another trainer, he won the Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
. In the Brighton Handicap
Brighton Handicap
The Brighton Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1895 through 1907 at the Brighton Beach Race Course in Brighton Beach, Coney Island, New York and in 1910 at Empire City Race Track...
he beat older horses and set a record that stood for nine years. In that race he was up against the truly game Irish Lad
Irish Lad
Irish Lad was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse and a world record holder.Bred by H. Eugene Leigh, in the fall of 1901 he sold the yearling to John Madden for $2,550. Madden conditioned him for racing and brought him to the track in the spring of 1902 where he showed enough potential...
who broke down nearing the wire, but finished on three legs, only barely beaten.
Still heavily weighted, he placed in the Merchants and Citizens Handicap
Merchants and Citizens Handicap
The Merchants and Citizens Handicap is a defunct American Thoroughbred horse race which was held annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York...
, the Hindoo Handicap, and his second Saratoga Special
Saratoga Special Stakes
The Saratoga Special Stakes is an American grade II thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is for two-year-olds willing to race six and a half furlongs on the dirt....
.
At four his only important effort was a place in the Century Handicap.
At stud
Broomstick was retired to studStud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
duty at Capt. Brown's Senorita Stock Farm near Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
where he sired three crops including 1911 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...
winner Meridian
Meridian (horse)
Meridian was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1911 Kentucky Derby, setting a new record by running 1 1/4 miles in 2 minutes, 5 seconds. The previous record of 2:06 1/4 had been set by Lieut. Gibson in the 1900 Derby. Meridian was determined to be the historical Champion Three-Year...
, Sweeper II who raced in England and in 1912 won the Classic 2,000 Guineas Stakes, and the 1913 American Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II was American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in the United Kingdom and in the United States.-Background:...
who went on to sire Whiskery, the winner of the 1927 Kentucky Derby. Capt. Brown died in late 1905 and his son, W. Harry Brown, continued on with the business until November 23, 1908 when he sold Broomstick and twenty-eight other horses at a Fasig-Tipton
Fasig-Tipton
The Fasig-Tipton Company, Inc. is an auction house for Thoroughbred horses founded in 1898 by William B. Fasig and Edward A. Tipton. It is the oldest auction company of its kind in North America....
auction. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C05E1DE113EE233A25757C2A9679D946997D6CF
Purchased by Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney was an American businessman, thoroughbred horsebreeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.- Early years :...
, Broomstick was sent to stand at his Brookdale Farm in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
where he continued as a great sire. Even with only an average eleven foals per crop, of those eleven foals twenty five percent were 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...
winners. The best of the lot was Regret
Regret (horse)
Regret was a famous American thoroughbred racehorse and the first of three fillies to ever win the Kentucky Derby.-Background:She was foaled at Harry Payne Whitney's Brookdale Farm in Lincroft, New Jersey...
, the first filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
to win 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...
which she did in 1915. He also sired Cudgel
Cudgel (horse)
Cudgel was an American two-time Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.Owned by J. K. L. Ross and trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee H. Guy Bedwell, Cudgel is probably best remembered for his win in the 1919 Havre de Grace Handicap in which he defeated two future Hall of Fame inductees,...
who, in his time, beat Exterminator
Exterminator (horse)
Exterminator was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and the winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby, and in 1922 won Horse of the Year honors....
, Sun Briar
Sun Briar
Sun Briar was a Thoroughbred racehorse voted the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1917 and the American Champion Older Male Horse of 1919. He was a son of Sundridge, the 1911 Champion sire in Great Britain who also sired Epsom Derby winner, Sunstar. Sun Briar was out of the mare Sweet...
, Johren
Johren
Johren was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the United States. His most important win came in the 1918 Belmont Stakes.-Background:...
, and Roamer. And then there was the extraordinary Tippity Witchet
Tippity Witchet
Tippity Witchet was a son of the great sire Broomstick who was the son of the legendary Ben Brush. His dam was a daughter of St. Simon, one of Great Britain's greatest stallions...
who raced 266 times over thirteen seasons and won 78 of those starts, came in second 52 times, and third 42 times.
Broomstick was America's leading sire from 1913 to 1915 and among the top ten for 17 years: 1910 to 1927. He died when he was thirty years old, only a few years past being at his best.
External links
- Broomstick’s pedigree
- Broomstick in the Hall of Fame
- The Spell of the Turf by Sam HildrethSam HildrethSamuel Clay Hildreth was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer and owner.Born in Independence, Missouri, Sam Hildreth began his training career in 1887, competing at racetracks in the Midwestern United States with such horses as the good racemare Hurley Burley, the dam of...
and James R. Crowell