Highland Blade was an American 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 who won Grade I 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...

 on both dirt and turf

Grass

Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...

, taking the Brooklyn

Brooklyn Handicap

The Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt....

, Marlboro Cup Invitational

Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap

The Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race first run in September 1973 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade 1 race for horses 3 years old and up, it was raced over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on a dirt track....

, and Pan American Handicap

Pan American Handicap

The Pan American Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of March at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida...

s. He was owned by Pen-Y-Bryn Farm, a partnership founded in 1971 by brothers William W. and Thomas M. Bancroft, Jr. of Muttontown, New York

Muttontown, New York

The Village of Muttontown is a village located within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 3,497 at the 2010 census...

. Sons of Edith Woodward Bancroft who owned Highland Blade's sire, U.S. Racing Hall of Fame

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...

 inductee Damascus

Damascus (horse)

Damascus was a thoroughbred race horse sired by Sword Dancer out of Kerala foaled at the Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky...

, their grandfather was William Woodward, Sr.

William Woodward, Sr.

William Woodward, Sr. was an American banker and major owner and breeder in thoroughbred horse racing.-Background:...

 who owned the famous Belair Stud

Belair Stud

Belair Stud was an American thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm founded by Provincial Governor of Maryland, Samuel Ogle in 1747 in Collington, Prince Georges County, Maryland in Colonial America.-Colonial Period:...

.

Trained by David Whiteley

David A. Whiteley

David A. Whiteley is a retired American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer who trained three Champions and who in 1979 won the third leg of the U.S. Triple Crown.The son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Frank Y...

, as a three-year-old Highland Blade ran second by a neck to Summing

Summing

Summing was an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by stakes winner Verbatim out of the Never Say Die mare, Well Kept....

 in the 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...

, the third leg 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...

 series. In winning the 1983 Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap under jockey Jacinto Vasquez

Jacinto Vásquez

Jacinto Vásquez is a retired Hall of Fame thoroughbred jockey. He rode two Kentucky Derby winners, Foolish Pleasure in 1975 and Genuine Risk in 1980, but may be best known as the regular jockey for the great filly Ruffian.-Biography:...

, Highland Blade defeated U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Slew o' Gold, 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 Gato Del Sol

Gato Del Sol

Gato Del Sol was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was foaled at Stone Farm in Paris, Kentucky, the son of U.S...

, 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...

 winner Deputed Testamony

Deputed Testamony

Deputed Testamony is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the Classic Preakness Stakes. Deputed Testamony is the last of eight Maryland-breds to win the Preakness Stakes and is one of only eleven colts from the state to win a triple crown race.Bred and raced by Bonita Farm and...

.

At stud

Highland Blade met with good success as a sire. Among his top runners was the multiple stakes winner, Highland Penny.

External links

• Video of the 1983 Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap