Inferno (horse)
Encyclopedia
Inferno was a Canadian
Thoroughbred
racehorse
. He was owned and bred by distilling
magnate Joseph E. Seagram
who in 1906 was voted president of the Ontario Jockey Club
.
Inferno was out of the mare
, Bon Ino, who was owned and raced by Seagram and who had won the 1898 Queen's Plate
with her. Inferno's sire was Havoc, a stallion
who ended his career as the sire of four King's Plate
winners. Havoc was a son of Himyar
, the Champion Sire in North America
in 1893 who notably also produced U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, Domino
.
Called "Canada's first great racehorse" by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
, Inferno was a very raucous horse and was a danger to his handlers. He was conditioned for racing by New Jersey
-born trainer
, Barry Littlefield
. In 1905 the three-year-old Inferno won Canada's most prestigious race, the King's Plate
. That year he also finished second in both the Toronto Autumn Cup
and the King Edward Gold Cup
. In 1906 he was again second in the Toronto Autumn Cup but won the Durham Cup Handicap
and the first of three consecutive King Edward Gold Cups. The following year Inferno won his second King Edward Cup plus the Toronto Autumn Cup and in 1908 he won his second Durham Cup and made it three wins in a row in the King Edward Gold Cup. In addition, his owner joined the Whitney family
and other wealthy American
elite in bringing horses to compete during the fashionable summer racing season at Saratoga Race Course
in Saratoga Springs, New York
. Inferno would race until age six and would be part of Joseph Seagram's stable to race at Saratoga where he won two important handicaps.
Retired to stud
duty at Seagram's stud farm in Waterloo, Ontario
, Inferno was not successful as a sire.
On its formation in 1976, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
inducted Inferno as part of its inaugural class.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
. He was owned and bred by distilling
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
magnate Joseph E. Seagram
Joseph E. Seagram
Joseph Emm Seagram was a British Canadian distillery founder, politician, philanthropist, and major owner of thoroughbred racehorses....
who in 1906 was voted president of the Ontario Jockey Club
Woodbine Entertainment Group
Woodbine Entertainment Group is responsible for operations of the casino and race track at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto. The group changed their name from the Ontario Jockey Club in 2001 and also operates/operated at other tracks in Southern Ontario:...
.
Inferno was out of the mare
Mare (horse)
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine.In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse age three and younger. However, in Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old; in harness racing a mare is a...
, Bon Ino, who was owned and raced by Seagram and who had won the 1898 Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
with her. Inferno's sire was Havoc, a 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...
who ended his career as the sire of four King's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
winners. Havoc was a son of Himyar
Himyar (horse)
Himyar was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that was the sire of 1898 Kentucky Derby winner Plaudit and Domino, the grandsire of Colin and Peter Pan...
, the Champion Sire in North America
Leading sire in North America
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
in 1893 who notably also produced 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, 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...
.
Called "Canada's first great racehorse" by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
, Inferno was a very raucous horse and was a danger to his handlers. He was conditioned for racing by 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...
-born trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
, Barry Littlefield
Barry Littlefield
Barak Thomas "Barry" Littlefield Barak Thomas "Barry" Littlefield Barak Thomas "Barry" Littlefield (June 16, 1871 - June 14, 1936 is an American-born Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer....
. In 1905 the three-year-old Inferno won Canada's most prestigious race, the King's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
. That year he also finished second in both the Toronto Autumn Cup
Toronto Cup Stakes
The Toronto Cup Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually on turf at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in early July, the race is open to Three-year-olds and is run over a distance of 1⅛ miles on turf....
and the King Edward Gold Cup
King Edward Stakes
The King Edward Breeders' Cup Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. The Grade II turf race is open to horses aged three and older and is raced over a distance of one mile...
. In 1906 he was again second in the Toronto Autumn Cup but won the Durham Cup Handicap
Durham Cup Stakes
The Durham Cup Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Run in mid October, the Grade III race is open to horses age three and older. Raced over a distance of 1⅛ miles on Polytrack synthetic dirt, it currently offers a purse of...
and the first of three consecutive King Edward Gold Cups. The following year Inferno won his second King Edward Cup plus the Toronto Autumn Cup and in 1908 he won his second Durham Cup and made it three wins in a row in the King Edward Gold Cup. In addition, his owner joined the Whitney family
Whitney family
The Whitney family is an American family notable for their social prominence, wealth, business enterprises and philanthropy, founded by John Whitney who came from London, England to Watertown, Massachusetts in 1635.-Rise to prominence:...
and other wealthy American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
elite in bringing horses to compete during the fashionable summer racing season at Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
in Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
. Inferno would race until age six and would be part of Joseph Seagram's stable to race at Saratoga where he won two important handicaps.
Retired to stud
Stud (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 Seagram's stud farm in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Inferno was not successful as a sire.
On its formation in 1976, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
inducted Inferno as part of its inaugural class.