Master Derby was an American

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

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...

 best known for winning the 1975 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...

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Background

He was bred by Robert E. Lehmann at his Golden Chance Farm in Paris, Kentucky

Paris, Kentucky

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,183 people, 3,857 households, and 2,487 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,222 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.23% White, 12.71% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.16%...

. Master Derby 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...

 Madam Jerry, and sired by Lehmann's 1970 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, Dust Commander

Dust Commander

Dust Commander was an American Thoroughbred Racehorse. The name "Dust Commander" is derived from his dam, Dust Storm, and his sire, Bold Commander. A descendant of the great sire Nearco, Dust Commander was bred by the Pullen brothers. He was owned by Robert E. Lehmann and trained by Don Combs...

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1974: Two-year-ols season

Conditioned for racing by trainer Smiley Adams, at age two Master Derby made twelve starts, finishing either first or second in all of them. His best stakes race results were wins in the Grade III

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...

 Kindergarten Stakes

Kindergarten Stakes

The Kindergarten Stakes is a Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged two years old, at set weights, over a distance of 1100 metres.It is held annually in March at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.-Race history:...

 sprint race and a division of the Grade III Dragoon Stakes. He also earned a second-place finish in the important 1974 Breeders' Futurity Stakes and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

The Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the last week of November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky...

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1975: Three-year-old season

Racing as a three-year-old, Master Derby began his season with two straight losses in six-furlong sprints but then won the much longer 1 ¹/16 miles Louisiana Derby Trial Stakes

Risen Star Stakes

The Risen Star Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course. It is open to three year old horses and is raced over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it offers a purse of $300,000. The race is a prep to the...

 and the 1⅛ miles Louisiana Derby

Louisiana Derby

The Louisiana Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Usually run in early March, the race is open to horses, age three, willing to race 11/8 miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it currently offers a purse of...

. Aimed for 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...

, from his base in Louisiana his handlers shipped him to Keeneland Race Course 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...

, where jockey Darrel McHargue

Darrel McHargue

Darrel G. McHargue is a retired American Champion jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. One of five children from a family not connected to horse racing, he was first introduced to riding as a teeneage boy when he rode a neighbor's Quarter Horse...

 rode him to victory in the Lexington Stakes and the Blue Grass Stakes

Blue Grass Stakes

The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky....

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With McHargue as his rider in the 1975 U.S. Triple Crown races, Master Derby ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby to the heavily-favored winner Foolish Pleasure

Foolish Pleasure

Foolish Pleasure is an American bay thoroughbred race horse who was born in Williston, Florida. He was one of the top three three-year-old colts of his time....

, then won 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...

 before finishing third 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...

 to winner Avatar

Avatar (horse)

Avatar was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1975 Belmont Stakes. He was bred and raced by San Antonio, Texas businessman Arthur A. Seeligson, Jr. and trained by Tommy Doyle.-Pedigree:...

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1976: Four-year-old season

At age four, Master Derby won the 1976 New Orleans

New Orleans Handicap

The New Orleans Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Open to horses four years old and up, the race is run at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt...

, Louisiana

Louisiana Handicap

The Louisiana Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the third week of January at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana...

, and Oaklawn Handicap

Oaklawn Handicap

The Oaklawn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of April at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas....

s, and ran second in the Metropolitan Handicap

Metropolitan Handicap

The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...

 to Hall of Fame inductee Forego

Forego

Forego was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won eight Eclipse Awards including Horse of the Year, Champion Handicap Horse and Champion Sprinter....

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Stud record

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, Master Derby met with modest success as a sire. The most notable of his progeny in racing was the Grade I winner Uptown Swell, who earned just under $1 million for owner Virginia Kraft Payson. However, his daughter Doff The Derby produced Generous

Generous (horse)

Generous is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1991 won both Epsom and Irish Derbys. Sired by Caerleon, his grandsire was Nijinsky...

, whose 1991 Group One

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 victories in England and Ireland included the Epsom

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...

 and Irish Derbys

Irish Derby Stakes

The Irish Derby is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.It is Ireland's equivalent of the Epsom Derby,...

 and whose earnings helped make Master Derby the 1991 Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland

Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland

The list below shows the leading sire of broodmares in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1899. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:*...

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In January 1999, due to the infirmities of old age, the twenty-seven-year-old Master Derby was humanely euthanized

Animal euthanasia

Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...

 at Notjustanother Farm in Chino, California

Chino, California

Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....

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