Royal Charger
Encyclopedia
Royal Charger was a British
Thoroughbred
racehorse
who was successful in racing but even more so as a sire
. He was the son of the very important sire Nearco
.
at Royal Ascot, the Ayr Gold Cup
(carrying 9-7) and the Challenge Stakes
.
for £52,000. There, he sired a number of important horses before being purchased in 1953 by American George D. Widener, Jr.
, who brought him to stand at his Old Kenney Farm (now Green Gates Farm) in Lexington, Kentucky
. A three-quarters brother to the important sire Nasrullah, who also was brought to Kentucky from England, Royal Charger sired
more than 55 stakes winners. Among his Irish
progeny was Turn-To
who also was sent to the U.S. where he was the leading Juvenile sire in 1958, notably through his colt First Landing
. Other offspring included:
In addition, Royal Charger was an important broodmare sire of more than 70 stakes winners, including Crowned Prince, the 1971 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in England; the 1969 U.S. Champion Two Year Old Filly, Tudor Queen
; and U.S. Hall of Famer
Majestic Prince
.
Royal Charged died in November 1961 and was buried at Old Kenney Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
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...
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...
who was successful in racing but even more so as a sire
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
. He was the son of the very important sire Nearco
Nearco
Nearco was an Italian bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He was not only unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 5 furlongs to 1 mile 7 furlongs ,...
.
Racing career
As a three-year-old, Royal Charger finished third in the 2000 Guineas. As a four-year-old he won the Queen Anne StakesQueen Anne Stakes
The Queen Anne Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
at Royal Ascot, the Ayr Gold Cup
Ayr Gold Cup
The Ayr Gold Cup is a flat horse race in Scotland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older...
(carrying 9-7) and the Challenge Stakes
Challenge Stakes
The Challenge Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1878, and the...
.
Stud career
Retired after his four-year-old racing season in 1946, Royal Charger's owner sold him to the Irish National StudIrish National Stud
The Irish National Stud is a Thoroughbred horse breeding facility based at Tully, Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland...
for £52,000. There, he sired a number of important horses before being purchased in 1953 by American George D. Widener, Jr.
George D. Widener, Jr.
George Dunton Widener, Jr. was an American businessman and thoroughbred racehorse owner; one of only five people ever designated "Exemplars of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
, who brought him to stand at his Old Kenney Farm (now Green Gates Farm) in 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...
. A three-quarters brother to the important sire Nasrullah, who also was brought to Kentucky from England, Royal Charger sired
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
more than 55 stakes winners. Among his Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
progeny was Turn-To
Turn-To
Turn-To was a British Thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by the great British stakes winner Royal Charger, out of the French mare Source Sucree, whose sire, Admiral Drake, was third on the French sire list in 1949....
who also was sent to the U.S. where he was the leading Juvenile sire in 1958, notably through his colt First Landing
First Landing (horse)
First Landing was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by Turn-To, a grandson of the great Nearco, he was out of the mare Hildene, whose sire was the 1926 Kentucky Derby winner, Bubbling Over...
. Other offspring included:
- CopenhagenCopenhagen (horse)Copenhagen ,,Dam: Lady Catherine, Sire: Meteor. Named in honor of the Battle of Copenhagen .In 1807 Brigade commander Thomas Grosvenor took his favorite mare Lady Catherine,to Denmark, who was at the time with foal....
, 4-time Leading sire in New Zealand - Happy Laughter, U.K. Champion 3-year-old filly
- IdunIdun (horse)Idun was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse who won U.S. Champion 2 and 3-year-old filly honors.Sired by Royal Charger, a son of the very important sire Nearco, Idun was owned by Mrs. Charles Ulrick Bay, wife of a United States Ambassador to Norway. The filly was ridden by future Hall of...
, 1957 U.S. Champion 2-year-old fillyEclipse Award for Outstanding 2-Year-Old FillyThe American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971....
and the 1958 U.S. Champion 3-year-old fillyEclipse Award for Outstanding 3-Year-Old FillyThe American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.... - MongoMongo (horse)Mongo was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.-Background:He was bred and raced by Marion duPont Scott, a member of the prominent Du Pont family. His sire was Royal Charger, a son of Nearco whom Thoroughbred Heritage says was "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century". ...
, the 1963 U.S. Champion Male Turf HorseEclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf HorseThe American Champion Male Turf Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. In 1971 it became part of the Eclipse Awards program and is awarded annually to a Colt or Gelding, regardless of age, for their performance on grass race courses.... - Royal Duchy, Irish Champion 2-year-old filly
- Royal Native, the 1959 U.S. Champion 3-year-old fillyEclipse Award for Outstanding 3-Year-Old FillyThe American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971....
, 1960 U.S. Champion Handicap MareEclipse Award for Outstanding Older Female HorseThe Eclipse Award for Champion Older Female Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. The Daily Racing Form began naming an annual champion in 1936. Starting in 1950, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations began naming its own champion. The following list provides the name of the horses... - Royal OrbitRoyal OrbitRoyal Orbit was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown races....
, won the 1959 Preakness StakesPreakness StakesThe 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... - Royal Palm, U.K. Champion sprinter
- Royal Serenade, two-time U.K. Champion sprinter
- Sea Charger, Irish Champion 3-year-old colt
- Sheila's Cabin, Irish Champion 2-year-old filly
In addition, Royal Charger was an important broodmare sire of more than 70 stakes winners, including Crowned Prince, the 1971 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in England; the 1969 U.S. Champion Two Year Old Filly, Tudor Queen
Tudor Queen
Tudor Queen was a Champion Thoroughbred filly racehorse in Canada and the United States. Her British sire was King of the Tudors, a multiple stakes winner whose wins included the 1953 Sussex Stakes and 1954 Eclipse Stakes. Grandsire Tudor Minstrel won a British Classic, the 1947 2,000 Guineas Stakes...
; and U.S. 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...
Majestic Prince
Majestic Prince
Majestic Prince was a Thoroughbred racehorse purchased by Calgary, Alberta oilman Frank McMahon at the Keeneland yearling sale in September 1967 for a then record price of $250,000...
.
Royal Charged died in November 1961 and was buried at Old Kenney Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.