Sandpit (horse)
Encyclopedia
Sandpit was an Brazil
ian Champion Thoroughbred
racehorse
who also met with considerable success racing in the United States. He was bred by Rio de Janeiro
banker Sergio Coutinho de Menezes at Haras São José da Serra in Paraná
who raced him under the name, Sierra Thoroughbreds.
Sandpit was sired by Baynoun, a runner-up in the England's St. Leger Stakes
in 1984. His dam was Sand Dancer, a daughter of the 1991 Leading sire in France
, Green Dancer
, who was a Group One
winner in England and France and a son of the great Nijinsky
.
A Southern Hemisphere
two-year-old in 1992, Sandpit won the Grade 1
Grande Premio Linneo de Paula Machado and in 1993 added three more Grade 1 races to his resumé by capturing the Grande Premio ABCPCC - Mathias Machline, Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul, Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado. He was voted the 3-year-old Brazilian champion of 1993.
under the name of Sierra Thoroughbreds. He was trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, Richard Mandella. Racing on turf
, in his American debut Sandpit finished second in an August allowance race at Del Mar Racetrack
. He made his next start on September 10, winning Del Mar's Live the Dream Stakes by five lengths
and then in October won the Grade 1 Oak Tree Invitational Stakes at a mile and a half,
earning US$
180,000, which was roughly $68,000 more than his total earnings from his previous fourteen lifetime starts. Not eligible for the Breeders' Cup Turf
race, Sandpit was taken to Japan
to compete in the November 27, 1994 Japan Cup
. He ran fifth to winner Marvelous Crown in a field of international stars which included Fraise
, Jeune
, Paradise Creek
, and Raintrap
, among others.
at the same track. On June 25, Sandpit won the Grade 1 Caesars International Handicap at the Atlantic City Race Course
in New Jersey
, the first of the two races in the East-to-West series, and on July 21 earned a $312,500 bonus for winning the second race of the series, the Caesars Palace Turf Championship
at Hollywood Park Racetrack in California
.
After his victory in the Caesars Palace Turf Championship, Sandpit went without a win in his next five starts. Following his second-place finish to Northern Spur
in October's Oak Tree Invitational Stakes and Northern Spur's win in the Breeders' Cup for which Sandpit was not eligible,
at the end of the year Sandpit would be runner-up to Northern Spur in the voting for 1995 Eclipse Award
for American Champion Male Turf Horse honors.
. On June 22 Sandpit won his second straight Caesars International Handicap, In other major races of 1996, Sandpit finished third in the Arlington Million Stakes and third in defending his Caesars Palace Turf Championship.
at Santa Anita Park would be the only one of seven starts, he ran second in the Santa Anita Handicap
and Arlington Million Stakes, and on dirt finished third in the Dubai World Cup
and the Hollywood Gold Cup
.
Sandpit was retired after the 1997 racing season and sent to stand at stud
at Vinery Farm in Lexington, Kentucky
where he was also shuttled to Australia
for four Southern Hemisphere breeding seasons. He remained at Vinery until 2003 when he was sent to stand at Spendthrift Farm
. On September 4, fourteen-year-old Sandpit died at the Hagyard-Davidson-McGee equine clinic near Lexington as a result of liver disease
and a cancer
ous tumor
. His progeny met with modest success in racing.
In 2007, Sandpit was selected as one of the five horses to be voted on in a Brazilian national poll as best turf horse in the history of that country.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Champion 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 also met with considerable success racing in the United States. He was bred by Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
banker Sergio Coutinho de Menezes at Haras São José da Serra in Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
who raced him under the name, Sierra Thoroughbreds.
Sandpit was sired by Baynoun, a runner-up in the England's St. Leger Stakes
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
in 1984. His dam was Sand Dancer, a daughter of the 1991 Leading sire in France
Leading sire in France
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of racehorses in France for each year since 1887. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the season .-----References:* -See also:*...
, Green Dancer
Green Dancer
Green Dancer was a French Thoroughbred racehorse. A son of the great English Triple Crown winner, Nijinsky, he was bred in Kentucky by Germaine Wertheimer of Paris, France who owned his dam, Green Valley....
, who was a 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...
winner in England and France and a son of the great Nijinsky
Nijinsky II
The racehorse Nijinsky was one of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred horse-racing history. He won the U.K. Triple Crown of racing. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.He was bred at E. P...
.
Racing in Brazil
Sandpit made twelve starts in Brazil in 1992 and 1993, winning five times. He was conditioned for racing by Marcos Carvalho through part of 1993 when his owner turned him over to one of the country's top trainers, João Luis Maciel.A Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
two-year-old in 1992, Sandpit won the Grade 1
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...
Grande Premio Linneo de Paula Machado and in 1993 added three more Grade 1 races to his resumé by capturing the Grande Premio ABCPCC - Mathias Machline, Grande Premio Cruzeiro do Sul, Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado. He was voted the 3-year-old Brazilian champion of 1993.
1994
Sandpit was sent to compete in the United States in the summer of 1994 where his owner raced him from a base in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
under the name of Sierra Thoroughbreds. He was trained by future 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, Richard Mandella. Racing on 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 ...
, in his American debut Sandpit finished second in an August allowance race at Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan: "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership...
. He made his next start on September 10, winning Del Mar's Live the Dream Stakes by five lengths
Length (horse racing)
A horse length, or simply length, is a unit of measurement that refers to the length of a horse from nose to tail, approximately 8 feet, It is commonly used in Thoroughbred horse racing, where it describes the distance between horses in a race...
and then in October won the Grade 1 Oak Tree Invitational Stakes at a mile and a half,
earning US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
180,000, which was roughly $68,000 more than his total earnings from his previous fourteen lifetime starts. Not eligible for the Breeders' Cup Turf
Breeders' Cup Turf
The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is Emirates Airlines.The forerunner...
race, Sandpit was taken to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to compete in the November 27, 1994 Japan Cup
Japan Cup
The is the most prestigious horse race run in Japan. It is contested at the end of November at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters over the grass. With a purse of ¥476 million , the Japan Cup is one of the richest races in the world.The Japan Cup is an invitational event...
. He ran fifth to winner Marvelous Crown in a field of international stars which included Fraise
Fraise
Fraise was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1992 Breeders' Cup Turf. Bred by Allen E. Paulson, he was sired by Strawberry Road, the 1983 Australian Horse of the Year which Paulson acquired in 1986...
, Jeune
Jeune
Jeune was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in England and Australia and is best known for winning the prestigious Melbourne Cup in 1994. He was an attractive, muscular, chestnut stallion, who sometimes raced in pacifiers...
, Paradise Creek
Paradise Creek (horse)
Paradise Creek was a millionaire American Thoroughbred racehorse and successful sire. He was bred in Kentucky by Bertram R. Firestone and raced under the same Firestone banner as his owner. He finished racing with a record of 14-7-1 in 25 starts with career earnings of $3,401,415. Paradise Creek...
, and Raintrap
Raintrap
Raintrap is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. His dam was Juddmonte Farms Suntrap, a daughter of the 1972 Epsom Derby winner, Roberto...
, among others.
1995
Making his first start since the Japan Cup, on March 1, 1995 Sandpit won an allowance race at Santa Anita Park then on March 26 captured the mile and a half Grade 1 San Luis Rey HandicapSan Luis Rey Handicap
The San Luis Rey Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Held during the third week of March, the Grade II event is open to horses of either gender, age four and up, willing to race one and one-half miles on the turf.Prior to 1955,...
at the same track. On June 25, Sandpit won the Grade 1 Caesars International Handicap at the Atlantic City Race Course
Atlantic City Race Course
The Atlantic City Race Course , formerly the Atlantic City Race Track, is a thoroughbred horse race track located in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The track is located off the Black Horse Pike next to the Hamilton Mall...
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...
, the first of the two races in the East-to-West series, and on July 21 earned a $312,500 bonus for winning the second race of the series, the Caesars Palace Turf Championship
Sunset Handicap
The Sunset Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the third week of July at Hollywood Park Racetrack in inglewood, California. The Grade III event is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-half miles on turf....
at Hollywood Park Racetrack in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
After his victory in the Caesars Palace Turf Championship, Sandpit went without a win in his next five starts. Following his second-place finish to Northern Spur
Northern Spur
Northern Spur was a Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in France and the United States. Bred at Robert Sangster's Swettenham Stud in Swettenham, Cheshire, England, he was a son of the champion sire Sadler's Wells and out of the mare, Fruition...
in October's Oak Tree Invitational Stakes and Northern Spur's win in the Breeders' Cup for which Sandpit was not eligible,
at the end of the year Sandpit would be runner-up to Northern Spur in the voting for 1995 Eclipse Award
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
for American Champion Male Turf Horse honors.
1996
Ten months after he won his last race, Sandpit returned to the winner's circle on May 27, 1996 when he defeated Northern Spur by 3½ lengths in the Hollywood Turf HandicapCharles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
The Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
. On June 22 Sandpit won his second straight Caesars International Handicap, In other major races of 1996, Sandpit finished third in the Arlington Million Stakes and third in defending his Caesars Palace Turf Championship.
1997
Eight-year-old Sandpit continued to perform at top levels in 1997. Although his win in the 1997 San Marcos HandicapSan Marcos Handicap
The San Marcos Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to horses aged four and older, it is raced on turf over a distance of one and one-quarter miles....
at Santa Anita Park would be the only one of seven starts, he ran second in the Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
and Arlington Million Stakes, and on dirt finished third in the Dubai World Cup
Dubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and from 2010 at the Meydan Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates...
and the Hollywood Gold Cup
Hollywood Gold Cup
The Hollywood Gold Cup is an American Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions...
.
Sandpit was retired after the 1997 racing season and sent to stand at 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...
at Vinery 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...
where he was also shuttled to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for four Southern Hemisphere breeding seasons. He remained at Vinery until 2003 when he was sent to stand at Spendthrift Farm
Spendthrift Farm
Spendthrift Farm is a thoroughbred race horse breeding farm in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded by Leslie Combs II and named for the great stallion, Spendthrift, who was owned by Combs' ancestor, Daniel Swigert of Elmendorf Farm. Spendthrift was the great-grandfather of Man o' War.- Famous...
. On September 4, fourteen-year-old Sandpit died at the Hagyard-Davidson-McGee equine clinic near Lexington as a result of liver disease
Liver disease
Liver disease is a broad term describing any single number of diseases affecting the liver.-Diseases:* Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver, caused mainly by various viruses but also by some poisons , autoimmunity or hereditary conditions...
and a cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
ous tumor
Tumor
A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...
. His progeny met with modest success in racing.
In 2007, Sandpit was selected as one of the five horses to be voted on in a Brazilian national poll as best turf horse in the history of that country.