Searching (horse)
Encyclopedia
Searching was a racehorse. The filly
was born in 1952 at Claiborne Farm
near Paris, Kentucky
where the Wheatley Stable
(founded in 1926 by Gladys Mills Phipps
and her brother, Ogden L. Mills
) bred and raised its horses. After the Second World War, Gladys's son Ogden Phipps
purchased a number of horses from the estate of Colonel Edward R. Bradley
and his Idle Hour Stock Farm
. Among them was the good racing mare Big Hurry.
Phipps bred Big Hurry (the racing daughter of Bradley’s favorite stallion, Black Toney
, out of Bradley’s legendary broodmare La Troienne
), to the fourth winner of the U.S. Triple Crown Champion, War Admiral
. From this match came a bay filly he named Searching. But after she raced poorly in her first 20 starts under Hall of Fame trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons
, Phipps sold her to Ethel Jacobs
, the wife of another Hall of Fame trainer, Hirsch Jacobs
. Under Hirsch, Searching improved immensely. In her next 69 starts, many of them important stakes
, she was in the money most of the time.
As a broodmare, Searching produced eight foals, seven of them winners, and three stakes winners, including Admiring and Priceless Gem. But the filly she is remembered for is Affectionately
, #81 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
. Affectionately produced Personality.
Searching was inducted into the Hall of Fame
in 1978, five years after her death.
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
was born in 1952 at Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred Horse breeding operation in near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910, by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Farm in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since.-Owners:...
near 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%...
where the Wheatley Stable
Wheatley Stable
Wheatley Stable was the nom de course for the thoroughbred horse racing partnership formed by Gladys Mills Phipps and her brother, Ogden L. Mills. The horses were raised at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky.-History:...
(founded in 1926 by Gladys Mills Phipps
Gladys Mills Phipps
Gladys Livingston Mills Phipps was an United States socialite, sportsperson, and a thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder who began the Phipps family dynasty in American horse racing...
and her brother, Ogden L. Mills
Ogden L. Mills
Ogden Livingston Mills was an American businessman and politician.-Biography:The son of Ogden Mills and Ruth T. Livingston, he had twin sisters Beatrice Mills and Gladys Livingston Mills. Odgen L. Mills was the grandson of Darius O...
) bred and raised its horses. After the Second World War, Gladys's son Ogden Phipps
Ogden Phipps
Ogden Phipps was an American stockbroker, court tennis champion and Hall of Fame member, thoroughbred horse racing executive and owner/breeder, and an art collector and philanthropist...
purchased a number of horses from the estate of Colonel Edward R. Bradley
Edward R. Bradley
Colonel Edward Riley Bradley was an American steel mill laborer, gold miner, businessman and philanthropist. As well as a race track proprietor, he was the preeminent owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses in the Southern United States during the first three decades of the 20th Century...
and his Idle Hour Stock Farm
Idle Hour Stock Farm
Idle Hour Stock Farm was a 400 acre thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm near Lexington, Kentucky, United States established in 1906 by Colonel Edward R...
. Among them was the good racing mare Big Hurry.
Phipps bred Big Hurry (the racing daughter of Bradley’s favorite stallion, Black Toney
Black Toney
Black Toney was bred by James R. Keene's Castleton Farm. Keene, whose health was failing , sold all his holdings in 1912 to Colonel Edward R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm in Lexington, Kentucky...
, out of Bradley’s legendary broodmare La Troienne
La Troienne
La Troienne, was one of the most famous and influential Thoroughbred broodmares in twentieth century America. She produced 10 winners while at stud....
), to the fourth winner of the U.S. Triple Crown Champion, War Admiral
War Admiral
War Admiral was an American thoroughbred racehorse, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically...
. From this match came a bay filly he named Searching. But after she raced poorly in her first 20 starts under Hall of Fame trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons
Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons
James Edward Fitzsimmons was a thoroughbred racehorse trainer.Born in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, New York, Fitzsimmons began his career in 1885 working at a racetrack as a stable boy. After nearly ten less-than-successful years as a thoroughbred jockey, he became too heavy for that job and took...
, Phipps sold her to Ethel Jacobs
Ethel D. Jacobs
Ethel D. Jacobs was a prominent American Thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder who was a three-time leading owner in North America....
, the wife of another Hall of Fame trainer, Hirsch Jacobs
Hirsch Jacobs
Hirsch Jacobs was an American thoroughbred horse trainer and owner.Jacobs was the leading race-winning trainer in the United States 1933-39, 1941–44, the U.S. leading money-winning trainer, 1946, 1960, 1965, and the U.S. leading money-winning breeder, 1964-67...
. Under Hirsch, Searching improved immensely. In her next 69 starts, many of them important 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...
, she was in the money most of the time.
As a broodmare, Searching produced eight foals, seven of them winners, and three stakes winners, including Admiring and Priceless Gem. But the filly she is remembered for is Affectionately
Affectionately
Affectionately was the daughter of 1956 American Horse of the Year Swaps, out of the exceptional racing mare Searching. Searching's dam was Big Hurry, by Black Toney out of the best "Blue Hen" mare of them all, La Troienne...
, #81 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
In 1999, a panel for The Blood-Horse magazine was made up of distinguished horse racing people: Howard Battle, Lenny Hale, Jay Hovdey, William Nack, Pete Pedersen, Jennie Rees and Tommy Trotter. These experts compiled a list of what they considered to be the top 100 United States thoroughbred...
. Affectionately produced Personality.
Searching was inducted into the 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...
in 1978, five years after her death.