Skywalker 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...

. Bred 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...

 by Thomas T. Tatham's Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds Ltd., who also bred Sunday Silence

Sunday Silence

Sunday Silence was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, earning distinction as 1989 American Horse of the Year over American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse Easy Goer. He was foaled in 1986, sired by Halo out of Wishing Well by Understanding. Though he was registered as a dark bay/brown, he was in...

, he was foaled and raised at Arthur B. Hancock III's

Arthur B. Hancock III

Arthur Boyd Hancock III is an American owner of Thoroughbred racehorses, the owner of Stone Farm, a 2,000 acre horse breeding operation in Paris, Kentucky, and a composer of Bluegrass music....

 Stone Farm

Stone Farm

Stone Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding farm in Paris, Kentucky. It was founded in 1970 by Arthur B. Hancock III, part of the prominent Hancock family of Claiborne Farm fame....

. Sired by Relaunch and 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...

 Bold Captive, he was named by Tatham's son for Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...

, a lead character in the Star Wars

Star Wars

Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

motion pictures.

Skywalker was trained by Michael Whittingham and raced under the Oak Cliff Stable partnership led by Thomas Tatham. He began racing 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...

 in 1984 at age two where he won one of his two starts and was off the board in the other. In his three-year-old campaign, Skywalker made five starts, winning twice. His most important victory came under 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...

 jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

, Laffit Pincay, Jr.

Laffit Pincay, Jr.

Laffit Alejandro Pincay, Jr. is a flat racing's all-time winningest jockey. He competed primarily in the United States.-Career:...

 when they won the most important West Coast

West Coast of the United States

West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...

 race for three-year-olds, the Santa Anita Derby

Santa Anita Derby

The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $1 million. Inaugurated in 1935, it is considered the most important West Coast stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby...

. He was then sent to Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...

 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...

 where jockey Eddie Delahoussaye

Eddie Delahoussaye

Edward J. Delahoussaye is a retired American Thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana.He began his career in 1968 and ten years later became the top American jockey with 384 wins...

 rode him to a sixth-place finish behind winner, Spend A Buck

Spend A Buck

Spend A Buck was an American thoroughbred race horse.-Background:Spend A Buck was sired by Buckaroo out of the dam Belle de Jour...

.

In 1986, the four-year-old Skywalker had his best year in racing. That year he won the Longacres Mile, the Mervyn Leroy Handicap

Mervyn Leroy Handicap

The Mervyn LeRoy Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of May at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...

, and the San Diego Handicap

San Diego Handicap

The San Diego Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late july/early August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. This Grade II race is open to horses, age three and up, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on Polytrack synthetic dirt...

 then topped off the year with a win on the familiar ground of California's Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...

 in the Breeders' Cup Classic

Breeders' Cup Classic

The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...

. Ridden by Laffit Pincay, Jr., Skywalker defeated the heavy favorites Turkoman

Turkoman (horse)

Turkoman is an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. Owned and bred by Corbin J. Robertson, he was sired by 1989 United States Racing Hall of Fame inductee Alydar out of the Table Play mare, Taba, who was the Champion 2 year old Filly in Argentina.Raced under Corbin J. Robertson's Saron Stable...

 and Precisionist

Precisionist

Precisionist was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. In 1985, Precisionist won the Strub Series at Santa Anita Park becoming only the fifth horse to win the Malibu Stakes, the San Fernando Stakes and the Charles H. Strub Stakes...

, who finished second and third respectively, as well as the Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an star Triptych

Triptych (horse)

Triptych was a Thoroughbred filly racehorse known for her toughness who went on racing until the age of six, travelling around the world always taking on the very best. Bred in Kentucky, she was a descendant through both her sire and dam of the great runner and sire, Nearco...

 who finished sixth.

Sent back to race at age five, Skywalker's best result in 1987 was a second place finish in the Arcadia Handicap

Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap

The Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to horses four years of age and older, it is raced over a distance of one mile . The Grade I race currently offers a purse of $300,000.Inaugurated in 1960 as...

 and a third in the Goodwood Handicap

Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap

The Goodwood Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1982 during the Oak Tree Racing Association at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California....

. 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 Cardiff Stud Farm in Creston

Creston, California

Creston is a census-designated place in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. It is located about 15 miles southeast of the City of Paso Robles.-History:Creston Creston is a census-designated place in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. It is located about 15 miles...

, 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...

, he notably sired Bertrando

Bertrando

Bertrando is an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. A tall colt, who would grow to 16 hands 2 inches, Bertrando was bred by Ed Nahem, at River Edge Farm in Buellton, California...

, the 1993 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...

 winner for American Champion Older Male Horse. Skywaker was also the damsire of Sky Jack

Sky Jack

Sky Jack is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by Rene and Margie Lambert, he was sired by Jaklin Klugman and out of the mare Sky Captive, a daughter of the 1986 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Skywalker.After a successful season in 2000, Sky Jack incurred a knee injury that...

, a 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...

 winner.

Moved to his birthplace at Stone Farm in 1996, Skywalker died of a heart attack at age twenty-one on February 25, 2003. He is buried in the Stone Farm equine cemetery.