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St. Simon (horse)
Encyclopedia
St. Simon was an undefeated British Thoroughbred
racehorse
and one of the most successful sire
s in the history of the Thoroughbred
. In May 1886 The Sporting Times
' carried out a poll of one hundred experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th Century. St. Simon was ranked fourth, having being placed in the top ten by 53 of the contributors.
. Galopin won 10 out of 11 races, including the Epsom Derby
, and was a Leading Sire three times, and his get included the dams of Triple Crown winner Flying Fox
, and Bayardo
. At the time of St. Simon's birth, however, he had not produced his best stock.
St. Simon's dam, St. Angela (by King Tom
) was quite disappointing as a broodmare up to the time she had her sixth foal, St. Simon, at 16. However, she did produce the sisters to St. Simon, Simonne II and Angelica (both by Galopin), dam of the stallion Orme
(1889 by Ormonde).
St. Simon was a brown colt, with a small star on his forehead and a few white hairs on the inside of his pastern
s and heels. He also tended to produce bay or brown foals, with the exception of his final foal, a grey filly. His final height was 16 or 16.1 hands (1.63 or 1.65 m) (sources differ in opinion), but his fine build made him look even smaller. His offspring also were usually slightly smaller than average. He had a fine head that was slightly dished, clean legs—although quite over at the knee—and a short back (another trait his offspring tended to inherit). However, he was most certainly built for racing, with strong quarters and a very good shoulder, which was called "a study. So obliquely was it placed that it appeared to extend far into his back, making the latter look shorter" by the 1916 Bloodstock Breeders Review. His girth was said to be 78 inches (1.98 m), and his cannon bone 8½ inches (215 mm) around.
Halnaker Stakes at Goodwood, winning by six lengths, and the following day he won the six furlong Maiden Plate (for which he was eligible because he was a maiden at the time of his entry) by a length, carrying . He then easily won a five furlong race against Clochette and Fleta, the five furlong Devonshire Nursery Plate (against 19 other horses, carrying ) by two lengths at a canter, and the seven furlong Princes of Wales's Nursery Plate (Doncaster) carrying and winning by eight lengths against 21 other horses. St. Simon followed this by a win in a six furlong match against Duke of Richmond, to end his two-year-old year considered the best of his age, despite never having won a major stakes race.
At three, St. Simon won by a walkover at the 10 furlong Epsom Gold Cup
. He then won the 2½ mile Ascot Gold Cup
by an incredible 20 lengths, despite having trailed in the beginning of the race, to beat Tristan (the best older horse of the year) and Faugh-a-Ballagh
, and was so strong that it took almost a whole lap for his jockey to pull him up. At the one mile Newcastle Gold Cup, he beat his only other competitor, Chiselhurst, by eight lengths, but suffered some damage due to the hard ground. He then defeated former St. Leger winner Ossian by 20 lengths in the 2½ mile Goodwood Cup
. Additionally, St. Simon had easily beaten The Lambkin (who would win that year's St. Leger) and that year's 2,000 Guineas Stakes winner, Scot Free, showing he had the talent to win the Triple Crown had he ever had the chance to pursue that route.
The Newcastle Cup running caught up to him, producing serious leg problems, and he never raced again. However, he was kept in training, so did not begin his breeding career until he was five.
(winner of England's Triple Crown
), La Fleche (Fillies' Triple Crown) and Persimmon
(great sire, winner of Derby
, 2,000 Guineas and Ascot Gold Cup). Through his daughter, Concertina, St. Simon was the damsire of Plucky Liege
, one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century. http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/PluckyLiege.html He was the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
nine times.
He died when he was 27 years old and his skeleton belongs to the British Museum of Natural History.
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
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
and one of the most successful sire
Sire
Sire may refer to:* Father, the counterpart of a dam, particularly in animal breeding. See also stallion* James W. Sire, author on worldviews* Sire Records, a record label* Sire Advertising, an advertising agency...
s in the history of the 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...
. In May 1886 The Sporting Times
The Sporting Times
The Sporting Times was a weekly British newspaper devoted chiefly to sport, and in particular to horse racing...
Breeding
Foaled at William Barrow's Paddocks near Newmarket, St. Simon was by the good racehorse and sire, GalopinGalopin
Galopin was a good British Thoroughbred racehorse and a prominent sire.-Pedigree:Galopin's sire, Vedette, had a very good racing career, winning the Great Yorkshire Stakes, the Doncaster Cup , and the 1857 2,000 Guineas Stakes. Vedette's value as a stallion had declined to such an extent that he...
. Galopin won 10 out of 11 races, including the Epsom Derby
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 was a Leading Sire three times, and his get included the dams of Triple Crown winner Flying Fox
Flying Fox (horse)
Flying Fox was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1899 English Triple Crown Races and was the leading sire in France three times.-Breeding:...
, and Bayardo
Bayardo (horse)
Bayardo was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse with an impressive record, both on the racecourse and at stud, where he was a leading sire.-Pedigree:...
. At the time of St. Simon's birth, however, he had not produced his best stock.
St. Simon's dam, St. Angela (by King Tom
King Tom
King Tom was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland.-Pedigree:He was a bay horse foaled in 1851, sired by Harkaway and out of the exceptional mare Pocahontas by Glencoe...
) was quite disappointing as a broodmare up to the time she had her sixth foal, St. Simon, at 16. However, she did produce the sisters to St. Simon, Simonne II and Angelica (both by Galopin), dam of the stallion Orme
Orme
-People:* David Orme, English writer and poet* Sir David Orme Masson 1858–1937, English scientist* Denise Orme , English music hall singer* Geoffrey Orme , British screenwriter* George Orme , American Major League baseball player...
(1889 by Ormonde).
Conformation
Pastern
The pastern is a part of the leg of a horse between the fetlock and the top of the hoof. It incorporates the long pastern bone and the short pastern bone , which are held together by two sets of paired ligaments to form the pastern joint...
s and heels. He also tended to produce bay or brown foals, with the exception of his final foal, a grey filly. His final height was 16 or 16.1 hands (1.63 or 1.65 m) (sources differ in opinion), but his fine build made him look even smaller. His offspring also were usually slightly smaller than average. He had a fine head that was slightly dished, clean legs—although quite over at the knee—and a short back (another trait his offspring tended to inherit). However, he was most certainly built for racing, with strong quarters and a very good shoulder, which was called "a study. So obliquely was it placed that it appeared to extend far into his back, making the latter look shorter" by the 1916 Bloodstock Breeders Review. His girth was said to be 78 inches (1.98 m), and his cannon bone 8½ inches (215 mm) around.
Racing career
The death of his owner in May 1883 led to a dispersal sale of all his stock, where he was purchased for only 1,600 guineas by the 25-year-old Duke of Portland, and moved to Heath House stables at Newmarket. The colt began his racing career under jockey Fred Archer, at the five furlongFurlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
Halnaker Stakes at Goodwood, winning by six lengths, and the following day he won the six furlong Maiden Plate (for which he was eligible because he was a maiden at the time of his entry) by a length, carrying . He then easily won a five furlong race against Clochette and Fleta, the five furlong Devonshire Nursery Plate (against 19 other horses, carrying ) by two lengths at a canter, and the seven furlong Princes of Wales's Nursery Plate (Doncaster) carrying and winning by eight lengths against 21 other horses. St. Simon followed this by a win in a six furlong match against Duke of Richmond, to end his two-year-old year considered the best of his age, despite never having won a major stakes race.
At three, St. Simon won by a walkover at the 10 furlong Epsom Gold Cup
Epsom Gold Cup
The Epsom Gold Cup was an English Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Epsom, Surrey.Raced in late May, it was open to horses age three and older...
. He then won the 2½ mile Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup 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 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
by an incredible 20 lengths, despite having trailed in the beginning of the race, to beat Tristan (the best older horse of the year) and Faugh-a-Ballagh
Faugh-a-Ballagh
Faugh-a-Ballagh was a Thoroughbred racehorse. A brother to Birdcatcher, Faugh-a-Ballagh was sold to E. J. Erwin in 1842. He ran once as a two-year-old at the Doncaster's Champagne Stakes, finishing third to The Cure and Sorella. He then began his three-year-old season as the first Irish-bred horse...
, and was so strong that it took almost a whole lap for his jockey to pull him up. At the one mile Newcastle Gold Cup, he beat his only other competitor, Chiselhurst, by eight lengths, but suffered some damage due to the hard ground. He then defeated former St. Leger winner Ossian by 20 lengths in the 2½ mile Goodwood Cup
Goodwood Cup
The Goodwood Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August.-History:...
. Additionally, St. Simon had easily beaten The Lambkin (who would win that year's St. Leger) and that year's 2,000 Guineas Stakes winner, Scot Free, showing he had the talent to win the Triple Crown had he ever had the chance to pursue that route.
The Newcastle Cup running caught up to him, producing serious leg problems, and he never raced again. However, he was kept in training, so did not begin his breeding career until he was five.
Stud record
St. Simon was a very successful sire of 423 live foals, who won 571 races and more than half a million pounds in stake-money. Among his progeny were 10 classic winners including Diamond JubileeDiamond Jubilee (horse)
Diamond Jubilee was a British-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse who won the British Triple Crown in 1900.He was a full brother to the 1896 Derby winner, Persimmon and was foaled in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. He was exported to Argentina in 1906 and died there in...
(winner of England's Triple Crown
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
), La Fleche (Fillies' Triple Crown) and Persimmon
Persimmon (horse)
Persimmon was an outstanding British-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse and sire who won the Epsom Derby in 1896. This was the first horse race ever filmed, by Robert W. Paul and Birt Acres....
(great sire, winner of Derby
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...
, 2,000 Guineas and Ascot Gold Cup). Through his daughter, Concertina, St. Simon was the damsire of Plucky Liege
Plucky Liege
Plucky Liege was a British Thoroughbred racemare who produced eleven winners, including an Epsom Derby winner at the age of twenty-three and three British Classic race winners. The performances of these horses led to her becoming one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.Foaled in...
, one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century. http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/PluckyLiege.html He was the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
The list below shows the leading sire of racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1751. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
nine times.
The notable progeny
- 1887: Memoir (Epsom OaksEpsom OaksThe Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
, St. Leger) - 1887: Semolina (1,000 Guineas Stakes)
- 1887: Signorina (dam of Signorino, Signorinetta)
- 1888: Simonian (Leading sire in FranceLeading sire in FranceThe 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:*...
twice) - 1889: La FlecheLa Fleche (horse)La Fleche was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. After being undefeated as a two-year-old in 1891 she went on to become the dominant British three-year-old of 1892, whe she claimed the Fillies’ Triple Crown by winning the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Oaks at Epsom and the St Leger...
(Fillies' Triple Crown, Ascot Gold Cup, Champion Stakes, Cambridgeshire Handicap, 2nd Epsom Derby, dam of John O'Gaunt) - 1890: Mrs Butterwick (Epsom Oaks)
- 1890: Soult (NZ Champion Sire five times)
- 1891: Amiable (1,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks)
- 1893: PersimmonPersimmon (horse)Persimmon was an outstanding British-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse and sire who won the Epsom Derby in 1896. This was the first horse race ever filmed, by Robert W. Paul and Birt Acres....
(Epsom Derby, St.Leger, Ascot Gold Cup, Champion Sire four times) - 1893: Roquebrune (dam of Rock SandRock SandRock Sand was a brown Thoroughbred race horse who was a very good young galloper, winning six of his seven starts. Always showing great courage he won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.He was a beautifully conformed...
) - 1893: St. Frusquin (2,000 Guineas, Eclipse Stakes, 2nd Epsom Derby, Champion Sire twice)
- 1896: Desmond (Champion Sire)
- 1897: Diamond JubileeDiamond Jubilee (horse)Diamond Jubilee was a British-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse who won the British Triple Crown in 1900.He was a full brother to the 1896 Derby winner, Persimmon and was foaled in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. He was exported to Argentina in 1906 and died there in...
(Triple Crown, Eclipse Stakes, Argentina Champion Sire four times) - 1897: La Roche (Epsom Oaks)
- 1897: Winifreda (1,000 Guineas)
- 1898: Pietermaritzburg (Jockey Club StakesJockey Club StakesThe Jockey Club Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs at Newmarket, and the final part of the race is on the Rowley Mile...
, Argentina Champion Sire) - 1898: William the Third (Ascot Gold Cup, Doncaster Cup)
- 1900: Chaucer (successful broodmare sire)
- 1900: Rabelais (French Champion Sire three times)
He died when he was 27 years old and his skeleton belongs to the British Museum of Natural History.
Tabulated pedigree
External links
- JaWikipedia - St. Simon
- Bloodlines - St. Simon
- Thoroughbred Heritage - St. Simon