The Tetrarch
Encyclopedia
The Tetrarch was an undefeated Irish
Thoroughbred
racehorse
and an influential sire, who was voted Britain's Two-Year-Old of the 20th Century.
Station Stud, near Ardclough
, in County Kildare
in Ireland, he was sired by Roi Herode (France) out of Vahren. His damsire (Bona Vista) was by Bend Or
(after whom Bend-Or spots
are named). The Tetrarch was a gangly and less-than-attractive colt whose grey
coat was sprinkled with white blotches. Dismissed as having no racing potential by some buyers, he was ultimately sold by his breeder to Major Dermot H. B. McCalmont and placed under the care of trainer
Atty Persse.
Steve Donoghue
The Tetrarch easily defeated his competition. Quickly dubbed the "Spotted Wonder," he easily won all seven of his 1913 starts. In his one real test he came from behind to capture the National Breeders Produce Stakes by a neck, but that one close finish only resulted after a mix-up at the start that left him four or five lengths back. An injury in October of 1913 ended The Tetrarch's two-year-old racing campaign. The following spring he reinjured himself in training. His handlers were hoping he would heal sufficiently to return to racing, but by the end of 1914 came to the conclusion that he would never race again.
There is (as with many star two-year-olds) the question of what The Tetrarch's – and his competition's – continued physical development would have meant to his racing performance at age three. In 1913 The Tetrarch easily beat all comers including Stornoway, who won several races that year; among them were the Gimcrack
and Norfolk Stakes (now The Flying Childers Stakes
). However (as noted in the Thoroughbred Heritage website), none of The Tetrarch's races were more than six furlongs (¾ mile) and because he never raced at age three, he was not tested at standard mile to mile-and-a-half distances. His bloodlines, though, pointed to stamina.
It is also noted that the 1913 crop of two-year-olds was less than spectacular, and the 1914 Champion Stakes
, Ascot Gold Cup
and the three British Classic Races for colts were all won by different horses with less-than-distinguished career records. The question of The Tetrarch's ability at longer distances is a legitimate one. His successful son Tetratema
lost at seven furlongs and won one race at eight furlongs (one mile); of his twelve other wins, all were at five to six furlongs. The Tetrarch's speedy daughter Mumtaz Mahal
won five important sprint race
s at age two but at age three was beaten at her first tries at longer distances. In two one mile races, she finished second in the 1,000 Guineas and was fifth in the Coronation Stakes
. Mumtaz Mahal's handlers then limited her to competing only in sprint races and she won the six-furlong King George Stakes
and the five-furlong Nunthorpe Stakes
.
While on the other hand his son (Salmon-Trout) was not only a good juvenile racing at five to seven furlongs but would maintain racing form well into his three old season, winning The Princess of Wales's Stakes
(a 12-furlong race) and the St. Leger Stakes
(a 14-plus-furlong race). The Tetrarch is also produced two other St. Leger Stakes winners (Polemarch and Caligula), which would indicate that the birth of Salmon-Trout was not just a fluke. Some of his progeny were great sprinters and stayed that way, while others went on to mature into very well-rounded distance champions. The abilities of The Tetrarch’s progeny ranged so wildly that it is difficult to tell whether or not he would have filled out as a three-year-old by looking at his offspring alone.
Lauded for his greatness on the track by racing personalities and fans of the day, many appraisals of The Tetrarch decades after his death have been equally glowing. The United Kingdom's National Horseracing Museum
called The Tetrarch a "phenomenon" and report that he was voted Britain's two-year-old of his century. In their description of the colt, the National Sporting Library's
Thoroughbred Heritage website in the United States calls The Tetrarch "probably the greatest two-year-old of all time" and "possibly the greatest runner ever".
, Ireland, and later moved to his owner's Ballylinch Stud just east of Thomastown
. The Tetrarch had difficulty as a stallion due to a lack of interest, and would be plagued by infertility problems for a number of years. Although he sired only 130 foals throughout his stud career his progeny inherited his blazing speed, and in 1919 he was the leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
as a result of the performances of Tetratema
and the filly
Snow Maiden. Another daughter (Mumtaz Mahal
) won a number of important sprint races and, according to "Thoroughbred Heritage" went on to become one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.
Mumatz Mahal became an important ancestress in the pedigrees of some of history's most influential sire lines, including Nasrullah, Royal Charger
, Tudor Minstrel and Mahmoud. Nasrullah sired Bold Ruler
, the sire of the Seattle Slew
/A.P. Indy
modern stallion lines. Bold Ruler is possibly most famous for producing Secretariat
, renowned for his stamina. Nasrullah also produced the lines leading to Red God (1954), Grey Sovereign (1956) and Never Bend
(1960). The Tetrarch also sired Paola (who won the 1923 Coronation Stakes
) and The Satrap (champion two-year-old of 1926).
As for questions regarding The Tetrarch's potential to win at a distance, three sons won the St. Leger Stakes
(the longest classic) – Caligula (1920), Polemarch (1921) and Salmon-Trout (1924).
The Tetrarch died at Ballylinch Stud on 8 August 1935 at the age of twenty-four, and is buried there in the farm's equine cemetery.
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...
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...
and an influential sire, who was voted Britain's Two-Year-Old of the 20th Century.
Breeding
Foaled at StraffanStraffan
Sruthán was mistakenly cited by Thomas O'Connor in the Ordnance Survey Letters in 1837, and adopted as the Irish form of Straffan. Seosamh Laoide used it in his list of Irish names of post-offices published in Post-Sheanchas . An Sruthán gained currency among those involved in the Irish revival...
Station Stud, near Ardclough
Ardclough
Ardclough, officially Ardclogh , is a village and community in the parish of Kill County Kildare, Ireland, two miles off the N7 national primary road. Amongst its buildings today are a national school, a church, Ardclough GAA Club, and one shop "Buggys". Ardclough also contains the historic round...
, in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
in Ireland, he was sired by Roi Herode (France) out of Vahren. His damsire (Bona Vista) was by Bend Or
Bend Or
Bend Or was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1880 Epsom Derby. His regular jockey Fred Archer, winner of thirteen consecutive British jockey titles, said Bend Or was probably the greatest horse he had ever ridden....
(after whom Bend-Or spots
Bend-Or spots
Bend-Or spots are a type of spotted marking found on horses. They are fairly rare and range in color from slightly darker than the horse's coat to an almost-black shade. These random spots are most commonly seen on palominos, chestnuts, and darker horses, and may not appear until the horse is...
are named). The Tetrarch was a gangly and less-than-attractive colt whose grey
Gray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
coat was sprinkled with white blotches. Dismissed as having no racing potential by some buyers, he was ultimately sold by his breeder to Major Dermot H. B. McCalmont and placed under the care of trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
Atty Persse.
Racing record and legacy
Sent to the track as a two-year-old, under jockeyJockey
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:...
Steve Donoghue
Steve Donoghue
Steve Donoghue was a leading English flat-race jockey in the 1910s and 1920s. He was Champion Jockey 10 times between 1914 and 1923 and was one of the most celebrated horse racing sportsmen after Fred Archer, arguably only Sir Gordon Richards eclipsing him.-Background:Born in Warrington, Cheshire,...
The Tetrarch easily defeated his competition. Quickly dubbed the "Spotted Wonder," he easily won all seven of his 1913 starts. In his one real test he came from behind to capture the National Breeders Produce Stakes by a neck, but that one close finish only resulted after a mix-up at the start that left him four or five lengths back. An injury in October of 1913 ended The Tetrarch's two-year-old racing campaign. The following spring he reinjured himself in training. His handlers were hoping he would heal sufficiently to return to racing, but by the end of 1914 came to the conclusion that he would never race again.
There is (as with many star two-year-olds) the question of what The Tetrarch's – and his competition's – continued physical development would have meant to his racing performance at age three. In 1913 The Tetrarch easily beat all comers including Stornoway, who won several races that year; among them were the Gimcrack
Gimcrack Stakes
The Gimcrack Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
and Norfolk Stakes (now The Flying Childers Stakes
Flying Childers Stakes
The Flying Childers Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
). However (as noted in the Thoroughbred Heritage website), none of The Tetrarch's races were more than six furlongs (¾ mile) and because he never raced at age three, he was not tested at standard mile to mile-and-a-half distances. His bloodlines, though, pointed to stamina.
It is also noted that the 1913 crop of two-year-olds was less than spectacular, and the 1914 Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
, 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....
and the three British Classic Races for colts were all won by different horses with less-than-distinguished career records. The question of The Tetrarch's ability at longer distances is a legitimate one. His successful son Tetratema
Tetratema
Tetratema was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned by Major Dermot McCalmont, Tetratema was bred at McCalmont's Ballylinch Stud on his Mount Juliet estate in Thomastown, County Kilkenny in Ireland...
lost at seven furlongs and won one race at eight furlongs (one mile); of his twelve other wins, all were at five to six furlongs. The Tetrarch's speedy daughter Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal (horse)
Mumtaz Mahal was a British Thoroughbred filly racehorse who the National Sporting Library's Thoroughbred Heritage website says was "one of the most important broodmares of the 20th Century"....
won five important sprint race
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
s at age two but at age three was beaten at her first tries at longer distances. In two one mile races, she finished second in the 1,000 Guineas and was fifth in the Coronation Stakes
Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
. Mumtaz Mahal's handlers then limited her to competing only in sprint races and she won the six-furlong King George Stakes
King George Stakes
The King George Stakes 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 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....
and the five-furlong Nunthorpe Stakes
Nunthorpe Stakes
The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
.
While on the other hand his son (Salmon-Trout) was not only a good juvenile racing at five to seven furlongs but would maintain racing form well into his three old season, winning The Princess of Wales's Stakes
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in...
(a 12-furlong race) and the 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...
(a 14-plus-furlong race). The Tetrarch is also produced two other St. Leger Stakes winners (Polemarch and Caligula), which would indicate that the birth of Salmon-Trout was not just a fluke. Some of his progeny were great sprinters and stayed that way, while others went on to mature into very well-rounded distance champions. The abilities of The Tetrarch’s progeny ranged so wildly that it is difficult to tell whether or not he would have filled out as a three-year-old by looking at his offspring alone.
Lauded for his greatness on the track by racing personalities and fans of the day, many appraisals of The Tetrarch decades after his death have been equally glowing. The United Kingdom's National Horseracing Museum
National Horseracing Museum
The National Horseracing Museum of the United Kingdom is located at 99 High Street in Newmarket. Open to the public, it contains collections and records of people and horses involved in the sport of horse racing from its Royal origins to modern heroes...
called The Tetrarch a "phenomenon" and report that he was voted Britain's two-year-old of his century. In their description of the colt, the National Sporting Library's
National Sporting Library
The National Sporting Library & Museum The National Sporting Library and Museum, located in beautiful, historic Middleburg, Virginia, is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the literature, art, and culture of horse and field sports...
Thoroughbred Heritage website in the United States calls The Tetrarch "probably the greatest two-year-old of all time" and "possibly the greatest runner ever".
At stud
In 1915 he was sent to Thomastown Stud in County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
, Ireland, and later moved to his owner's Ballylinch Stud just east of Thomastown
Thomastown
-Landmarks:Kilfane Glen is a restored historic 1790s garden of romantic era with waterfall, woodland walks and cottage orne. The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union Cultural Commission...
. The Tetrarch had difficulty as a stallion due to a lack of interest, and would be plagued by infertility problems for a number of years. Although he sired only 130 foals throughout his stud career his progeny inherited his blazing speed, and in 1919 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:...
as a result of the performances of Tetratema
Tetratema
Tetratema was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned by Major Dermot McCalmont, Tetratema was bred at McCalmont's Ballylinch Stud on his Mount Juliet estate in Thomastown, County Kilkenny in Ireland...
and the filly
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....
Snow Maiden. Another daughter (Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal (horse)
Mumtaz Mahal was a British Thoroughbred filly racehorse who the National Sporting Library's Thoroughbred Heritage website says was "one of the most important broodmares of the 20th Century"....
) won a number of important sprint races and, according to "Thoroughbred Heritage" went on to become one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.
Mumatz Mahal became an important ancestress in the pedigrees of some of history's most influential sire lines, including Nasrullah, Royal Charger
Royal Charger
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.-Racing career:As a three-year-old, Royal Charger finished third in the 2000 Guineas...
, Tudor Minstrel and Mahmoud. Nasrullah sired Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse.Bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps, Bold Ruler was foaled on April 6, 1954 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to Nasrullah and Miss Disco by Discovery...
, the sire of the Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...
/A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy is a champion stallion Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky, USA, by William Farish III and William Kilroy. He is known for his ancestry, his own record, and his successful progeny. He was sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew through mare Weekend Surprise, who herself was sired...
modern stallion lines. Bold Ruler is possibly most famous for producing Secretariat
Secretariat
Secretariat may refer to:* Secretariat , racehorse that won the Triple Crown in 1973* Secretariat , 2010 film about the racehorse...
, renowned for his stamina. Nasrullah also produced the lines leading to Red God (1954), Grey Sovereign (1956) and Never Bend
Never Bend
Never Bend was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse and a leading sire in England.-Two-Year-Old Champion:Foaled at Claiborne Farm for owner/breeder Harry F. Guggenheim, Never Bend was the dominant two-year-old racing in the United States in 1962...
(1960). The Tetrarch also sired Paola (who won the 1923 Coronation Stakes
Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
) and The Satrap (champion two-year-old of 1926).
As for questions regarding The Tetrarch's potential to win at a distance, three sons won the 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...
(the longest classic) – Caligula (1920), Polemarch (1921) and Salmon-Trout (1924).
The Tetrarch died at Ballylinch Stud on 8 August 1935 at the age of twenty-four, and is buried there in the farm's equine cemetery.
See also
- Flying Childers StakesFlying Childers StakesThe Flying Childers Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
- List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses
- Steve DonoghueSteve DonoghueSteve Donoghue was a leading English flat-race jockey in the 1910s and 1920s. He was Champion Jockey 10 times between 1914 and 1923 and was one of the most celebrated horse racing sportsmen after Fred Archer, arguably only Sir Gordon Richards eclipsing him.-Background:Born in Warrington, Cheshire,...