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Timoleon (horse)
Encyclopedia
For the Greek statesman of this name, see Timoleon
.
Timoleon (foaled in either 1813 or 1814, depending on source*), was a good American
Thoroughbred
racehorse and was later an important sire.
A chestnut
horse whose only marking was a small white star and standing 15 hands 3 inches high, Timoleon was bred by Benjamin Jones in Greensfield County, Virginia
. He was by one of America's greatest foundation stallion
s and a National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
inductee, Sir Archy
. Timoleon’s dam was the Saltram mare (A24) (1801) by the imported British
stallion, Saltram, from the Wildair mare (1795) by Syme’s Wildair. In 1800, when Saltram was 20 years old he was imported to Virginia
, then the heart of Thoroughbred breeding in the United States, by the Virginian "gentleman," William Lightfoot. Through this pedigree Timoleon combined the blood of the three Thoroughbred sirelines: Eclipse
, Herod
and Matchem
.
who seems to have regretted his purchase because Timoleon was rapidly sold on to Robert R. Johnson. Wynn then went through an immediate change of heart. Ten days after selling the horse, he offered to buy him back for a thousand dollars more than his selling price, saying he was, "...superior to any race horse that ever turned a gravel on any race course in the United States".
Timoleon was the "Pride of Virginia." But racing so long ago, the actual statistics on his career on the track are hard to trace. It seems he might have started 15 times and that he won 13 of those starts, which were over, the then usual, distances of three or four miles. It also seems he might have won all fifteen if he'd been entered in better form. Four of his wins were "walk-overs." In his day if a horse like Timoleon was scheduled to compete but no horse could be found to challenge him, then he (or she) would be allowed to canter the course, winning the purse and the race. It is certain he defeated some of the best horses of his time. He defeated the two best daughters of Sir Archy: Reality and Lady Lightfoot
, who were both highly regarded.
His final race took place in February 1818. He'd suffered with equine distemper (also called Strangles
) a week before, was still entered, but had to be pulled up with respiratory problems, his second and last defeat.
. In 1819 he was sold to Colonel David Dancy who took him first to General Hunter's plantation in Madison County Alabama
and then, in 1829, to Nashville, Tennessee
and one year later, to Charles City County, Virginia.
Timoleon proved to be a good sire, even if only by producing the legendary Boston
who sired the outstanding sire Lexington
. But he also sired:
His date of death is as uncertain as his date of birth, but was probably 1836 when he was in his 24th year.
Timoleon
Timoleon , son of Timodemus, of Corinth was a Greek statesman and general.As the champion of Greece against Carthage he is closely connected with the history of Sicily, especially Syracuse.-Early life:...
.
Timoleon (foaled in either 1813 or 1814, depending on source*), was a good 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 and was later an important sire.
A chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
horse whose only marking was a small white star and standing 15 hands 3 inches high, Timoleon was bred by Benjamin Jones in Greensfield County, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He was by one of America's greatest foundation stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
s and a National Museum of Racing and 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, Sir Archy
Sir Archy
Sir Archy was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.-Early life:Born and bred in Virginia by two Americans, Capt. Archibald Randolph and Col. John Tayloe III, Sir Archy's sire was the Epsom Derby winner Diomed, who had been imported from England as an older horse...
. Timoleon’s dam was the Saltram mare (A24) (1801) by the imported British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
stallion, Saltram, from the Wildair mare (1795) by Syme’s Wildair. In 1800, when Saltram was 20 years old he was imported to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, then the heart of Thoroughbred breeding in the United States, by the Virginian "gentleman," William Lightfoot. Through this pedigree Timoleon combined the blood of the three Thoroughbred sirelines: Eclipse
Eclipse (horse)
Eclipse was an outstanding, undefeated 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse who was later a phenomenal success as a sire.-Breeding:...
, Herod
Herod (horse)
Herod , formerly King Herod, later shortened to just Herod in common usage, was a Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the three foundation sires of the modern Thoroughbred racehorse, along with Matchem and Eclipse...
and Matchem
Matchem
Matchem was a Thoroughbred racehorse who had a great influence on the breed, and was the earliest of three 18th century stallions that produced the Thoroughbred sire-lines of today, in addition to Eclipse and Herod...
.
Racing record
At three, Timoleon was purchased by William Wynn of Petersburg, VirginiaPetersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
who seems to have regretted his purchase because Timoleon was rapidly sold on to Robert R. Johnson. Wynn then went through an immediate change of heart. Ten days after selling the horse, he offered to buy him back for a thousand dollars more than his selling price, saying he was, "...superior to any race horse that ever turned a gravel on any race course in the United States".
Timoleon was the "Pride of Virginia." But racing so long ago, the actual statistics on his career on the track are hard to trace. It seems he might have started 15 times and that he won 13 of those starts, which were over, the then usual, distances of three or four miles. It also seems he might have won all fifteen if he'd been entered in better form. Four of his wins were "walk-overs." In his day if a horse like Timoleon was scheduled to compete but no horse could be found to challenge him, then he (or she) would be allowed to canter the course, winning the purse and the race. It is certain he defeated some of the best horses of his time. He defeated the two best daughters of Sir Archy: Reality and Lady Lightfoot
Lady Lightfoot
Lady Lightfoot , was an American Thoroughbred racing mare by one of America's foremost stallions, Sir Archy. A product of his very first crop, Lady Lightfoot is almost certainly his best daughter....
, who were both highly regarded.
His final race took place in February 1818. He'd suffered with equine distemper (also called Strangles
Strangles
Strangles is a contagious upper respiratory tract infection of horses and other equines caused by a bacterium, Streptococcus equi var equi...
) a week before, was still entered, but had to be pulled up with respiratory problems, his second and last defeat.
Stud record
Timoleon then stood briefly at stud at the farm of Johnson and Wynn's stables in North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. In 1819 he was sold to Colonel David Dancy who took him first to General Hunter's plantation in Madison County Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and then, in 1829, to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and one year later, to Charles City County, Virginia.
Timoleon proved to be a good sire, even if only by producing the legendary Boston
Boston (horse)
Boston , was an outstanding chestnut Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in North America three times from 1851 to 1853. He started in about 45 races, winning 40 of these, including 15 in succession...
who sired the outstanding sire Lexington
Lexington (horse)
Lexington was a United States Thoroughbred race horse who won six of his seven race starts. Perhaps his greatest fame came however as the most successful sire of the second half of the nineteenth century; he was the Leading sire in North America 16 times, and of his many brood mare and racer...
. But he also sired:
- Hotspur who was undefeated until he broke down in a race against Flirtilla
- Sally Walker, his best fillyFillyA 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 considered one the best in her day. - Washington who defeated the great Henry
His date of death is as uncertain as his date of birth, but was probably 1836 when he was in his 24th year.