Vigors (horse)
Encyclopedia
Vigors was an American Thoroughbred
racehorse known as "The White Tornado." Called by Bloodhorse.com in a 2011 article "the great California closer," Vigors earned the affection of racing fans because of his dramatic come-from-behind running style.
Vigors was bred in Kentucky
by William R. Hawn
, a Dallas, Texas
businessman who was the president and a shareholder of Del Mar Racetrack
in Del Mar, California
, and a founding partner of the Dallas Cowboys
of the National Football League
. The horse was named for William Hawn's friend Tim Vigors, a World War II
fighter ace
and founder of Ireland's
renowned Coolmore Stud
.
and the Rolling Green Handicap. The following year, trainer Larry Sterling entered him in the San Marcos Handicap
, a race of a mile and an eighth on dirt. Under jockey Darrel McHargue
, Vigors won easily then with the same rider followed up with a win in the San Antonio Stakes in track record
time on dirt. In the most important win of his career, Darrel McHargue brought Vigors from dead last to win the Santa Anita Handicap
by two lengths, again on dirt. For jockey McHargue, the win topped off an extraordinary day in which he won six races. Vigors did not race again until early June when he won the Bel Air Handicap
on dirt. Assigned top weight in the Hollywood Gold Cup
, Vigors ran third in what was his final race before retiring to stud
duty.
, the 2001 Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Vigors died at age twenty-three on September 27, 1994 due to health problems.
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 known as "The White Tornado." Called by Bloodhorse.com in a 2011 article "the great California closer," Vigors earned the affection of racing fans because of his dramatic come-from-behind running style.
Vigors was 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 William R. Hawn
William R. Hawn
William Russell "Fritz" Hawn was an American businessman and philanthropist who bred and raced Thoroughbred horses, served for twenty years as president of Del Mar Racetrack, owned by life-long friend Clint Murchinson with whom he became a founding partner in the Dallas Cowboys franchise of the...
, a Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
businessman who was the president and a shareholder of Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan: "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership...
in Del Mar, California
Del Mar, California
Del Mar is an upscale beach town in San Diego County, California. The population was 4,161 at the 2010 census, down from 4,389 at the 2000 census. The San Diego County Fair is hosted on the Del Mar Fairgrounds every summer. Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "by the sea", because it is located...
, and a founding partner of the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The horse was named for William Hawn's friend Tim Vigors, a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
and founder of Ireland's
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...
renowned Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....
.
Racing career
Raced mainly on grass, in 1977 the late developing Vigors won the Hollywood Invitational HandicapCharles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
The Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
and the Rolling Green Handicap. The following year, trainer Larry Sterling entered him in the San Marcos Handicap
San Marcos Handicap
The San Marcos Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to horses aged four and older, it is raced on turf over a distance of one and one-quarter miles....
, a race of a mile and an eighth on dirt. Under jockey Darrel McHargue
Darrel McHargue
Darrel G. McHargue is a retired American Champion jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. One of five children from a family not connected to horse racing, he was first introduced to riding as a teeneage boy when he rode a neighbor's Quarter Horse...
, Vigors won easily then with the same rider followed up with a win in the San Antonio Stakes in track record
Track record
Track record means informally the collective recollections of the performance of a person or an organization; similarly to fame or publicity.The term track record may also refer to:*Track Records, an English record label...
time on dirt. In the most important win of his career, Darrel McHargue brought Vigors from dead last to win the Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
by two lengths, again on dirt. For jockey McHargue, the win topped off an extraordinary day in which he won six races. Vigors did not race again until early June when he won the Bel Air Handicap
Bel Air Handicap
The Bel Air Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race run in mid July at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. Open to horses age three and older, it was contested on dirt at a distance of a mile and a sixteenth. In its final year it was a Grade III event offering a purse of...
on dirt. Assigned top weight in the 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...
, Vigors ran third in what was his final race before retiring to stud
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
duty.
Stud career
Vigors stood at Jonabell Farm, near Lexington Kentucky. He was the successful sire of numerous winners including multiple stakes winners, Royal Mountain Inn, Exemplary Leader and Lovlier Linda, among others. He also sired millionaires Hodges Bay and Real Connection and had five other of his progeny earn more than half a million dollars in racing. Vigors is also the damsire of Ginger GoldGinger Gold (horse)
Ginger Gold is a Canadian Champion filly Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Hamilton, Ontario lumber merchant, Mel Lawson, she was sired by multiple stakes winner Golden Gear, a son of 1988 American Champion Sprint Horse, Gulch...
, the 2001 Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Vigors died at age twenty-three on September 27, 1994 due to health problems.