War Admiral
Encyclopedia
War Admiral was an American
thoroughbred
racehorse, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War
and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically. He was smaller than Man o' War at 15.3 hands, compared to the 16.2-hand (167.6-cm) height of his Sire (16 hands for an average racehorse), with a dark brown coat inherited from his dam. The movie Seabiscuit
inaccurately portrayed him at 18 hands. Seabiscuit
was actually not that small a horse, at 15.2 hands, almost equal to War Admiral.
War Admiral was born at Faraway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky
and was owned by Samuel D. Riddle
. After 1936, his regular jockey until retirement was Charles Kurtsinger
. War Admiral won 21 of his 26 starts, including the Pimlico Special
and the coveted U.S. Triple Crown
in 1937, earning him recognition as Horse of the Year
.
and the Jockey Club Gold Cup
. He is linked forever to the year-older Seabiscuit
, who was a son of the Man o' War stallion Hard Tack
and was the preeminent horse based in the western U.S. Their famous match race in the 1938 Pimlico Special
, which War Admiral lost to Seabiscuit by four lengths, is considered by some to be the best thoroughbred horse race in U.S. history.
, Searching, Busanda
, Mr. Busher, Navy Page, Cold Command, and Admiral Vee. War Admiral also sired the champion filly and Horse of the Year Busher
(ranked #40 in Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
).
. In the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, War Admiral was ranked #13, with his archenemy Seabiscuit
down in #25.
Owner Sam Riddle commissioned equine artist Martin Stainforth
to paint War Admiral's portrait.
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, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War
Man O' War
Man O' War, man o' war or manowar may refer to:* Man-of-war, a warship* Man of war for uses with this spelling - Places :...
and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically. He was smaller than Man o' War at 15.3 hands, compared to the 16.2-hand (167.6-cm) height of his Sire (16 hands for an average racehorse), with a dark brown coat inherited from his dam. The movie Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit (film)
Seabiscuit is a 2003 American biographical film based on the best-selling non-fiction book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand...
inaccurately portrayed him at 18 hands. Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
was actually not that small a horse, at 15.2 hands, almost equal to War Admiral.
War Admiral was born at Faraway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
and was owned by Samuel D. Riddle
Samuel D. Riddle
Samuel Doyle Riddle . He was born in Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, a small town southwest of Philadelphia given the family name in honor of his grandfather....
. After 1936, his regular jockey until retirement was Charles Kurtsinger
Charles Kurtsinger
Charles E. Kurtsinger was an American Hall of Fame jockey who won the Triple Crown in 1937.Known as "Charley" but in racing received the nickname "The Flying Dutchman", Kurtsinger was born in Shepherdsville, Kentucky and learned race riding from his jockey father and from veteran rider Mack Garner...
. War Admiral won 21 of his 26 starts, including the Pimlico Special
Pimlico Special
The Pimlico Special is an American thoroughbred horse race held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. It is raced on dirt over a distance of 1³/16 miles . The race is currently open to horses age three and older and offers a purse of $250,000.The Pimlico Special was first run in...
and the coveted U.S. Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
in 1937, earning him recognition as Horse of the Year
Horse of the Year
Horse of the Year is an honor given by various organizations worldwide in harness racing and thoroughbred horse racing.Some of the awards include:* Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year* Breeders' Cup World Championships Poll* European Horse of the Year...
.
Racing career
War Admiral raced in the eastern United States, and in 1938 won eight major races, including the Whitney HandicapWhitney Handicap
The Whitney Handicap is an American Grade 1 handicap race for Thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and older run at a distance of 1⅛ miles. In 2007, the Breeders' Cup Ltd...
and the Jockey Club Gold Cup
Jockey Club Gold Cup
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a prestigious thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It is typically the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the Travers Stakes is of the...
. He is linked forever to the year-older Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
, who was a son of the Man o' War stallion Hard Tack
Hard Tack (horse)
Hard Tack was an American Thoroughbred racehorse owned and bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps and her brother Ogden L. Mills. Son of the great Man o' War, he showed considerable promise as a racer, but his temper prevented him from achieving success on the track...
and was the preeminent horse based in the western U.S. Their famous match race in the 1938 Pimlico Special
Pimlico Special
The Pimlico Special is an American thoroughbred horse race held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. It is raced on dirt over a distance of 1³/16 miles . The race is currently open to horses age three and older and offers a purse of $250,000.The Pimlico Special was first run in...
, which War Admiral lost to Seabiscuit by four lengths, is considered by some to be the best thoroughbred horse race in U.S. history.
Stud career
War Admiral retired with a career earnings totaling $273,240. He was the leading American sire in 1945 and the leading juvenile sire in 1948. Before his death in 1959, War Admiral had sired 40 stakes winners. Major winners sired by War Admiral include Blue PeterBlue Peter IV
Blue Peter was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Bred and raced by Joseph M. Roebling, great-grandson of John A. Roebling, who built the Brooklyn Bridge, Blue Peter was out of the mare Carillon, a granddaughter of Teddy. He was sired by 1937 U.S. Triple Crown champion War Admiral, a son...
, Searching, Busanda
Busanda
Busanda was an American Thoroughbred filly racehorse best remembered as the dam of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Buckpasser. Regally bred, Busanda was sired by 1937 U.S. Triple Crown champion, War Admiral, a son of Man o' War who was ranked No. 1 in the Blood-Horse magazine list of the top...
, Mr. Busher, Navy Page, Cold Command, and Admiral Vee. War Admiral also sired the champion filly and Horse of the Year Busher
Busher (horse)
Busher was a thoroughbred racing filly. She was sired by War Admiral, the winner of the Triple Crown in 1937, and the great son of a great legend, Man o' War. She was out of Baby League by Bubbling Over, the colt who won the 1926 Kentucky Derby...
(ranked #40 in Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
In 1999, a panel for The Blood-Horse magazine was made up of distinguished horse racing people: Howard Battle, Lenny Hale, Jay Hovdey, William Nack, Pete Pedersen, Jennie Rees and Tommy Trotter. These experts compiled a list of what they considered to be the top 100 United States thoroughbred...
).
Honors and awards
War Admiral was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of FameNational 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...
. In the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, War Admiral was ranked #13, with his archenemy Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
down in #25.
Owner Sam Riddle commissioned equine artist Martin Stainforth
Martin Stainforth
Martin Frank Stainforth was a British-born artist best known for his portraits of Thoroughbred racehorses he painted in England and while living in Australia and the United States....
to paint War Admiral's portrait.
Pedigree
See also
- Hillenbrand, LauraLaura HillenbrandLaura Hillenbrand is an American author of books and magazine articles.Born in Fairfax, Virginia, Hillenbrand spent much of her childhood riding bareback "screaming over the hills" of her father's Sharpsburg, Maryland, farm. A favorite of hers was Come On Seabiscuit, a 1963 kiddie book. "I read...
. Seabiscuit: An American LegendSeabiscuit: An American LegendSeabiscuit: An American Legend is a non-fiction book written by Laura Hillenbrand published in 2001 about the thoroughbred race horse, Seabiscuit. It won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and was made into a feature film in 2003. It has also been published under the title: Seabiscuit - The...
, (2001), Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
ISBN 978-0375502910