Saxon
SireBeadsman
GrandsireWeatherbit[1]
DamGirasol
DamsireAsteroid
SexStallion
Foaled1871
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColorBrown
BreederJoseph Hawley
OwnerPierre Lorillard
TrainerWilliam Pryor
Record8 starts, 2 wins
Earnings$5,150 (about $133,000 today)
Major wins
American Classics wins:
Belmont Stakes (1874)

Saxon (1871–1895) was a British-bred American-trained Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1874 Belmont Stakes, the eighth running of that stakes race.

Background

Saxon was a brown stallion sired by Beadsman, and was bred in England,[2] by Joseph Hawley.[1][3][notes 1] He was imported into the United States by Pierre Lorillard,[3] along with his dam.[4] Saxon's dam was the imported mare Girasol, who was sired by Asteroid and out of the mare Gillyflower. Gillyflower was sired by Venison.[5]

Racing career

As a two-year-old, Saxon won the 1873 August Stakes.[5]

Saxon won the 1874 Belmont while owned by Pierre Lorillard. This was the eighth running of the stakes race.[6] The race was run on June 13, 1871 at a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles (i.e. 12 furlongs (2,400 meters)) on a fast track. He finished first by a neck over Grinstead, and third place went to Aaron Pennington. All the horses in the race carried 110 pounds (50 kg), and the value to the winner was $4,200 (about $109,000 today),[7][2] with the winning time being 2 minutes and 39+1⁄2 seconds.[2] The winning jockey was George Barbee, and the winning trainer was William Pryor.[6]

In his racing career, Saxon won 2 times out of 8 starts, with total earnings of $5,150 (about $133,000 today).[7][1]

Stud record

As a breeding stallion, he sired three stakes winners: Gerald out of Girl of the Period by Virgil, Hiawasse out of Vandalite by Vandal, and Zamora out of Zoo Zoo by imported Australian.[8] Gerald, an 1879 brown stallion, won the 1881 Foam Stakes.[5] Hiawasse, an 1879 brown mare, won the 1882 Ladies Handicap, 1881 Monmouth Oaks, and the 1881 Mermaid Stakes.[9] Hiawasse was undefeated as a three-year-old racehorse.[10] Zamora, an 1881 gray mare, won the 1884 Tennessee Oaks.[11]

Saxon was used as a breeding stallion by his owner, Pierre Lorillard. Once, Lorillard's brother George teased Pierre that Saxon's offspring were not as good as expected. Pierre then challenged George to a match race between one of Saxon's offspring against any racehorse that George owned. The result was that Hiawasse won the match race by four horse lengths.[10]

Saxon died in February 1895 at the Cliff Lawn Stud, the farm of W.B. Cheatham, in Nashville.[12]

Notes

  1. ^ The racing chart for the 1874 Belmont Stakes gives his breeder as Thomas Hawley, but this is contradicted by the American Stud Book and other sources writing after the race.[1][3]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Hewitt Great Breeders pp. 232-233
  2. ^ a b c New York Racing Association "1874 Belmont" The Belmont Stakes
  3. ^ a b c Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 1 p. 90
  4. ^ Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 4 p. 28
  5. ^ a b c Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 236
  6. ^ a b New York Racing Association "Belmont Stakes" The Belmont Stakes
  7. ^ a b 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  8. ^ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 663
  9. ^ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 504
  10. ^ a b Robertson History of Thoroughbred Racing in America p. 128
  11. ^ Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 524
  12. ^ Staff "Post and paddock" Spirit of the Times

References

  • Bruce, S. D. (1884). American Stud Book. Vol. 1 (Revised ed.). New York: Turf, Field, and Farm. OCLC 228769751.
  • Bruce, S. D. (1884). American Stud Book. Vol. 4. New York: Turf, Field, and Farm. OCLC 246797991.
  • Hewitt, Abram S. (1982). The Great Breeders and Their Methods. Lexington, KY: Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. OCLC 12739523.
  • Hogan, Clio D. (n.d.). Index to Stakes Winners 1865–1967. Solvang, CA: Flag Is Up Farms. OCLC 29213840.
  • New York Racing Association (2010). "1874 Belmont Stakes" (PDF). The Belmont Stakes. New York Racing Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  • New York Racing Association (2010). "Belmont Stakes". New York Racing Association. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  • Robertson, William H. P. (1964). The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America. New York: Bonanza Books. LCCN 64-17364.
  • Staff (February 16, 1895). "Post and paddock" (PDF). The Spirit of the Times. Retrieved July 30, 2011.

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