He was a star on the track before escaping death after a life-threatening infection. When an even more deadly disease took hold...
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When Juhani Lagerstam started the Laukko trotting stud farm at Vesilahti in Finland he needed a few stallions to use on his many...
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He was the milk horse who turned into a world champion, but was treated badly as he was a tough cookie. Because of the treatment...
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When Harrison Hoyt, more popularly known as “the Hat Man” in reference to his hat company, bought Demon Hanover for...
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Considered the great broodmare of her time, Evensong may very well be one of the best broodmares of all times. Her temperament...
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Bred by Almahurst Farm in Lexington and named for a famous golfer, Arnie Almahurst was a near identical clone of his sire –...
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He was designated as a wedding gift to circumvent export restrictions after WWII, then caused despair when he refused to train. In stepped Count Orsi Mangelli to restore Mighty Ned’s career, starting a fantastic turnaround that lead to two Prix d’Amerique-wins and a reputation as one of the best American imports in Europe ever.
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The expression “Who’s your daddy?” is often used as a claim of dominance. In the case of the 1938 foals of Gäel, a champion French trotter, it is more a matter of facts than dominance. Though he officially never sired a single foal in France, it is now common knowledge operated in the shadows at Haras de Ginai and produced several top French trotters.
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You have horses with great pedigrees, then you have those really blue-blooded horses … and then there is Florestan. Despite being a son of the world’s best stallion at the time and possibly the best race mare in history, the brown colt was effectively stateless and a bit of an outcast in his time. The French changed their mind about him, though, and gave him the chance at stud, a move which started the French trotting revolution.
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It’s a story full improbable twists, cruel treatment and bizarre facts. What ended up as Hambletonian’s possibly greatest son at stud was in fact an alcoholic and named for the shadiest of writers who “reviewed” brothels in the name of journalism… It is said that cream always rises to the top. George Wilkes, the stallion who changed how trotters moved their hind legs and the paternal great-grandsire of Axworthy, started at the bottom but rose to the top.
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Ask somebody to name a horse with 30 straight wins and they will probably be able to do so: pacing fans will probably answer Bret Hanover, French and European trotting fans will probably answer Tenor de Baune while Coldblood enthusiasts will undoubtedly bring up Järvsöfaks. Most likely only Canadian trotting fans bring up A Worthy Lad, whose exploits unfortunately have already started to be forgotten.
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Having won the Hambletonian twice, in 1930 with Hanover’s Bertha and 1937 with Shirley Hanover, the Hanover Shoe Farms’ Lawrence Sheppard had no obvious Hambletonian candidate in 1938. However, he got the success he wanted when he bought the winner shortly before the big race. McLin Hanover turned out to be a spectacular trotter – in fact so good he had to leave the continent.
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His whole life is spectacular. He was the best trotter in his generation, even though his trainer was skeptical and at 2 felt the horse should be gelded and turned out. His stallion performance was equally fantastic and the events surrounding his death has become the stuff of legends.
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Known as the “The Queen of the Turf”, she was the first to break the magic 2:30 barrier. A victim of bad and harsh treatment on many occasions, Lady Suffolk never sulked or quit.
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An exceptional racehorse at 2, BF Coaltown was then set back by virus infection a month ahead of hte Hambletonian which he seemingly never really recovered from. The Ohio-born stallion went on to exceed all expectations at stud when he became one of the best stallions ever seen in his home state.
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Widely expected to be one of the first 2:00 trotters, Axworthy’s most spectacular daughter was nearly invincible at her best. The fastest mare in history at that point, she passed early and has largely slipped into oblivion. Hamburg Belle’s legacy deserves much better, however.
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