18/06/2024
A really interesting roundup of some of the TB lines that have made their way into the QH genepool. No wonder I have a healthy scepticism when looking at outcross lines!!
This is an original undated photo of Vampire and her Orme foal which came from the Estate of Walter S. Vosburgh.
There are a number of famous thoroughbreds who have had a reputation for difficult and cantankerous behavior.
St. Simon took jockey Fred Archer for a five mile gallop after he touched his flank with the spur. The son of Galopin was well known to corner and savage grooms who entered his stall. The only thing that scared St. Simon was an open umbrella.
There was Cinderella whose tempestuous personality was passed on to her son Hastings who kindly bequeathed it to his sons and grand sons, like Fair Play and Man o’ War.
War Relic, was a son of Man o’ War, who was known to have killed a groom as a yearling. He also stopped dead during a race at Narragansett Race track sending his jockey Tommy Luther flying over the rail. Luther just missed being impaled on the upturned prongs of the track harrows. He always swore that War Relic did this on purpose.
But few could beat Vampire for sheer viciousness.
She was by Galopin out of Irony by Rosebery, the winner of the 1876 Cambridgeshire Stakes.
Vampire made 12 starts with 2 wins 1 second and 3 thirds earning £875 with her only stakes win being the 1891 Priory Stakes.
She was bred by J.G. Hodgson, who sold her to Noel Fenwick. Given her temperament and race record, she didn’t appear to be a good Broodmare prospect. But the Duke of Westminster was willing to take a chance on her mainly because of her sire and he purchased her from Fenwick for 1000 Guineas.
When the Duke went to inspect his new purchase, Vampire turned on her heel and tried to kick him. Needless to say the Duke was not enamored of Vampire and contemplated selling her.
The first season they had Vampire she was put to Gonsalvo. While carrying her foal, she was sent to the Kremlin Stud to be bred to Sheen. The Gonsalvo foal was born in due course, but Vampire, in a fit of rage, killed it, and maimed her groom.
In spite of her personality failings, Vampire was a very good Broodmare. Her best foal was Flying Fox, the 1899 English Triple Crown winner.
Flying Fox was not only an excellent runner, he proved to be a very important sire. In his first crop, he sired Ajax, the winner of the 1904 Prix du Jockey Club and the 1904 Grand Prix de Paris.
Ajax, in turn, was the sire of Teddy who made 8 starts with 6 wins 0 seconds 2 thirds, and while his racing career took place during World War I, most turf writers consider him the 1916 French and Spanish Champion Three Year Old C**t.
Teddy became an extremely important sire in both Europe and the United States, siring among others Sir Gallahad III and Bull Dog. Much of his sire line exists through Sun Teddy and his descendants: Sunglow, Sword Dancer and Damascus.
He also sired the great foundation mare La Troienne. Her daughters: Black Helen, Businesslike, Baby League, Big Hurry, Belle Histoire, Big Event, Besieged and Belle of Troy; as well as her son Bimelech factor in numerous pedigrees throughout the world and is considered one of the most important Broodmares imported into the United States.**
**I did two long pieces on La Troienne’s career which depict her enormous breeding influence.
