Saxon (horse)

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

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)

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. Hewitt Great Breeders pp. 232-233
  2. New York Racing Association "1874 Belmont" The Belmont Stakes
  3. Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 1 p. 90
  4. Bruce American Stud Book Vol. 4 p. 28
  5. Hogan Index to Stakes Winners p. 236
  6. New York Racing Association "Belmont Stakes" The Belmont Stakes
  7. 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. 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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