| Asteroid | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sire | Lexington |
| Grandsire | Boston |
| Dam | Nebula |
| Damsire | Glencoe (GB) |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1861 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Robert A. Alexander, Woodburn Stud |
| Owner | R. A. Alexander & A. J. Alexander |
| Record | 12:12-0-0 |
| Earnings | $9,700 |
| Last updated on 29 August 2009 | |
Asteroid was an undefeated American Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of the most successful racehorses in the United States during the 19th century.
Asteroid was foaled in 1861 and was sired by the great racehorse and sire Lexington. His dam Nebula was by the imported Glencoe. This Lexington/Glencoe cross made him a three-quarters-brother-in-blood to Kentucky and the undefeated Norfolk. [1] All of these colts were foaled in 1861. Asteroid was from an early American family, A34, Norfolk was from another American family A2, while Kentucky was from an English family, 4-b. [2] Asteroid was described as being a bay, standing 15.2 hands (62 inches; 157 cm) with a broad back, short coupling and well-developed hind quarters.
In 1864 Confederate raiders stormed Woodburn Farm and Asteroid was stolen, but returned to his owner by a neighbour, after he saw the contingent pass and bargained for the horse's release. The following February, 15 of Alexander's horses were taken by soldiers, including two of Alexander's best trotting sires and a younger brother to Asteroid, Norwich. After this invasion, Alexander moved his horses, including the stallions Lexington and Australian, from Woodburn to Illinois, where they stayed until the end of the war, in April 1865. [3]
Asteroid was undefeated in his 12 starts on the racecourse, having won at distances ranging from one to four miles (1.6 to 6.4 kilometers), including two walk-overs. [4] Two $20,000 winner take-all match races were arranged between Asteroid and Kentucky with both horse owners being confident of a victory. The match races were to have taken place in New York and Louisville. Asteroid unfortunately bowed a tendon after working on the track and was retired before the match races were run. [1]
Asteroid retired to stand at Woodburn and sired quite a few horses including, Ada A. (br f 1869), Arnica (br f 1868), Lerna (br f 1868) and Nellie Grim (ch f 1870), but nothing of great note. He died in November 1886. [5]
Leamington (1853–1878) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire in the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century.
Glencoe (1831–1857) was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, who won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes and the Ascot Gold Cup. He was one of the earliest Thoroughbred stallions imported into the United States and was a top broodmare sire there. Several outstanding sons of Lexington were out of Glencoe mares, including Asteroid, Kentucky and Norfolk.
Reel was a thoroughbred race horse, and one of the greatest American Thoroughbred broodmares in history.
Gunrock is the official mascot of the UC Davis Aggies, the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Davis, and was based on Gunrock (1914–1932), an American Thoroughbred stallion, and the son of English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand. He was related to the American Thoroughbred racehorse Man O' War (1917–1947), who was out of Mahubah (1910–1931), bay Thoroughbred mare by Rock Sand out of Merry Token. Gunrock was bred by Clarence Mackay, and likely born in Kentucky in 1914. He had an unsuccessful racing career as a 2-year-old, and was retired to stud by age 6 in 1920.
Longfellow (1867–1893) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire.
Lexington was a United States Thoroughbred race horse who won six of his seven race starts. Perhaps his greatest fame, however, came as the most successful sire of the second half of the nineteenth century; he was the leading sire in North America 16 times, and broodmare sire of many notable racehorses.
Boston (1833–1850) was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse and a leading sire in North America three times from 1851 to 1853. He started in about 45 races, winning 40, including 15 in succession. Boston was later one of the initial inductees into the Hall of Fame.
Woodburn Stud was an American horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky about ten miles (16 km) from the city of Lexington. It was established in the 18th century as an original land grant property of General Hugh Mercer to whom it had been granted for his military services during the American Revolutionary War. Robert Alexander (1767–1841), a Scottish immigrant, came to Virginia from Scotland in 1786. Around 1790 he purchased the Mercer estate in Kentucky. Under the guidance of his son, Robert A. Alexander, during the 19th century, Woodburn Stud became the birthplace of Kentucky's Thoroughbred industry.
Flying Childers (1715–1741) was a famous undefeated 18th-century thoroughbred racehorse, foaled in 1714 at Carr House, Warmsworth, Doncaster, and is sometimes considered as the first truly great racehorse in the history of thoroughbreds and the first to catch the public imagination.
Glencoe was a notable Australian bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1868 Melbourne Cup and eight other principal races.
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Sir Archy was an American Thoroughbred racehorse considered one of the best racehorses of his time and later one of the most important sires in American history. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1955.
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General Duke was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the second running of the Belmont Stakes in 1868. A son of Lexington, he was bred by Robert A. Alexander in Kentucky. He raced as a two-year-old, winning twice, including a stakes race. As a three-year-old, he raced nine times, winning six races, including several stakes. His final racing record was 18 wins from 32 starts. He was later known as Judge Curtis, and after his racing career ended he was a breeding stallion in Canada before dying in Illinois in 1888. Three of his daughters won stakes races.
Harry Bassett (1868–1878) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the 1871 Belmont Stakes and an outstanding racehorse of the 19th century. He also won a number of other stakes races, and was named the Champion male of his age group in 1870, 1871 and 1872. He was retired to stud duties in New Jersey when his five-year racing career ended, having recorded 23 wins from 36 starts. Harry Bassett died in New Jersey in 1878 and was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.
Joe Daniels (1869–1896) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and stallion who won the sixth Belmont Stakes in 1872. Bred in Kentucky, Joe Daniels won two stakes races as a two-year-old and then the Belmont as a three-year-old when he also won a number of other stakes races, and some match races in California. As a four-year-old, he won one further stakes race before retiring with a record of 29 starts for 16 wins. He sired two stakes-winning horses during his breeding career.
Springbok (1870–1897) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the seventh Belmont Stakes in 1873. Foaled in 1870, he was sired by the imported stallion Australian, his dam was a daughter of Lexington. During his racing career he started 25 races, winning 17 of them. Besides the Belmont, Springbok won the Saratoga Cup twice, in 1874 and 1875 and was named Champion Older Male horse in 1874 and 1875. After retiring from the racetrack, he sired five stakes winners and died in 1897.
Eleanor was a British Thoroughbred racehorse bred by Charles Bunbury and was the first female horse to win The Derby. Eleanor also won the 1801 Epsom Oaks among many other races before retiring from racing at age eight to become a broodmare for Bunbury. She produced the stallion Muley, which in turn sired the mare Marpessa and the influential stallion Leviathan which was exported to the United States in the early nineteenth century. Through the produce of her daughter Active, Eleanor is present in the pedigrees of 19th-century American Standardbred racehorses.
Solford was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was undefeated in his first five races, culminating in a victory over a strong international field in the Eclipse Stakes in 1983. He also defeated the Prix du Jockey Club winner Caerleon at Phoenix Park Racecourse and won the Prix du Lys in France. He ran poorly in his only race after the Eclipse and was retired to stud, where he had no impact as a sire of winners.
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