Blue Swords (horse)

Last updated
Blue Swords
Sire Blue Larkspur
GrandsireBlack Servant
DamFlaming Swords
Damsire Man o' War
Sex Stallion
Foaled1940
Country United States
Color Bay
Breeder Samuel D. Riddle
OwnerAllen T. Simmons
Trainer Walter A. Kelley
Record22: 5-5-2
Earnings$58,065
Major wins
Eastern Shore Handicap (1942)
Remsen Handicap (1942)
Ardsley Handicap (1942)
Last updated on November 29, 2006

Blue Swords (born 1940) [1] was an American Thoroughbred race horse who debuted as a two-year-old in 1942. [2] Bred in Kentucky by Samuel D. Riddle, he was owned by Allen T. Simmons [3] of Akron, Ohio, a rubber mogul [4] and radio station operator. [5] He was rated a close rival of Occupation, owned by Chicago, Illinois contractor John Marsch, in horse racing competition in the Western United States.

Contents

Blue Swords was a son of Blue Larkspur and Flaming Swords, whose father was Man o' War. [6] In 22 starts, he earned 5 wins, 5 places, and 2 shows. His career earnings totaled $58,065. [1]

Notable races

Blue Swords finished third in the Washington Park Race Track Futurity event on August 15, 1942. A 20 to 1 shot, he was bested by the winner, Occupation, and Count Fleet, who placed second. [2] On September 3, 1942, he came within 1/5 of a second of the Aqueduct Racetrack track record established by the sprinter Doulrab. Blue Swords bested Col. Teddy by three lengths, finishing with a time of 1:10 3/5. [3]

Blue Swords secured a purse of $10,800 by winning the Eastern Shore Handicap at Havre de Grace, Maryland, on September 12, 1942. He won by a length after taking the lead down the stretch and pulling away comfortably. He ran the six furlongs in 1:12. [7]

On the final day of the Belmont Park fall meeting, October 10, 1942, Count Fleet established a track record by running 1:34 4/5 in the Champagne Stakes. Blue Swords ran second, putting up a strong pursuit. Count Fleet had fractions of 0:23, 0:46, 1:10, and 1:34 4/5. Blue Swords' second position was eight lengths faster than third place Attendant. [8]

In early odds for the 1943 Kentucky Derby, Blue Swords was given an 8 to 1 shot by James J. Carroll, St. Louis, Missouri sports betting commissioner. Also at 8 to 1 were Ocean Wave and Devil's Thumb. Count Fleet was named the favorite at 2 to 1. [9]

On April 8, 1943, Blue Swords finished 11th at Jamaica, New York in the feature race, Experimental handicap. He came in ahead of only four horses at a time when he was considered second to Count Fleet in the Kentucky Derby future books. [10]

Kentucky Derby runnerup

Nevertheless, odds makers made Blue Swords a 6 to 1 pick to win the Kentucky Derby prior to the horse's arrival in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 17, 1943. [11] Al Wolf of the Los Angeles Times gave him the edge provided there was mud on the race track. [6]

Blue Swords again failed to perform up to expectations, this time in the Derby Trial. He ran poorly throughout the six furlongs, finishing ahead of just four horses among a field of fifteen. [12] In the Wood Memorial Stakes on April 17, 1943, Count Fleet won handily after Blue Swords led temporarily prior to the half mile mark. At the finish, Count Fleet led Blue Swords by four lengths. [13]

On April 23, 1943, Blue Swords worked out at Churchill Downs, running 3/8 of a mile in :41 2/5. Count Fleet was timed three seconds quicker, clocking in at :38 2/5. [14] On April 30, Blue Swords was given 8 to 1 odds and was assigned the #1 post position. [15]

On May 1, 1943, in front of a crowd of 60,000, Blue Swords finished three lengths behind Count Fleet. Count Fleet's next nearest rival, Slide Rule, was nine lengths in back of him at the end. [16]

Retired to stud, of his progeny Blue Man was the top earner whose wins included the 1952 Preakness Stakes.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nijinsky (horse)</span> Canadian-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse

Nijinsky was a Canadian-bred, Irish-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the outstanding two-year-old in Europe in 1969 when he was unbeaten in five races. In the following season, he became the first horse for thirty-five years to win the English Triple Crown, a feat that has not been repeated as of 2022. He is regarded as one of the greatest European flat racehorses of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smarty Jones</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Smarty Jones is a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and came second in the Belmont Stakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Count Fleet</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Count Fleet was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the sixth winner of the American Triple Crown. He won the Belmont Stakes by a then record margin of twenty-five lengths. After an undefeated season, he was named the 1943 Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old. Also a champion at age two, he is ranked as one of the greatest American racehorses of the twentieth century, ranking fifth on the Bloodhorse magazine's listing. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1961.

The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on dirt. The Wood Memorial has been run as a Grade II event since 2017. It was a Grade I race from 1974 to 1994 and again from 2002 to 2016.

Tomy Lee was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1959 Kentucky Derby defeating Sword Dancer, First Landing, Royal Orbit and the filly Silver Spoon. Tomy Lee became only the second non-American bred horse to ever win the Kentucky Derby and Bertie Kerr became the first non-American agent to buy a winner.

Count Turf was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1951 Kentucky Derby. His grandsire Reigh Count won the 1928 Kentucky Derby and his sire Count Fleet won the 1943 Kentucky Derby and went on to win the Triple Crown. The only other father/son/grandson combination to win the Kentucky Derby was Pensive, Ponder, and Needles.

Hill Gail was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. One of the leading American two-year-olds of 1951, Hill Gail recorded his most important success the following spring when he won the 1952 Kentucky Derby. He was injured during the race and was never as effective in his subsequent racing career. He was retired to stand as a breeding stallion in Ireland, where he had limited success as a sire.

Blue Man was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the Preakness Stakes.

Ponder was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Kentucky Derby in 1949.

Menow (1935–1964) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won several important races in 1937, when he was voted American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnt Cork</span> American Thoroughbred racehorse

Burnt Cork (1940–1944) was a thoroughbred race horse, a son of Mr. Bones, who was owned by Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson. His career earnings totaled $21,130 in 38 starts. The horse had 9 wins, places, and shows.

Ocean Wave was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was a main rival of Count Fleet in the early 1940s. Owned by Calumet Farm, he was trained by Ben Jones and owned by Warren Wright, Ocean Wave was the son of Blenheim and Columbiana. He developed into a come from behind threat as a two-year-old and a three-year-old.

Slide Rule was a Thoroughbred race horse who was owned by William E. Boeing of Boeing. He sired by Metropolitan and Suburban Handicap winner, Snark and was out of the mare King's Idyll, a daughter of the outstanding Champion sire and broodmare sire, Sir Gallahad III.

Vincentive was an American Thoroughbred racehorse from Maryland who won the 55th running of the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park on June 19, 1943. Owned by William Leavitt Brann, the colt defeated Famous Victory, owned by Mrs. Payne Whitney. Vincentive was ridden by jockey Johnny Gilbert, who weighed 111 pounds. The win was worth $19,600.

The Stepping Stone Purse was an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the latter part of April at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, it was, along with the Derby Trial Stakes, one of two final prep races hosted by Churchill Downs running up to the Kentucky Derby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Kentucky Derby</span> 99th running of the Kentucky Derby

The 1973 Kentucky Derby was the 99th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Secretariat won the Derby in a record time of 1:59+2⁄5, 2+1⁄2 lengths ahead of Sham, while Our Native finished in third position. Of the thirteen horses that entered and started the race, all horses completed the event. The event was viewed in person by a then-record crowd of 134,476, while also being broadcast both on television and over the radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Belmont Stakes</span> 105th running of the Belmont Stakes

The 1973 Belmont Stakes was the 105th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, held on June 9, 1973. Facing a field of five horses, Secretariat won by 31 lengths, the largest margin of victory in Belmont history, in front of a crowd of 69,138 spectators. His winning time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds still stands as the American record for a mile and a half on dirt. The event was televised and broadcast over the radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1943 Kentucky Derby</span> 69th running of the Kentucky Derby

The 1943 Kentucky Derby, also known as the Street-car Derby, was the 69th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 1, 1943 and was won by the heavy favorite, Count Fleet.

Walter Aloysius Kelley was an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer. Although he began his career as a jockey, he is best known as a trainer who first operated a public stable in 1930 and whose career saw him have second-place finishers in each of the U.S. Triple Crown races.

The Chesapeake Stakes was an important American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses of either sex contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and one-sixteenth at Havre de Grace Racetrack in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Run from 1920 until the track closed after the 1950 edition, the race usually run in late April race was a last major prep before the Kentucky Derby. For owners who had not nominated their horse for the Derby it was a chance to test their horse's ability against some of the best three-year-olds in the country, a number of which they would undoubtedly encounter in the ensuing Preakness Stakes.

References

  1. 1 2 Blue Swords Pedigree, Thoroughbred Database, retrieved on April 23, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Occupation Takes Rich Race By Neck, The New York Times , August 16, 1942, pg. S1.
  3. 1 2 Blue Swords Close To Aqueduct Record in Taking Sprint by Three Lengths, New York Times, September 4, 1942, pg. 28.
  4. ↑ Whirly Nominated For 'Cap; Meet Extended, Los Angeles Times, April 6, 1943, pg. A10.
  5. ↑ Count Fleet Favorite For Derby Today, Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1943, pg. 8.
  6. 1 2 Sportraits, Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1943, pg. 20.
  7. ↑ Blue Swords Wins At Havre De Grace, New York Times, September 13, 1942, pg. S5.
  8. ↑ Whirlaway Third, New York Times, October 11, 1942, pg. S1.
  9. ↑ 110 Nominated for 69th Derby to be on May 1, Chicago Tribune, March 7, 1943, pg. B4.
  10. ↑ Betting Soars 112% As Jamaica Opens, Chicago Tribune, April 9, 1943, pg. 25.
  11. ↑ Breezing Along, Chicago Tribune, April 18, 1943, pg. B4.
  12. ↑ Slide Rule Triumphs In Derby Trial, Los Angeles Times, April 9, 1943, pg. 19.
  13. ↑ Count Fleet Easy Winner In Wood Race, Los Angeles Times, April 18, 1943, pg. 17.
  14. ↑ Derby Candidates In Impressive In Mile Workouts, Los Angeles Times, April 24, 1943, pg. A9.
  15. ↑ Here's Dope On Kentucky Derby, Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1943, pg. 8.
  16. ↑ Count Fleet Captures Kentucky Derby, Los Angeles Times, May 2, 1943, pg. 15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.