Colorado (horse)
Encyclopedia
Colorado was a British Thoroughbred
racehorse and sire. He won the 2000 Guineas in 1926 and the Eclipse Stakes
in 1927. He was also noted for his rivalry with the Derby
winner Coronach
whom he defeated on three of their four meetings.
at the end of the decade, Colorado was regarded as the best racehorse sired by Phalaris
, who became the most influential stallion of the 20th Century. His dam, Canyon, won the 1000 Guineas in 1916 and was a succeesful broodmare. In addition to Colorado she produced the Eclipse Stakes winner Caerleon.
He was a small, but powerfully built colt standing just over 15 hands
, known to be a particular favourite of his owner, Lord Derby. He was trained at Lord Derby's Stanley House stable by George Lambton
who found him a difficult horse to prepare because of his habit of "choking" in exercise gallops.
, eight pounds below the joint topweights Coronach and Legatee.
He started favourite for the Derby but Coronach reversed the placings, winning by five lengths, with Colorado losing second place by a short head to Lancegaye. Weston, was certain that he would have at least been closer at Epsom if he had not been tied down by waiting orders. His cause was not helped when he had to swerve when a spectator's dog ran onto the course. In his next race Colorado started odds on favourite for the Rous Memorial Stakes at Royal Ascot, but finished third of the four runners.
In a much anticipated race for the Princess of Wales's Stakes
Tommy Weston tracked Coronach in the early stages before moving Colorado up to challenge for the lead. After a brief "duel" Colorado pulled away to win by eight lengths. In the Eclipse Stakes
he beat the three-year-old Mario by six lengths with Coronach a length further back in third. In the Champion Stakes
at Newmarket in October he was narrowly beaten by the French-trained Asterus and was retired to stud as the winner of nine races, worth £30,358.
in the 1934 Ascot Gold Cup
. He also got the Eclipse Stakes winner Loaningdale, Scarlet Tiger, who was third in the St. Leger
, the top sprinter Coroado and the very versatile Colorado Kid.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse and sire. He won the 2000 Guineas in 1926 and the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
in 1927. He was also noted for his rivalry with the Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
winner Coronach
Coronach (horse)
Coronach was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was a champion two-year-old who went on to complete a then unique treble by winning the Epsom Derby, the Eclipse Stakes and the St Leger as a three-year-old in 1926, a year in which he also won the St. James's Palace Stakes...
whom he defeated on three of their four meetings.
Background
Until the emergence of FairwayFairway (horse)
Fairway was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Fairway was the best horse of his generation in Britain at two, three and four years old, winning the St Leger Stakes, the Champion Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes...
at the end of the decade, Colorado was regarded as the best racehorse sired by Phalaris
Phalaris (horse)
Phalaris was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, later a Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and a Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland...
, who became the most influential stallion of the 20th Century. His dam, Canyon, won the 1000 Guineas in 1916 and was a succeesful broodmare. In addition to Colorado she produced the Eclipse Stakes winner Caerleon.
He was a small, but powerfully built colt standing just over 15 hands
Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
, known to be a particular favourite of his owner, Lord Derby. He was trained at Lord Derby's Stanley House stable by George Lambton
George Lambton
George Lambton was a British thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He was British flat racing Champion Trainer in the 1906, 1911 and 1912 seasons....
who found him a difficult horse to prepare because of his habit of "choking" in exercise gallops.
1925:two-year-old season
Colorado was a leading two-year-old in 1925, winning the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. In the Free Handicap, an official assessment of the year's two year olds, Colorado was assesses on 118lbsPound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
, eight pounds below the joint topweights Coronach and Legatee.
1926:three-year-old season
At three he won the Union Jack Stakes over a mile at Liverpool in March but worked poorly before the 2000 Guineas and started at 100/8 behind the strongly favoured Coronach. Colorado "dashed" into the lead in the final furlong and went clear to win by five lengths, giving Lord Derby his first win in the race.He started favourite for the Derby but Coronach reversed the placings, winning by five lengths, with Colorado losing second place by a short head to Lancegaye. Weston, was certain that he would have at least been closer at Epsom if he had not been tied down by waiting orders. His cause was not helped when he had to swerve when a spectator's dog ran onto the course. In his next race Colorado started odds on favourite for the Rous Memorial Stakes at Royal Ascot, but finished third of the four runners.
1927:four-year-old season
After having taken a long time to recover his form after the Derby, Colorado returned to beat Coronach in their two meetings in 1927. He was unplaced on his debut, but won the one and a half mile Newbury Summer Cup in June.In a much anticipated race for the Princess of Wales's Stakes
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in...
Tommy Weston tracked Coronach in the early stages before moving Colorado up to challenge for the lead. After a brief "duel" Colorado pulled away to win by eight lengths. In the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
he beat the three-year-old Mario by six lengths with Coronach a length further back in third. In the Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October...
at Newmarket in October he was narrowly beaten by the French-trained Asterus and was retired to stud as the winner of nine races, worth £30,358.
Stud career
Colorado died after only two seasons at stud. He had made a prominsing start as a stallion, siring Felicitation who defeated HyperionHyperion (horse)
Hyperion was a British bred Thoroughbred, a dual classic winner and an outstanding sire. Owned by Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, Hyperion won £29,509 during his career - a considerable sum at the time. His victories included the Epsom Derby and St...
in the 1934 Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
. He also got the Eclipse Stakes winner Loaningdale, Scarlet Tiger, who was third in the St. Leger
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
, the top sprinter Coroado and the very versatile Colorado Kid.