Decathlon (horse)
Encyclopedia
Decathlon was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse who was voted the U.S. Champion Sprint Horse in 1956 and 1957. He was sired by Olympia
, the Leading broodmare sire in North America
in 1974. His dam was Dog Blessed, a daughter of Bull Dog
, the 1943 Leading sire in North America
.
Decathlon was purchased for $15,500 at a 1954 Kentucky yearling sale by Robert J. Dienst, president of Beulah Park Racetrack in Columbus, Ohio
.
Decathlon was trained by Rollie Shepp. A horse with an awkward side-wheeling stride, Shepp and owner Dienst decided his running style might exhaust the colt over longer distances and early in his racing career began limiting him to sprint race
s.
In October of 1957, Robert J. Dienst announced that Decathlon would be retired to stud in Kentucky
for the 1958 season. The horse finished his racing career with a record of 25-8-1 from 42 starts with earnings of US$269,530.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
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 who was voted the U.S. Champion Sprint Horse in 1956 and 1957. He was sired by Olympia
Olympia (horse)
Olympia was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won top races at age two through four then became a foundation sire for Florida breeder, Fred W. Hooper. Bred by Hall of Fame jockey turned trainer, Ivan H. Parke, he was...
, the Leading broodmare sire in North America
Leading broodmare sire in North America
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of broodmares in North America for each year since 1924. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won during the year by racehorses which were foaled by a daughter of the sire.-----References:* *...
in 1974. His dam was Dog Blessed, a daughter of Bull Dog
Bull Dog (horse)
Bull Dog was an French Thoroughbred racehorse who became a North American Champion sire and Champion broodmare sire.Owned and bred by American Jefferson Davis Cohn at his Haras du Bois-Roussel in Alençon in France's Lower Normandy region, Bull Dog was sired by Teddy who had been the Leading sire...
, the 1943 Leading sire in North America
Leading sire in North America
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
.
Decathlon was purchased for $15,500 at a 1954 Kentucky yearling sale by Robert J. Dienst, president of Beulah Park Racetrack in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
Decathlon was trained by Rollie Shepp. A horse with an awkward side-wheeling stride, Shepp and owner Dienst decided his running style might exhaust the colt over longer distances and early in his racing career began limiting him to sprint race
Sprint race
The term Sprint race may refer to:*Sprint running events in track and field*Sprint cycling events*Short horse racing competitions*Short-distance speed skating races*Sprint car racing...
s.
In October of 1957, Robert J. Dienst announced that Decathlon would be retired to stud in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
for the 1958 season. The horse finished his racing career with a record of 25-8-1 from 42 starts with earnings of US$269,530.