Kingfisher (horse)
Encyclopedia
Kingfisher was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse
who won the 1870 Belmont Stakes
.
Kingfisher was bred by Robert A. Alexander
at his Woodburn Stud
in Woodford County, Kentucky
, Kingfisher was out of the imported mare Eltham Lass, a daughter of Kingston
. Kingfisher's sire was Lexington
. He was a bay stallion.
In 1868 Kingfisher was auctioned at the 1868 Woodburn Stud yearling sale. He was purchased for $490 by Woodburn's former manager, Daniel Swigert who entrusted his race conditioning to trainer Rollie Colston. In 1870, the three-year-old Kingfisher won the Belmont Stakes
at New York's
Jerome Park Racetrack
, in which he was ridden by Edward D. Brown
. Besides the Belmont, Kingfisher won the 1870 Travers Stakes
, Champion Stakes, and Annual Stakes. Daniel Swigert sold the horse to August Belmont
, for $15,000.
Kingfisher raced for August Belmont in 1871 but was injured in the Saratoga Cup and did not return to racing until the following year when he met with little success.
Kingfisher started a total of 13 races, winning 7 of them, with total race earnings of $26,750.
Retired to stud
duty, he sired 7 stakes winners: Belinda out of Bellona, Lady Rosebery out of Lady Blessington, Duchess also out of Lady Blessington, King Crab out of Carita, King Cadmus also out of Carita, Oriole out of My Maryland, and Prince Royal out of imported Princess. Belinda, a 1885 chesnut mare, won the 1887 Colleen Stakes. Lady Rosebery, a 1878 chestnut mare, won the 1880 Champagne Stakes
. Duchess, an 1881 bay mare, won the 1883 Sapling Stakes, the 1884 Ladies' Handicap, Monmouth Oaks, and Mermaid Stakes. King Crab, a 1885 bay stallion, won the 1888 Oceanview Handicap. King Cadmus, a 1889 bay stallion, won the 1891 Sapphire Stakes. Oriole, a 1874 chestnut mare, won the 1878 Maturity Stakes. Prince Royal, a 1885 chestnut staillion, won the 1888 Jerome Handicap
, Stevens Stakes and Stockton Stakes.
He was the maternal grandsire of the following:
Kingfisher died on June 30, 1890 in Kentucky.
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
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
who won the 1870 Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
.
Kingfisher was bred by Robert A. Alexander
Robert A. Alexander
Robert Aitcheson Alexander was an American breeder of Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. Born on a farm near Midway, Woodford County, Kentucky, he and his siblings inherited the property on his father's death....
at his Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud was an American horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky about ten miles 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...
in Woodford County, Kentucky
Woodford County, Kentucky
Woodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge...
, Kingfisher was out of the imported mare Eltham Lass, a daughter of Kingston
Kingston (horse)
Kingston was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won 89 races, the most in the history of the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Of his 138 starts, he was out of the money only on four occasions. He was later inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame.-Breeding:He was bred by James R. Keene...
. Kingfisher's sire was Lexington
Lexington (horse)
Lexington was a United States Thoroughbred race horse who won six of his seven race starts. Perhaps his greatest fame came however as the most successful sire of the second half of the nineteenth century; he was the Leading sire in North America 16 times, and of his many brood mare and racer...
. He was a bay stallion.
In 1868 Kingfisher was auctioned at the 1868 Woodburn Stud yearling sale. He was purchased for $490 by Woodburn's former manager, Daniel Swigert who entrusted his race conditioning to trainer Rollie Colston. In 1870, the three-year-old Kingfisher won the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
at New York's
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Jerome Park Racetrack
Jerome Park Racetrack
Jerome Park Racetrack was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility.-History:It opened in 1866 in the northwest part of Fordham, Westchester County , New York....
, in which he was ridden by Edward D. Brown
Edward D. Brown
Edward Dudley Brown was an African American born as a slave who rose to become a Belmont Stakes-winning jockey, a Kentucky Derby-winning horse trainer, and an owner of several of the top racehorses during the last decade of the 19th century, earning him induction into the United States Racing Hall...
. Besides the Belmont, Kingfisher won the 1870 Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
, Champion Stakes, and Annual Stakes. Daniel Swigert sold the horse to August Belmont
August Belmont
August Belmont, Sr. was an American politician.-Early life:August Belmont was born in Alzey, Hesse, on December 8, 1813--some sources say 1816--to Simon and Frederika Elsass Schönberg, a Jewish family. After his mother's death, when he was seven, he lived with his uncle and grandmother in Frankfurt...
, for $15,000.
Kingfisher raced for August Belmont in 1871 but was injured in the Saratoga Cup and did not return to racing until the following year when he met with little success.
Kingfisher started a total of 13 races, winning 7 of them, with total race earnings of $26,750.
Retired to stud
Stud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
duty, he sired 7 stakes winners: Belinda out of Bellona, Lady Rosebery out of Lady Blessington, Duchess also out of Lady Blessington, King Crab out of Carita, King Cadmus also out of Carita, Oriole out of My Maryland, and Prince Royal out of imported Princess. Belinda, a 1885 chesnut mare, won the 1887 Colleen Stakes. Lady Rosebery, a 1878 chestnut mare, won the 1880 Champagne Stakes
Champagne Stakes
Champagne Stakes may refer to:*Champagne Stakes , a horse race held at Randwick Racecourse in Australia*Champagne Stakes , a horse race held at Doncaster Racecourse in Great Britain...
. Duchess, an 1881 bay mare, won the 1883 Sapling Stakes, the 1884 Ladies' Handicap, Monmouth Oaks, and Mermaid Stakes. King Crab, a 1885 bay stallion, won the 1888 Oceanview Handicap. King Cadmus, a 1889 bay stallion, won the 1891 Sapphire Stakes. Oriole, a 1874 chestnut mare, won the 1878 Maturity Stakes. Prince Royal, a 1885 chestnut staillion, won the 1888 Jerome Handicap
Jerome Handicap
The Jerome Stakes is a Grade II race for thoroughbred horses run each fall at one mile on the dirt at Belmont Park. It is open to three-year-olds and carries a purse of $150,000. The race is a prep race to several races of the Breeders' Cup....
, Stevens Stakes and Stockton Stakes.
He was the maternal grandsire of the following:
- Fides, the 1889 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.
- Clifford, the 1893 American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse and 1894 American Champion Older Male Horse
- George W. Jenkins, winner of the 1902 American Grand National
Kingfisher died on June 30, 1890 in Kentucky.