Mad Play
Encyclopedia
Mad Play was an American-bred
Thoroughbred
stallion
racehorse
. Bred by August Belmont, Jr.
, he was sired by the great Fair Play
, which made him a half brother to Man o' War
, out of another Rock Sand
mare, Mad Cap. He was a full brother to 1921 U.S. Champion Older Male Horse
Mad Hatter
.
Trained by Sam Hildreth
and ridden by Earl Sande
, as a three-year-old Mad Play came in third in the Preakness Stakes
and second in the Dwyer Stakes
, but is best known for winning the Belmont Stakes
as the favorite to win by 1½ lengths, making it a third win for his owner, Harry Sinclair, of Rancocas Stable
. He then won the Brookdale Handicap
, the Continental Handicap, and the Yorktown Handicap.
He placed third in the International Special
No. 3 that year at Latonia Race Track
in Convington, Kentucky, losing to Sarazen
.
At four, he won the Long Beach Handicap, Brooklyn Handicap
, the Queens County Handicap
, the Empire City Handicap
, the Chicago Special and the Saratoga Cup Hanicap to be the leading handicapper with a 13-7-3-3 record.
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...
stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
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...
. Bred by August Belmont, Jr.
August Belmont, Jr.
August Belmont, Jr. was an American financier, the builder of New York's Belmont Park racetrack, and a major owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.-Early life:...
, he was sired by the great Fair Play
Fair Play (horse)
Fair Play was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful on the track, but even more so as a sire.His grandsire was Spendthrift, whose grandsire was the English Triple Crown champion West Australian....
, which made him a half brother to Man o' War
Man O' War (horse)
Man o' War, is considered one of the greatest Thoroughbred racehorses of all time. During his career just after World War I, he won 20 of 21 races and $249,465 in purses....
, out of another Rock Sand
Rock Sand
Rock Sand was a brown Thoroughbred race horse who was a very good young galloper, winning six of his seven starts. Always showing great courage he won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.He was a beautifully conformed...
mare, Mad Cap. He was a full brother to 1921 U.S. Champion Older Male Horse
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Older Male Horse
The title of American Champion Older Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a stallion or gelding, four years old and up. Prior to 1971, this award was referred to as "Champion Handicap Male Horse", and was open to any horse, three years old and up...
Mad Hatter
Mad Hatter (horse)
Mad Hatter was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was named U.S. Champion Older Male Horse in 1921.-Background:...
.
Trained by Sam Hildreth
Sam Hildreth
Samuel Clay Hildreth was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer and owner.Born in Independence, Missouri, Sam Hildreth began his training career in 1887, competing at racetracks in the Midwestern United States with such horses as the good racemare Hurley Burley, the dam of...
and ridden by Earl Sande
Earl Sande
Earl H. Sande was an American Hall of Fame jockey and thoroughbred horse trainer.Born in Groton, South Dakota, Earl Sande started out as a bronco buster in the early 1900s but then became a successful American quarter horse rider before switching to thoroughbred horse racing in 1918...
, as a three-year-old Mad Play came in third in the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
and second in the Dwyer Stakes
Dwyer Stakes
The Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade II stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over a distance of 1 1/16-miles on dirt...
, but is best known for winning 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...
as the favorite to win by 1½ lengths, making it a third win for his owner, Harry Sinclair, of Rancocas Stable
Rancocas Stable
Rancocas Farm was an American thoroughbred horse racing stud farm and racing stable located on Monmouth Road in Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey, Jobstown, New Jersey....
. He then won the Brookdale Handicap
Brookdale Handicap
The Brookdale Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid summer from 1887 through 1910 at Gravesend Race Track in Brooklyn, New York and from 1914 through 1933 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens...
, the Continental Handicap, and the Yorktown Handicap.
He placed third in the International Special
International Special
The International Specials of 1924 were a series of three Thoroughbred horse races held in September and October at three different race tracks in the United States...
No. 3 that year at Latonia Race Track
Latonia Race Track
Latonia Race Track on Winston Avenue in Latonia Kentucky, six miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio, was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility opened in 1883. The track hosted a spring-summer racing series and a second in late fall. It was once regarded as among the United States' top sites for racing,...
in Convington, Kentucky, losing to Sarazen
Sarazen
Sarazen was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned by Colonel Phil T. Chinn's Himyar Stud, Sarazen won his first three starts in impressive fashion...
.
At four, he won the Long Beach Handicap, Brooklyn Handicap
Brooklyn Handicap
The Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt....
, the Queens County Handicap
Queens County Handicap
The Queens County Handicap is an American Grade III Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York...
, the Empire City Handicap
Empire City Handicap
The Empire City Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race inaugurated on October 22, 1900, as part of the opening day racecard at Empire City Race Track in Yonkers, New York...
, the Chicago Special and the Saratoga Cup Hanicap to be the leading handicapper with a 13-7-3-3 record.