My Babu
Encyclopedia
My Babu was a French
-bred Thoroughbred
racehorse
who became one of the most influential sires in American breeding of show jumpers
, eventers
and hunters
. His descendants include Bruce Davidson
's former eventing mount JJ Babu
, Anky van Grunsven
's dressage horse Bonfire, and puissance
and grand prix jumper Sympatico. Also, the grand prix jumper Napur is related to him through his sire Damascus
dam Kerala. My Babu was the sire of Kerala, and therefore one of Napur's grandsires.
During My Babu's racing career in England, the bay colt had 16 Starts, 11 Wins, 2 Places, and 0 Shows, with career earnings of £29,830. His most important win came in the 1948 Classic, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes in which he set a new stakes record time. He was later sold in 1955 to Americans Leslie W. Combs II and John W. Hanes for over $600,000, the highest price ever paid for a Thoroughbred imported to the United States. The stallion stood at Spendthrift Farm
in Kentucky
during his breeding career.
My Babu was a sire of 47 stakes winners and was a broodmare sire of 95 winners. He earned the title of Leading Juvenile Sire in 1960. His son, Better Boy, was the Leading sire in Australia
four times. By 1965, his racing descendants had won over $3,000,000. My Babu was the grandsire of National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
inductee Precisionist
, and the damsire of Hall of Fame inductees Damascus
and Gamely
as well as the damsire of Little Current
, the 1974 American Champion Three-Year-old Colt and winner of the Preakness
and Belmont Stakes
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-bred 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 became one of the most influential sires in American breeding of show jumpers
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
, eventers
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
and hunters
Show hunter
The show hunter is a type of show horse that is judged on its movement, manners, and way of going, particularly while jumping fences. The horses are shown in hunt seat style tack, and are often of Warmblood or Thoroughbred type, though a hunter-style pony is also seen in youth classes...
. His descendants include Bruce Davidson
Bruce Davidson (equestrian)
Bruce Oram Davidson is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He grew up in a family uninterested in horses, but began to compete in Pony Club events after a family friend introduced him to horses...
's former eventing mount JJ Babu
JJ Babu
JJ Babu was a horse that excelled in the sport of eventing, under American rider Bruce Davidson.*Lived: 1974-April 1989*Sex: Gelding*Color: Bay*Markings: Small star...
, Anky van Grunsven
Anky van Grunsven
Theodora Elisabeth Gerarda van Grunsven is a Dutch dressage champion who won the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics with her horse Bonfire and gold in the 2004 Olympics and in the 2008 Olympics with Salinero.Van Grunsven has also dominated World Cup Dressage competition, being named the World...
's dressage horse Bonfire, and puissance
Puissance
Puissance is the high-jump competition in the equestrian sport of show jumping.The competition involves a maximum of five rounds - opening round followed by four jump-offs not against the clock. The first round consists of four to six large single obstacles including the puissance wall, the...
and grand prix jumper Sympatico. Also, the grand prix jumper Napur is related to him through his sire Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
dam Kerala. My Babu was the sire of Kerala, and therefore one of Napur's grandsires.
During My Babu's racing career in England, the bay colt had 16 Starts, 11 Wins, 2 Places, and 0 Shows, with career earnings of £29,830. His most important win came in the 1948 Classic, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes in which he set a new stakes record time. He was later sold in 1955 to Americans Leslie W. Combs II and John W. Hanes for over $600,000, the highest price ever paid for a Thoroughbred imported to the United States. The stallion stood at Spendthrift Farm
Spendthrift Farm
Spendthrift Farm is a thoroughbred race horse breeding farm in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded by Leslie Combs II and named for the great stallion, Spendthrift, who was owned by Combs' ancestor, Daniel Swigert of Elmendorf Farm. Spendthrift was the great-grandfather of Man o' War.- Famous...
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...
during his breeding career.
My Babu was a sire of 47 stakes winners and was a broodmare sire of 95 winners. He earned the title of Leading Juvenile Sire in 1960. His son, Better Boy, was the Leading sire in Australia
Leading sire in Australia
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in Australia for each season since 1883–84. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
four times. By 1965, his racing descendants had won over $3,000,000. My Babu was the grandsire of National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductee Precisionist
Precisionist
Precisionist was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. In 1985, Precisionist won the Strub Series at Santa Anita Park becoming only the fifth horse to win the Malibu Stakes, the San Fernando Stakes and the Charles H. Strub Stakes...
, and the damsire of Hall of Fame inductees Damascus
Damascus (horse)
Damascus was a thoroughbred race horse sired by Sword Dancer out of Kerala foaled at the Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky...
and Gamely
Gamely (horse)
Gamely was a Thoroughbred race horse bred and born at Claiborne Farm outside Paris, Kentucky. Gamely's dam was the stakes-winning mare Gambetta, and her sire was the great sire Bold Ruler. Gambetta's dam, Rough Shod II, also produced the splendid filly Moccasin, the fine colt Ridan, and Lt....
as well as the damsire of Little Current
Little Current (horse)
Little Current was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the final two legs of the 1974 U.S. Triple Crown.-Background:Owned and bred by John W...
, the 1974 American Champion Three-Year-old Colt and winner of the Preakness
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 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...
.