Omaha (horse)
Encyclopedia
Omaha was a United States
thoroughbred horse racing champion.
Foaled at Claiborne Farm
in Paris, Kentucky
, he was the son of 1930 U.S. Triple Crown
winner Gallant Fox
and the mare Flambino. Omaha was the third horse to win the Triple Crown having won as a three-year-old in 1935.
Omaha was an unlikely champion. Like his father, as a two-year-old he was less than spectacular, winning just once in nine races. In four of the nine races, Omaha finished out of the money. During the winter, however, the horse filled out and began to look like a champion and he won the three Triple Crown races easily.
The horse was owned by William Woodward, Sr.'s
famous Belair Stud
in Bowie, Maryland
and was trained by Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons who also trained Omaha's sire to the Triple Crown. He was ridden by Canadian jockey Smokey Saunders.
and shipped to England
where he made four starts, winning twice and finishing second twice. On May 30, he won the Queen's Plate at Kempton Park Racecourse
. On June 18, in front of an estimated at 200,000 spectators, Omaha lost the 2.5 mile (4 km) Ascot Gold Cup
by a head to the filly
, Quashed
. In his only other defeat in England, he ran second by a neck in the 1½-mile Princess of Wales's Stakes
at Newmarket Racecourse
.
at Claiborne Farm, he failed to perform satisfactorily and in 1943 was turned over to the Jockey Club's
Breeding Bureau, which sent him north to a stud farm in New York State where he remained for seven years. He was then moved west in 1950 to Nebraska
, where he lived out the last nine years of his life on a farm near Nebraska City
, about 45 miles (72 km) south of the city of Omaha
. During the 1950s, the Triple Crown winner was often taken to the Ak-Sar-Ben
racetrack in Omaha and paraded about the infield as a promotional stunt. Photos were taken of Omaha with two or three small children upon his old bent back while he chewed on an apple or a carrot. When the gate bell rang to begin a race, the old campaigner would lift his head and lope forward down the track inside the rail (to the delight of the fans), as if reliving his glory days from decades ago.
When Omaha died in 1959 at the age of 27, he was buried in the Circle of Champions at the Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack (not substantiated, some say he was buried under the grandstands, some say he never came to this track, at which he never raced, at all).Omaha was not considered a great sire although four generations later, his blood ran through the veins of the great British champion Nijinsky II
. Three Kentucky Derby champions are third great grandsons of Omaha.
In 1965, he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
. In The Blood-Horse
ranking of the top 100 thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Omaha was ranked #61. And yet he never received the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
even as a Triple Crown winner. In 1935, that honor went to another future Hall of Famer, Discovery
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thoroughbred horse racing champion.
Foaled at Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm
Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred Horse breeding operation in near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910, by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Farm in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since.-Owners:...
in Paris, Kentucky
Paris, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,183 people, 3,857 households, and 2,487 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,222 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.23% White, 12.71% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.16%...
, he was the son of 1930 U.S. Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
winner Gallant Fox
Gallant Fox
Gallant Fox was a United States Thoroughbred horseracing champion.Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky by Sir Gallahad III out of the mare Marguerite, Gallant Fox was a bay colt who became the second horse to win the U.S...
and the mare Flambino. Omaha was the third horse to win the Triple Crown having won as a three-year-old in 1935.
Omaha was an unlikely champion. Like his father, as a two-year-old he was less than spectacular, winning just once in nine races. In four of the nine races, Omaha finished out of the money. During the winter, however, the horse filled out and began to look like a champion and he won the three Triple Crown races easily.
The horse was owned by William Woodward, Sr.'s
William Woodward, Sr.
William Woodward, Sr. was an American banker and major owner and breeder in thoroughbred horse racing.-Background:...
famous Belair Stud
Belair Stud
Belair Stud was an American thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm founded by Provincial Governor of Maryland, Samuel Ogle in 1747 in Collington, Prince Georges County, Maryland in Colonial America.-Colonial Period:...
in Bowie, Maryland
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
and was trained by Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons who also trained Omaha's sire to the Triple Crown. He was ridden by Canadian jockey Smokey Saunders.
Racing in England
In January 1936, amidst great fanfare, Omaha was loaded aboard the RMS AquitaniaRMS Aquitania
RMS Aquitania was a Cunard Line ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. She was launched on 21 April 1913 and sailed on her maiden voyage to New York on 30 May 1914...
and shipped to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he made four starts, winning twice and finishing second twice. On May 30, he won the Queen's Plate at Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which is a western suburb of London 16 miles from the city centre. The site is set in of land....
. On June 18, in front of an estimated at 200,000 spectators, Omaha lost the 2.5 mile (4 km) 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....
by a head to the filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
, Quashed
Quashed
Quashed was a British-bred and British-trained thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the Epsom Oaks in 1935.For many years, the Verdict family was not accepted into the British Stud Book because Quashed's dam was effectively a half-bred and it was not until the 1960s era of the July Cup winner...
. In his only other defeat in England, he ran second by a neck in the 1½-mile 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...
at Newmarket Racecourse
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
.
At stud
Retired to stand at studStud (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...
at Claiborne Farm, he failed to perform satisfactorily and in 1943 was turned over to the Jockey Club's
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club, formed on February 9, 1894, is the keeper of The American Stud Book. It came into existence after James R. Keene spearheaded a drive in support of racehorse trainers who had complained about the Board of Control that governed racing in New York State.-History:On its formation, The...
Breeding Bureau, which sent him north to a stud farm in New York State where he remained for seven years. He was then moved west in 1950 to Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, where he lived out the last nine years of his life on a farm near Nebraska City
Nebraska City, Nebraska
Nebraska City is a city in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,228 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Otoe County...
, about 45 miles (72 km) south of the city of Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. During the 1950s, the Triple Crown winner was often taken to the Ak-Sar-Ben
Ak-Sar-Ben
Ak-Sar-Ben, or Aksarben, was an indoor arena and horse racing complex in Omaha, Nebraska. Built to fund the civic and philanthropic activities of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, the thoroughbred race track was built in 1920 and the Coliseum was built in 1929...
racetrack in Omaha and paraded about the infield as a promotional stunt. Photos were taken of Omaha with two or three small children upon his old bent back while he chewed on an apple or a carrot. When the gate bell rang to begin a race, the old campaigner would lift his head and lope forward down the track inside the rail (to the delight of the fans), as if reliving his glory days from decades ago.
When Omaha died in 1959 at the age of 27, he was buried in the Circle of Champions at the Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack (not substantiated, some say he was buried under the grandstands, some say he never came to this track, at which he never raced, at all).Omaha was not considered a great sire although four generations later, his blood ran through the veins of the great British champion Nijinsky II
Nijinsky II
The racehorse Nijinsky was one of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred horse-racing history. He won the U.K. Triple Crown of racing. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.He was bred at E. P...
. Three Kentucky Derby champions are third great grandsons of Omaha.
In 1965, he was inducted into the 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...
. In The Blood-Horse
The Blood-Horse magazine
The Blood-Horse is an international weekly news magazine about Thoroughbred horses, horse breeding, and horseracing. It was founded in 1916, the oldest continually published North American Thoroughbred magazine. The magazine is based in Lexington, Kentucky, the Horse Capital of the World...
ranking of the top 100 thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Omaha was ranked #61. And yet he never received the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
even as a Triple Crown winner. In 1935, that honor went to another future Hall of Famer, Discovery
Discovery (horse)
Discovery was an American Thoroughbred racehorse about whom the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame said: "...considered one of the greatest horses of the 20th century."...
.