Reel (horse)
Encyclopedia
Reel was a thoroughbred
race horse, and one of the greatest American
Thoroughbred broodmares in history.
at the farm of James Jackson, although both her sire and dam were imported from England
. Before he was purchased by James Jackson's stud farm, Reel's sire Glencoe won the 2,000 Guineas and Ascot Gold Cup
during his English racing career. Glencoe was not only was the sire of Reel, but also of the great broodmare Pocahontas
, considered to be one of the most important female lines in history. Through Pocahontas, his is the blood that runs through three great sires and racehorses: Stockwell
, Rataplan, and King Tom
. In America, Glencoe was the leading sire in 1847, 1849, 1850 and from 1854 to 1858, inclusive.
During his first American season in 1837, Glencoe covered Galopade. She had already produced two fillies
that would become successful broodmares when crossed to Glencoe: Fandango and Cotillion (both by Leviathan). Galopade had been bred by Colonel King, and was imported to Canada
in 1836, before James Jackson purchased her. Her sire, Catton, was also sire to Trustee (father of the legendary mare Fashion
and other great horses). Galopade was one of the most productive mares ever bred. Her three great daughters—Fandango, Cotillion, and Reel—extend into the bloodlines of many winners of today.
General Thomas Jefferson Wells, brother of Louisiana Governor James Madison Wells
, purchased a half interest in the yearling Reel for $1,000, and went on to become the sole owner of the filly
before she was three. As a three-year-old, she began her career winning the first two races of two miles, before claiming the Jockey Club Purse in the four-miler. As a four-year-old, she won four more races, including a match race with Miss Foote. During this time, she almost set a new record for 4 miles (7:32), which was held by Fashion.
She lost once in her career, as a five-year-old, after she took a bad step and could not catch the leading colt, George Martin. She retired after that race, with 7 wins out of 8 starts.
Reel lived most of her breeding career (from 1845 onward) at the farm of J.R. Gross, in northern Kentucky
, where she was boarded with the rest of Well's horses.
Reel's blood is found in later champions: Chris Evert (CCA Oaks), Winning Colors (Santa Anita Derby
, Santa Anita Oaks
, and the Kentucky Derby
, 2nd Breeders' Cup
Distaff, 3rd Preakness Stakes
), Two Lea
, Tim Tam
(winner of the 1958 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and 2nd in the Belmont Stakes
) due to an injury, Sweet Native, and Chief's Crown
, (Breeders' Cup
Juvenile, 2nd Preakness Stakes).
1844: Lincoln (chestnut colt by Leviathan)
1845: Stafford (gray colt by Leviathan)
1846: Captain Elgee (gray colt by Leviathan)
1847: Bob Green (gray gelding by Ambassador)
1848: Ann Dunn (gray filly by Sovereign)
1850: Lecomte (chestnut colt by Boston
)
1851: Ashland (gray colt by Wagner)
1853: Prioress (bay filly by Sovereign)
1854: Calvit (gray colt by Yorkshire)
1855: Starke (chestnut colt by Wagner)
1856: Dentley (gray colt by Yorkshire)
1858: Fanny Wells (gray filly by Sovereign)
1859 or 1860: War Dance (chestnut colt by Lexington
)
Note: The American stud book lists War Dance as foaled in 1859, but some claim that this is an error, and he was actually foaled in 1860.
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...
race horse, and one of the greatest American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred broodmares in history.
Racing career
Reel was born in AlabamaAlabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
at the farm of James Jackson, although both her sire and dam were imported from 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...
. Before he was purchased by James Jackson's stud farm, Reel's sire Glencoe won the 2,000 Guineas and 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....
during his English racing career. Glencoe was not only was the sire of Reel, but also of the great broodmare Pocahontas
Pocahontas (horse)
Pocahontas was an English Thoroughbred racehorse and the dam of three sires who had a great influence on the breed. Although mares are not generally considered to be as influential as sires, Thoroughbred Heritage refers to Pocahontas as "one of the most influential Thoroughbreds of all time, male...
, considered to be one of the most important female lines in history. Through Pocahontas, his is the blood that runs through three great sires and racehorses: Stockwell
Stockwell (horse)
Stockwell was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland seven times; he was second on the sires' list a further four times during a 14-year period.-Breeding:...
, Rataplan, and King Tom
King Tom
King Tom was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland.-Pedigree:He was a bay horse foaled in 1851, sired by Harkaway and out of the exceptional mare Pocahontas by Glencoe...
. In America, Glencoe was the leading sire in 1847, 1849, 1850 and from 1854 to 1858, inclusive.
During his first American season in 1837, Glencoe covered Galopade. She had already produced two fillies
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....
that would become successful broodmares when crossed to Glencoe: Fandango and Cotillion (both by Leviathan). Galopade had been bred by Colonel King, and was imported to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1836, before James Jackson purchased her. Her sire, Catton, was also sire to Trustee (father of the legendary mare Fashion
Fashion (horse)
Fashion , was a famous Thoroughbred four-mile racemare that defeated Boston and set a record of 7:32½, for that distance, before the American Civil War...
and other great horses). Galopade was one of the most productive mares ever bred. Her three great daughters—Fandango, Cotillion, and Reel—extend into the bloodlines of many winners of today.
General Thomas Jefferson Wells, brother of Louisiana Governor James Madison Wells
James Madison Wells
James Madison Wells was elected the 20th Governor of Louisiana during Reconstruction.-Early life:Born near Alexandria, Louisiana, on January 8, 1808, Wells' father was Samuel Levi Wells, II, a member of the constitutional convention in 1811. His mother was the former Dorcas Huie. A brother, Thomas...
, purchased a half interest in the yearling Reel for $1,000, and went on to become the sole owner of 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....
before she was three. As a three-year-old, she began her career winning the first two races of two miles, before claiming the Jockey Club Purse in the four-miler. As a four-year-old, she won four more races, including a match race with Miss Foote. During this time, she almost set a new record for 4 miles (7:32), which was held by Fashion.
She lost once in her career, as a five-year-old, after she took a bad step and could not catch the leading colt, George Martin. She retired after that race, with 7 wins out of 8 starts.
Breeding career
Reel is one of the greatest American broodmares of the 19th century. During her breeding career, she produced 13 foals to 7 different stallions, 10 of which were top classic runners. Reel passed on not only her running ability, but also her color (eight of her offspring were gray).Reel lived most of her breeding career (from 1845 onward) at the farm of J.R. Gross, in northern 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...
, where she was boarded with the rest of Well's horses.
Reel's blood is found in later champions: Chris Evert (CCA Oaks), Winning Colors (Santa Anita Derby
Santa Anita Derby
The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $1 million. Inaugurated in 1935, it is considered the most important West Coast stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby...
, Santa Anita Oaks
Santa Anita Oaks
Santa Anita Oaks is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to three-year-old fillies willing to race 8.5 furlongs on the dirt, it currently offers a purse of $300,000.Inaugurated in 1935 as a race for two-year-olds,...
, and the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
, 2nd Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
Distaff, 3rd 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...
), Two Lea
Two Lea
Two Lea was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Born at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, her sire was Bull Lea whose progeny were already successful. Her dam was Two Bob, winner of the 1936 Kentucky Oaks....
, Tim Tam
Tim Tam (horse)
Tim Tam was an American thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by Tom Fool and out of the great racing mare Two Lea , the dark bay colt was owned and bred by Calumet Farm...
(winner of the 1958 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and 2nd in 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...
) due to an injury, Sweet Native, and Chief's Crown
Chief's Crown
Chief's Crown was an American-bred Thoroughbred race horse who won the 1984 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Two-Year-Old Male Horse. He later became a successful sire.-Background:...
, (Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
Juvenile, 2nd Preakness Stakes).
1844: Lincoln (chestnut colt by Leviathan)
1845: Stafford (gray colt by Leviathan)
1846: Captain Elgee (gray colt by Leviathan)
1847: Bob Green (gray gelding by Ambassador)
1848: Ann Dunn (gray filly by Sovereign)
1850: Lecomte (chestnut colt by Boston
Boston (horse)
Boston , was an outstanding chestnut Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in North America three times from 1851 to 1853. He started in about 45 races, winning 40 of these, including 15 in succession...
)
1851: Ashland (gray colt by Wagner)
1853: Prioress (bay filly by Sovereign)
1854: Calvit (gray colt by Yorkshire)
1855: Starke (chestnut colt by Wagner)
1856: Dentley (gray colt by Yorkshire)
1858: Fanny Wells (gray filly by Sovereign)
1859 or 1860: War Dance (chestnut colt by 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...
)
Note: The American stud book lists War Dance as foaled in 1859, but some claim that this is an error, and he was actually foaled in 1860.
- Captain Elgee: sired two daughters, both out of Albion: Wenonah and Lantana. Wenonah was dam to 1879 Kentucky Derby winner Lord Murphy, as well as to Sue Walton (the dam of stakes winner Barrett). Lantana was dam to 1879 Kentucky OaksKentucky OaksThe Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
winner Liahtunah, who would go on to foal the stakes winner, Gipsey Queen. She also produced Poca Wiley, the third dam to Highball, 1903 juvenile champion.
- Lecomte: the best of Reel's offspring, Lecomte was a fantastic winner, only challenged by his half-brother (also by Boston), LexingtonLexington (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...
. His first loss was to Lexington, after six straight wins, although he later went on to beat his half-brother in the Jockey Club Purse, which would be Lexington's only defeat. Lecomte set a record for 4 miles (7:26), and won a total of 11 races in America. Lecomte was later purchased by Lexington's owner, the infamous Richard Ten Broeck for $10,000 and sent to England, where he performed terribly in two starts, before dying of colic in 1857. However, he had one crop of foals, which he sired in 1856 before he left for England. These foals include Umpire, Uncle Jeff, an unnamed filly who went on to foal Lizzie G., dam of Mannie Gray, (dam of DominoDomino (horse)Domino was a 19th-century American thoroughbred race horse.-Background:A dark brown, almost black*, colt, Domino was sired by Himyar out of the mare Mannie Gray.Sam Hildreth writes in his book, "The Spell of the Turf" that he looked black was actually a deep chestnut. Himyar was out of speed...
, and Correction, and was granddam to Hamburg).
- Prioress: Prioress was the first American-bred and owned horse to win a major race in England. While in England, she was part of the triple dead heatTie (draw)To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
carrying 93 pounds, with El Hakim (93 pounds) and Queen Bess (66 pounds) in the 1857 Cesarewitch, and she won the run-off to claim victory at the Caesarwitch. She also won the Great Yorkshire Handicap and Queen's Plates at Newmarket and EpsomEpsomEpsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
. She went on to produce six foals, none of note, before dying in 1868 while foaling. Prioress set a record for one-mile heats (1:46 and 1:45).
- War Dance: was the product of the best mare in America, Reel, to the best stallion in America, LexingtonLexington (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 bred by General Wells and purchased as a two-year old by A. Keene Richards. War Dance raced under the name of General Westmore, but is most notable as a sire, especially of boodmares, including: Blue Grass Belle, Brademante, Buff-and-Blue, Lizzy G., Vega, War Reel, and War Song. One of his fillies, Modesty, beat out colts to win the American Derby. Lizzie G., as mentioned, was dam to Mannie Gray (who was in turn dam to Domino and Correction), Faustus and Goodnight. Lizzie G. was inbred 2x3 to Reel, her sire being War Dance and her damsire Lecomte. Bradmante produced the champion stallion The Bard. His colts include: Chance, Wyoming, Stampede, Bullion and Limestone.
- Starke: raced successfully in England, including winning the Goodwood Stakes (2.5 miles), the Bentibck Memorial (3 miles, 5 furlongs), and the Warwick Cup (3 miles). He won the Goodwood Cup as a five-year-old. He was then sold for $7,000 to PrussiaPrussiaPrussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, where he stood at stud.
- Ann Dunn: one of the three Reel fillies, died while training as a four-year-old.
- Fanny Wells: the last of the three fillies out of Reel, she was also the most influential. She was dam to two stakes winners: Nellie Gray and Jils Johnson. Jils Johnson sired the fillies: Famine (dam to steeplechaser Good and Plenty) and Belle of Nantura. Fanny Wells is also influential in the bloodlines of champions Two Lea, Tim Tam, Chris Evert, Chief's Crown, and Winning Colors.