Risen Star
Encyclopedia
Risen Star, was a champion thoroughbred
race horse
.
The dark bay colt was the son of the great Triple Crown
winner Secretariat out of the mare Ribbon. Bred by Arthur B. Hancock III
and Leone J. Peters
, Risen Star was bought by Louisiana
ns Ronnie Lamarque and Louie Roussel III at the 1987 Calder two year-old in-training sale. He was trained by Roussel, a devout Roman Catholic who was stricken by throat cancer
and recovered. Ten percent of Risen Star's winnings were donated to the "Little Sisters of the Poor," a Roman Catholic order of nuns.
Lightly raced, as a two-year-old Risen Star won the Minstrel Stakes at Louisiana Downs that set the stage for a remarkable three-year-old season.
and followed that up with another grade two victory just two weeks prior to the Derby in the Lexington Stakes.
He went into the prestigious Kentucky Derby
as the morning line third choice. All the colts in the Derby laid off the pace, their jockeys believing that the front-running gray filly Winning Colors
would fade. She did not fade and won the race wire to wire by a neck. Risen Star finished third. Under jockey
Eddie Delahoussaye
, he was forced to the outside on the backstretch, where he stayed until making a charge at the head of the stretch. He was too late to make up all the lost ground to the front runner and finished third.
Two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes
, Risen Star won the "Run for the Black Eyed-Susans" as he turned the table on his filly rival, winning by 1 lengths over Brian's Time, Winning Colors, and local favorite Private Terms
. Following the Preakness, he pulled away from the field and winning by 14 lengths in the longest of the Triple Crown races, the 1½ mile Belmont Stakes
, with a final time of 2:26, which is the fourth fastest running behind Hall of Famers A.P. Indy
, Easy Goer
and Secretariat
. By virtue of his two Classic victories, Risen Star won the second $1,000,000 Chrysler Triple Crown Bonus that was awarded to the three year-old with the best finishes in the three races.
An injury that occurred in the Belmont forced him into early retirement, but he still won the Eclipse Award
as 1988's top three-year-old colt. By winning the Eclipse, he became the first third-generation Eclipse Award winner in the same category (his sire won in 1973 and his grandsire Bold Ruler won in 1957). He was retired to stud and went on to sire millionaire Grade I winner Star Standard
as well as German runner Risen Raven.
Risen Star died on March 13, 1998, at Walmac International, where he is buried. The Risen Star Stakes
for 3-year-olds is named in his honor and is held annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course
in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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
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...
.
The dark bay colt was the son of the great Triple Crown
Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred horse races is considered the greatest accomplishment of a Thoroughbred racehorse...
winner Secretariat out of the mare Ribbon. Bred by Arthur B. Hancock III
Arthur B. Hancock III
Arthur Boyd Hancock III is an American owner of Thoroughbred racehorses, the owner of Stone Farm, a 2,000 acre horse breeding operation in Paris, Kentucky, and a composer of Bluegrass music....
and Leone J. Peters
Leone J. Peters
Leone J. Peters was an American businessman and an owner-breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses.-Real Estate:Peters, a prominent Manhattan real estate broker and consultant, was the archetype of the modern commercial real estate broker. He joined the property management company Cushman & Wakefield in...
, Risen Star was bought by Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
ns Ronnie Lamarque and Louie Roussel III at the 1987 Calder two year-old in-training sale. He was trained by Roussel, a devout Roman Catholic who was stricken by throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
and recovered. Ten percent of Risen Star's winnings were donated to the "Little Sisters of the Poor," a Roman Catholic order of nuns.
Lightly raced, as a two-year-old Risen Star won the Minstrel Stakes at Louisiana Downs that set the stage for a remarkable three-year-old season.
Three year-old season
Risen Star started his sophomore season hot by winning the grade two Louisiana DerbyLouisiana Derby
The Louisiana Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Usually run in early March, the race is open to horses, age three, willing to race 11/8 miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it currently offers a purse of...
and followed that up with another grade two victory just two weeks prior to the Derby in the Lexington Stakes.
He went into the prestigious 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...
as the morning line third choice. All the colts in the Derby laid off the pace, their jockeys believing that the front-running gray filly Winning Colors
Winning Colors
Winning Colors is the third novel in the space opera, military science fiction Familias Regnant fictional universe written by Elizabeth Moon; it continues the plot centered on the adventures of captain Heris Serrano and the maturation of several wealthy Families' scions, which was begun in Hunting...
would fade. She did not fade and won the race wire to wire by a neck. Risen Star finished third. Under jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
Eddie Delahoussaye
Eddie Delahoussaye
Edward J. Delahoussaye is a retired American Thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana.He began his career in 1968 and ten years later became the top American jockey with 384 wins...
, he was forced to the outside on the backstretch, where he stayed until making a charge at the head of the stretch. He was too late to make up all the lost ground to the front runner and finished third.
Two weeks later 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...
, Risen Star won the "Run for the Black Eyed-Susans" as he turned the table on his filly rival, winning by 1 lengths over Brian's Time, Winning Colors, and local favorite Private Terms
Private Terms
Private Terms was a millionaire American Thoroughbred racehorse and successful stallion. He was the son of Private Account, who in turn was the son of the great Damascus. Bred in Kentucky by Stuart Janney, Jr., he finished racing with a record of 13-0-0 in 17 starts with career earnings of...
. Following the Preakness, he pulled away from the field and winning by 14 lengths in the longest of the Triple Crown races, the 1½ mile 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...
, with a final time of 2:26, which is the fourth fastest running behind Hall of Famers A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy
A.P. Indy is a champion stallion Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky, USA, by William Farish III and William Kilroy. He is known for his ancestry, his own record, and his successful progeny. He was sired by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew through mare Weekend Surprise, who herself was sired...
, Easy Goer
Easy Goer
Easy Goer was an American Champion Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse, famous for earning American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors in 1988, and defeating 1989 American Horse of the Year Sunday Silence in the Belmont Stakes by 8 lengths. The victory deprived Sunday Silence of the Triple Crown...
and Secretariat
Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, that in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series—the Kentucky Derby , and the Belmont Stakes —records that still stand today.Secretariat was sired by Bold...
. By virtue of his two Classic victories, Risen Star won the second $1,000,000 Chrysler Triple Crown Bonus that was awarded to the three year-old with the best finishes in the three races.
An injury that occurred in the Belmont forced him into early retirement, but he still won the Eclipse Award
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
as 1988's top three-year-old colt. By winning the Eclipse, he became the first third-generation Eclipse Award winner in the same category (his sire won in 1973 and his grandsire Bold Ruler won in 1957). He was retired to stud and went on to sire millionaire Grade I winner Star Standard
Star Standard
Star Standard is a millionaire American Thoroughbred racehorse and successful sire. Bred in Kentucky by Highclere, Inc. & Louis Roussel III and raced under the William Condren banner as his owner. He was sired by top stallion Risen Star, who in turn was a son of the great Secretariat...
as well as German runner Risen Raven.
Risen Star died on March 13, 1998, at Walmac International, where he is buried. The Risen Star Stakes
Risen Star Stakes
The Risen Star Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course. It is open to three year old horses and is raced over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it offers a purse of $300,000. The race is a prep to the...
for 3-year-olds is named in his honor and is held annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course
Fair Grounds Race Course
Fair Grounds Race Course, often known as New Orleans Fair Grounds, is a thoroughbred racetrack and racino in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC....
in New Orleans, Louisiana.