Royal Gem
Encyclopedia
Royal Gem was a versatile Thoroughbred
racehorse
that won 23 races ranging from 5 furlongs (1,000 metres) to 12 furlongs (2,400 m). He was later a successful sire in the United States
.
), by Beau Fils (GB). French Gem was the dam of 5 stakes-winners which had 23 stakes-wins.
Her other stakes-winners were:
Royal Gem was inbred to Son-in-Law
in the third generation of his pedigree (3x3).
Royal Gem’s biggest win was the 1946 Caulfield Cup
with nine stone (57 kg). However, this win was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the defeat of the champion Bernborough
who had won his previous 15 races and then conceded 11 kg to Royal Gem, to finish fifth in this race. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T9sQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ZMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5962,2914673&dq=royal-gem+badman&hl=en It was reported that Royal Gem's owner, George W. Badman, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jKwQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xpMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2554,3785354&dq=royal-gem+badman&hl=en won £30,000 by backing his horse to win the race.
The fact Royal Gem won the Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs (1,400m) and Newmarket Handicap over six furlongs (1,200 m) after his Caulfield Cup 12 furlongs (2,400 m) win proved his versatility.
Often asked to carry big weights by the handicappers, he had raced for five seasons starting 51 times for 23 wins, 8 seconds and 5 thirds for £27,630 in prize money.
30,000 and brought to stand at stud
at Warner Jones, Jr.'s Hermitage Farm in Kentucky
. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NKc1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=jL4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6883,2523460&dq=royal-gem+badman&hl=en There, he sired the winners of over a thousand races including the 1953 Kentucky Derby
winner Dark Star
who in turn sired Hidden Treasure
, the 1961 Canadian Horse of the Year. Royal Gem's son, Royal Bay Gem (b. 1950), was a winner of five stakes races in 1953 including the Everglades Stakes
and Jersey Stakes
for $224,495. Royal Bay Gem also ran third in the Preakness
and Belmont Stakes
after finishing fourth to Dark Star in the Kentucky Derby.
Other Royal Gem progeny includes, Precious Stone won $110,861; Royal Spirit, won in Canada the Duchess Stakes (twice), E.P.Taylor Stakes and Summer Stakes. Its Ann won in Canada the Highlander Stakes and Rose’s Gem won $230,964.
The Royal Gem Handicap for three-year-olds run over 1,000 metres at Caulfield is named in honour of Royal Gem.
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...
that won 23 races ranging from 5 furlongs (1,000 metres) to 12 furlongs (2,400 m). He was later a successful sire in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Breeding
He was a brown stallion by the good racehorse and sire, Dhoti (GB) from French Gem, (a winner of five races in Melbourne including the 1938 VRC OaksVRC Oaks
The Crown Oaks , is the third day of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival at Flemington Racecourse. Oaks Day is held on the Thursday directly following Melbourne Cup Day...
), by Beau Fils (GB). French Gem was the dam of 5 stakes-winners which had 23 stakes-wins.
Her other stakes-winners were:
- Solar Gem by Helios (GB), won PARC Sires Produce Stakes
- Regal Gem by Dhoti, won SAJC Sires' Produce StakesSAJC Sires' Produce StakesThe SAJC Sires' Produce Stakes is a Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged two years old, at set weights, over a distance of 1600 metres.It is held annually at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide.-Race history:...
- Beau Gem by Helios, won Victoria DerbyVictoria DerbyThe Victoria Derby is an Australian Thoroughbred horse race held annually on the first day of Melbourne's annual Spring Racing Carnival, Victorian Derby Day, held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. A Group One race for three-year-old horses, it is raced on a left-handed turf course at a...
, Underwood StakesUnderwood StakesThe Underwood Stakes is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne Australia. It is run over 1800 metres under weight-for-age conditions in late September each year...
(twice), Adelaide RC South Aust. St. Leger Stakes, VRC Turnbull Stakes, Adelaide RC Parkside Stakes, exported to America - Crown Gem by Dhoti, won Adelaide RC Birthday Cup and other races for £7,008 in stakes.
Royal Gem was inbred to Son-in-Law
Son-in-Law
Son-in-Law was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire, especially for sport horses.The National Horseracing Museum says that Son-in-Law is "probably the best and most distinguished stayer this country has ever known." Described as "one of the principal influences for stamina in...
in the third generation of his pedigree (3x3).
At two-years: 1944-1945
Five wins including the Ascot Vale Stakes (2yo) over six furlongs.At three-years: 1945-1946
Eight wins including the- 1945 VATC Caulfield Guineas, eight furlongs, in a dead heat with Attley
- 1945 Cantala StakesEmirates StakesThe Emirates Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horserace held as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival in early November. The race is over 1600 metres and is held at Flemington Racecourse...
, eight furlongs - 1945 Linlithgow StakesThe Age ClassicThe Patinack Farm Classic is a Victoria Racing Club Group One Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under weight for age conditions, over a distance of 1200 metres...
, eight furlongs (defeating Attley and Tranquil Star) - 1946 Adelaide City Handicap (carrying 9 st. 8 lb [61 kg])
- 1946 SAJC Sir Willoughby Norrie Stakes (wfa) 10 furlongs (dead heat with Brazen Jester)
- 1946 SAJC Goodwood HandicapGoodwood HandicapThe Goodwood Handicap is a Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race, run at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 1200 metres at Morphettville Racecourse, Adelaide in April...
, six furlongs.
At four-years: 1946-1947
Four wins including the- 1946 Caulfield CupCaulfield CupThe Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
12 furlongs - 1946 VATC Toorak Handicap 8 furlongs
Royal Gem’s biggest win was the 1946 Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
with nine stone (57 kg). However, this win was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the defeat of the champion Bernborough
Bernborough
Bernborough was an outstanding Australian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed from 1941 to 1946. He carried heavy weights to victory in a sequence of 15 consecutive wins that included the Doomben 10,000 carrying 10 stone 5 pounds....
who had won his previous 15 races and then conceded 11 kg to Royal Gem, to finish fifth in this race. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T9sQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ZMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5962,2914673&dq=royal-gem+badman&hl=en It was reported that Royal Gem's owner, George W. Badman, http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jKwQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xpMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2554,3785354&dq=royal-gem+badman&hl=en won £30,000 by backing his horse to win the race.
At five-years: 1947-1948
Five wins including the- 1948 Adelaide City Handicap with 10 stone 5 lbs.
- 1948 VRC Newmarket HandicapNewmarket HandicapThe Newmarket Handicap is a VRC Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The event is an open handicap race over 1200 metres...
, six furlongs (1,200 m) carrying nine stone nine pounds; - 1948 Futurity StakesFuturity Stakes (Australia)The Futurity Stakes is a Group 1 Australian weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne. For most of its history it was a 1400 metre race but since 2006 it has become the first leg of the Asian Mile Challenge series, and its distance has changed to 1600 metres...
over seven furlongs (1,400m) with 10 stone 2 pounds
The fact Royal Gem won the Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs (1,400m) and Newmarket Handicap over six furlongs (1,200 m) after his Caulfield Cup 12 furlongs (2,400 m) win proved his versatility.
At six-years: 1948-1949
One win, 1948 MRC Underwood Stakes over eight furlongs. Royal Gem carrying 11 stone (70 kg) was also second to Chatter Lad, 7 st 12 lbs (50 kg), in the SAJC Warradale Handicap.Often asked to carry big weights by the handicappers, he had raced for five seasons starting 51 times for 23 wins, 8 seconds and 5 thirds for £27,630 in prize money.
Stud record
Following his six-year-old season Royal Gem was purchased by interests from the United States for £Australian pound
The pound was the currency of Australia from 1910 until 13 February 1966, when it was replaced by the Australian dollar. It was subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence.- Earlier Australian currencies :...
30,000 and brought to stand at stud
Stud (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 Warner Jones, Jr.'s Hermitage Farm 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...
. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NKc1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=jL4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6883,2523460&dq=royal-gem+badman&hl=en There, he sired the winners of over a thousand races including the 1953 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...
winner Dark Star
Dark Star (horse)
Dark Star was an American thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1953 Kentucky Derby, in the process becoming the only horse ever to defeat Hall of Fame horse Native Dancer.Dark Star finished fifth in the Preakness Stakes...
who in turn sired Hidden Treasure
Hidden Treasure
Hidden Treasure is a Canadian Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who was voted Horse of the Year in 1961. Bred and raced by prominent horseman, Bill Beasley, he was sired by the 1953 Kentucky Derby winner, Dark Star...
, the 1961 Canadian Horse of the Year. Royal Gem's son, Royal Bay Gem (b. 1950), was a winner of five stakes races in 1953 including the Everglades Stakes
Everglades Stakes
The Everglades Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Hialeah Park in Hialeah, Florida. For three-year-old horses, the 1 1/8 mile race was run on dirt until 1994 when it was converted to a race on turf...
and Jersey Stakes
Jersey Derby
The Jersey Derby is a $100,000 American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in late July/early August at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. Since 1993 it has been raced on grass at a distance of 1 1/16 miles....
for $224,495. Royal Bay Gem also ran third in 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...
after finishing fourth to Dark Star in the Kentucky Derby.
Other Royal Gem progeny includes, Precious Stone won $110,861; Royal Spirit, won in Canada the Duchess Stakes (twice), E.P.Taylor Stakes and Summer Stakes. Its Ann won in Canada the Highlander Stakes and Rose’s Gem won $230,964.
The Royal Gem Handicap for three-year-olds run over 1,000 metres at Caulfield is named in honour of Royal Gem.