Stop The Music (horse)
Encyclopedia
Stop The Music was an American
thoroughbred
stallion
racehorse
. Owned and bred in Kentucky
by the Greentree Stud, Inc.
, he was sired by Hail To Reason
, out of the mare Bebopper, whose sire, Tom Fool
, was the leading broodmare sire for 1965 and was inducted into National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
Trained by John M. Gaver, Sr.
, Stop The Music had the misfortune of being born in the same year as the great Secretariat
, and they were rivals in many races. His victory as a two-year-old in the Champagne Stakes under jockey John Rotz
came as a result of a disqualification due to Secretariat's bumping incident while rounding the turn. His interference with Stop The Music was ruled by the stewards as cause to place Secretariat second. A few weeks later, Stop The Music again met Secretariat in the Laurel Futurity Stakes, but placed second to him.
As a three year old, Stop The Music won the Dwyer Stakes
. He also set a new track record of 1:33 3/5 at Belmont Park
for the mile that stood until Conquistador Cielo
broke it in 1982 in the Metropolitan Handicap
.
He continued to race at four and five until retirement.
, now Gainesway Farm
, Stop The Music became a very successful sire with 46 stakes winners and 17 graded stakes race
winners. His progeny includes Belmont Stakes
winner Temperence Hill
, French and Italian champion Squill, Music Merci, Dontstop Themusic, Cure The Blues, and Missy's Mirage.
As a broodmare sire, his daughter, Set Them Free
, is the dam of Kentucky Derby
winner Giacomo
.
On July 8, 2005, Stop The Music was humanely put down
due to the infirmities of old age.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
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...
. Owned and bred 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...
by the Greentree Stud, Inc.
Greentree Stable
Greentree Stable, in Red Bank, New Jersey, was a major American thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm established in 1914 by Payne Whitney of the Whitney family of New York City. Payne Whitney operated a horse farm and stable at Saratoga Springs, New York with his brother Harry Payne...
, he was sired by Hail To Reason
Hail To Reason
Hail To Reason was an American thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire. He was bred in Kentucky by the Bieber-Jacobs Stable, a partnership of prominent horsemen, Isadore Bieber and Hirsch Jacobs. He was sired by the English stakes winner Turn-To, a grandson of the very influential sire Nearco...
, out of the mare Bebopper, whose sire, Tom Fool
Tom Fool
Tom Fool was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, a winner of the American Horse of the Year award and a Hall of Fame inductee. He sired the outstanding racehorses Buckpasser and Tim Tam....
, was the leading broodmare sire for 1965 and was inducted into 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...
.
Trained by John M. Gaver, Sr.
John M. Gaver, Sr.
John Milton Gaver, Sr. was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.Born in Mt. Airy, Maryland, John Gaver graduated from Princeton University then worked as a prep school language teacher before eventually embarking on a career in Thoroughbred racing. In 1929, James G...
, Stop The Music had the misfortune of being born in the same year as the great 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...
, and they were rivals in many races. His victory as a two-year-old in the Champagne Stakes under jockey John Rotz
John L. Rotz
John L. Rotz is a retired American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey and an active World Champion in Western riding competitions....
came as a result of a disqualification due to Secretariat's bumping incident while rounding the turn. His interference with Stop The Music was ruled by the stewards as cause to place Secretariat second. A few weeks later, Stop The Music again met Secretariat in the Laurel Futurity Stakes, but placed second to him.
As a three year old, Stop The Music won the Dwyer Stakes
Dwyer Stakes
The Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade II stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over a distance of 1 1/16-miles on dirt...
. He also set a new track record of 1:33 3/5 at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
for the mile that stood until Conquistador Cielo
Conquistador Cielo
Conquistador Cielo was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Purchased as a yearling for $150,000 by Henryk de Kwiatkowski, he was trained by Woody Stephens. Racing as a two-year-old, Conquistador Cielo won two races in his four starts...
broke it in 1982 in the Metropolitan Handicap
Metropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
.
He continued to race at four and five until retirement.
Retirement
Retired to Greentree Stud, Inc.Greentree Stable
Greentree Stable, in Red Bank, New Jersey, was a major American thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm established in 1914 by Payne Whitney of the Whitney family of New York City. Payne Whitney operated a horse farm and stable at Saratoga Springs, New York with his brother Harry Payne...
, now Gainesway Farm
Gainesway Farm
Gainesway Farm is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding business in Lexington, Kentucky. It was originally called Greentree Farms.The 1,500 acre property has been home to sires such as Youth and Exceller and numerous others who are buried on the property...
, Stop The Music became a very successful sire with 46 stakes winners and 17 graded stakes race
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
winners. His progeny includes 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...
winner Temperence Hill
Temperence Hill
Temperence Hill was a Champion American Thoroughbred stallion racehorse.Bred in Kentucky by Dr. Albert F. Polk, Jr.'s Oriskany Farm, Temperence Hill was sired by Stop The Music and out of the Etonian mare, Sister Shannon...
, French and Italian champion Squill, Music Merci, Dontstop Themusic, Cure The Blues, and Missy's Mirage.
As a broodmare sire, his daughter, Set Them Free
Set Them Free
Set Them Free is an American thoroughbred mare racehorse. She is sired by stakes winner Stop The Music, who in turn was sired by the 1960 U.S...
, is the dam of 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 Giacomo
Giacomo
Giacomo is a Thoroughbred stallion race horse trained by John Shirreffs who is perhaps best known for winning the 2005 Kentucky Derby in 2:02.75...
.
On July 8, 2005, Stop The Music was humanely put down
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
due to the infirmities of old age.