Tosmah
Encyclopedia
Tosmah was a champion Thoroughbred
race horse bred in Kentucky
by Eugene Mori.
Her sire was the great Tim Tam
, by Tom Fool
out of Two Lea
. Many consider Tim Tam's loss of Thoroughbred racing's American Triple Crown
only a matter of fate. After winning the first two legs (Kentucky Derby
and Preakness Stakes
), he was leading in the Belmont Stakes
when he broke down, coming in second. Retired early, he went on as a sire, producing a number of stakes
winners. Tosmah is considered his very best. Her dam, Cosmah, was the 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, who also produced Halo
, who sired Sunny's Halo
and Sunday Silence
.
Tim Tam and Cosmah's daughter raced for four years—1963 to 1966.
At the age of two, she started eight times and lost only once. For this, she was named the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1963. (This was before the Eclipse Awards when championships were determined by the Daily Racing Form
and the Thoroughbred Racing Association. More than once, these two bodies voted for different horses. In Tosmah's second year the Daily Racing Form considered her the best filly, while the TRA voted for Castle Forbes.)
When Tosmah was three, she started in fourteen races, winning ten, vying all year with a splendid filly called Old Hat
. 1964 saw her highest earnings, $305,283, and two more championships: American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and American Champion Older Female Horse, the latter title shared with Old Hat.
In 1965, at the age of four she won her second Maskette Handicap (now known as the Go For Wand Handicap
) under 128 pounds, in the process beating the great filly Affectionately
, no. 81 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
, in a driving finish.
In her final season, Tosmah defeated Lucky Debonair
, the winner of the 1965 Kentucky Derby
, in the John B. Campbell Handicap.
winner, La Guidecca.
She died in 1992 and is buried at Briardale Farm, Estell Manor, New Jersey
.
Tosmah was inducted into the Hall of Fame
in 1984.
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 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 Eugene Mori.
Her sire was the great 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...
, by 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....
out of 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....
. Many consider Tim Tam's loss of Thoroughbred racing's American 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...
only a matter of fate. After winning the first two legs (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...
and 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...
), he was leading 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...
when he broke down, coming in second. Retired early, he went on as a sire, producing a number of stakes
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. Tosmah is considered his very best. Her dam, Cosmah, was the 1974 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, who also produced Halo
Halo (horse)
Halo was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and an important Champion sire. Bred in Kentucky by John R. Gaines, founder of the Breeders Cup, Halo was out of the mare Cosmah , which made him a half-brother to the Hall of Fame filly Tosmah. His sire was Hail To Reason, the U.S...
, who sired Sunny's Halo
Sunny's Halo
Sunny's Halo was a Thoroughbred racehorse who became only the second Canadian-bred to win the Kentucky Derby and who as of 2006 is the all-time leading sire by progeny earnings in the state of Texas....
and Sunday Silence
Sunday Silence
Sunday Silence was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, earning distinction as 1989 American Horse of the Year over American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse Easy Goer. He was foaled in 1986, sired by Halo out of Wishing Well by Understanding. Though he was registered as a dark bay/brown, he was in...
.
Tim Tam and Cosmah's daughter raced for four years—1963 to 1966.
At the age of two, she started eight times and lost only once. For this, she was named the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1963. (This was before the Eclipse Awards when championships were determined by the Daily Racing Form
Daily Racing Form
The Daily Racing Form is a tabloid newspaper founded in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois by Frank Brunell. The paper publishes the past performances of race horses as a statistical service for bettors on horse racing in the United States....
and the Thoroughbred Racing Association. More than once, these two bodies voted for different horses. In Tosmah's second year the Daily Racing Form considered her the best filly, while the TRA voted for Castle Forbes.)
When Tosmah was three, she started in fourteen races, winning ten, vying all year with a splendid filly called Old Hat
Old Hat (horse)
Old Hat , was an American Thoroughbred racing mare by Boston Doge out of the hard-knocking Fine Feathers , whose sire was Double Jay. On his topline, Double Jay's grandsire was Black Toney. On his bottomline, it was Whisk Broom. Her sire, Boston Doge, was a multiple stakes winner...
. 1964 saw her highest earnings, $305,283, and two more championships: American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and American Champion Older Female Horse, the latter title shared with Old Hat.
In 1965, at the age of four she won her second Maskette Handicap (now known as the Go For Wand Handicap
Go For Wand Handicap
The Go For Wand Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race established in 1954 for fillies and mares age three and up. Raced at the end of July/early August, it is a Grade II race on dirt at a distance of one and one-eighth miles .Inaugurated in 1954 at Belmont Park as the Maskette Stakes in...
) under 128 pounds, in the process beating the great filly Affectionately
Affectionately
Affectionately was the daughter of 1956 American Horse of the Year Swaps, out of the exceptional racing mare Searching. Searching's dam was Big Hurry, by Black Toney out of the best "Blue Hen" mare of them all, La Troienne...
, no. 81 in the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
In 1999, a panel for The Blood-Horse magazine was made up of distinguished horse racing people: Howard Battle, Lenny Hale, Jay Hovdey, William Nack, Pete Pedersen, Jennie Rees and Tommy Trotter. These experts compiled a list of what they considered to be the top 100 United States thoroughbred...
, in a driving finish.
In her final season, Tosmah defeated Lucky Debonair
Lucky Debonair
Lucky Debonair was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1965 Kentucky Derby. He was bred by owners Dan and Ada Rice of Wheaton, Illinois at their Danada Farm satellite operation on Old Frankfort Pike near Lexington, Kentucky, a property that once was part of the legendary...
, the winner of the 1965 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...
, in the John B. Campbell Handicap.
As a broodmare
Of four foals, Tosmah gave birth to only one stakesGraded 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...
winner, La Guidecca.
She died in 1992 and is buried at Briardale Farm, Estell Manor, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Tosmah was inducted into the 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 1984.