Zippy Chippy
Encyclopedia
Zippy Chippy is a thoroughbred
race horse, who is most notable for being winless in 100 races.
Zippy Chippy's pedigree included several famous horses, including: Ben Brush
, Buckpasser
, Busanda
, Bold Ruler
, Count Fleet
, Man o' War
, Nasrullah, Native Dancer
, Northern Dancer
, Round Table
, Tom Fool
, War Admiral
...as well as the greatest "blue hen" broodmare of the Twentieth century, La Troienne
, then all the way back to Glencoe and Diomed
—both very great sires, Diomed producing Sir Archy
, grand sire of the amazing Boston
, Glencoe producing great daughters, the greatest of which was Reel
, not forgetting Blue Larkspur
, Black Toney
, Domino
, Lexington
, Eclipse
, Leamington
, Norfolk, Lecomte, Sweep
, St. Simon
, Spendthrift
, Phalaris
, Nearco
, Princequillo
, Lady Lightfoot
, and Reigh Count
).
Owned and trained by Felix Monserrate and bred by Capritaur Farm, Zippy Chippy is New York
bred. Tom Gilcoyne, a retired historian for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
in Saratoga Springs, New York
, said that Zippy Chippy "...hasn't done anything to harm the sport. But it's a little bit like looking at the recorded performances of all horse races through the wrong end of the telescope."
Felix Monserrate acquired Zippy in 1995 in a trade for an '88 Ford truck. Monserrate was already boarding Zippy Chippy and knew his temperament. He'd been bitten many times. Eventually, Zippy Chippy would be banned for infractions of every Thoroughbred horse racing rule in place. The only track not to ban him was at the Northampton, Massachusetts
' Three-County Fair.
"I don't care how old he is, he's trying and trying and trying, and those things really made me feel happy," Monserrate said.
In August 2001, he came home first against a minor league baseball
player in a 120 feet (36.6 m) race. (Although there are sources that say he lost this 40-yard dash. It seems there may have been two races. On August 18, 2000, Rochester outfielder José Herrera outran Zippy Chippy in a 40-yard race.) Zippy also won against a harness racer called Paddy's Laddy. He squeaked past Paddy's Laddy and his rig to win by a neck in a publicity stunt in which he spotted the trotter a twenty length lead.
After his win, Felix said, "It feels good to win but it doesn't count until we do it against thoroughbreds. Who knows? Maybe winning will give him a little heart."
Monserrate refused to enter his horse in a claiming race
just to get a win. "I don't want any crazy people claiming him. He's like a member of my family. He's mean, he kicks, he bites, but he has a home forever with me and my daughter."
His 100th loss came on Friday September 10, 2004 in the Northampton Fair at the Three County Fairgrounds. He went off at odds of 7-2 making him the second betting choice. A host of fans were there that day to cheer him at the start and to take his picture. Said his jockey, "It would be nice if people took photos at the end of the race too." Zippy came in last.
In December 2004, he retired to become an outrider pony at his hometown track, Finger Lakes racetrack
in Farmington
, New York
, where he'd also been banned from racing on September 8, 1998 after failing to leave the gate with the rest of the field for the third consecutive time. As an outrider pony, he will escort horses in the post parade and lead them to the gate.
In 2000, People magazine included him on its list of that year's most interesting personalities. An English ad campaign used his name and image to convince kids to stay in school.
"Say you have three children," Felix said, "One is a lawyer, doing well. The other a doctor, very, very successful. But the third one, not so smart, so he's working at McDonald's
. What do you do? Ignore him? Course not. He's the one who needs your help. That's Zippy."
Zippy Chippy's lifetime record is: 100 starts = 0-8-12, with earnings of $30,834.
in Kentucky
, made an offer of $5,000 to Felix Monserrate for Zippy Chippy to live at Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division of Old Friends near Saratoga Race Course
in New York. "This is the first time we've offered money for a horse," Blowen said. "Believe me, $5,000 is a lot of money to us, and we can use it many other ways if Mr. Monserrate decides to back out of the deal."
Zippy Chippy arrived April 22, 2010 at Old Friends at Cabin Creek. The 19-year-old gelding joins Cabin Creek’s seven other retirees and is expected to live out his life there, where he will be permanently pensioned. Cabin Creek is the first Old Friends auxiliary farm and is located just outside Saratoga, New York
in Greenfield Center
; it is owned and operated by Joann and Mark Pepper.
A horse called Dona Chepa's penchant for losing (0 wins out of 125 starts) beats other notable marks for futility including Ouroene (0 for 124), Gloria Springs (0 for 106, Japan), Thrust (0 for 105, North America) and Quixall Crossett (0 for 103, Britain).
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, who is most notable for being winless in 100 races.
Zippy Chippy's pedigree included several famous horses, including: Ben Brush
Ben Brush (horse)
Ben Brush was a high class Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won the 1896 Kentucky Derby. He was a bay stallion by Bramble out of Roseville by Reform...
, Buckpasser
Buckpasser
Buckpasser was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won he won nine of his eleven race starts for international record winnings for a two-year-old of $586,090. Buckpasser was leading broodmare sire in 1983, 1984 and 1989....
, Busanda
Busanda
Busanda was an American Thoroughbred filly racehorse best remembered as the dam of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Buckpasser. Regally bred, Busanda was sired by 1937 U.S. Triple Crown champion, War Admiral, a son of Man o' War who was ranked No. 1 in the Blood-Horse magazine list of the top...
, Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse.Bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps, Bold Ruler was foaled on April 6, 1954 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to Nasrullah and Miss Disco by Discovery...
, Count Fleet
Count Fleet
Count Fleet was born and died at Stoner Creek Stud farm in Paris, Kentucky, United States. He was a Thoroughbred racehorse and Triple Crown champion in 1943....
, Man o' War
Man O' War (horse)
Man o' War, is considered one of the greatest Thoroughbred racehorses of all time. During his career just after World War I, he won 20 of 21 races and $249,465 in purses....
, Nasrullah, Native Dancer
Native Dancer
Native Dancer , nicknamed the Grey Ghost, was one of the most celebrated and accomplished Thoroughbred racehorses in history, the first horse made famous through the medium of television. He was one of the best horses produced in USA after the war...
, Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....
, Round Table
Round Table (horse)
Round Table was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. He is considered the greatest turf horse in American racing history. He was foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, on the night of April 6, 1954...
, 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....
, War Admiral
War Admiral
War Admiral was an American thoroughbred racehorse, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically...
...as well as the greatest "blue hen" broodmare of the Twentieth century, La Troienne
La Troienne
La Troienne, was one of the most famous and influential Thoroughbred broodmares in twentieth century America. She produced 10 winners while at stud....
, then all the way back to Glencoe and Diomed
Diomed
Diomed, foaled in 1777, was an English-bred Thoroughbred race horse who won the inaugural running of the Epsom Derby and was subsequently a successful sire in the United States of America.-Bright Beginnings:...
—both very great sires, Diomed producing Sir Archy
Sir Archy
Sir Archy was an American Thoroughbred racehorse.-Early life:Born and bred in Virginia by two Americans, Capt. Archibald Randolph and Col. John Tayloe III, Sir Archy's sire was the Epsom Derby winner Diomed, who had been imported from England as an older horse...
, grand sire of the amazing 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...
, Glencoe producing great daughters, the greatest of which was Reel
Reel (horse)
Reel was a thoroughbred race horse, and one of the greatest American Thoroughbred broodmares in history.-Racing career:Reel was born in Alabama 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...
, not forgetting Blue Larkspur
Blue Larkspur
Blue Larkspur was a bay Kentucky-bred thoroughbred race horse. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957, awarded the 1929 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year, and ranks Number 100 in Blood-Horse magazine's top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century...
, Black Toney
Black Toney
Black Toney was bred by James R. Keene's Castleton Farm. Keene, whose health was failing , sold all his holdings in 1912 to Colonel Edward R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm in Lexington, Kentucky...
, Domino
Domino (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...
, 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...
, Eclipse
Eclipse (horse)
Eclipse was an outstanding, undefeated 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse who was later a phenomenal success as a sire.-Breeding:...
, Leamington
Leamington (horse)
Leamington was a Thoroughbred racehorse, and an influential sire in the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century. He was not only a fast horse, but also showed great staying ability....
, Norfolk, Lecomte, Sweep
Sweep (horse)
Sweep was an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. Bred by James R. Keene, he was sired by Kentucky Derby winner Ben Brush out of the Domino mare Pink Domino.Sweep was a champion two year old with a long stride...
, St. Simon
St. Simon (horse)
St. Simon was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and one of the most successful sires in the history of the Thoroughbred. In May 1886 The Sporting Times carried out a poll of one hundred experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th Century. St...
, Spendthrift
Spendthrift (horse)
Spendthrift was a successful American Thoroughbred racehorse and an outstanding sire.-Breeding:...
, Phalaris
Phalaris (horse)
Phalaris was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, later a Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and a Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland...
, Nearco
Nearco
Nearco was an Italian bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He was not only unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 5 furlongs to 1 mile 7 furlongs ,...
, Princequillo
Princequillo
Princequillo was a Thoroughbred racehorse conceived in France and born in Ireland. He is known for his performances in long-distance races and his successes as a sire.-Background:...
, Lady Lightfoot
Lady Lightfoot
Lady Lightfoot , was an American Thoroughbred racing mare by one of America's foremost stallions, Sir Archy. A product of his very first crop, Lady Lightfoot is almost certainly his best daughter....
, and Reigh Count
Reigh Count
Reigh Count was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1928 Kentucky Derby and the 1929 Coronation Cup in England....
).
Owned and trained by Felix Monserrate and bred by Capritaur Farm, Zippy Chippy is New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
bred. Tom Gilcoyne, a retired historian for the 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...
in Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
, said that Zippy Chippy "...hasn't done anything to harm the sport. But it's a little bit like looking at the recorded performances of all horse races through the wrong end of the telescope."
Felix Monserrate acquired Zippy in 1995 in a trade for an '88 Ford truck. Monserrate was already boarding Zippy Chippy and knew his temperament. He'd been bitten many times. Eventually, Zippy Chippy would be banned for infractions of every Thoroughbred horse racing rule in place. The only track not to ban him was at the Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
' Three-County Fair.
"I don't care how old he is, he's trying and trying and trying, and those things really made me feel happy," Monserrate said.
In August 2001, he came home first against a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
player in a 120 feet (36.6 m) race. (Although there are sources that say he lost this 40-yard dash. It seems there may have been two races. On August 18, 2000, Rochester outfielder José Herrera outran Zippy Chippy in a 40-yard race.) Zippy also won against a harness racer called Paddy's Laddy. He squeaked past Paddy's Laddy and his rig to win by a neck in a publicity stunt in which he spotted the trotter a twenty length lead.
After his win, Felix said, "It feels good to win but it doesn't count until we do it against thoroughbreds. Who knows? Maybe winning will give him a little heart."
Monserrate refused to enter his horse in a claiming race
Claiming race
A claiming race in thoroughbred horse racing is one in which the horses are all for sale for more or less the same price up until shortly before the race. Race types form a hierarchy in terms of the quality of horse they attract, with handicap races and graded stakes races attracting the "best"...
just to get a win. "I don't want any crazy people claiming him. He's like a member of my family. He's mean, he kicks, he bites, but he has a home forever with me and my daughter."
His 100th loss came on Friday September 10, 2004 in the Northampton Fair at the Three County Fairgrounds. He went off at odds of 7-2 making him the second betting choice. A host of fans were there that day to cheer him at the start and to take his picture. Said his jockey, "It would be nice if people took photos at the end of the race too." Zippy came in last.
In December 2004, he retired to become an outrider pony at his hometown track, Finger Lakes racetrack
Finger Lakes Gaming and Race Track
Finger Lakes Gaming and Race Track is a thoroughbred horse-racing track and racino located in Farmington in western New York State, approximately 25 miles southeast of Rochester. The facility is about one mile south of New York State Thruway exit 44....
in Farmington
Farmington, New York
Farmington is a town located in the northern part of Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 10,585 at the 2000 census. Farmington is about twenty-five miles southeast of Rochester, New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he'd also been banned from racing on September 8, 1998 after failing to leave the gate with the rest of the field for the third consecutive time. As an outrider pony, he will escort horses in the post parade and lead them to the gate.
In 2000, People magazine included him on its list of that year's most interesting personalities. An English ad campaign used his name and image to convince kids to stay in school.
"Say you have three children," Felix said, "One is a lawyer, doing well. The other a doctor, very, very successful. But the third one, not so smart, so he's working at McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
. What do you do? Ignore him? Course not. He's the one who needs your help. That's Zippy."
Zippy Chippy's lifetime record is: 100 starts = 0-8-12, with earnings of $30,834.
Old Friends
Michael Blowen, founder and president of the Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement FarmOld Friends Equine
Old Friends is a nonprofit equine retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky. It is the only thoroughbred retirement facility in the United States that accepts stallions....
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...
, made an offer of $5,000 to Felix Monserrate for Zippy Chippy to live at Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division of Old Friends near Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
in New York. "This is the first time we've offered money for a horse," Blowen said. "Believe me, $5,000 is a lot of money to us, and we can use it many other ways if Mr. Monserrate decides to back out of the deal."
Zippy Chippy arrived April 22, 2010 at Old Friends at Cabin Creek. The 19-year-old gelding joins Cabin Creek’s seven other retirees and is expected to live out his life there, where he will be permanently pensioned. Cabin Creek is the first Old Friends auxiliary farm and is located just outside Saratoga, New York
Saratoga, New York
Saratoga is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,141 at the 2000 census. It is also the commonly used, but not official, name for the neighboring and much more populous city, Saratoga Springs. The major village in the town of Saratoga is Schuylerville which is...
in Greenfield Center
Greenfield, New York
Greenfield is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,362 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Greenfield, New Hampshire.The Town of Greenfield is an interior town...
; it is owned and operated by Joann and Mark Pepper.
A horse called Dona Chepa's penchant for losing (0 wins out of 125 starts) beats other notable marks for futility including Ouroene (0 for 124), Gloria Springs (0 for 106, Japan), Thrust (0 for 105, North America) and Quixall Crossett (0 for 103, Britain).