Going Round in Circles Trivia Quiz

Answer: Alydar

Alydar (1975-1990) is ranked number 27 in "The Blood-Horse" magazine's Top 100 Thoroughbred Champions of the 20th century (Man o' War was #1 and Secretariat was ranked #2). He was a grandson of Native Dancer and a descendant of Bull Lea in two lines through his dam. Alydar raced against Affirmed ten times, for three wins. He also won many stakes races in the late 1970s, and was a successful sire; he was a stallion at Calumet Farms. Alydar was euthanized in 1990 after sustaining suspicious injuries.

Buckpasser (1963-78) won 15 consecutive races and was one of the greatest sires in U.S. history. He is rated number 14 in "The Blood-Horse" magazine's Top 100 of the 20th century. Clyde Van Dusen (1926-48) was a small chestnut colt named for his jockey. He was the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby from post position 20. It has been said that the downpour and muddiness of the track allowed him to win the Derby, but that's horse racing! Dan Patch (1896-1916)was considered America's greatest pacer (Harness racing).

Answer: La Troienne

La Troienne (1926-1954) was not a great racer while she lived in France (her lifetime earnings were $146), but she was transported to the U.S. in 1931 and became an amazing broodmare, producing 14 foals, 12 of whom raced and 10 of whom were winners. She was the grand dam of Buckpasser and the dam of Businesslike who also produced many winners, including Smarty Jones (who won two of the three Triple Crown races in 2004).

She was listed as a 'cluster mare' -- a thoroughbred broodmare that has produced two or more winners of five or more of the eight most important and valuable races within six generations. Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980)and Winning Colors (1988) were the first three fillies to win the Kentucky Derby.

Answer: Barbaro

Barbaro, a bay horse, was born in 2003. He won the Kentucky Derby in 2006 by 6½ lengths. His close relatives included Big Brown, Afleet Alex, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones. In the Preakness he broke poorly and injured several bones in a hind leg. Barbaro endured many surgeries and treatments for his leg, but soon developed problems with other legs. Thoroughbreds are built for speed, but have very small hooves and thin legs in proportion to their body weight. Such a horse cannot live on three legs, nor can he lie down for extended periods because that causes congestion, possible bleeding and heart and/or lung problems. Slings were used to relieve Barbaro's pain, but when he could no longer be sustained without pain he was euthanized on January 29, 2007. His statue stands at the entrance to Churchill Downs in Kentucky.

Cigar was a champion U.S.thoroughbred in the 1990s. He won 16 consecutive races. Son of the great Adios, Henry T. Adios (1958- )was a prominent trotter in harness racing, and was considered the richest standardbred of the year in the U.S. when he retired in 1962. In August 1968, Dr. Fager ("The Doctor") set and held for 20 years the world record at one mile on any surface (1:32.2). He was the first horse to break Buckpasser's record for the mile which stood at 1:32.6.

Answer: Allez France

Allez France (1970-89) won the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe and was named France's Horse of the Year in 1974. Allez France was named Champion Two Year Old Filly in 1972, Champion Three Year Old in 1973, Older Mare in 1974 -75, and in 1976 retired as a broodmare in the USA. She produced a long line of winners, and was buried next to Man o' War at Churchill Downs, KY in 1989.
Thoroughbreds are generally traced through their distaff (female) line.

Kincsem (1874-1887) was an extremely successful Hungarian filly winning all 54 starts in five countries. Offspring of her three daughters have won 41 classic races in Europe. Kincsem translates as 'my precious'. Cardigan Bay (1956-88)was a New Zealand horse; he had an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Hyperion, a British chestnut stallion (1930-60) was one of the smallest horses to win the Epsom Derby and the St. Leger Stakes, and was the UK's top sire for six years.

Answer: Tim Tam

Tim Tam (1955-1982), was the winner of numerous Florida races, among which were the Fountain of Youth Stakes, the Florida Derby and the Everglades Stakes. Tim Tam won the 1958 Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but was injured during the Belmont running. Tim Tam retired early to stud and sired 14 stakes winners. In 1985 he was inducted into racing's Hall of Fame.
Smarty Jones was the first unbeaten Kentucky Derby winner in 2004 since Seattle Slew in 1977. He won the Derby and the Preakness (by 11.5 lengths), but placed in the Belmont to Birdstone's win. Smarty's pedigree included Count Fleet, Northern Dancer, Foolish Pleasure and Man O'War. He won 8 of his 9 races, earning $7.6 million dollars.
Deep Impact was a Japanese racehorse who won the Japanese Triple Crown in 2002. From a splendid pedigree himself, he created his own line of winners when he retired to stud in 2006. He was Horse of the Year in Japan in 2005 and 2006.
Exterminator was called the "Iron Horse" of American racing history. He won the Kentucky Derby in 1918 and was Horse of the Year in 1922.

Answer: Red Rum

Besides winning three times --1973, 1974 and 1977-- Red Rum (1965-95) also placed twice in between. The Grand National is a difficult steeplechase race; in 1973 Red Rum came from 30 lengths behind to win.
In 1730, Bulle Rock was the first thoroughbred horse imported to the USA.
American horse Native Dancer (1950-67) won 21 of his 22 starts. He was also a prolific sire of champion horses. He was nicknamed "The Grey Ghost". Shergar (1978-unknown), was an Irish horse owned by Prince Karim Aga Khan IV. He won the 1981 Epsom Derby by ten lengths. He was named European Horse of the Year in 1981. In 1983 Shergar was horsenapped and never recovered.

Answer: Omaha

Omaha (1932-1959) won the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont) in 1935. He was a tall chestnut stallion, son of Gallant Fox, who was also a Triple Crown winner (1930). Although he produced only a few great progeny, among them were Nijinsky II and three Kentucky Derby winners. Damon Runyan was a big fan of Omaha's and called him a "big leggy green thing..." Omaha was rated number 61 of the top 100 racehorses of the 20th century by "The Blood-Horse" magazine, and was inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 1965.

He is buried at Ak-sar-ben racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska. Gainsborough (1915-45)was a winner of the English Triple Crown in 1918 and was a prominent sire. Seattle Slew won the American Triple Crown in 1973. Lexington was the leading American sire in the 19th century.

Answer: Skewball

What started as a poem later became the silly song "Stewball" - which immortalised an ordinary horse who beat a champion thoroughbred in 1741. In actuality, Skewball belonged to the 2nd Earl of Godolphin in Britain, and was a very popular and successful racehorse, being the top earning horse in Ireland in 1752.
The song has been popular in the British Isles and France as well as the U.S., and has had many recordings, Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly being two of the singers. "Old Stewball was a racehorse, I wish he was mine, He never drank water, He only drank wine...." Unfortunately, John Mytton's horse, Sportsman, died after being forced to drink a bottle of port wine. "Mad Jack" Mytton was an eccentric and short-lived Englishman who often went fox or duck hunting in the winter in his birthday suit. He seemed impervious to pain, was frequently bored and raced through his considerable inheritance, landing in debtor's prison where he died an old man at 38.

Storm Cat was a very successful sire in the late 20th century in the USA. Ruffian (1972-75) was a filly who won every race she started, except her last in which she had sustained a severe injury but could not be stopped from running. Her dam sire was Native Dancer and her grand sire was Bold Ruler. She is ranked number 35 in "The Blood-Horse" magazine's list of the top 100 racers as well as number 1 U.S. Female Racehorse of the Century. Zenyatta (2004-)was the first mare to win the Breeder's Cup Classic in 2009 and was undefeated in 19 starts. She was Horse of the Year in 2010.

Answer: Sadler's Wells

The horse was foaled in the U.S., his sire being Northern Dancer. Sadler's Wells had most of his successes in Europe and became a leading sire himself in France, Great Britain and Ireland, second only to Danehill in siring stakes winners. Carbine (1885-1914) was foaled in New Zealand, and raced there and in Australia.

He won the Melbourne Cup and was inducted into the Australian and New Zealand Racing Halls of Fame. More than half of the 65 Melbourne Cup winners from 1914 to 1978 descend from his line. Niatross (1977-99) was a great American pacer who won 37 of his 39 races and captured the Pacing Triple Crown in 1980. Varenne (1995) was Italy's most famous harness horse and a true globetrotter, breaking and setting speed records in seven countries.

He won 62 of 73 starts, placed in six and showed in two. He also won the U.S. Breeder's Crown, the only European horse to do so at that time. Varenne was named Horse of the Year in Italy, France and the U.S. in 2001.

Answer: Albatross

Albatross (1968-1998) was also a prolific sire, producing many winners of stakes races. He was named Harness Horse of the Year in 1971 and 1972. Niatross was one of his offspring.
All thoroughbreds descend from a line of three primary horses: Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arabian and Byerly Turk. Thoroughbreds are born into the bloodline. Some are made and some are not; Seabiscuit, for example, was considered lazy and indifferent to racing until he got the right trainer and winning became of utmost importance to him. Standardbreds are used in harness racing which includes trotting or pacing gaits. Steeplechase racing involves hurdle jumping as well as speed and agility.
An albatross was in the poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by S.T. Coleridge.