Anita Peabody (1925–1934) was an American Champion

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. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

. Bred and raced by John and Fannie Hertz, she was born at their Leona Farm near

Cary, Illinois Cary is a village located in Algonquin Township, McHenry County, Illinois, and Cuba Township, Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 17,826. Founding In 1841, William Dennison Cary purchased for $1.25 an ...

. She was named after the wife of Stuyvesant Peabody, then President of the Illinois Turf Association. Anita Peabody's

sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" a ...

was

Luke McLuke Luke McLuke (1911 – ) was a bay Thoroughbred stallion born in the United States. He won the 1914 Belmont Stakes, the Carlton Stakes, Kentucky Handicap, and Grainger Memorial Handicap among his four wins from six starts. After his racing care ...

, winner of the 1914

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

and a son of the important but unraced Ultimus, who had been sired by

Commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

. Anita Peabody's

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

was La Dauphine, a daughter of

The Tetrarch The Tetrarch (1911–1935) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was undefeated in a racing career of seven starts and was voted the best British-trained two-year-old of the 20th century according to the National Horse ...

, who was voted Britain's greatest two-year-old of the 20th century. Trained by Bert Michell, in 1927, Anita Peabody won six of her seven starts as a two-year-old and has been retrospectively voted

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both t ...

honors

Her biggest win that year came with a victory over Colt (horse), colts in the

Belmont Futurity Stakes The Futurity Stakes, commonly referred to as the Belmont Futurity, is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-September or October at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, United States. Open to two-year-old horses, it is raced on turf ...

. In August 1928, at age three, she was retired because of injuries, having won one race that year. Consigned to

broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...

duty at Leona Farm, in February 1931 she gave birth to a son of the Hertz's star runner,

Reigh Count Reigh Count (April 13, 1925–April 8, 1948) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1928 Kentucky Derby and the 1929 Coronation Cup in England. Reigh Count was bred by Willis Sharpe Kilmer and foaled at Court Manor n ...

, who later would sire 1943 U.S. Triple Crown champion,

Count Fleet Count Fleet (March 24, 1940 – December 3, 1973) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the sixth winner of the American Triple Crown. He won the Belmont Stakes by a then record margin of twenty-five lengths. After an undefeated ...

. Anita Peabody died unexpectedly of an infection at Leona Farm on August 27, 1934, having produced three

foal A foal is an equine up to one year old; this term is used mainly for horses, but can be used for donkeys. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, and are used until the horse is three or four. When the foal i ...

References

{{reflist
July 5, 1927 ''Chicago Daily Tribune'' article titled ''Anita Peabody wins Joliet Stakes before 30,000''

* ttps://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0916F8385D167A93CAAB1783D85F408385F9 August 28, 1934 ''New York Times'' article on the death of Anita Peabody 1925 racehorse births 1934 racehorse deaths Thoroughbred family 31 Racehorses bred in Illinois Racehorses trained in the United States American Champion racehorses