Bowl Game (1974–2006) was an American

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. He was bred in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

by Greentree Stud and raced under the same

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 Sar ...

banner as his owner. He finished racing with a record of 11-6-5 in 23 starts with career earnings of US$907,083. Bowl Game Creek was best known for his wins in the grade one

Washington, D.C. International Stakes The Baltimore Washington International Turf Cup is an American Grade III invitational horse race run over one mile. Inaugurated in 1952, it was raced at Laurel Park Racecourse on the turf in Laurel, Maryland, at a distance of miles (12 furlongs ...

, the grade one Man o' War Stakes and the grade two

Dixie Handicap The Dinner Party Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid-May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the eighth-oldest graded stakes race in the United States and the oldest stakes race in Maryland and all o ...

. In 1979 he became the only horse ever have won all four prestigious turf races of the United States. That same year he was named the country's top grass equine by being voted 1979 American Champion Male Turf Horse honors.

Early career

Bowl Game was a very late developing thoroughbred. As a three-year-old Bowl Game only raced twice placing third in both races. He finished the year with an annual record of 0-0-2 in 2 starts for annual earning of $2,400.00

Four-year-old season

In his four-year-old season Bowl Game raced a total of 10 races in a nine-month campaign that spanned from February through November 1978. In February he prepped in an allowance race and then stepped up to graded stakes action in March. In that race he won the

Gulfstream Park Handicap The Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (formerly known as the Gulfstream Park Handicap) is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Gulfstream Park each year. The race is open to horses age four and up, willing to race one mile on the dirt. A Grade II even ...

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

just outside

Miami, Florida Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

. In this race he won his only graded stakes race on the dirt in the

, a grade one race under his regular jockey

Jorge Velásquez Jorge Velásquez (born December 28, 1946 in Chepo, Panama) is a thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. Jorge Velasquez's career in thoroughbred racing began in his native Panama but as a teenager moved to the United States. In 1967 he won ...

. In April, he won the

Pan American Handicap The Pan American Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses that are four years or older held over a distance of one and one-half miles (twelve furlongs) on the turf usually scheduled annually in late March as an under card ev ...

at Gulfstream Park. Later that year in May he won the

Dixie Stakes The Dinner Party Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid-May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the eighth-oldest graded stakes race in the United States and the oldest stakes race in Maryland and all o ...

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

for his sixth straight win capturing one of the oldest trophies in American sports, the

Annapolis Subscription Plate Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

. That day he finished the oldest race in the Mid-Atlantic states at 1½ miles on soft turf in 2:33.40 over a field of nine stakes winners including Oilfield and Trumpeter Swan, who finished second and third respectively. He concluded the year with a spectacular record, finishing in-the-money in 100% of his races. In 1978 he ended with a record of 6 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third in 10 starts with annual earnings of $311,245.

Five-year-old season

During his five-year-old season, he reeled off several grade one victories one after another. He won the prestigious

at Laurel Park Racecourse in a tepid 2:51 over a very soft turf course. In July, won two stakes races. First he won the

Arlington Handicap The Arlington Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years old over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the turf held annually in late May or early June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Th ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

on the first weekend of July. Then Bowl Game wheeled back in three weeks and won the Man O' War Stakes at 1⅜ miles on the turf at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

in 2:19.0 even. He also won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Handicap at

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...

in 2:28.20 at a mile and a half. He finished his five-year-old season with a record of 5 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds in 10 starts for annual earnings of $585,738. As a six-year-old he only raced once and placed second in an Allowance race at Belmont Park.

Retirement

Bowl Game was euthanized November 10, 2006, due to old age: "He was out in the pasture and got two-thirds of the way up the hill and just lay down. He was in some distress, and it was clear to us that the time had come."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowl Game (Horse) 1974 racehorse births 2006 racehorse deaths Thoroughbred family 26 Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Eclipse Award winners Whitney racehorses