Broomspun (1918 - June 18, 1921) 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
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 ...
, the son of
Broomstick
A broom (also known in some forms as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. I ...
out of a
Rock Sand
Rock Sand (1900–1914) was a British Thoroughbred race horse and sire. In a career which lasted from the spring of 1902 until October 1904 he ran twenty times and won sixteen races. He was a leading British two-year-old of his generation, w ...
mare, Sun Glass.
Broomspun is best known for winning the $43,000
1921 Preakness Stakes at
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 ...
on May 16, 1921, in front of a record-breaking crowd.
Two-year-old season
Broomspun broke his maiden 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 his second start in the summer of 1920 as a two-year-old. Later that summer, he won at a mile and an eighth in an allowance race at
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...
in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
, in a very fast time. Broomspun did not win again over the next three months and was freshened for the winter.
Three-year-old season
Broomspun got a late start to his three-year-old season, making his sophomore debut in an allowance race at a mile and one eighth at New York's
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 that race, he ran second. Later that year, after the Derby runner did not return two weeks later in Baltimore, trainer
James Rowe entered Broomspun in the second jewel of
Triple Crown
Triple Crown may refer to:
Sports Horse racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)
** Triple Crown Trophy
** Triple Crown Productions
* Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
* Trip ...
, the
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also 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 ...
. In that race, four multiple stakes winners were assigned the high weight of 126 pounds. Broomspun, because of his lack of success, was given a weight allowance of 12 pounds and went to post carrying 114 pounds including his jockey,
Frank Coltiletti
Frank Coltiletti (April 23, 1904 – March 1987) was an American Hall of Fame jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing.
Coltiletti began his professional riding career in 1919 when he was just fifteen years old. Almost immediately he became one ...
. In 1921, the Preakness was the richest race held in North America. While $38,450 went to the winner of the
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...
, the Preakness victor received $43,000. A record 30,000 race fans were on hand, the most in the 48-year history of the race.
At the start of the race, several of the 14 starters were fractious or unruly as it took the starter eleven minutes to get the field settled. Broomspun broke from post position 7 in a forward position and stalked the leaders from fourth passing the stands for the first time at
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 ...
. He sat just off leader Leonard II's flank going down the backstretch in 47.4 for the first half mile. On the final turn, Broomspun worked his way around on the outside and burst down the lane to take the lead by just over a length. In the final strides, he was ridden out hard by jockey Frank Coltiletti to hold for the win by three quarters of a length over a hard-charging filly named Polly Ann.
The headline in ''
The Baltimore Sun
''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries.
Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by Tr ...
'' the next day read, "From obscurity to fame, Broomspun jumped in less than two minutes in The Preakness Stakes. The 3-year-old son of Broomstick and Spun Giass, who is the property of
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.
Early years
Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...
, the
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
sportsman, won the Classic
Preakness Preakness may refer to:
* The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland
* Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables
* Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...
from a field of 14 strong competitors, the best three-year-olds in the country." Besides beating Polly Ann, Broomspun defeated Jeg, who held on for third, and Leonardo II and Tryster, who dead-heated for fourth. That win was owner
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.
Early years
Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...
's second of four in the Preakness Stakes.
While competing in the June 18, 1921
Carlton Stakes at New York's
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 ...
, jockey
Clarence Kummer
Clarence Joseph Kummer (August 8, 1899 – December 18, 1930) was a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey who won four American Classic Races.
In early 1920, Kummer rode the 1919 Triple Crown Champion Sir Barton to a new Saratoga track record in wi ...
felt Broomspun's leg give on his first stride at the start of the race and pulled him up after four furlongs. Broomspun was euthanized when it was determined he had broken his right foreleg at the shoulder.
Pedigree
References
{{Preakness Stakes Winners
1918 racehorse births
1921 racehorse deaths
Horses who died from racing injuries
Racehorses bred in Kentucky
Racehorses trained in the United States
Preakness Stakes winners
Thoroughbred family 11